Plan and Manage Long-Term Weed, Pest and/or Disease Control in Crops AHCBAC505A

Transcription

1 A footprint to sustainable pest and disease management Plan and Manage Long-Term Weed, Pest and/or Disease Control in Crops AHCBAC505A Workforce Innovations Program Project 275 Materials produced by Regional Skills Training Pty Ltd Funding provided by the DIISRTE Workforce Innovations Program

2 WEB Activity I Fact I Website Contents About yourself 3 Trouble with website links 3 How are these materials used 3 What are these learning materials about 4 Employability Skills 5 Unit descriptor and how the unit applies to your workplace 5 Source information for input to weed, pest and/or disease control planning 6 Determine long-term weed, pest and/or disease control strategies 18 Provide input to other planning processes 28 Determine scheduling and key responsibilities 30 Monitor and adjust weed, pest and/or disease control strategies 36 Evaluate weed, pest and/or disease control strategies and record result 39 Summary of key innovations/opportunities identified as a result of adopting these skills 41 Bibliography and source material 42 Being confident about your skill levels 45 Assessment 47 Copyright Notice Bridging the Gap between Chemical and Organic Food and Fibre Production. These interactive workbooks were produced by Regional Skills Training and funded by Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education, Workforce Innovations Program and are intended for free use to any student, RTO or school. Note that any work is copyright and should not be reproduced or copied for commercial gain. 2

3 1 About yourself Please fill in your details below and save this PDF to your files. Name Phone 2 Trouble with website links Sometimes you may click on a web link and the site will say it is not available. Please revisit the site when you are next working on your resource materials as web sites are sometimes off line for maintenance reasons. If you are consistently unable to access a site you are free to answer any associated work book activity or assessment question by searching for and finding an alternative site that you feel is applicable. PLEASE INCLUDE THE LINK IN YOUR ANSWERS so we know where to look to check your information. 3 How are these materials used This workbook has a strong focus on the self directed application of knowledge. Completing this workbook and all formative assessments will thoroughly prepare you for your summative assessment. On successful completion of appropriate summative assessments provided by your Registered Training Organisation (RTO), you will achieve competency in this unit. Please complete the feedback form at the back of the unit and advise us of any links that do not work. Please complete the feedback form at the back of the unit and advise us of any links that do not work 3

4 This workbook is for cropping managers or advisors whose job function includes planning for and managing weed, pest and/or disease control in crops. 4 What are these learning materials about This workbook applies to cropping managers or advisors whose job function includes planning for and managing weed, pest and/or disease control in crops and then managing the implementation of such a plan. The scope of this workbook includes the following activities for broad-acre crops: Interpret information on pest and weed numbers, density and control Establish processes/strategies, procedures and controls for long-term weed, pest and/or disease control Implement and monitor long-term weed, pest and/or disease control strategies Use records and observations to evaluate weed, pest and/or disease control strategies Plan land use incorporating long term weed, pest and/or disease control strategies. This workbook has a strong focus on the self-directed application of knowledge with substantial depth in the areas of: Pest and weed species, including their life cycles and reproduction/multiplication capability Integrated pest and weed management The effects on crops of weeds, pests and/or diseases including competitive effects on crop yield; threshold levels; and the effects of alternative methods of control Environmental controls and codes of practice applicable to the enterprise Relevant legislation and regulations relating to OHS, contractor engagement, chemical use and application, and vehicle and plant use Environmental controls and codes of practice applicable to the business, and to the weed, pest and/or disease control operations Sound management practices and processes to minimise noise, odors, and debris from weed, pest and/or disease control operations. 4

5 5 Employability Skills This workbook provides an opportunity to develop and apply employability skills that are learnt throughout work and life to your job. The statements below list the typical employability skills that would be applied in a situation related to planning and managing long-term weed, pest and/or disease control in crops. In completing your daily work tasks and activities and summative assessments related to this unit of competence, you must be able to demonstrate that you are applying the employability skills listed below to this competency. Communication skills Identify and accurately report problems Organisational skills Teamwork skills Technological skills Use mathematical ideas and techniques. 6 UNIT DESCRIPTOR AND HOW THE UNIT APPLIES TO YOUR WORKPLACE This unit of competency covers the process of: Sourcing information for input to weed, pest and/or disease control planning Determining long-term weed, pest and/or disease control strategies Providing input to other planning processes Determining scheduling and key responsibilities Monitoring and adjusting weed, pest and/or disease control strategies Evaluating weed, pest and/or disease control strategies and recording results. Crop pests may include: Insects Weeds Pathogens Vertebrates Nematodes Molluscs. 5

