Scottish Government

ISBN 978 0 7559 9184 6 (Web only publication)
This document is also available in pdf format (776k)

Contents

Executive Summary

1. Introduction

2. Method and Sample

3. Farmer Survey
3.1 Data Analysis
3.2 Pesticide Application Practice
3.3 Pesticide Application Decision Making
3.4 Spray Conditions
3.5 Use of information to support decisions
3.6 Pesticide Application Equipment
3.7 Disposal of Waste Pesticides and Pesticide Containers

4. Discussion and Conclusions
4.1 General points
4.2 Training
4.3 Decision making and influencing behaviour
4.4 Use of integrated pest management
4.5 Spray equipment
4.6 Disposal of pesticides

5. Appendix - Survey Questionnaire

List of Tables
Table 1 Sample Profile
Table 2 Pesticide application by farm size
Table 3 Pesticide application by farm type
Table 4 Pesticide application by region
Table 5 Reasons for not applying pesticides by farm type
Table 6 Hectares pesticides applied to in an average year by farm size
Table 7 Hectares pesticides applied to in an average year by farm type
Table 8 Hectares pesticides applied to in an average year by region
Table 9 Spray applications of less than 2 days per year by farm type (Respondent sprays on farm)
Table 10 NRoSO membership by farm type
Table 11 NRoSO membership by region
Table 12 Who decides which pesticides to apply by farm type
Table 13 Who decides which pesticides to apply by region
Table 14 Qualifications of the person who decides WHICH pesticides to apply by farm size
Table 15 Qualifications of the person who decides WHICH pesticides to apply by farm type
Table 16 Qualifications of the person who decides WHICH pesticides to apply by region
Table 17 Who decides WHEN pesticide spraying will take place by farm type
Table 18 Who decides WHEN pesticide spraying will take place by region
Table 19 Qualifications of the person who decides WHEN pesticide application will take place by farm size
Table 20 Qualifications of the person who decides WHEN pesticide application will take place by farm type
Table 21 Qualifications of the person who decides WHEN pesticide application will take place by region
Table 22 Factors taken into account when deciding WHEN to spray pesticides by farm type
Table 23 Factors taken into account when deciding WHEN to spray pesticides by region
Table 24 How drift into water courses and other non-target areas is reduced by farm type
Table 25 How drift into water courses and other non-target areas is reduced by region
Table 26 Background information or programmes used by farm type
Table 27 Background information or programmes used by region
Table 28 Methods used to assess the development of weeds, pests or diseases by farm type
Table 29 Methods used to assess the development of weeds, pests or diseases by region
Table 30 Membership of assurance schemes by farm type
Table 31 Membership of assurance schemes by region
Table 32 Type of equipment used to apply pesticides by farm size
Table 33 Type of equipment used to apply pesticides by farm type
Table 34 Type of equipment used to apply pesticides by region
Table 35 Numbers of each type of equipment owned by the farm
Table 36 Average age of application equipment
Table 37 What height are the nozzles on your boom sprayer usually set above the crop when you are applying pesticides?
Table 38 How many metres wide is the boom that you normally use?
Table 39 What miles per hour do you usually travel when applying pesticides from a boom sprayer?
Table 40 Informing neighbours by farm type
Table 41 Informing neighbours by region

List of Figures
Figure 1 Pesticide application
Figure 2 Reasons for not applying pesticides on the farm
Figure 3 Who applies the pesticides
Figure 4 Certification
Figure 5 Excluding contractors how many people apply pesticides on the farm?
Figure 6 How many days a year does the respondent/farm worker/family member apply pesticides on the farm?
Figure 7 What proportion of all pesticides do respondent/farm worker/family member/ contractor apply?
Figure 8 Excluding contractors how many of the people who apply pesticides on your farm are members of NRoSO?
Figure 9 Who is the main person who decides WHICH pesticides to apply on the farm?
Figure 10 Which qualifications relevant to spraying does this person have?
Figure 11 Who is the main person who decides WHEN pesticide spraying will take place?
Figure 12 Which qualifications relevant to spraying does this person have?
Figure 13 What factors are taken into account when deciding WHEN to spray pesticides on your farm?
Figure 14 How is drift into water courses and other non target areas such as neighbours land, reduced when spraying pesticides on your farm?
Figure 15 Which of the following types of background information or programmes do you use to help plan and manage your pesticide applications?
Figure 16 How do you assess the development of weeds, pests and diseases in your crops and grassland?
Figure 17 What if any are the benefits of using methods in addition to or instead of regular crop inspection?
Figure 18 Which assurance schemes if any, is your farm a member of?
Figure 19 What type of equipment do you or your farm workers use nowadays to apply the pesticides on your farm? (Excludes contractors equipment)
Figure 20 How many ... (of each type of equipment) do you have on your farm?
Figure 21 How old is the application equipment?
Figure 22 Do you regularly maintain or service the (equipment) or do you tend to just fix faults as they occur?
Figure 23 How often is the (equipment) maintained or serviced?
Figure 24 Who carries out the maintenance or servicing?
Figure 25 Has the (equipment) been tested through the National Sprayer Testing Scheme, otherwise known as NSTS?
Figure 26 When was it last tested?
Figure 27 When pesticides are applied do you inform residents who live adjacent to the fields?
Figure 28 How do you inform the residents?
Figure 29 Where have you obtained advice or information about how to dispose of waste pesticides and pesticide containers?
Figure 30 How do you dispose of empty plastic pesticide containers?
Figure 31 When you dispose of empty pesticide containers how, if at all are they cleaned before disposal?
Figure 32 How do you dispose of the rinsings after washing spray equipment or washing out containers?
Figure 33 How do you dispose of any waste undiluted pesticide that will not be used, for example because it is out of date, the product has been withdrawn or you no longer grow the crop?
Figure 34 Where do you store the pesticide concentrate?
Figure 35 How do you dispose of any diluted pesticide that is left over after application?

Prepared by:
Diane Simpson, Susan Twining
ADASUK Ltd