Demolition from inkjet sprayers is visible at a distance. According to the manager of the Program of Compliance with the Pesticides of Tim Schulz, this spring, the inspectors of the State Department of Agriculture Washington will follow the displacement of pesticides from the sprayers with an air jet as part of the new inspection program. This should encourage manufacturers to be more attentive to calibration of sprayers and weather assessment before using pesticides.
At the work of aerial sprayers, the Ministry of Agriculture of Washington intends to tighten the control.
"This is part of the new efforts to ensure compliance with the laws called the drift monitoring project," said Tim Schulz.
The agency launched the project on the initiative of the groups of the agro-industrial complex, including the Association of Fruits of the Farms of Washington Trees, Washington Farm Bureau, Washington Farm and Forest Friends and other organizations, which in February 2020 called on WSDA to use their existing powers to comply with the use of agrochemistry.
"If we are going along the road and see that demolished is going on, and the pesticide leaves the target zone, we take a picture, and then contact the manufacturer and processing specialist to inform them that we have just observed. This is a good way to eliminate drift in a short time, "said Schulz.
"The fruit tree industry supports a new emphasis on both enlightenment and law enforcement of agrochemistry," added John Devan, President of the Washington Fruit Trees Association.
"If there is a demolition, people first say that their rules for their use are inadequate. But the first question should be: "Are the rules complied with?". Most of the manufacturers strictly follow the instructions on pesticide labels, but in the interests of the industry so that WSDA finds those who do not. If the manufacturers did not know that they should have done, offer them technical support, and if they knew and simply did not, for this there are other pressure levers. "
In the 2020 fiscal year, WSDA investigated 61 cases of pesticide demolition, 24 of which were associated with aerosol sprayers.
In connection with the implementation of the project, the Agency requests state legislators to approve the increase in registration fees and licenses for the use of agrochemistry to finance the Pesticide Safety Reform Package.
Package aims to increase technical assistance and resources for learning to help farmers reduce demolition
"Although no one likes to increase the fee, we hope that this is a good attachment that will help farmers to reduce demolition," Kelly Maclay, a political adviser to the WSDA Director.
Calibration of the sprayer is complex and specific, so WSDA has developed a program to send instructors to the instructor for instructing, how to correctly calibrate and optimize their own equipment, as well as to observe and respond to weather conditions, said Ophelio Bruges, WSDA program manager for technical services and learning in Department of Pesticide Management.
Correct equipment calibration saves manufacturers money, increases product efficiency and protects people and the environment, Borges added.
According to McLein, this proposal will increase the fees for registration of pesticides from $ 195 per year to $ 260 per year, which will still keep Washington to Washington for the States such as California ($ 1150) and New York ($ 620), providing $ 900,000 from $ 1.1 million necessary for the new program.
Pesticide licensing fees will grow from 15 to 30 percent (from 5 to 30 dollars, depending on the type of license), plus a collection of $ 7 to support the educational program for the security of Washington University's Pesticides.
According to her, this financing will provide support for three additional posts, as well as the staff of additional personnel to register pesticides and finance the upgrades of registration and licensing databases.
According to Devan, despite the fact that the increase in fees is not an easy, the fruit tree industry supports the goals of the training program and the introduction of advanced management methods for preventing pesticide demolition incidents.
(Source: www.goodfruit.com. Posted by Kate Prengaama. Photo provided by the Department of Agriculture of Washington, USA).