6 7Source Information for Input to Weed, Pest and/or Disease Control Planning Historical data, including recent data from organisational records is identified and accessed for input to weed, pest and/or disease control planning. Information from other enterprises within the district is sought and gathered. Information regarding other planning processes is collected and used to inform the weed, pest and/or disease control planning process. Agricultural pests include; diseases, plants (e.g. weeds), invertebrate (e.g. insects and mites) and vertebrate (e.g. birds, mice, bats) pests that have negative environmental, economic and social impacts. Throughout this workbook, they will be collectively referred to as pests. Prevention e.g. optimising soil and plant health to build resistance to pests, creating habitats for beneficials, planting species that are well suited to the area, selecting cultivars that are resistant to pests Monitoring pests to determine when to act e.g. when acceptable threshold limits are breached Managing pests early in the cycle before impacts become significant Prioritising and targeting control efforts to focus on areas where impacts are greatest Evaluating these strategies and improving them as a result of lessons learned. Please note that throughout the workbook you will complete a variety of activities. Please complete all activities in the context of your workplace. Activities are divided into a sequence that will allow you to plan and develop long term pest control for crops that are useful to your workplace. Be sure to include reference sources in your activity responses, where applicable, so that your lecturer can check your sources as required. Extracts throughout this workbook, sources listed in the bibliography, plus your own research will assist you to complete activities. Pests are most commonly introduced species, though native species can become pests. Pests often spread quickly and have high reproductive rates, allowing them to re-establish rapidly following control measures. It should be recognised at the outset that eradication of pests is an unrealistic goal. Pest management strategies usually focus on: 6

7 Activity 1 Conduct your own research and answer the following questions within the context of your workplace. Question Briefly outline the circumstances that require you to plan and manage long-term pest control in crops. Response Identify any workplace requirement, strategies or standards (e.g. Organic) that will guide your pest management approach. In the following rows, identify the document and the applicable/relevant requirements that you must comply with. Strategy Internal requirement that must be complied with Having reviewed these documents, can you identify what pest management activities are allowable (in scope) or completely out of the question (out of scope)? Identify these below. In scope Out of scope It is also important to understand legislative and regulatory requirements and how they apply to your pest management program. These too will guide what you can and cannot do within the context of your enterprise. This can be complex due to the number of bodies that have a role to play in pest management at National, State and Regional levels. If you are not sure where to start, you can search your State Department of Primary Industry s website (see below for an example of what Victoria s DPI offer), local council website and Catchment Management Authority website. Contacting local representatives from each of these bodies and asking them for advice will help you identify regulations that you must comply with. Department of Primary Industries Victoria; Legislation, Policy and Permits ; Australia; legislation-policy-and-permits 7

8 Activity 2 Conduct your own research and identify the legislative and regulatory requirements that you must consider and comply with. Update the following table with your results. Organisation Legislation/Regulation/Policy Reference Source So far you have researched documents that will help shape your pest management program, at a high level. You can now drill down and obtain information to guide the pest management strategies that will target pests specific to your crops. Potential sources of information that may be of use include: Reviewing on-farm records that identify the incidence of pests and other crop health issues. Sourcing publications that identify pest issues specific to your crop and region. Talking to local advisors including; pest control officers, extension officers, Catchment Management Authorities, Industry representatives, Department of Primary Industry (DPI) etc. Discussions with other producers in your area. Attending field days, training courses, seminars and conferences that are relevant to your enterprise or region. Some examples of these information sources are provided below Example of Information Source Department of Primary Industries Web Site Industry Bodies/Associations Catchment Management Authorities Local Councils National eradication 8

9 Activity 3 Conduct your own research and identify the pests that are prevalent to your enterprise and then complete the following table. Identify if this pest is just a problem on your farm or if it is a regional pest of concern Identify the impact that this pest has/could have on your production system Based on the assessment of impact, what is your risk assessment of this pest extreme, high, medium, low. Source of information. Pest Localised on your Farm (L) or of Regional Significance (R) Describe the Impact of this Pest on Your Production System (Actual or Potential) Risk Assessment (High, Medium, Low) Source of Information 9

10 Gathering information that is specific to your crops will be used to refine your pest management options. 7.1 Information regarding the characteristics of the crops (planned for, or under production) and the local geography, soil and climatic conditions is accessed and gathered Information regarding the characteristics of the crop(s) planned for, or under production, is accessed. Information regarding the local geography, soil and climatic conditions is accessed and gathered. Gathering information that is specific to your crops (planned or in production) and the growing conditions that affect those crops, is the next stage of your research. This information will be used to refine your pest management options. In addition to knowing the common names of your crop/s, it is important to know the specific variety or cultivar. A great variation in susceptibility to a specific disease may occur within different cultivars of a plant species. For example, when we look at the susceptibility of wheat to wheat stem rust caused by Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici, we know that all wheat cultivars are not susceptible to all races of P. graminis. The major control measure for this disease is based on planting wheat cultivars each year that are resistant to the pathogen races that are predicted to be present during the growing season. Knowing the cultivar and its susceptibility to various diseases can narrow down the possible disease agents to consider (Source: topics/pages/plantdiseasediagnosis.aspx). WEB 10

