The forum was hosted in Townsville at the tropical Seagulls
Resort by the Burdekin Dry Tropics NRM, BSES and Canegrowers Ltd.
The event was organized to provide a unique opportunity for
growers, researchers, agri- chemical resellers, cane industry
representatives, federal and state government representatives,
regulators and local NRM professionals to discuss the use of
pesticides in cane farming. Participants were also asked to
consider ways forward to reducing the effects of pesticides on our
Lower Burdekin waterbodies.
Key Points that emerged from the Pesticide Forum
Moving from Information to Knowledge
There is now a great deal of water quality monitoring
information coming to hand,. however, we don't necessarily know
exactly what it means (i.e. the effects) in terms of ecosystem
impacts. There are considerable information gaps and perhaps the
‘ability to measure has surpassed the ability to
understand’.
A complex system of variables
Pesticide management is clearly a complex management issue for
virtually all concerned, whether a grower, agri-chemical rep or
re-seller, or even researcher. All of the different variables,
chemicals, synergies, economics make any decision-making
challenging for all sectors as does the lack of viable options and
alternatives in some cases.
The key role of growers
Individual landholders are the key to future improvements. Feedback
to growers needs to be improved and better integrated (this
includes a broad spectrum of information including environmental
and economic effects of off-site movement, but also local
information on results of on-farm practice changes). In the future
we need to focus on broader industry education for pesticide
issues, in general, to promote and collectively (i.e. growers,
re-sellers, researchers and regulators) foster a culture of
continual improvement in all facets of pesticide use.
Communication is the key
There is a dire need to establish better communication pathways
between all parties involved in pesticide research, use, management
and decision making. Growers in particular need to be involved in
future directions and action. There could be considerable scope for
collaboration or partnership between growers and agri-chemical
sectors in developing and testing new chemicals. Similarly
development of more locally relevant information and knowledge on
off-site movements, mass balances and local Water Quality
Guidelines is needed.
Local Issues and Challenges
New forms of “Best management Practice”
In the past, the concept of ‘Best Management
Practice” dealt primarily with maximizing product efficacy,
whereas focus has now shifted to include effective management of
environmental consequences. While local growers desire the ability
to maintain or improve their land for the future, underlying
economic viability and maintaining a productive farm system is
still ultimately a key driver of decision-making.
Growers are also somewhat limited in alternative chemical
choices and management alternatives given the relatively small
scale, ‘niche’ nature of sugar industry. Information at
the ‘grass roots’ level about monitoring and the
environmental ‘friendliness’ of various chemical is
also not currently readily available.
“New Farming Systems”
Recent industry changes such as the transition to ‘New
Farming Systems’ (wide beds, controlled traffic, minimum
tillage etc.) offers opportunities, but also some unknown
implications with regard to pesticide management. For example, what
impacts are shifts to NFS having on off-site chemical movement?
There is a need for improved knowledge of how to control weeds in
dual row systems. There may also be scope for improved management
advice from agri-business in regard to seasonal timing of certain
applied chemicals and how farmers can better manage chemicals on
farms. Management of the potential development of herbicide
resistance in weeds is yet another issue the sugar industry is yet
to really grapple with. It has not been a concern in the past
because of the wide choice of herbicides available. Future
developments in genetically modified sugarcane or Roundup Ready
cane for example could also be future avenues for greatly reducing
pesticide usage.
Major Research Challenges
Researchers also have a challenge in focusing research efforts
in a historically dynamic environment where research has typically
been ad hoc and reactive. Given the relatively small part
played by cane in the broader market, research investment is
limited and the struggle for meaningful data is and will continue
to be an ongoing issue for researchers. Current monitoring
information tends to highlight levels in environment, but
information as to real ecosystem effects (i.e. locally relevant
ecotoxicology) is still tenuous. Similarly, while the marine
environment has received considerable attention, local Burdekin
freshwater and estuarine wetlands, with their own substantial
values, have been largely overlooked in the broader NRM arena.
Locally relevant information on the effects of various chemicals on
specific organisms needs to be assessed as a priority!
Pesticide use in the Burdekin: The Way Forward
Education and Communication
Farmers are keen about ensuring the future sustainability of
their industry. Education and feedback to growers on a range of
issues (potential detrimental effects of off-site pesticide
movement, local environmental monitoring, specific benefits of
practice change) needs to be improved in order to help develop a
culture of continuous improvement. However, this education process
should not be limited to growers. All relevant sectors, be it
extension staff, researchers, regulators or re-sellers, can benefit
from better information dissemination and feedback loops between
all parties. Accordingly, the broad array of current pesticide
related activity needs much better coordination and integration.
There also needs to be a collective effort in fostering
communication and understanding between all sectors involved in
pesticide research, management, use and regulation.
On paddock water quality monitoring. Photo courtesy of ACTFR.
More effective on-farm practices
A number of specific on-farm practices hold considerable
potential for mitigating environmental effects of pesticide use.
NFS with pre-formed beds offers a lot of prospective benefit in
terms of weed control with ‘greener’ products.
Questions still exist however with regard to use of products such
as imidacloprid in NFS, as well as effective spray equipment
set-ups and weed control in dual row systems. Improved chemical
application practices are always evolving, but need to be better
extended to extension staff, reseller and growers. Chemical users
need to better record chemical use practices, and continually
ensure adherence to label instructions. Other stakeholders such as
Sunwater (somewhat neglected in this forum) could also potentially
offer avenues for improved environmental management such as
allowing growers to recycle water containing nutrients and
pesticides from irrigation area drains.
A holistic approach
Research and extension needs to particularly focus on improved
monitoring of pesticide movement, particularly in relation to BMP
adoption. Issues such as chemical budgets and mass balance issues
can provide much greater insights
into scope and scale of pesticide movement issues such as
residence times and seasonal risk profiles.
The Burdekin requires a holistic view of problems, particularly
with respect to water, where the interactions between surface and
groundwater are currently not well known.
Information such as what products are currently being used and
at what rates, what amounts stay on-farm, what amounts leave and
what are the loss pathways is still not well appreciated.
Similarly, issues such as synergistic effects on the environment
between multiple chemicals, solvents surfactants, and organic
products are still virtually unknown.
Greater Promotion of successes
Finally there is a need to highlight good stories. The industry
is receptive to moving ahead with these issues in a meaningful way.
Good news stories regarding industry efforts to address some of
these concerns need to be more broadly communicated.