Severn Trent is inviting farmers in priority catchments to boost their knowledge and improve spray efficiencies in a virtual workshop, where they will receive a free set of low drift spray nozzles through the water company’s Swap Your Nozzles scheme.

Alex Cooke, Severn Trent principal catchment scientist says, due to the success of last year’s events, which saw 128 farmers, responsible for over 37,800 ha take part in the workshops, Severn Trent are delighted to announce they will be running another suite of events throughout January.

“The Swap Your Nozzles online sessions will be led by expert independent agronomist and trainer, Chris Tolley. 

“Each event will cover topics from legislation, Local Environment Risk Assessments for Pesticides (LERAP) and buffer zones, through to choosing a nozzle and application considerations,” she says. “Attendees can register for one NRoSO and two BASIS CPD points.

“Following the training there will be a Q&A session before delegates will be offered a choice of fully funded LERAP 3* or 4* nozzles and caps from a predefined list of options.”

Dr Cooke explains that supporting and educating farmers in this way delivers multifaceted benefits for the farmer and for the local environment. “Delegates will leave the event with the knowledge and tools needed to drive spray efficiencies and therefore farm profitability,” she says.

“These changes all have an impact on spray drift, and of course, will reduce one of the pathways in which pesticides reach watercourses and non-target plant species.”

The training is available to all farmers within Severn Trent pesticide priority catchments, and farmers are urged to sign up soon, as spaces are limited.

To sign up, please email farming4water@severntrent.co.uk and provide the following information:

• Event date on which you wish to book (see dates below)
• Name, farm address and phone number
• The Severn Trent water catchment you farm in
• Maps of the fields you spray
• Area of arable and grassland being sprayed within the catchment
• A copy of a valid NSTS certificate for your sprayer

For more information, please contact your local Severn Trent agricultural adviser or visit:www.stwater.co.uk/about-us/environment/catchment-management.

Workshops will take place on the following dates:

Monday 17 January 18:30 – 20:30

Monday 24 January 18:30 – 20:30

Friday 28 January 09:30 – noon