11 Activity 4 Identify the crops you will grow including; common name, and cultivar. Identify whether this cultivar is susceptible to any specific pests or health problems. Complete one table for each crop. <<Insert Crop Common Name / Species / Cultivar>> Pests/Health Problems Reference <<Insert Crop Common Name / Species / Cultivar>> Pests/Health Problems Reference <<Insert Crop Common Name / Species / Cultivar>> Pests/Health Problems Reference <<Insert Crop Common Name / Species / Cultivar>> Pests/Health Problems Reference 11

12 WEB Plant growth is reasonably predictable. If the way in which a plant grows, responds to the environment (e.g. temperature, rainfall) and management practices (e.g. grazing, cropping) can be understood, then you can work towards management strategies that work with nature and promote plant health. Consider the seasonal growth stages for the plants that are applicable to your enterprise. Do you understand them or do you need to do further research to improve this understanding? Some extracts have been provided to assist you with this research and the completion of the following activity. Grains Research and Development Corporation; Cereal Growth Stages ; ISBN ; Australia; 2005; pp2, 5. GRDC%20Cereal%20Growth%20Stages%20 Guide1.pdf Meat and Livestock Australia; Pasture Growth ; Australia. WEB Pasture-growth Department of Agriculture and Food WA; Growing Oats in Western Australia for Hay and Grain ; Australia; Bulletin 4798; ISSN ; August WEB content/fcp/cer/oat/cp/bn_growing_oats_wa.pdf 12

13 Activity 5 Prepare a seasonal growth calendar for each crop identified in the previous activity. Please include average rainfall and temperature range for each season in your region. Plant name Season, climate conditions What growth occurs? Season, climate conditions What growth occurs? Season, climate conditions What growth occurs? Season, climate conditions What growth occurs? The next step is to identify the characteristics of the growing environment (e.g. soil type, rainfall, wind, temperature, light) that affect the growth of these crops. With this knowledge you will be able to determine: If the desired crop will grow well within the constraints of your enterprise What characteristics of the growing environment are: within your control and can therefore be managed beyond your control. 13

14 Activity 6 Research the characteristics of your growing environment that affect the growth of your planned/actual crops. Include mitigation actions and information sources. Crop What growing environment characteristics typically affect this plant? What actions can realistically be taken to minimise negative affects? Include information/ internet source to substantiate your data. 14

15 WEB 7.2 The environmental implications of pesticide/ herbicide use, alternative methods and nonchemical preventative methods are considered and documented Farmers have a responsibility to manage pests on their property in a way that does not adversely affect people, the environment and profitability (the triple bottom line). Legislative obligations and community concerns regarding the use of chemicals in the environment and in food put ever-increasing pressure on farmers to use chemicals as a last resort. However despite our best efforts not to use chemicals, there are occasions where the use of chemicals is required. In such circumstances, it is essential to use the right chemicals, in the right amounts, at the right time and in the right way. This will help to minimise the risks of chemical usage to the environment and human health. The following extract has been provided to illustrate the environmental implications that should be considered when managing pests via an IPM approach: Source: NSW Government Environment and Heritage; Integrated Pest Management ; NSW; integratedpestmgmt.htm. IPM is an environmentally sensitive way of managing pests. It uses a combination of practices and control methods to prevent problems from occurring rather than dealing with them after they have happened. IPM practices include forward planning, regular monitoring and timely decision-making. Once monitoring, identification and action thresholds indicate that pest control is required, and preventative methods are no longer effective or available, find the most effective control method that presents the least risk to the environment and human health. Such methods include: Highly targeted chemicals such as pheromones that disrupt pest mating. Mechanical controls such as trapping or weeding. WEB If further monitoring, identification and action thresholds indicate that less risky controls are not working, employ additional pest control methods such as targeted spraying of pesticides. The general spraying of non-specific pesticides is a last resort. Pesticides should be used only when they are absolutely justified. Carefully identify the pest being targeted and ensure all control options are fully considered. If choosing to use a pesticide, you are legally responsible for ensuring that it is used correctly by following all the instructions on the pesticide product label or permit issued by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA). Pesticides must be registered by the APVMA before they can be manufactured, supplied, sold or used in Australia. Registered pesticides carry an APVMAapproved label that provides instructions about minimising impacts on health, the environment and trade. When selecting the appropriate type of pesticide, consider its: Toxicity Potential impact on the environment Specific effectiveness for the pest being targeted. Options may include: Biopesticides (also known as biological pesticides) such as microbial pesticides, which consist of a microorganism (e.g. a bacterium, fungus, virus or protozoan) as the active ingredient. Biochemical pesticides, which are naturally occurring substances that control pests in non-toxic ways, (as opposed to conventional pesticides which are generally synthetic materials that directly kill or inactivate the pest). These may include substances such as insect pheromones that interfere with mating as well as various scented plant extracts that attract insect pests to traps (lures). When using pesticides, consider pest resistance and the role that IPM strategies will play in reducing the risk of resistance. The CropLife Australia website provides information on pest management methods and ways of reducing the risk of pest resistance to insecticides, herbicides and fungicides. Regardless of the pest management approach you ultimately implement (chemical and non-chemical), you must consider the environmental implications of that approach. 15

