NEW - Requirements to Spray 2,4-D: Reduce the Risk of Damage.

Spray application and spray drift management is critical in using herbicide and pesticide products effectively and safely – for you as operator,  and both target areas being sprayed and non-target areas.   

As well, awareness of current or new label instructions for some products really mean users must up their performance to use best practice to reduce the risk of off-target spray drift and to incorporate the new label instructions for the use of 2,4-D.

The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) suspended the labels of all products containing the active ingredient 2,4-D from October 4, 2018, replacing them with a permit.

Key changes for using 2,4-D under the permit include: applicators must now use at least a Very Coarse (VC) spray quality; when using a boom sprayer, boom heights must be 0.5 metres (or lower) above the target canopy; and downwind buffers now apply (typically less than 50 metres, subject to rate and product being applied) between application sites, and downwind of sensitive crops and environmentally sensitive aquatic areas.

While new procedures are focused on 2,4-D, common sense would indicate that related products also may need more appropriate care during spraying.   It might also lead to better overall outcomes and improved success for the target plants.

Six videos have been developed and are worth looking at to help users adapt to the changes.

Presented by respected spray consultant Bill Gordon, the new series of six videos cover the topics :

•             2,4-D label changes

•             A spray contractor’s experience

•             Nozzle selection for larger droplets

•             Weather conditions and the 2,4-D label

•             Maximising spray coverage

•             Maximising spray efficiency 

More information and links to the media are on a few web sites; this link should find the videos –

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z407oDSDFh8&list=PL2PndQdkNRHHKlNyS3v04o46SA1g0V2ND

they are listed sequentially.

Useful for growers and spray users across many field crop species, horticulture, pastures and turf to help effective spraying and prevent problems – which could come back to hit you!

While specific to 2,4-D the principles really have wider ramifications and should improve overall herbicide spray operations.  Good sensible operational practice pays off with better outcomes.

Dioxin Found in Imported Phenoxy Herbicides in Australia

There has been a monster fuss over dioxin in the phenoxy herbicides used in the 1970s.  Agent Orange, helicopters, defoliation.....Vietnam era one says.........the manufacturers do it better now.

The good ones do.............but with a race to the lowest cost product for the ultra competition which drives the cost issue in agriculture and horticulture in Australia..............guess what?  Imported product has suddenly appeared on the scene with plenty of dioxin present as a by product of the production of technical grade 2,4-D and 2,4,5 -T.  Same  quality control issue as the 1970s, one would suspect.

Phenoxy herbicides are not banned and many do a great job at low rates, and modest cost.  Combination products are widely used - eg 2,4-D and MCPA or dicamba, and often in horticulture and even home garden use as turf herbicides.  2,4-D was probably the first real herbicide and has been used since the 1950s.

But the costs have fallen and there are many manufacturers in China, and some it now seems are really cutting corners.

Yes, Australia has probably not done enough monitoring of ongoing imported products either. 

As is often the case, initial supply is fine - meets specifications etc.  As volume goes up.......sadly, quality plummets!  Or a different lower cost producer replaces the decent producer who is meeting quality requirements and the exporter [ often not the producer] says little.......but quality is going down, but not enough to indicate the product is not doing its job. 

It is the by product that is the problem - dioxin.

Herbicide spraying - Vietnam war era.

It is deadly stuff.............look it up eg wikipedia, plenty of detailed reports on line.  It is VERY NASTY!

It is unclear how widespread the problem is in Australia, but some believe that it is not major, restricted to some importers and formulators using lower cost product to drive their sales into the market.  It might take some time to sort out, but as a guide.........BEWARE if using phenoxy herbicides.  You should be now anyway.

Everyone seems to have thought the dioxin issue was dead and buried.........and with quality technical product from quality manufacturers it broadly had not been an issue for many years.  However, it is back.

It is interesting to also speculate how much poor technical product also went into other Asian countries - Malaysia, Vietnam, Laos, Burma, Cambodia etc where cost is probably an even bigger concern.  They are unlikely to have respected regulators to get on top of this issue.

Is it any wonder many do not trust Chinese product?  Whether agricultural chemical or baby formula, seems immaterial - they are suspect, and one wonders why Chinese want our rural products???

See - http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-07-23/industry-supports-regulator/4838078

and http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/bushtelegraph/dioxin-follow/4837862


UPDATE - also see this article from later in the week after the blog written.

http://www.queenslandcountrylife.com.au/news/agriculture/cropping/general-news/dioxins-slip-through-system/2665361.aspx?page=2