Chemical application practices are raising concerns, with many producers saying they have received increased reports about spray drifts even further afield.
Speaking at the Owen Ag Bureau crop drive last week, a number of producers say they have heard about drift reaching nearby townships and impacting gardens.
But Elders Roseworthy agronomist Michael Brougham believes things are improving, with farmers getting better with their chemical applications in the past 12 months, driven by improved infrastructure.
He said the impact of relatively new herbicide Overwatch, which had been linked to cases of bleaching last season, made people more aware of the issue.
"If its going through your yard, it is probably someone using poor nozzles and it's probably gone a kilometre - who would know," he said.
I know we didn't know we had to pay for it but it is probably good to have if we are going to get done for spray inversion.
- Wayne Heaslip
"Even the tiniest amount of Overwatch will cause symptoms on roadside weeds - it's just so visual."
Mr Brougham said growers were largely improving their spray nozzles.
"Most people are using Trans Tank International's or injets and not seeing a drop in efficacy," he said.
"There are other options, but those two nozzles give the same droplet size over a wide pressure range so they are almost idiot proof."
Pinery grower Kelvin Tiller said farmers needed to be educated on all sprays for their drift side effects.
"All the conversation is about Overwatch because we can see the symptoms, but the conversation actually needs to be on what we are doing with all chemicals," he said.
A PIRSA spokesperson said they had received 49 chemical trespass complaints in 2021-22 - two ahead of the yearly average of 47 - but had not make any prosecutions.
"Spray drift is managed in SA through education, warnings and, in extreme cases, prosecutions," they said.
"PIRSA conducts field monitoring operations along with chemical user audits and investigations of reported spray drift incidents."
PIRSA said chemical users should ensure they followed label requirements and used the larger droplet size.
"The biggest economic risk from spray drift in SA is off-target damage to sensitive broadleaf crops, particularly grape vines, from Group 4 herbicides (2,4-D and related products), which can kill susceptible species - or at least impact growth and reduce yield - and create a potential chemical residue risk in produce," they said.
Boom break has long-term hit
After his boom broke during a pass of spraying herbicide Overwatch, Erith farmer Jamie Tiller fears a crop may not grow on the affected patch for years.
Last year, he sprayed a wheat crop with Overwatch as his pre-emergent spray application.
"A hose busted on the sprayer and the bareness in the paddock was caused from Overwatch at a fair rate of full pressure," he said.
"The big supply line broke when I went around the power pole and by the time I pulled up it was streaming down the hill.
"I fear it won't grow anything for a fair while."
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Elders Roseworthy agronomist Michael Brougham said the Tiller family had been working to rehabilitate the area, including spreading clay in 2019 about 150 millimetres thick.
"It was offset disc three or four times and worked with an airseeder about six times to break down the clay," he said.
"The hill was non-wetting - the idea was to change the soil texture and stop the non-wetting to make the paddock easier to grow.
"The plant back was excellent on most soil types except the country out here.
"There is Overwatch carryover on the barley and I've seen it carry over on lentils.
"But it's really odd to see this amount of damage on a hill 12 months on after spraying."
Mr Tiller said this year's barley crop would not grow in the affected area.
"Even with deep ripping at 400-450mm, the Overwatch still affected the crop in areas near where the boom spray leak occurred," he said.
FMC Australia head of development Geoff Robertson said accidental spillage could result in an extremely concentrated area.
"This is likely to cause a reduction in plant growth until the herbicide is broken down in the soil," he said.
Mr Robertson said anyone experiencing these issues should contact FMC for technical support via its qualified agronomy team.
Networks show data available
The upgrade or replacement of on-farm weather stations has been in the spotlight, following concerns the 3G network will be switched off at the end of the year.
Most on-farm weather stations installed prior to or in 2013 are reliant on the 3G network with only those privately installed on-farm using the 4G network.
The widespread weather station network Mesonet is also 4G accessible but has required a subscription since March 1.
At the Owen Agricultural Bureau annual general meeting last week, only half of those present said they had subscribed to the Mesonet so far.
Wayne Heaslip, Pinery, said access to the local Mesonet weather stations was a great tool.
"I know we didn't know we had to pay for it but it is probably good to have if we are going to get done for spray inversion," he said.
"If you're not a member of the Mesonet, I think you will get looked at a lot harder."
Pinery farmer Kelvin Tiller said there was no point for a farmer to be paying a subscription and still do the wrong thing.
"The technology and the information is available for growers to make the best informed decisions around spray conditions," he said.
"They can get that via the Mesonet, which is the most high-tech reading apparatus for weather conditions.
"The data from the Mesonet is more high tech than what I've got on my weather stations and is colour coded for ease of use."
Mr Tiller said his own weather station did provide some localised data.