16 Activity 7 Briefly describe how you will ensure that environmental implications are taken into account when deciding pest management responses. 16

17 7.3 Potential key information for input to planning decisions is analysed for suitable methods of weed, pest and/or disease control Information is assessed to determine potential key information for input to planning decisions. Information gathered is analysed for suitable methods of weed, pest and/or disease control. So far in this workbook you have collected information applicable to your farm as follows: 1. Why do you need a long term weed, pest and disease control program for your crops? 2. What internal standards are you following that will impact on your control program choices e.g. Organic Standards? 3. What external legislation and regulations will impact on your control program choices e.g. legal requirements? 4. What crops do you grow and what are the common health problems for these crops? 5. What are the seasonal growth stages, required climate/conditions for each crop? 6. What climatic conditions will increase the likelihood of pest problems occurring? 7. What are the possible environmental implications of your intended pest and disease treatments? As a result of the activities you should now feel confident that you have gathered sufficient information to identify the scope of suitable pest management methods within the context of your enterprise and the broader community. 17

18 8Determine Long Term Weed, Pest and/or Disease Control Strategies Methods of control are considered in light of their impacts. You are now ready to determine long-term pest control strategies based on the information you have already gathered. This process includes: Identifying a range of pest management options Analysing these options Deciding on the most appropriate option/s to implement. Pest management options might include, but are not limited to: An examination of relevant options will enable the most cost-effective method to be determined and appropriate techniques to be selected. Controls are most effective when considered within an integrated framework. This may consist of a number of complementary strategies that are applied at different intervals and which collectively work towards your long term objectives. IPM is being progressively adopted by many farmers as the cost of traditional chemical solutions become more expensive and less effective (due to increased weed/pest/disease resistance) and the insistence for reduced chemical use is voiced by the consumer and general population. It is generally recognised that crop managers don t want to apply stronger and stronger chemical controls and customers don t want to purchase produce that has been treated in this manner. Have a look at the following to build your understanding of IPM and its principles: Do nothing Cultural control: changing land management or production processes and practices, such as: Changing sowing times Changing crops Building soil and plant health to improve plant resistance to pests Planting a diverse range of plant species to reduce the negative effects of monoculture cropping and promote beneficials Selecting cultivars that are resistant to pests Exclusion fencing Mechanical controls (slashing) Trapping Chemical control: Poisoning Baits Narrow spectrum, targeted herbicides and pesticides Biological control: Predators Beneficial insects Adding biological preparations to composts and foliar sprays A combination of any of the above. GRDC; Over the Fence: IPM Delivers Unexpected Pest Control Benefits Mar 2012 ; You Tube; Australia; WEB NSW Government Environment and Heritage; Integrated Pest Management ; NSW; integratedpestmgmt.htm WEB 18

19 Activity 8 It is now time to conduct your own research and identify the list of management and control options that you could implement to manage pests that are relevant to your crops and region. Conduct a preliminary assessment of each option using the following criteria to guide your assessment; economic factors, technical difficulty, practical feasibility, social and/or environmental acceptability. Complete one table for each pest/group of pests. It is recommended that you color code your assessment as follows: Green: ideal Orange: marginal Red: not acceptable. Pest : Control/ Management Options Economic Factors Technical Difficulty Practical Feasibility Social and/or Environmental Acceptability 19

20 Pest : Control/ Management Options Economic Factors Technical Difficulty Practical Feasibility Social and/or Environmental Acceptability 20

21 Pest : Control/ Management Options Economic Factors Technical Difficulty Practical Feasibility Social and/or Environmental Acceptability 21

22 Pest : Control/ Management Options Economic Factors Technical Difficulty Practical Feasibility Social and/or Environmental Acceptability 22

