United Utilities is offering farmers, located in qualifying River Dee catchments, free MOTs and maintenance for their sprayers and slug pelleters worth up to £350.
The offer is available to farmers managing land in the following catchments:
- Pulford
- Aldford
- Shell Brooks
- Worthenbury/Wych
- Clywedog
- Central catchments from Llangollen to Corwen
Professional pesticide application equipment must by law have a National Sprayer Testing Scheme (NSTS) certificate that’s less than five years old.
United Utilities’ catchment manager, Dr Kate Snow, said: “This comprehensive test covers all the application components of the sprayer to ensure the machine is working safely, correctly and efficiently. If your machinery is operating efficiently it will save you time and money, as well as delivering better results on the ground. Calibrating application equipment is the only way to be sure that the proper amount of pesticide is applied. Application of excess pesticide increases the risk of contaminating water.”
Chris Boughey, from Central Cropsprayers, the NSTS-approved company carrying out the MOTs, said: “We test major components of the sprayer including control systems, hoses and pipework, nozzles and nozzle control systems, filters, pumps, tank, chemical induction systems, booms as well as the computer control systems.”
