Towards real-time predictions of agro-chemicals field losses risks & costs - Wales stakeholders workshop

Towards real-time predictions of agro-chemical field losses risks & costs – Wales stakeholders workshop

An opportunity for pasture-based livestock farmers and relevant stakeholders involved in advice / decision-making about agro-chemicals applications and management and water quality in grasslands in Wales, to have their say and actively influence a pioneering project.

Why should you attend?

By getting involved and providing your support now, you get a unique opportunity to be amongst the first to hear about this pioneering project aiming to deliver real-time predictions of pesticide field losses risks and costs associated, and ensure you actively influence the future functionalities and design of the proof-of-concept tools being developed, so they are most useful to you.

To make these tools relevant and tailored to stakeholders’ needs, both on farm and at catchment level, we are seeking crucial input and feedback from all stakeholders working in water quality and agriculture in grasslands areas in Wales, especially pasture-based livestock farmers from the Afon Teifi area (others also encouraged to attend) as well as agronomists; agro-chemicals suppliers/ contractors/advisors; catchment advisors; and others working in relevant organisations.

Delegates will also be able to volunteer to be amongst the first to test the tools once developed, to ensure their practicality and ease of use.

What is the project about?

This project, funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) through SARIC (Sustainable Agriculture Research and Innovation Club), aims to develop proof-of-concept tools that will deliver real-time predictions of pesticide field losses and run-offs risks and costs associated, and support more informed agro-chemical management, both on farm and a catchment level.

More background information is available after the draft agenda below.

Registration

- All attendees MUST register in advance using this online system.
- There is NO charge to attend this workshop and reasonable travel expenses will be compensated.
- Refreshments and lunch will be provided on the day.

BASIS & NRoSO CPD points

- 6 BASIS CPD points have been attributed to this participative workshop.
- 4 NRoSO CPD points have been attributed to this participative workshop.

Workshop Agenda

The project team is proposing a half-day workshop with two distinct parts:
(1) Part 1 to introduce the context and provide information about this innovative project;
(2) An interactive 2nd part, designed to capture crucial information and feedback from participants on the project and proposed tools.
It is intended to run for half-a-day to minimise disruption in stakeholders’ activities.

Background:

Agro-chemicals field losses and run offs from agricultural lands - from arable to uplands pastures - are an issue that impacts the environment and water quality, reduces the efficacy of products and can lead to yield losses, which creates high additional costs to both water companies and farmers. Moreover, if regularly detected in watercourses, more crop protection products could face further restrictions of use or withdrawal.

Overall the background levels of pesticides detected in water have been reduced, yet more improvements are still needed to better protect drinking water abstraction points. Field losses and run-offs are exacerbated by rainfall, with the greatest risk of peak agro-chemical levels detected in watercourses often linked with heavy precipitation immediately after applications to already very wet (saturated) soils.

The aim of this project, funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) via SARIC (Sustainable Agriculture Research and Innovation Club), is to develop proof-of-concept tools that will deliver real-time predictions of pesticide field losses and run-off risks, and support more informed agro-chemical management. These tools will combine live, real-time weather data on rainfall type and probability with other data such as landscape models of underlying soil, landform, drainage, land use, etc. to model the risks of field losses and run-offs and provide more accurate information to support decisions made on farm such as optimal timing of agro-chemical applications.