KINGAROY district producers are up in arms over an alleged spray drift incident from an aerial applicator.
It's an issue that continues to surface at this time of the year in the aftermath of rains which trigger instant weed growth, requiring treatment by chemicals like 2,4D.
However, spray drift from commercial operators, be it from ground rigs or aerial applications, can spread across many kilometres if carried out in unsuitable conditions.
Producer Dave Freeman, who specialises in growing duboisia (commonly called Corkwood Tree), this week is ruefully totting up the likely losses from a crop that usually returns many thousands of dollars an acre.
An annual leaf crop, grown in rows and earmarked for export to an Indian pharmaceutical company, his duboisia harvest has been interrupted ahead of a visit from the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation (DEEDI) which now will assess the alleged damage within the affected paddock.
"The leaves are especially sensitive to spray drift, particularly 2,4D," Mr Freeman said.
"There could be up to 40 acres affected by the spray drift," he added.
Mr Freeman says duboisia plants some 300m plus from his fence line are showing the effects of spray drift damage.
"It just started to defoliate," he said.
"The company buying our duboisia has told me they won't take it if it's got 2,4D in it - so we are in the process of finding out," Mr Freeman said.
Currently, he says he is "in negotiations" with an aerial contractor, also the owner of the paddock which was being treated at the time.
Interestingly, Mr Freeman says he has some sympathy for aerial sprayers who, he says, always "get the blame," pointing out that producers who call in the services of contractors need to be on site to verify conditions.
"If they are not there to tell the aerial sprayer 'yes, it's right to spray', why should they cop the brunt of it all?
"When I call in an aerial contractor, he rings me before he comes out and asks me 'what's the wind doing' and I say 'it's too windy, don't come' - so he stays at home."
Meanwhile, with grazing country supporting horses, cattle, also their precious home-grown vegetables, Wendy Buttsworth says the same alleged spray drift incident over the weekend of January 2-3 of this year also has left the family's rainwater tank contaminated by chemicals.
"It's happened before but not this seriously," Ms Buttsworth said. "It's totally unacceptable."
Ms Buttsworth says the family has voiced their dismay to Minister Mulherin's office, plus contacted the Toowoomba DPI who shortly will visit their 263ha (650 acre) property with a view to taking samples.
Fully aware of the sensitivity of the issue, which often turns into a neighbourly dispute, already has seen Cotton Australia develop a pesticide incident report to cover spray drift issues. It sets out a detailed questionnaire which must be filled in whenever an incident occurs.
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