Drone spraying not yet approved for Canadian crop producers

With the advancement of new technology, Keep It Clean is cautioning producers that there is still a significant way to go in the world of spray drones.

Keep it Clean, a joint initiative involving the Canola Council of Canada, Cereals Canada, Pulse Canada, and the Prairie Oat Growers Association, is in it’s ninth year of partnership. Recently, they developed messaging for crop producers who may be considering using drones for crop spraying.

Keep it Clean emphasizes that drone technology has not advanced far enough to allow for regulated spraying.

While some producers are considering using drones to spray small, inaccessible areas and for targeted applications, Krista Zuzak, MSc, director of Crop Protection and Production at Cereals Canada, said the use of drones with any kind of pesticide is currently not approved and is considered illegal.

This could lead to enforcement actions as spray drones are considered aircraft and must meet applicable criteria for pesticide application.

Following the product label is the law and off-label pesticide use, including mode of application, can compromise market access, said Zuzak.

Producers should keep in mind that their crops may be rejected if they are not following pesticide label directions.

This story was originally published in The Shaunavon Standard. It is republished under a Creative Commons license as part of the Local Journalism Initiative.