Slug Pelleting Seminars (SPS)
Background
Slug Pellets are used extensively to control slugs in agricultural and horticultural crop production. Sadly the active ingredient in slug pellets is now being detected in the environment and a major campaign is now beginning to rapidly improve the awareness of farmers and operators of how to both reduce the impact of this pesticide on the environment, but also improve the efficacy of slug control.
Certification
One of the biggest issues for farmers and operators is whether operators are working legally. Earlier this year it was realised many operators were applying pellets illegally, because they lacked the necessary PA4 qualification.
Many wrongly believed their PA2 boom sprayer qualification automatically covered them for pellet application. Only those who achieved PA2 before June 1994 received PA4 automatically; from 1994 anyone certificated with PA2 had to take a separate PA4 if they wanted to apply slug pellets.
What’s more even the 8000 operators with a PA4 certificate are believed to be lacking the latest environmental information and best practice advice needed to apply slug pellets appropriately.
To plug the gap City & Guilds NPTC has created a half-day Slug Pelleting Seminar (SPS) to relay the latest information on application of slug pellets. Up to 1000 courses could be run this winter, starting in November. Cost is likely to be £40 to £50.
The seminar will cover:
Slug biology
Products available
Test baiting
Slug pellets and water
Product labels
Delivery, handling and storage of pellets
Appropriate PPE
Physical and Environmental Risk Assessment
Weather conditions and soil type
Calibration of the applicator
Field procedures and checking uniformity of spread
Applicator cleaning and storage
All qualified operators (PA4 or PA2 pre-1994) are strongly recommended to attend; (this includes grandfather rights people who are legally allowed to operate on their own or their employers own land). Operators who achieved PA2 post-1994 should also attend and take the short test at the end, so certificates can be upgraded to add on the application of slug pellets only.
Unqualified operators must attend an SPS. Those successfully completing a short multiple choice test at the end of the course will receive an interim certificate entitling them to apply slug pellets until July 2011 provided they also take and achieve PA1. In the intervening 18 months they need to sit one of the three new/revised PA units due to be introduced in January 2010:
1. A new slug pellet application only unit PA4S (a slightly reduced version of PA4)
2. A revised PA4 to enhance coverage of slug pellet application
3. A revised PA2 to introduce an optional extra for slug pellets
The Chemical Regulations Directorate (formerly PSD) have fully approved what is being put in place.