23 8.1 Strategies for weed, pest and/or disease control are determined to integrate the most suitable control methods with the proposed crops and the existing geography Looking carefully at the previous exercise you should be able to easily identify a practical and environmentally acceptable IPM strategy for your farm based on the green and orange options. You are now in a position to start culling options that are not suitable for your enterprise and derive a list of preferred options for implementation. For each pest you are targeting for control, you should be able to identify an integrated approach based on biological, cultural and chemical controls. You also need to identify how you are going to determine WHEN to implement each option. This comes down to good monitoring and good decisions. The fundamental rule in monitoring is that the person responsible knows how to identify pests and beneficial species and then, how to make decisions based on the results of their findings. The following activity is designed to summarise your pest management strategy and has been based on information from the following text. If you are looking for further information on IPM for crops and pastures, this is a good reference text to have on hand. Horne P, Page J; Integrated Pest Management for Crops and Pastures ; Australia; Monitoring requires skill in knowing what to look for and how to identify it. Adding to the complexity is being capable of considering all of the options so that a truly integrated pest management approach with minimal chemical use is able to be achieved. 23

24 Activity 9 Based on your assessment of the previous activity, identify those pest management strategies that you will implement. Include these in the following table and identify: The pest that requires management. Any beneficial species or biological controls that may prey on or parasite each pest. The cultural/management practices that may reduce pest burden. The chemical controls that could be implemented. Where possible, these chemicals should not harm beneficial and should be targeted, narrow spectrum chemicals. How you will monitor these pests? Remember: a pest can include insects, weeds, pathogens, vertebrates, nematodes and molluscs. What is the Pest? Are there any beneficial insects to control pest? What Cultural controls can be used? What Chemical controls can be used? What Monitoring should be Implemented, what key signs should be looked for? 22

25 8.2 WH&S hazards are identified, risks assessed and suitable controls (including environmental controls) are incorporated into the plan Environmental controls are established and specifically included in the plan. WHS hazards are identified, risks assessed and suitable controls are incorporated into the plan. Now that you have summarised the pest management program that you will implement, you can consider the environmental and WH&S controls that you will need to manage risk. Risk management is a systematic process of making a realistic evaluation of the true level of risks to your workplace, people, (e.g. staff, visitors, the broader community, customers, suppliers) the environment and the bottom line. Before risks can be properly managed they need to be identified. You can begin with the identification of potential hazards. A hazard is any situation that can cause harm to a person, the environment or damage property. To identify hazards, you need to consider all aspects of pest management activities. For each process consider these questions: What can go wrong? What can I do to prevent it? What do I do if it happens? A good plan is to develop a risk management register to document each potential hazard, its level of seriousness, what is required to fix it and who will fix the problem. The following step by step approach will assist you develop your own risk management register: Identify the hazard Evaluate the risk. To determine this, you need to consider: What is the probability (likelihood) of harm or damage occurring as a result of the hazard? The following categories are used in this example and each has a corresponding score :»» Rare (1)»» Unlikely (2)»» Possible (3)»» Likely (4)»» Almost certain (5) What is the consequence or impact if it does occur? The following categories are used in this example and each has a corresponding score :»» Insignificant (1)»» Minor (2)»» Moderate (3)»» Major (4)»» Catastrophic (5) What is the overall risk assessment. The formula; Probability Score X Impact Score = Risk Assessment can be used to determine this. Risks can then be categorised as:»» Low (value of 1-3)»» Medium (value of 4-9)»» High (value of 10-19)»» Extreme (value of 20-25). See the following table as an illustration of this approach. 25

26 Impact Insignificant Minor Moderate Major Catastrophic Probability Index Rare Unlikely Possible Likely Almost Certain WEB The controls or actions you will implement for each risk based on the risk assessment Who is responsible/accountable for managing the risk? How often the accountable person will review/ monitor the risk? The following extract demonstrates how this methodology is applied within the context of managing farm chemical residues. Bryar, J; Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP): A Tool For Managing Farm Chemical Residues; Department of Statistics and Operations Research (Centre for Management Quality Research); RMIT University; Research Report No. September, For each step in the process horticulturalists must identify the hazards, assess the significance of the hazards and determine what control measures need to be applied to control the significant hazards. All inputs to a process including raw materials like fertilisers, farm chemicals, water source, packaging materials, equipment, storage conditions, processing methods, produce, premises and people that have a potential to introduce a hazard into the produce, need to be considered. It is also essential to distinguish between the hazard and the cause of the hazard. Consider the hazard of excess chemical residues on produce. The cause of the hazard is more often than not inappropriate chemical application (not following label instructions or withholding period, poorly maintained spray equipment, inappropriate chemical spraying techniques and ineffective calibration of equipment) rather than spray drift from other properties. Control measures are likely to include farm chemical user training for the operator, calibration and preventive maintenance of spray equipment as well as following label instructions including WHP. Unfortunately the assessment of the significance of a potential hazard is subjective and relies heavily on the knowledge and experience of the HACCP team in this case, the grower themselves. When a hazard has been identified the horticulturalist needs to ask and answer two questions: What is the severity of the hazard (the seriousness of the hazard to consumer safety or produce quality)? What is the risk of the hazard (the likelihood of the hazard occurring)? In normal circumstances, farm chemical usage is seen to be both severe in terms of seriousness to consumer safety and has a high likelihood occurring. A control measure must be put in place to prevent, eliminate or reduce the hazard to an acceptable level. In this case a number of control measures are normally put in place: Farm chemical user training for the operative. The use of registered chemicals for their intended purpose, following label instructions and withholding periods. Preventive maintenance and calibration of spray equipment. Good farming practices (common sense and industry best practice). Monitoring pest and disease levels in the crop. 24

