Matching small-farm crop sprayer application technology with OMRI and traditional agricultural products

Matching small-farm crop sprayer application technology with OMRI and traditional agricultural products

Summary

Refinement of backpack sprayer educational information was developed based on the previous year’s field activities.

A 40 to 60 minute power point presentation was developed and utilized at several meetings in a “test” version for further refinement to be distributed to agricultural educators as part of the backpack sprayer training kits.

2006 Summary:
Smaller-scale horticultural farmers grow a diversity of crops requiring an array of products for pest control and fertility, most frequently applied as liquids. A review of traditional and OMRI approved materials used in organic farming indicates significant deficiencies: a) detailed application instructions are generally not provided, only use rates; b) product formulations vary widely in viscosity and particle size; and c) agricultural professionals and farmers receive safety training, but have limited knowledge of smaller-scale liquid application technologies.

This project provides “deployable” technical resources for agricultural professionals’ use.
Sprayer manufacturers do not provide wide assortments of nozzle tips, strainers, filters and regulators. Other companies specialize in these accessories. This disconnect has consequences for farmers’ minimizing input use while maximizing efficacy. Accurate, timely, efficacious application of materials provides healthy products, while inadequate or inappropriate applications reduce consumer safety, product quality, and farm profits.

Three one-day hands-on training sessions will be conducted; one in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware. Two training hardware kits with instructional curriculum will be provided each state. Training kits will consist of a sprayer and an array of nozzles, filters and regulators.
Sixty individuals will attend the training sessions and 40 individuals will utilize knowledge and equipment provided to advance farmer educational programs through meetings and farm demonstrations. In the following year, 250 farmers will benefit through hands-on participation and instruction material. A one-year follow-up survey will be conducted assessing impact related to performance targets.

Objectives/Performance Targets

Of the 60 professional agricultural educators trained at the three state training sessions, 40 utilize the sprayer training kits both on farm and at grower meetings. They will train 250 farmers within the next 2 years.

In addition, to advance performance targets, the original project participants will be encouraged through continued surveying to train second level agricultural education professionals in the use of training kits. These individuals will be composed of not yet identified educators who reside within university extension with vocational training skills (research farm technicians, etc.).

In 2007, a one-day hands-on modify training program for 36 agricultural professionals was held at the University of Delaware and cooperation with Dr. Mark VanGessel.

Approximately 220 small-scale farmers were trained at various meetings in New Jersey, Maryland, Michigan and Pennsylvania.

Accomplishments/Milestones

In 2007 a majority of project effort involved refinement of the training program for agricultural professionals and continued evaluation of backpack sprayer’s and accessories acquired in 2006 for inclusion in the final training product to be distributed to program participants for use in their farmer training programs.

A hands-on training program for agricultural professionals was implemented at the University of Delaware in cooperation with Dr. Mark VanGessel. Thirty-five agricultural professionals attended the training program. The program was modified based upon 2006 participant feedback requesting more hands-on program content. The program agenda is listed below.

Program agenda: University of Delaware
April 18, 2007 10 a.m. — 12 noon.

Introduction to backpack sprayers and advances in design improving application accuracy, research level and farm level calibration standards:

A] Sprayer design demonstrations including hand, gasoline and electric powered
B] Pump design including piston, diaphragm and miscellaneous pumps: advantages and disadvantages.
C] Modifying and adapting backpack sprayers to address liquid product application of varying consistency.
D] Overview of spray nozzle design and impact on drift control and target coverage
E] Calibration essentials: controlling speed, pressure, and coverage area with backpack sprayers
12 p.m. — 12:45 p.m. review of morning program during lunch 12:45 p.m. to 2:15 p.m.

Crop application incorporating four sprayer designs — the afternoon session will include four teams utilizing different sprayer designs applying “Surround” kaolin clay to a one quarter acre crop area. Data will be collected on several parameters including crop coverage, time efficiency comparing backpack sprayers and tractor mounted sprayers and spray drift.
The sprayers will include — hand operated backpack sprayer, gasoline powered backpack mist blower, gasoline powered backpack sprayer and a conventional tractor mounted sprayer. Data collection and discussions related to accuracy time efficiency and equipment cost will be held after the applications are complete.
2:15 p.m. — 2:30 p.m. evaluation forms to be completed by attendees. Handouts distributed. Session concluded.
As noted in the program agenda the participants evaluated the program. Results are listed below:

New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station
Snyder Research and Extension Farm

United States Department of Agriculture — Northeast Region — Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Train the Trainer Program

Project Title: Matching Small Farm Crop Sprayer Application Technology with OMRI and Traditional Agricultural Products

Training Course Evaluation and Suggestion Results
(23 Participants Responded-Delaware)

Please rate each question from zero to 5 [zero equals lowest evaluation and 5 equals highest evaluation]: All scores are average of 23 responses.

