for GLOBALG.A.P. Plant Protection Module DRAFT version - Nov09 Based on GLOBALGAP Control Points and Compliance Criteria Integrated Farm Assurance (V3.0-2_Sep07, English Version)
Introduction Page: 1 GLOBALGAP has become an important standard not only for large-scale farms but also for smallholders all around the world. GLOBALGAP implementation can improve the farm management practices of smallholders, and GLOBALGAP certification can be a tool for smallholders to access the global market and to be integrated into the global supply chain. However, compliance to the standard remains a challenge to the smallholders with low level of literacy and financial means. This Guide can be used by farmers who want to understand the standard requirement, by trainers who implement the standard in small-scale farms and by any non-technical person who wishes to understand what the standard talks about. The bottom page of each section refers to Relevant GLOBALGAP Control Points that are covered in the section. This Guide covers all the Control Points of the following sections. GLOBALGAP All Farm Base Module AF 3. Workers Health, Safety and Welfare (Some control points are covered in this booklet. The others are covered in - Environmental and Social Module -. ) GLOBALGAP Crop Base Module CB 7. Integrated Pest Management CB 8: Plant Protection Products This Guide focuses on the theme of plant protection. Other themes will be covered in separate Guides. For further information and detail on the standard requirement, please refer to the original standard document: GLOBALGAP Control Points and Compliance Criteria - Integrated Farm Assurance (V3.0-2_Sep07, English Version). Table of content Page no. 1. Training... 2 2. Integrated Pest Management... 3 3. Check the product... 4 4. Storage... 7 5. Application equipment... 9 6. Records... 11 7. After application... 12 8. Empty containers and obsolete products... 14 8. Residue analysis... Disclaimer This provides guidance on how smallholders can comply with the standard in simple and effective ways. This is not a normative document that prescribes what to be done on smallholder farms, but is a guidance document to provide examples, tips and suggestions for implementation.
Page: 2 1. Training Training is key to ensure that the standard is implemented by everyone involved. Make sure that the producers and their workers have been trained on the following themes. 1. GAP of the crop 2. IPM of the crop 3. Safe handling of chemicals and dangerous equipments 4. First aid GAP training Introducing pheromone trap at IPM training First aid training Safe handling of pesticide training You can attend a formal training course, if it exists. If it does not exist, you can organize training as a group. As long as the trainer is qualified, a group member can conduct the training, or the group can contract an external person. Each person needs to be trained in the area of his/her work. The following chart illustrates which training you must have, depending on the way the group is organized. After training, make sure that you receive a certificate as a proof of participation. Not only farm managers but also each worker needs to have a training relevant to their work. Bring all the workers to attend the training. Make sure that they also receive a certificate and understood the training.
Page: 3 2. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Chemical application is not the only way to protect your plants. There are many things you can do to prevent and to control pests and diseases on your farm without using chemicals. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is not about organic farming. It is a way to prevent, monitor and control pests and diseases on your farm with the combination of biological, mechanical and chemical methods. Principle 1: Prevention Example: - Crop rotation - Selecting a site without pest and disease history - Increasing organic matter content in the soil - Mulches - Use of pest-free planting materials - Weed control (Weed is a host of various pests.) - Disinfection of equipment (e.g. pruning saws) Principle 2: Observation and Monitoring Example: - Regular inspection of pests - Identification of natural enemies - Use of pheromone traps for pest monitoring - Use of threshold levels for decision making
Page: 4 Principle 3: Intervention Example: - Use of natural enemies - Use of traps - Non-chemical plant protection products - Using less toxic plant protection products - Alternate plant protection products to prevent resistance development - Control weeds manually or mechanically instead of spraying herbicide Only when you have exhausted non-chemical methods, chemical application should be considered as the last resort. See the next sections for the responsible choice, storage and application of chemicals.
Page: 5 3. Check the product Make sure that the product is not banned and is suitable for your crop. Before you use, check the following. 1. Is the product recommended for your target crop? (Check the label.) It should be allowed for the crop and for the pest or disease. 2. What are the protective clothing you have to use? (Check the label.) Overall Face shield Filtered mask Gloves Boots If you do not use appropriate protective clothing, you and your workers are expose to acute and/or chronic intoxication. 3. Is the product registered in your country? 4. Is the product not banned in EU or in the intended market? Create a list of all the chemicals used by the group members. So that the above information can be verified right away. Keep the invoice of the products you buy. This will help you trace back the information about the product later on.