27 WEB The responsibility for controlling agricultural chemical hazards must lie with the grower. Clearly, training in responsible chemical use is important. Often this is the first step in the prevention, elimination or reduction of the level of risk to an acceptable level. Once you have identified all hazards and the associated risk, you can then determine the most appropriate controls to mitigate the risk. Risk control must be achieved by using a predetermined hierarchy of controls. The primary aim of risk control is to eliminate the risk and the best way of achieving this is to remove the hazard. If this is not possible, the risk must be minimised by using one or more of the other control options from the hierarchy. The risk control measure selected must be the highest possible option within the hierarchy to minimise the risk to the lowest level as reasonably practicable. Existing controls should be re-evaluated to determine if the most appropriate control measure is in place. The hierarchy of controls includes: Eliminate: Removing the hazard, e.g. taking a hazardous piece of equipment out of service. Substitute: Replacing a hazardous substance or process with a less hazardous one, e.g substituting a hazardous substance with a non-hazardous substance. Isolation: Restricting access to plant and equipment or in the case of substances locking them away under strict controls. Engineering: Redesign a process or piece of equipment to make it less hazardous. Isolating the hazard from the person at risk, e.g. using a guard or barrier. Administrative: Adopting standard operating procedures (SOPs) or safe work practices or providing appropriate training, instruction or information. Personal Protective Equipment: The provision and use of personal protective equipment could include using gloves, glasses, earmuffs, aprons, safety footwear and dust masks. Some other useful reference material can be sourced from the following websites: Department of Primary Industries NSW; Farm Safety Starter Guide ; Australia; 2012; p7. publications/documents/farm_safety_starter_ guide_1349.pdf Dairy Australia; Health and Safety Risk Management ; Australia; htm#identify WEB WEB WEB University of Sydney Australian Centre for Agricultural Health and Safety; Resources Hazard Checklists with Action Plans. University of Sydney Australian Centre for Agricultural Health and Safety; Factsheet 6 Ergonomics and Manual Handling on Farms. So now it is time to pull all of this information together and develop a risk management strategy appropriate to your long term weed, pest and disease control program. To reiterate, the intent of such a strategy is to prevent injury and damage to people, property and the environment. Keep an open mind and consider all aspects of your pest management activities when identifying hazards and assessing risks. Ensure that your controls are realistic and comprehensive. You may need to implement processes to ensure that controls are being used in accordance with your risk management strategy. When considering how to control risks based on your priority assessment, remember that more than one control may be necessary. 25

28 Activity 10 Identify potential but realistic hazards that may occur as a result of your pest management program and the skills/experience of staff/contractors within your workplace. Complete a risk register for each job activity. If you already have a risk register that meets your requirements, attach it to the end of this workbook and submit it to your lecturer for assessment. It is useful to prioritise risks so that you can easily identify extreme risks (i.e. number 1) vs low risks (i.e. number 10) Job Activity (Break the job down into steps) Potential Hazard RISK Actions to Mitigate Risk Probability Consequence Risk Assessment (Controls) Person Responsible Frequency of Review Journal/Notes Job Activity (Break the job down into steps) Potential Hazard RISK Actions to Mitigate Risk Probability Consequence Risk Assessment (Controls) Person Responsible Frequency of Review Journal/Notes 28

29 Job Activity (Break the job down into steps) Potential Hazard RISK Actions to Mitigate Risk Probability Consequence Risk Assessment (Controls) Person Responsible Frequency of Review Journal/Notes Job Activity (Break the job down into steps) Potential Hazard RISK Actions to Mitigate Risk Probability Consequence Risk Assessment (Controls) Person Responsible Frequency of Review Journal/Notes 29

