Spray rig improvements through Grains BMP
Spray rig improvements through Grains BMP
Support rectifies issues with spray equipment
The Grains Best Management Practices (BMP) program is helping farmers get the best out of their equipment, for more efficiently produced grains and great environmental gains.
Grain growers like Carmel and Kevin O’Keeffe are discovering they can vastly improve the performance of their spray equipment, resulting in less time spent in the field, less wasted chemicals and reduced run-off into local waterways.
The O’Keeffes own and run Wallalee, a 3925 hectare mixed grazing and grains enterprise near Emerald where they grow wheat, sorghum, mung beans and chickpeas. The property has been in the O’Keefe family for 50 years – Kevin and Carmel bought it from Kevin’s parents in 2000.
It became clear to the O’Keeffes while completing self-assessment modules in the Grains BMP program that their spray rig was experiencing issues that were affecting the productivity of the farm.
The set-up was reducing their efficiency, costing them money whenever they did a fallow or an in-crop application, and they were also concerned about the potential for off-target movement into sensitive areas and waterways.
“It seemed that I was spending too much time on the machine trying to get it to do a job that should have taken half the time,” Kevin said.
Through the program they were able to access the support of a consultant, Graham Betts, who worked closely with the O’Keeffes over several weeks to identify ways to improve their spray rig. In total, nine modifications to the rig were written into an action plan, including replacing its plumbing, pump, nozzles and cap.
Graham Betts said he believed that up to 50% of landholders were not aware of how to spray correctly, and the other half were being sold equipment that was not ‘spray-ready’, and farmers were not being given the support to remedy issues with their machinery.
“This would be a common occurrence across the agricultural industry with a lack of after sale support and knowledge of products that are sold to time-poor farmers,” Mr Betts said.
Kevin and Carmel got help from their local catchment group CHRRUP to develop a successful application for an incentive grant from Fitzroy Basin Association to help with the costs of implementing upgrades to their equipment.
