Cotton Australia has warned of a nightmare season ahead for growers owing to spray drift, which happens when products that farmers spray to protect a particular crop drift and affect other crops too.

It said ongoing wet early summer weather had caused “an explosion of weeds”. 

As a result, according to Cotton Australia, reports of damage from spray drift to cotton crops in New South Wales have begun to come in much earlier than in usual seasons.

Its regional manager for northern New South Wales, Bob Ford, said: “Responsible spraying strategies are part of a modern farming system, but everyone needs to follow instructions on the label, consider their neighbours, spray only when conditions are right and use best-practice techniques.”

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