30 9Provide Input to Other Planning Processes Details regarding selected weed, pest and/or disease control strategies are used as input to other organisational planning processes. Now that you have completed your preliminary pest management planning, it is time to organise the data into a format that aids good decision making and to allow you to advise/report to other stakeholders. Throughout this process it is important to keep in mind what the information will be used for, who will use it and what their needs are. In this way, you will deliver information that is practical, meaningful and fit for purpose. Information about the range of planning processes is communicated verbally and/or in writing according to the requirements of the circumstances and the people involved. 28

31 Activity 11 Within the context of your enterprise, identify the approach you will use to inform key stakeholders of your pest management plan and how you came to the recommended conclusions. Who are the key stakeholders you need to inform? How will you inform these key stakeholders? What data have you assessed to reach your conclusions as to the appropriate pest management plan? 29

32 ...take the range of seasonal, geographic and resourcing factors into consideration. 10Determine Scheduling and Key Responsibilities Scheduling for weed, pest and/or disease control is determined taking the range of seasonal, geographic and resourcing factors into consideration. Key responsibilities for specific implementation processes are determined. The plan, including scheduling and key responsibilities, is clearly documented. Following the development of your long-term pest control plan, it is now time to consider all of the activities that need to be completed, the sequence in which they are to be implemented and the resources required to make this plan a reality. You need to tackle the implementation of your pest management program within the context of your business goals and values, resources (people, equipment, funds) and the range of relevant seasonal and geographic factors. This requires some thinking time. Upfront, you need to consider whether you will you implement everything in one big bang or break it down into a series of manageable and incremental stages. For instance, you may want to conduct a small trial of a new practice before committing to a broad scale, commercial implementation across the entire enterprise. This incremental approach to implementation allows lessons to be learnt and practices to be refined before significant investments are made. Planning a staged approach to implementation allows you to: Break the pest control program down into bite size chunks or manageable stages which take any resource constraints into account. Assess the costs and benefits of each stage and determine which ones will give you the most bang for your buck. Implement the stages in a logical sequence so that you are gradually building your pest management skills and capabilities. Monitor progress and decide whether the program is working and fine tune along the way. 30

33 Activity 12 Consider your pest management program and identify your implementation stages in the sequence that they will be introduced. This could be considered as short term, medium term and long term stages. Stage No. Short term Description Medium term Long term The next step is to identify: The tasks to be completed Who will do it When it is to be done Resources required Duration how long the task will take Any dependencies (e.g. growth stage of crop, climate). When planning your implementation tasks and timelines, it is important to take into consideration the: Needs of the plant species/cultivars Site conditions Resource availability Skill levels Lead times for the delivery of equipment and materials When documenting your schedule, you may want to sort tasks by the growth stage of your crop and by the pests you are managing. Consider what will work best for your enterprise and run with that. Communicating this schedule to the people responsible for its implementation is of critical importance to the success of your pest management strategy. Each person needs to understand the big picture as well as the detail. That is, where they fit within the broader program and what they must specifically do. The former can be depicted in a pest management calendar and placed in strategic locations around the enterprise (e.g. lunch room wall, office area, shed). The following is an example of how this calendar can be illustrated. Take some time to look at this example: Cherry Growers Australia Ltd; IPM Calendar for Cherries 2012 ; Australia; calendar.pdf WEB If you approach your schedule in this way, you can then determine who is to be responsible for each task. You could update the table and include a specific colour code or name of the person responsible. In this way, you have consolidated your pest management plan into a single page view that identifies the activities, when they are to occur and who is to perform them. 31

34 Activity 13 Selecting one crop on your farm and using the IPM calendar as a guide, prepare a one page schedule that is relevant to your enterprise. It should include the growth stage of your crop, the pests to be managed and their lifecycle, the tasks to be performed and who is responsible for them. Attach your IPM calendar to the end of this interactive workbook and submit it to your lecturer for assessment. If an IPM calendar is not of use to your enterprise, you could complete the following table instead: Crop Stage or Pest Tasks Description of Task/Comments/ Notes Person Responsible Resources Required When Task is to be Performed 10.1 Record keeping requirements are determined and procedures are put in place to ensure compliance with the range of applicable regulations Record keeping requirements are determined and procedures are put in place to ensure compliance with the range of applicable regulations. The plan includes the type, format, frequency and detail of any reporting required by both manager(s) and operators. Keeping good records is an important part of any pest management program. The records that you keep will be dictated by legislative and regulatory requirements as well as those of your enterprise. Capturing information at the point of decision/action is often the most effective means of record keeping. As an example, chemical registers could consist of a paper based template attached to a clipboard and placed in the area where chemicals are stored. A sign on the storage shed door could remind staff to complete the register before leaving. This will ensure that this data is recorded. The following websites and extracts have been provided to help you identify useful records to properly manage and record your long term weed, pest and disease control program. Not all of the links will be useful, but think about the data in each one from your own enterprise perspective. Take what will be useful to your enterprise and contextualise to suit until you have an ideal set of templates or systems that you can follow. 34

