Moving forward with Good Agricultural Practice

Moving forward with Good Agricultural Practice

This is the fourth instalment in a series of articles clarifying the need and drivers for Good Agricultural Practice (GAP), and guidance on its main elements and their on-farm management.

Crop Protection Management:

None of the elements of a comprehensive GAP process should be seen as more important than any other.  Nevertheless the activities around crop protection management are varied and does require significant attention. The responsibilities and requirements attached to pest, weed and disease control whether via chemical or biological means has seen meaningful changes and additional requirements during the past number of years. The infrastructure in the crop protection industry is vast and there is much expertise available that should be utilized to ensure all requirements can be met.

As a producer your main objectives remain to consistently produce a crop of sufficient quantity and quality to ensure your long term success.  Being a farmer there are many skills you have to acquire, master of have access to. One of the many is an understanding of the impact of diseases, pests and weeds on your crop and the effective and responsible methods to control these problems when required. Your crop organization is a useful source of information of the pests and diseases that are a threat to your crop, control methods and also any potential or emerging pests that may have an impact in the future.

One of the key elements of planning control of pests and diseases is doing this in advance i.e. what actions will be taken and if this includes the use of pesticides, whether synthetic or biological and decide in advance the most suitable methods to employ. Follow the rule of Observe; Decide; Intervene; Observe which form the basis of Integrated Pest Management (IPM).

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) – Quick Guide

What is IPM?

• A holistic approach to managing pests, diseases, and weeds.
• Uses all available techniques to keep pest levels low, protect human health, and safeguard the environment.
• Focuses on growing a healthy crop with minimal disruption to natural ecosystems.

Core Requirements

Prevention

• Good orchard management to stop pest, disease, and weed build-up.
• Practices include: resistant varieties, sanitation, crop rotation, and healthy soil management.

Observation

• Regular monitoring of crops for pests, diseases, and weeds.
• Consider natural controls like beneficial insects and mechanical weed removal.
• Make decisions based on economic thresholds (only act when necessary).

Intervention

• Apply control measures only when needed.
• Prioritize non-chemical methods first (biological, cultural, and mechanical).
• Use pesticides sparingly: “as little as possible but as often as necessary.”

Key IPM Principles

IPM is not a fixed recipe — it adapts to crop, season, and local conditions and aims to:

• Reduce pests to acceptable levels
• Maximize yield
• Minimize negative effects on health and environment

Prior to use of any crop protection chemical there must be a clear understanding of use recommendation, use restrictions and withholding periods as provided on the product label. The aim of these recommendations are to ensure the optimal result following application, respecting the maximum residue limits applicable to the crop, safe handling by workers and minimized exposure to the environment. The following quick guides will assist in enhancing compliance in product application and handling.

Meeting requirements of Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs):

Significant investment is made at various levels to establish MRLs which serve as trading standards both in the local market and for export.

The residue profile and associated MRL established is fully dependant on the dose rate, timing in the crop cycle, quality of the application method and frequency of application as recommended by the manufacturer.  Following pesticide manufacturers guidelines for the use of a product will ensure compliance with MRL requirements and will provide the grower with the freedom to trade his crop to a variety of markets.

If the crop is destined for export the producer must ensure that you are adequately informed of the MRL requirements and product use restrictions set by the intended destination country. Such information should be provided by the processor or exporter but is also available through databases such as Agri-Intel (www.agri-intel.com).

Crop Protection Chemical Storage – Quick Guide:

Secure Storage

• Keep chemicals in a locked, self-contained facility.
• Only authorized and trained staff should have access.

Staff Safety

• Staff must be trained in handling, measuring, and preparing chemicals.
• Know the GHS hazard symbols on product labels.
• No eating, drinking, or smoking while handling chemicals.

Protective Equipment

• PPE is mandatory (gloves, masks, goggles, overalls).
• PPE must be readily available for all workers handling chemicals.

Emergency Equipment

• Provide a wash basin and eye rinse station for accidental exposure.
• Ensure the facility is well ventilated.

Organization

• Store products by category on clearly labelled shelves.
• Keep a workbench with calibrated measuring tools (scales, jugs).
• Maintain Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for all products, easily accessible within the facility.

Spill & Waste Control

Have a procedure to contain and safely dispose of spills or waste.

Crop Protection Chemical Application – Quick Guide:

• Wear PPE: Always follow safety guidelines according to product label instructions.
• Authorized workers only: Keep non-essential staff out of orchards during spraying.
• No eating/drinking/smoking during mixing or spraying.
• Spill management: Contain and clean up immediately to prevent contamination.
• Equipment: Must be in good working order, serviced, and maintenance and service records kept.
• Spray nozzles: Use correct type and high quality for the tree size and target pest. Replace in accordance with supplier guidance.
• Calibration: Calibrate sprayers before the season; keep proof on file.
• Connections: Ensure all fittings are tight and leak-free.
• Water: Use only potable water for mixing.
• Mixing volumes: Calculate crop area to be treated carefully to avoid excess spray mix prepared.
• Written instructions: Provide the spray team with product, dose, mixing, and equipment details for each application and keep on file.
• Compatibility: Avoid mixing products unless manufacturer recommends or experience confirms.
• Timely use: Do not leave mixtures standing overnight.
• Wind monitoring: Check wind speed before and during application to prevent drift.
• Spray drift control: Use adjuvants where possible.
• Rain check: Do not spray if rain is expected within 6 hours.
• Re-entry: Respect product-specific re-entry intervals.
• Waste disposal: Safely contain and discard leftover mixtures/wash water.
• Drone use: Operators must comply with Act 36 of 1947 & Act 13 of 2009, including pest control registration, drone license, operator certificate, and radio communication competency.

Empty Container Management – Quick Guide

CropLife SA has implemented a well-tested empty container management system that includes vetted collectors and recyclers. Up to 76% of empty containers are collected and recycled, promoting a sustainable and ethical practice.

• Triple rinse: Follow CropLife SA protocol (labels include guidance).
• Training: Ensure workers are trained in triple rinsing and handling of empty containers.
• Puncture containers: Never re-use, sell, or donate.
• Transport: Only allowed after triple rinsing; otherwise considered dangerous goods.
• No burning/burying: Illegal and a criminal offence.
• Certified recycling: Only CropLife SA-approved recyclers may handle containers.
• Proof of disposal: Obtain and keep a CropLife SA CoDi Intel Declaration.
• G.A.P. compliance: Certificates of Adequate Disposal are required for export producers.
• More info: croplife.co.za/ContainerManagement

Lastly but by no means of lesser importance is the maintenance of healthy pollinator populations in and around orchards. The impact of farming practices and especially the use of pesticides on pollinators is not new to us.  Although Pecans are wind-pollinated and not reliant on pollinators they are active in flowering weeds, orchard borders, adjacent road verges, adjacent crops and bordering natural vegetation. It is therefore imperative that pollinator health still be considered in the choice and application of crop protection chemicals and associated activities. The Charter to Promote Pollinator Safety issued by CropLife SA provide recommendations as indicated below and more detail on the subject can be found at Pollinator-Charter-Final.pdf :

• Follow an IPM program
• Use only registered pesticides and in strict accordance to label recommendations.
• Avoid contamination / spilling when loading and cleaning spray equipment.
• Avoid spraying when pollinators are active unless unavoidable and then aim to use products with a low impact on pollinators.
• If commercial bee hives are placed in close proximity to orchards then this should only be allowed with an agreement with the beekeeper and with clear communication on scheduling of pesticide applications in orchards.

In the next instalments of this series we will explore further GAP related activities within the orchard and their role in reducing the prevalence of food safety hazards.