Spray school seeks to keep pesticide drift in check
Joanna Radford of Surry County directs participants to workshop activities.
Photo by Suzanne Stanard
Spray drift from pesticide applicators is a big problem for honeybee populations in Surry County and nearby communities in the North Carolina mountains. Sourwood trees in particular are vulnerable - and have begun to show damage.
"In sourwood trees, spray drift not only inhibits photosynthesis, but it can cause the tree to abort or delay bloom, which leads to a decrease in the honeybee population," said Joanna Radford, agricultural Extension agent in Surry County. "A lot of beekeepers in the county rely on sourwoods for their living."
To help alleviate spray drift, the Surry County office of North Carolina Cooperative Extension held an on-farm spray school in Mount Airy this spring for tobacco growers in the area.
Nearly 150 workshop participants rotated through three hands-on stations at the G. Eddie Johnson Farm. Scott Shoulars, Rockingham County Extension director, and Rickey Williams, agricultural Extension agent in Caswell County, led a demonstration on nozzle selection. They used a spray table to show different types of nozzles and how to select a nozzle for specific applications.
Just across the field, Radford and members of her staff led a demonstration of equipment calibration. Calling on members of the audience to participate, they used a tractor with boom sprayer to show step-by-step procedures for nozzle maintenance and sprayer calibration.
"We want to keep pesticides where they belong," Radford said.
The third station, led by Mike Mitchell of the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDA&CS) and representatives of FMC Corporation, a diversified chemical company, focused on understanding chemical applications. Using the Command brand label as an example, they described how to read the label and what applicators must know about Command. Mitchell also talked about the NCDA&CS rules and regulations for spray drift.
Participants took home several useful items, including a pesticide applicator's handbook, nozzles and measuring cups. The spray school was free.
Ronnie Sawyers, who farms 35 acres of flue-cured tobacco in Pilot Mountain, said that spray drift is going to be a difficult problem to solve, but he's grateful for the help of Cooperative Extension.
"I work with Joanna all the time," he said. "Whenever we need her, she comes right out."
- Suzanne Stanard
"In sourwood trees, spray drift not only inhibits photosynthesis, but it can cause the tree to abort or delay bloom, which leads to a decrease in the honeybee population," said Joanna Radford, agricultural Extension agent in Surry County. "A lot of beekeepers in the county rely on sourwoods for their living."
To help alleviate spray drift, the Surry County office of North Carolina Cooperative Extension held an on-farm spray school in Mount Airy this spring for tobacco growers in the area.
Nearly 150 workshop participants rotated through three hands-on stations at the G. Eddie Johnson Farm. Scott Shoulars, Rockingham County Extension director, and Rickey Williams, agricultural Extension agent in Caswell County, led a demonstration on nozzle selection. They used a spray table to show different types of nozzles and how to select a nozzle for specific applications.
Just across the field, Radford and members of her staff led a demonstration of equipment calibration. Calling on members of the audience to participate, they used a tractor with boom sprayer to show step-by-step procedures for nozzle maintenance and sprayer calibration.
"We want to keep pesticides where they belong," Radford said.
The third station, led by Mike Mitchell of the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDA&CS) and representatives of FMC Corporation, a diversified chemical company, focused on understanding chemical applications. Using the Command brand label as an example, they described how to read the label and what applicators must know about Command. Mitchell also talked about the NCDA&CS rules and regulations for spray drift.
Participants took home several useful items, including a pesticide applicator's handbook, nozzles and measuring cups. The spray school was free.
Ronnie Sawyers, who farms 35 acres of flue-cured tobacco in Pilot Mountain, said that spray drift is going to be a difficult problem to solve, but he's grateful for the help of Cooperative Extension.
"I work with Joanna all the time," he said. "Whenever we need her, she comes right out."
- Suzanne Stanard