1] Did training program meet your expectations? 4.74

2] How effective was training program for farmer training activities? 4.39

3] How effective was training program enhancing accuracy of liquid application to crops for small-scale farmers? 4.74

4] Did the training program adequately address the availability of various types of backpack sprayers? 4.83

5] How effective was the training program in addressing improvement in farmer efficiency [time and effort] in the application of liquid materials? 4.43

6] How effective was the training program in addressing the application of liquid agricultural products for improved pest control? 4.48

7] Please rate your knowledge base on backpack sprayers prior to the training program? 2.83

8] Please rate your knowledge base on backpack sprayers post training program? 4.20

9] Did the training program address the application of problematic agricultural spray products? 3.93

10] Please rate the following individual components of the training program:

A] Sprayer design. 4.46
B] Sprayer modifications 4.59
C] Spray coverage indicators [plant leaves, spray papers and kaolin clay etc.] 4.28
D] Nozzle design and spray coverage characteristics 4.46
E] Spray product “directions for use” labeling 3.93

11] The training program is to address the disconnect between manufacturers of sprayers, spray products and sprayer nozzles /accessories; did the program address the disconnect? 4.52

12] Did the training program meet the “hands-on” objective? 4.56

13] Rate the difference between a “power point” training program and today’s program: a high rating indicates today’s program much more effective. 4.77

Additionally, the refinement of the final training product, to be released to agricultural professionals was addressed during 2007. A PowerPoint presentation to be included with the sprayer training kit was developed. The final version of the presentation is being produced during the early part of 2008. The presentation was tested in front of several audiences of end users for fine-tuning. The presentation incorporates video clips of sprayer operation addressing needs of agricultural educators to provide End-Users with effective training.

Backpack sprayers were continually evaluated during 2007 based upon data developed in 2006. Specifically it was determined operator fatigue from extended operation of backpack sprayers could be a major factor impacting small scale farmers. Pressure and flow rate data for various sprayers was developed by field testing with several operators to address long-term field use. Below is an evaluation table to be incorporated into the training program.

Backpack Sprayer Operator Evaluation –
Maximum Flow Rate For Extended Utilization

Shindaiwa Piston Model 415
14.5 PSI(0.36); 20 PSI(0.36);
29.5 PSI(0.25); 43 PSI(Less than 0.20)

Solo Diaphragm Model 475
14.5 PSI(0.30); 20 PSI(0.22);
29.5 PSI(Less than 0.25); 43 PSI(Less than 0.20)

Solo Piston Model 425
14.5 PSI(0.30); 20 PSI(0.29);
29.5 PSI(Less than 0.25); 43 PSI(Less than 0.20)

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

Seven End-User training programs were presented as follows:

1] January 13, 2007 — Future Harvest — Chesapeake Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture — 2007 farming for profit and stewardship conference – Hagerstown, Maryland

2] January 27, 2007 — Northeast Organic Farming Association — New Jersey — 2007 Annual Organic Farming Conference

3] June 14, 2007 — Michigan State University Agricultural Extension — Project Green — sprayer application technology for small acreage producers meeting

4] January 29, 2007 Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Convention, Hershey, PA

5] March 7, 2007 New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station — Office of Continuing Professional Education — Pesticide Safety for Landscape Managers

6] February 28, 2007 New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station — Office of Continuing Professional Education — Athletic Field Management Workshop

7] December 4 — 6, 2007 Rutgers University — Center for Turfgrass Science — New Jersey Turfgrass Exposition — pesticide CORE credits [2 presentations]

8] April 19, 2007 New Jersey Golf Course Superintendents Association — pesticide application training program

9] August 1, 2007 Rutgers University — Center for Turfgrass Science — summer field day

A total of approximately 894 end-users participated in the above programs including approximately 220 in the small-scale farming sector and the remaining in the turf and ornamental sector.

Collaborators: