Soluble packaging and herbicide tolerant crops are two examples of why farming is more exciting and challenging than ever before. For 1997, the spraying and drift situation of Roundup Ready soybeans and Liberty Link corn will be even more important to manage than for STS soybeans, IMI corn and other herbicide tolerant crops.
Farmers expect good value from expensive chemicals.
The management and calibration of field crop, low pressure, and ground sprayers is one of the best ways to do this. The correct application of pesticides, at the right time and with a minimum of drift to achieve the maximum control of weeds, is extremely important. The liability issues associated with spray drift can be significant to crops, animals, people and nontarget crops. Fortunately Michigan's Right to Farm pesticide guidelines can protect farmers from nuisance lawsuits if they follow good management practices, which specifically includes sprayer calibration. Sprayer calibration is essentially divided into three parts.