Page: 6 4. Storage Plant protection products are dangerous to human health. If you leave them in open places, children or other people may touch them, and there could be sad accidents. Before it is too late, store them in a secure place. If you only have a few products, you do not need to construct a building as your storage. You can be innovative to create an inexpensive storage that meets the criteria. See examples below. Metal drum storage Fire-resistant, sound and secure material Powders above liquids Warning sign Locked with key (Key is kept by a trained person.) Make sure that the drum was not originally used for a plant protection product. Cement the drum to the ground to avoid falling over and theft. Space to retain spillage Shelves do not absorb chemicals. Emergency contacts Emergency procedure Metal trunk storage Emergency procedure Warning sign Fire-resistant, sound and secure material Cement it to the ground to avoid theft The entire space can retain spillage. Emergency contacts Locked with key Liquids and powders separated If you have a storage room, it should have a window for air and light to come through. Without a window, toxic gas may accumulate in the room. You need light to be able to read the labels well. Window for air and light Keep the products in original container. If you put it in a different container, you and others may get confused about what is inside, and the product could be used mistakenly. Pesticide in a water bottle
Page: 7 In order to measure the product accurately, you need to have proper measuring tools. Verify them with calibrated equipment annually. Scale Measuring cup In case some product spills, you need to have tools to clean the spillage. Broom Sand Shovel Plastic bag You should have access to safety information about the products, so that you would know what to do when an accident happens. You should always have a first aid kit and water to wash eyes, in case of accident. First aid kit Water for eye wash Keep plant protection products away from any other things (produce, protective clothing etc.) to avoid contamination. In order to keep track of the products coming in and out, update a stock inventory at least every 3 months. Example of a stock inventory form Example of separated shelves with labels Protective clothing in the storage If you have plant protection products for different crops, label them separately to avoid confusion. Shelves for products for a rotation crop Shelves for mango protection products
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Page: 9 5. Application equipment In order to apply the product accurately, make sure that your machinery is working well. 1. Check the condition of the machinery before use. If there is any problem, do the necessary maintenance. Example of a maintenance form for knapsack 2. Conduct calibration of the machinery at least once a year to know the discharge per time or discharge per area. Example of how to calculate discharge per time of your knapsack Discharge water into a measuring cup for a certain time (e.g. 1 minute). Divide the amount of water by time to know the discharge per second or per minute. Example of a calibration form for knapsack
Page: 10 Example of how to calculate discharge per area of your knapsack (useful to herbicide application) Spray water over a marked area to find out how much water you will discharge. Calculate how much water your knapsack discharges for 1ha. Example of a calibration form for knapsack In order to apply the product accurately, make sure that you have appropriate measuring equipment. You can use an alternative measuring equipment, such a can. Make sure that the can is calibrated with a scale or a measuring cup for each product in advance. Also ensure that the cans are not used for other purpose. Measuring cups Scales Tomato cans
Page: 11 6. Records Record keeping is important for various reasons. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. You can calculate the cost of production by using the record of inputs. You can evaluate your applications by comparing the records over time. You can prove to the others that you have done correct application. You can use the record to know when you can harvest your produce. You can use the record to know when you can enter the sprayed field. Your customer wants to know whether you have used only approved products in the right way. In case there is any problem (e.g. MRL exceedance), you can use the record to find out what could be the cause of the problem. Keep records of the following items. Crop/ variety Location Date Product trade name Active ingredient Operator Reason for application Quantity Machinery used Pre-harvest interval Re-entry interval Signature of a technical person Example of plant protection record form Records can be written by producers or by the technical manager of the group. When the records are written by the producers, the technical manager should check them regularly to ensure that they are written correctly.
Page: 12 During the re-entry interval period, keep a warning sign at the site to indicate that the site has been sprayed.
Page: 13 7. After application Make sure that the knapsack is empty. If any solution is left, dispose it at a designated fallow area (:area where no crop is grown and far away from water source or human activities). Wash the equipment and protective clothing at the site. Do not bring the protective clothing home to wash with other laundry, because the chemical on it would contaminate other clothes and the person who washes it. It is recommended that those who apply plant protection products take annual health check at a hospital. If chemicals have entered into your body during application, you may have an unexpected health problem.
Page: 14 8. Empty containers and obsolete products When a product is finished, rinse the container with water 3 times. Put the rinsate back into the knapsack. Puncture the container so that it would not be used again. Do not reuse the containers, unless you put the same product. Chopsticks kept in a germicide container Keep them labeled and stored safely until disposal. If there is an official collection system, you can use the service to dispose the containers. If there is no collection system and the local legislation allows burning, you can use the following incinerator made of a metal drum, designed by British Agrochemicals Association Ltd. (BAA). 1. Make holes on a 210 L drum. 2. Put a mesh inside 7. Let it burn 3. Put papers on the mesh 4. Put containers 5. Put papers under mesh 6. Set fire from the hole This incinerator can produce a temperature of between 800~950oC, and give a thorough combustion with hardly any ash. For more detail, check Container Incineration: A practical guide by BAA.
Page: 15 Keep the expired products labeled and stored safely until disposal.
Page: 16 9. Residue analysis As a final test of your produce, residue analysis is conducted to prove that there is no Maximum Residue Level (MRL) exceedance. When you get the result of residue testing, check whether all the results are below the MRLs of the countries where the produce will be sold. The group can decide how to take samples for residue testing. When samples from different farms are mixed and the results find the MRL exceedance, all the sampled farms need to be tested again. When possible, test samples from different farms separately. The laboratory needs to be accredited or on the way of accreditation against ISO17025 or equivalent. Residue testing can be organized by the group itself, or the group can ask its client to send the result of the testing, if it is conducted by the client. Read the original GLOBALGAP CPCC, Integrated Farm Assurance - Crop Base - Annex CB.4 for more detail. The group should have an action plan in case of MRL exceedance. Withdrawal procedure in case of MRL exceedance 1. Use the traceability code to identify the farm and plot where the produce came from. 2. Identify the cause of the problem. 3. Depending on the cause, decide whether to recall the produce from the same plot or from the entire farm, or the produce packed/shipped on the same day. 4. Trace all the produce to be recalled and identify where they are. 5. Contact all customers who have the produce to be recalled. 6. Arrange transport to bring back the produce. 7. Destroy all the recalled produce. 8. Take remedial actions so as to prevent the problem from happening again. 9. Notify the customers about the remedial actions taken. 10. Notify the CB about the withdrawal of produce. 11. Conduct residue testing of the recalled produce to verify the exceedance detected. Residue test result Example of an action plan