The U.S.-developed mapping platform has been available to Saskatchewan farmers and aerial applicators since 2012, and is now available in Manitoba and Alberta.
Tag Archives aerial spraying
Mapping tool to stop accidental spraying now available across Prairies
Organic farmers and beekeepers hope FieldWatch can prevent costly accidents
Pesticide damage seen in small-town Saskatchewan
WINNIPEG – In mid-August last year, people in Speers, Sask., noticed a spray plane flying over the town and nearby for three consecutive days. The plane was applying pesticide to fields around Speers, a community of 70 people about 100 kilometres northwest of Saskatoon. The residents didn’t think much about it because spray planes are […] Read more
Spray plane crash under investigation
Transportation Safety Board officials are investigating after a fatal plane crash involving a crop sprayer near Arborfield, Sask., July 12. RCMP said the accident happened about 3:30 p.m. near the community in northeastern Saskatchewan. The pilot and lone occupant was declared dead at the scene. That was the second crash in the province this week. […] Read more
Crop sprayers grounded in Western Canada
Aerial crop sprayers are spending more time on the ground than in the air in Western Canada this season, with hot, dry weather limiting disease pressures and changing the economic threshold for insect applications. “The crops came out of the ground very aggressively and good, but there was a prolonged hot spell without any precipitation […] Read more
Large fields tailor made for spray planes
There’s no denying that vast fields of contiguous, homogenous plantings are efficient. Large tracts lend themselves to 100 foot drills, 150 foot spray booms, Class 10 combines and 600 horsepower tractors. They are also ideal for aerial spraying. Long, large fields of identical crops are the perfect target for spray planes putting down pesticides, and […] Read more
Do rotary atomizers stop drift?
The folks who follow the debate over aerial application’s rotary atomizers versus conventional hydraulic nozzles say it’s like comparing apples to oranges. The common ground on the ground says they’re both round and supposedly good for you, fruit and nozzles. A chief argument put forth by atomizer proponents is that conventional nozzles lack the ability […] Read more
Atomizer removes big globs, fine mist for better coverage
Tests show more uniform-sized drops are achieved using rotary atomizers than with standard nozzles
If more spray droplets hit the sweet range of about 300 microns, the extra spray must come from the fine mist at the top end and big globlets at the bottom end. That’s the conclusion drawn by spray plane operators equipped with rotary atomizers when doing a wet paper droplet scan test. Michael Yaholnitsky, owner […] Read more
Manitoba beekeepers not sold on DriftWatch program
The online tool gives pesticide applicators information on bee hive locations but apiarists have privacy concerns
Saskatchewan beekeepers are registering for a program designed to prevent pesticide accidents, but aerial applicators would like to see improvements before a similar service is implemented in Manitoba. Last spring, Saskatchewan became the first province to launch DriftWatch, an online tool that allows apiarists to register the locations of their bee yards on a map. […] Read more
