Longford farming news: Farmers urged to take smart approach to herbicide use in Longford
Grassland herbicides are an important part of good grassland management
By Kieran Kenny, Teagasc ASSAP Adviser, Castlerea
The improving weather and field conditions will inevitably kick start the early season application of herbicides on farms.
Grassland herbicides are an important part of good grassland management. However, misuse can lead to impacts on water quality. Last year, there were 69 pesticide exceedances in public drinking water supplies in Ireland.
The Longford Central supply accounted for 2 exceedances in April and May.
The supply is sourced from Lough Forbes with a large catchment bordering three counties, Longford, Leitrim and Roscommon that includes the towns/villages of Rooskey, Dromod, Mohill, Termonbarry, Newtownforbes, Drumlish, Ballinamuck and Bornacoola.
Poor practice when using herbicides on a small number of farms is the main cause of the exceedances.
However, inappropriate use by householders or grounds keepers is also contributing to the problem.
There are several tips to reduce the risk:
Firstly, it is important to assess if you need to spray – can your weed problem be resolved by non-chemical methods such as topping, mulching or drainage.
Make a joint decision with your agricultural adviser on justifying chemical use. Best practice must be followed at all stages:
Ensure the operator and equipment are fully compliant with regulation.
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Use the appropriate herbicide, application method and strictly follow the label instructions.
Apply in suitable weather conditions (calm day with no heavy rainfall in the following 48 hours) and consider using drift-reducing nozzles.
Avoid filling, mixing or washing out the sprayer close to a waterbody.
Spray out the tank washings and clean down the external parts in the field. Don’t discard washings on a yard or gravel area as it can potentially enter a water body.
Most importantly check the location of all nearby waterbodies and observe the minimum non-spray buffer that is generally 5m for grassland chemicals including MCPA (used for rush control).
Let’s all work together in protecting water quality for homes and businesses in our local community.
The Agricultural Sustainability Support and Advisory Programme (ASSAP) is an advisory service available to all farmers situated in Priority Areas for Action to support with farming and water quality issues.
For further detail visit: www.teagasc.ie/assap or phone Kieran in the Castlerea Office on Castlerea (Tel: 094 9620160)