Spray drift: Growers nervous after wet summer with herbicide 2,4D

The next two to three weeks will reveal how effective new 2,4D herbicide rules have been at preventing spray drift.

Spray drift has caused millions of dollars of damage to Australian crops in the past. Growers hope new rules will bring the problem under control. Picture: Sourced

Experts say the next two to three weeks will reveal how effective new herbicide application rules have been at preventing spray drift.

The new rules, which came into effect for common 2,4D herbicides in October, aimed to reduce the potential for the herbicide to drift onto vines, cotton and other sensitive crops by stipulating when and how the herbicides can be applied.

Independent Consultants Australia Network senior consultant Mark Congreve said whether or not growers have been following the new rules will soon be apparent.

While new restrictions “basically make spray drift impossible”, he said there were anecdotal reports of some damage.

“We’ll know in the next two to three weeks if the industry has improved its game,” he said.

Mr Congreve said this season’s wet weather meant farmers were applying herbicides to control weeds at rates not seen since 2016.

Distorted Cotton from 2,4D spray drift. Picture: Sourced

“Spray drift has always been a bit of a problem with off-target damage for 2,4 D,” he said.

A chorus of peak bodies have urged farmers to follow the new rules and prevent potentially “devastating” damage.

The National Farmers Federation, Cotton Australia, Grain Growers Limited, and the Ricegrowers Association of Australia released a joint statement last week saying growers caught knowingly breaking the law could face legal action.