Farmers lend a hand

Choice of spray nozzles

Arable farmers are working to reduce the amount of crop-protection products that end up in surface water. When these products are used along riverbanks, a so-called edge cap is required. Furthermore, the extent of dispersion depends on:

• The amount of water used;
• The speed at which these products are spread across the land;
• Tree heights in the neighbourhood;
• The spraying technique;
• The extent to which excessive dispersion through the air (drift) must be prevented.

If you enter this information on a special website, you will receive advice on a suitable spray nozzle.

• www.spuitdoppenkeuze.nl

Pressure records

The Environmental Management Activities Decree imposes requirements on the use of crop-protection products in open cultivation. There is an obligation to have a pressure recording device. This device demonstrates that you are using the correct spray pressure when you work in the field. This prevents the crop-protection product from being blown away. For up-to-date and clear information on this subject, please refer to the Water Helpdesk.

• www.helpdeskwater.nl/onderwerpen/emissiebeheer/agrarisch/open-teelt

In bulb cultivation, crop-protection products can wash off the farmyard. This is often due to disinfecting bulbs and cleaning tools and equipment. If washed-off protection products are not collected, they end up in surface water, which then becomes contaminated. We are happy to provide practical measures to limit this runoff as much as possible.

• Practical measures against yard runoff in bulb cultivation

In livestock farming, it can happen that press juice from silage piles, slurry, or contaminated rainwater from the farmyard flows directly into surface water. This reduces the quality of the water. Therefore, the  water authority wants reduce runoff from the farmyard.

Take care when ensiling animal feed

Many livestock farmers ensile animal feed. This means they compress grass, corn, or grains, for example, and pack them in plastic. This means they can store the feed properly for the winter. When you compress grass, corn, or grains, juice flows out. This so-called press juice is good for livestock but bad for water quality. That is why we must ensure that the press juice does not flow away.

How do you make sure the juice doesn't flow away?

The products listed below retain the pressed juice well. Therefore, place a layer of these under your animal feed. This will prevent the juice from flowing away.

• Rapeseed straw
• Wheat straw
• Barley straw
• Grass seed hay
• Alfalfa
• Dry grass silage
• Dried beet pulp

• Press juice remains in the pit