Free sprayer and pelleter checks, courtesy of United Utilities

United Utilities is offering farmers, located in qualifying River Dee catchments, free MOTs and maintenance for their sprayers and slug pelleters worth up to £350.

The offer is available to farmers managing land in the following catchments:

• Pulford
• Aldford
• Shell Brooks
• Worthenbury/Wych
• Clywedog
• Central catchments from Llangollen to Corwen

Professional pesticide application equipment must by law have a National Sprayer Testing Scheme (NSTS) certificate that’s less than five years old.

United Utilities’ catchment manager, Dr Kate Snow, said: “This comprehensive test covers all the application components of the sprayer to ensure the machine is working safely, correctly and efficiently. If your machinery is operating efficiently it will save you time and money, as well as delivering better results on the ground. Calibrating application equipment is the only way to be sure that the proper amount of pesticide is applied. Application of excess pesticide increases the risk of contaminating water.”

Chris Boughey, from Central Cropsprayers, the NSTS-approved company carrying out the MOTs, said: “We test major components of the sprayer including control systems, hoses and pipework, nozzles and nozzle control systems, filters, pumps, tank, chemical induction systems, booms as well as the computer control systems.”

Eligible farmers should contact the River Dee catchment advisors to book a test:
• Gareth Foulkes: 07496 683333 or gareth@welshdeetrust.com
• David Jones: 0749 5292561 or david@welshdeetrust.com

To find out more about this story please contact Clare Vincent in the United Utilities Press Office on 0345 072 0822 or 07904 112484 or email clare.vincent@uuplc.co.uk

Notes for Editors

United Utilities
United Utilities is the UK’s largest listed water company and manages the regulated water and waste water network in North West England - which includes Cumbria, Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Merseyside with a combined population of nearly seven million. United Utilities' headquarters are in Warrington. