Cotton is extremely susceptible to 2,4D spray drift damage, causing significant yield losses, quality downgrades and in some cases the destruction of entire crops.

Cotton crops in the majority of growing regions were hit hard last season by 2,4D drift, with a large number of cotton growers registering unacceptable levels of crop damage.

This has cost hundreds of thousands of dollars industry-wide.

2,4D herbicides can drift up to 10km from the source if not applied in ideal conditions, or if label restrictions are not followed correctly.

“We ask growers and spray contractors to take particular care when applying 2,4D herbicides this summer and to ensure label requirements are closely followed,” Cotton Australia CEO, Mr Adam Kay said.

“The 2,4D group of herbicides is valuable to all of agriculture, and it would be a shame for access to be restricted due to a few farmers not using best practice,” he said.

Cotton Australia is continuing to work with the regulator, the APVMA and is communicating with agricultural chemical resellers, individual growers and grains industry organisations in an attempt to address the issue this season.

“We need to make sure that manufacturers, distributors and users of the Phenoxy herbicide group of chemicals are aware of the potential damage they can cause to susceptible crops like cotton, as well as to native vegetation and waterways,” Mr Kay said.