AEA says check sprayers yearly to satisfy rules
AEA says check sprayers yearly to satisfy rules
By Andy Collings
AGRICULTURAL sprayers should now be tested every year, says Agricultural Engineers Associations services manager, Duncan Russell, who runs the associations Sprayer Test Scheme.
"This will help farmers comply with crop assurance, traceability and the requirements of government to reduce the environmental impact of pesticides," he says.
According to Mr Russell, an increasing number of sprayers are being entered into the scheme, which is voluntary. The number of sprayers covered by the scheme now exceeds 2000, with just over 1000 being tested last year. Over a third of those tested needed repair work – the main fault being worn nozzles which can cause inaccurate application rates.
"Farmers and growers are looking for efficiency of accurate application, operator safety and good stewardship practices," insists Mr Russell. "And crop assurance is looking for confirmation of good practices from farmers and growers, giving consumers and supermarkets confidence in British foods."
The Sprayer Test is now available at 57 centres in England and Scotland with the average cost of a test being about £145, depending on the complexity of the machine. *