‘We are in this together’: grains and grapes unite in call for best practice herbicide use

Australian grain growers are being urged to exercise extra caution this spring, as warmer conditions result in broad leaf weed control programs coinciding with early budburst in vineyards across many parts of the country.

The situation has grapegrowers on high alert, prompting Wine Australia and the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) to join forces to discuss how to support growers in minimising spray drift risks across regions where vineyards neighbour or are in the same region as grain growing operations.

GRDC Senior Manager Biosecurity and Regulation Ken Young said GRDC had information and resources to guide and support growers’ decision making when it came to weather and environmental conditions, herbicide mixes and machinery or equipment set-up.

“Early spring is critical times for both industries, so we really need grain growers to be talking with neighbouring grapegrowers and putting programs in place that ensure herbicides, such as 2,4-D are hitting their target,” he said.

“Additionally, cereals are sensitive to 2,4-D once the plant changes into reproductive phase, from head initiation, booting and flowering and for many cereal crops this is occurring now.”

Dr Young said spray droplet drift could happen where spraying occurs in unsuitable conditions such as windy conditions (directly affecting neighbouring crops) and during hazardous surface temperature inversion (droplets could stay suspend in the air and move kilometres away from the site of application).

“We know spray drift can impact properties well beyond growers’ immediate neighbours so there is a very real need for vigilance, extra care and best practice spray management,” he said.

Robyn Dixon, Research and Innovation Program Manager for Biosecurity, Pest and Disease at Wine Australia, said herbicide drift, especially from 2,4-D, posed a serious risk to grapevines, damaging new shoots and reducing future yield potential.

“Applicators have a legal and moral duty to prevent drift, which can harm neighbouring crops and sensitive areas. All pesticides can drift, making it essential for grain and grape growers to follow best practices. Key factors such as droplet size, wind speed, inversion conditions, and buffer zones must be considered to minimise off-target effects,” she said.

"At Wine Australia, we highly value our strong collaboration with other plant RDCs, including the GRDC, as it enables us to tackle critical shared challenges, such as biosecurity. By working together, we can ensure grape and grain growers are equipped with the knowledge and tools to minimise risks such as spray drift, ultimately protecting the productivity and sustainability of our shared agricultural landscapes.

“We encourage grapegrowers to remain vigilant, report any suspected cases of spray drift, and test grapes for residues before harvest if contamination is suspected.”

Dixon said additional guidance on the use of agrochemicals can be found on the AWRI's website and in the AWRI's 'Dog Book' — a resource supported by Wine Australia through levies from Australia's grape growers and winemakers, with matching funds from the Australian Government.

Among the regions experiencing early bud burst in grapevines concurrently with broad leaf spraying in grain crops is the Clare Valley, in South Australia.

Clare Valley Wine and Grape Association executive officer Anna Baum has welcomed the united cross sector approach and said the working together in agriculture was the key to success for both grain and grape growers.

“We all need to do better, grain and grape growers alike, to hit the target when we are spraying as off-target drift is impacting the bottom line of our businesses, our local communities and the environment,” Baum said.

Dr Young urged growers to check out GRDC’s spray drift resources, which includes information on hazardous inversions, spray nozzles, maintaining spray efficacy, responsible and effective use of 2,4-D.

He said it was also important growers utilised tools in their area that provide weather condition information to inform spray activities.

Grapegrowers concerned about a potential spray drift incident should follow the processes for reporting:

Grape growers concerned about a potential spray drift incident should follow the processes for reporting in their respective states and territories:
 

• Australian Capital Territory – Contact the Environment Protection Authority by calling Canberra Connect on 13 22 81
• New South Wales – Refer to the How to Respond to Pesticide Misuse web page and call the environment line on 131 555, or email info@environment.nsw.gov.au
• Northern Territory – Refer to the NTWorkSafe Chemical Spray Drift bulletin or call the pollution response line on 1800 064 567
• Queensland – Refer to the Reporting Chemical Spray Drift web page
• South Australia – Refer to the Chemical Misuse (Including Spray Drift) web page and call the biosecurity SA agricultural and veterinary chemicals hotline on 1300 799 684 or email PIRSA.RuralChemicals@sa.gov.au
• Tasmania – Refer to the Spray Drift and Reporting Incidents web page
• Victoria – Refer to the Reporting Spray Drift of Agricultural Chemicals web page