From GPS guidance and controlled traffic farming to optical spot spraying and improved personal protective equipment, growers have consistently adopted practical innovations that make farming safer, more efficient and more productive.
The revised APVMA label directions for products containing paraquat or diquat are another step in that progression.
Both paraquat and diquat remain important tools in Australian agriculture.
The revised directions place greater emphasis on reducing operator exposure during mixing and loading.
Under the revised requirements, newly manufactured products must be transferred from the original container using compatible closed mixing and loading equipment.
For growers using these products, one of the most visible changes will be how concentrated product is transferred from the drum into the sprayer.
That is where closed transfer technology comes in.
Closed transfer systems are not new. Growers and spray applicators who have used larger returnable containers, such as 110 litre envirodrums, will already be familiar with this type of connection.
Until now, however, this approach has not been widely available in the commonly used 20 litre pack size.
Imtrade CropScience has developed a disposable closed transfer system compatible with 20L drums to provide an additional layer of protection during mixing and loading.
The system is designed to remove the risk for spills, splashes and direct contact with concentrated product.
It also provides growers and spray applicators who prefer 20L drums with a practical pathway to transition to revised label directions with minimal disruption to established work practices.
Imtrade's closed transfer system has been developed around the industry-standard 20 L drum and standard three-pin micro matic fittings.
The closed transfer system is available only on selected Imtrade products
- Imtrade Guerrilla Herbicide (300 g/L paraquat present as paraquat dichloride + 12 g/L amitrole)
- Imtrade Diquat 200 Non-Residual Herbicide (200 g/L diquat present as diquat dibromide monohydrate)
- Imtrade Spraykill 250 Herbicide (135g/L paraquat present as paraquat dichloride + 115g/L diquat present as diquat dibromide monohydrate)
The revised requirements change how newly manufactured paraquat and diquat products are transferred from the original drum into application equipment.
With compatible closed transfer equipment, operators can continue using familiar filling procedures while reducing opportunities for exposure during mixing and loading.
General manager Neil McPhee said the closed transfer system is another example of Imtrade CropScience delivering practical solutions to the challenges faced by Australian primary producers.
“When we developed this system, we wanted to combine the proven practicality of the standard three-pin micromatic connection with the handling convenience of 20-litre drum.
“The result is a straightforward closed- transfer option designed to reduce the potential for operator exposure while meeting the new APVMA mixing and loading requirements
He said the best innovations are the ones that fit naturally into the way growers already work.
“We look forward to seeing the system become a trusted part of safe chemical handling on Australian farms.
“Change in agriculture is constant, but the best ideas are often the simplest.”
As growers transition to revised APVMA label directions, Imtrade CropScience's 20L Closed Transfer System offers a practical way to reduce the potential for operator exposure during one of the most routine chemical-handling tasks on farm.
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