Crop spraying in the UK

[deltahotel]

My elderly FiL who used to farm asked me why no-one uses ac to spray crops in the UK anymore. Normally (it seems) big land based sprayers are used but this year it has been so wet they are struggling to get on the land and there is a big increase in potato blight.

Anyone got any ideas?

Thnx, dh

[Trogger]

While I suspect that the answer here may be relevant, maybe it is down to modern tractors equipped with the high ground clearance wheels being able to get through the crops with minimal damage - must be cheaper than flying the pesticide in?...

http://www.pprune.org/private-flying/316012-crop-spraying.html

['Chuffer' Dandridge]

ISTR being told that 'elf & Safety and regulations regarding the application of the chemicals effectively killed the industry overnight.

Of course it was all a ruse to allow gliding clubs to buy up cheap and redundant Ag aircraft to use as glider tugs....:ok:

[Dawdler]

I have only seen ariel spraying done one in the UK. That was a farm nearby. the field was about ten acres and the action was livened up by the existence of a fifty foot high tree right in the centre. I remember being in awe of the skill of the pilot at the time.

Nowadays, the farmer uses somewhat more specialised machinery to carry out the same job. Before the crop emerges he will use "floatation" tyres which exert very low ground pressure on the soil. Such as these.http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j124/tonycollins/imagestyre-1.jpg

These can also be used at the post emergent state too as they can load the earth by less than one bar. When the crops grow tall enough to be damaged by bending them over, Rowcrop wheels are used as they are so narrow as to only damage a small part of the crop.

[Trogger]

"Row crop" - new word for my lexicon....

Wondered what the 'skinny wheels' were called... :D

[deltahotel]

Thanks for all of that - will pass it on. It seems that this year has been particularly difficult to get the 'Househam' type sprayers on the land and the 'tates are looking dodgy - standby for a price rise in yr chippy!

[doubleu-anker]

The UKCAA wanted crop spraying banned period, decades ago. However the farmers unions, as a body had the clout to lean on the caa a little. So they did the next best thing and regulated it out of existence.

I believe it is just not worth the hassle now to even think of starting an operation.