Agrishow presents four programs for safety in the handling of agrochemicals and unprecedented training for farmers

Four strategic programs to promote correct applications of agricultural pesticides or agrochemicals in crops will be highlights of Agrishow 2022, on April 25th and 29th, in the city of Ribeirão Preto (SP). The initiatives range from improving safety and technology in the treatment of crops to the qualification of applicators of these products, in line with the Federal Government's “Legal Applicator” Program (National Plan for Qualification of Agricultural Pesticides Applicators).

Funded with private resources, the four programs are led by researcher Hamilton Ramos, director of the Engineering and Automation Center (CEA), of the Agronomic Institute (IAC), an agency of the Department of Agriculture and Supply of the State of SP located in São Paulo's Jundiaí. Ramos is in charge of the Reference Unit, Aplique Bem, Spraying Adjuvants and IAC-Quepia programs.

The Reference Unit for Technology and Safety in the Application of Agrochemicals (UR) launches a distance learning module during Agrishow for agents multiplying the training required in NR 31.8 of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security. Developed with the participation of the sectoral entity Crop Life Brasil, the course also meets the requirements of the recently launched National Qualification Program for Pesticides and Related Applicators (Legal Applicator), of the Federal Government.

In the area of ​​Agrochemical Application Technology, the Aplique Bem program turns 15 years old during Agrishow, a milestone that will be celebrated in an official event, with the presence of authorities, on April 28th, at 17:00 pm. Aplique Bem focuses on training small and medium-sized producers to correctly use agricultural pesticides, directly on their properties.

Since its creation, Aplique Bem has carried out 3,9 training sessions throughout Brazil. The number of benefiting producers reaches more than 75 thousand. The team responsible for executing the program, trained at CEA-IAC, covered 15 million kilometers in 1 years – equivalent to three trips between the Earth and the Moon –, reaching more than 1 cities.

Spraying Adjuvants and IAC-Quepia

The production sector of adjuvants, auxiliary products for agrochemical applications, is the target of the Spraying Adjuvants Program. The program recently launched the first seal (CEA-IAC Seal) to certify the functionality of agricultural adjuvants, already obtained by 14 companies in the sector.

“Contrary to what happens in the agrochemical industry, whose inputs are the subject of research for registration and inspection, agricultural adjuvants do not undergo official regulation. This legal loophole opens up space for the unsafe use of agricultural pesticides and adjuvants”, says Hamilton Ramos.

The IAC-Quepia program, close to completing 16 years of activities, is very close to joining a select group of laboratories capable of carrying out more than 25 certification tests for agricultural protective clothing or agricultural PPE, with the expectation of obtaining, in the next months, ISO 17025 certification (management system) for the program laboratory.

Since its creation in 2006, IAC-Quepia has made Brazil globally recognized for research in support of factory production and the development of quality criteria for Agricultural PPE. The program, which grants the IAC-Quepia Seal to PPE manufacturers who follow technical and quality specifications, reduced rejections of Brazilian protective agricultural clothing from 80% in 2010 to less than 20% today.