This is one to share with the neighbours. Every spring, we see way too much spray drift onto vegetable crops (as well as residential areas and sensitive habitats). Not only can this reduce yields by injuring or even killing the crop, but there are many other serious consequences to the victim of spray drift such as:
- reduced crop marketability due to pesticide residue
- reduced crop marketability due to effects of herbicide injury (appearance, size)
- inability to meet contract commitments for volume of crop
- delay in crop maturity resulting in inability to meet contract commitments to buyer
- delay in crop maturity resulting in loss of premium (early) markets
- loss of customers or markets due to gaps in supply of the crop
- long term injury (eg. several years) to perennial crop or windbreaks
- rifts between neighbours, family, friends
- large legal bills
Some of these consequences are particular to certain horticultural crops and others are common no matter what you grow.
Neighbours or custom operators working in adjacent fields may not realize how sensitive the horticultural crops are or the potentially devastating consequences of drift injury that go well beyond the yield loss. Communication between applicators and adjacent home owners or growers is critical, and it should be the applicator that initiates the conversation.
The potential for spray drift can be greatly reduced, but only when spray applicators educate themselves about how spray moves. Several resources including videos, online tools, written material, and public shaming are listed below. Continue reading Preventing Spray Drift →