35 WEB WEB WEB Department of Agriculture Western Australia; Code of Practice for the Use of Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals in Western Australia ; Australia; 2007; pp15, content/pw/chem/cop_bulletin.pdf Dairy Australia; Health and Safety Risk Management ; Australia; htm#identify Department of Primary Industries Victoria; Monitoring Tools ; Australia; NSW Environment Protection Authority; Industry Guidance Fact Sheet Pesticide Record Keeping Field Crops, Pastures and Tree Plantations ; Australia; Plantations pesticides/fieldcrops.pdf WEB WEB Department of Primary Industries Victoria ; Section 5: Paddock Record Keeping and Farm Monitoring ; Australia; WEB South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI); White Fly ; South Australia. horticultural_pests/integrated_pest_ management/resources/greenhouse_pests/ white_fly Australasian Biological Control; IPM and Biological Control ; Australia; htm#ipmandbiologicalcontrol WEB 33

36 Activity 14 You are required to create a Plant Health Sheet written as a simple WORK INSTRUCTION that could be utilised as a work procedure for new employees in your workplace. Remember it is essential to provide accurate information but it must be clear and easy to follow. You are encouraged to use dot points, photos and diagrams. Please ensure that your Plant Health instruction clearly identifies: The plant species by name and include a clear photograph The major pest/s by common name A photo or diagram and clear explanation of the symptoms/signs of pest occurrence A clear set of MONITORING and RECORDING work instructions A clear set of pest management WORK INSTRUCTIONS A process for informing management of modifications to treatments and subsequent updates to Plant Health instruction sheets. You must complete a table for EACH PEST that can be a problem for the selected plant PLANT HEALTH SHEET Plant species name The major pest/disease by common name Photo or diagram and clear explanation of the symptoms/ signs of disease MONITORING work instructions RECORD KEEPING work instructions IPM work instructions Process to inform staff Any other information/ comments 34

37 PLANT HEALTH SHEET Plant species name The major pest/disease by common name Photo or diagram and clear explanation of the symptoms/ signs of disease MONITORING work instructions RECORD KEEPING work instructions IPM work instructions Process to inform staff Any other information/ comments PLANT HEALTH SHEET Plant species name The major pest/disease by common name Photo or diagram and clear explanation of the symptoms/ signs of disease MONITORING work instructions RECORD KEEPING work instructions IPM work instructions Process to inform staff Any other information/ comments 35

38 11Monitor and Adjust Weed, Pest and/or Disease Control Strategies The effectiveness of the weed, pest and/or disease control strategies is evaluated at key points, and adjustments made as necessary. Environmental impacts and WHS hazards relating to weed, pest and/or disease control are identified, monitored and assessed throughout the implementation process. Modifications are made to the strategy as and when necessary for environmental, WHS, resourcing, or effectiveness reasons. Now let s assume that you have implemented your pest management program. What now? Can you take the approach of set and forget? To some extent, all programs are in a constant state of implementation. Practices need to be constantly monitored and reviewed to ensure that your objectives are being met. Remember too that new ideas and technologies are constantly emerging that may be of benefit to your enterprise. You need to stay on top of new developments and determine if there is a better practice that can be adopted. Then you need a system that enables you to: Collect the information easily that you need Use it to make decisions. You must also decide if: You will manage all of this yourself, include staff, or use a consultant. Performance indicators and benchmarking are also useful tools to analyse the overall performance of a particular program. The following extract provides an example of performance indicators in relation to chemical inventory systems. Conducting a formal audit and review of progress against these performance indicators, using a checklist approach, is a good way to formally record the progress you are making towards your goals. Take some time to review this document and identify performance indicators that may be of use to you. MLA; LPA QA Program Core Module Internal Audit Report and Checklist ; Australia; 2006; p11. Livestock-Production-Assurance/LPA-Quality- Assurance WEB As we discussed earlier in this workbook, legislative and regulatory requirements also change with time and therefore, you need to ensure that you modify your strategy to comply with such changes as they occur. This is a cycle of continuous improvement. Monitoring means more than just pest monitoring. It is also the regular gathering and analysis of information related to legislation, new innovations, new hazards etc. Monitoring needs to be based on a realistic but effective system suited to your enterprise needs. Firstly you must be clear about: What it is you are monitoring The decisions you want to be able to make using the monitoring results The information you need to collect to make these decisions. 38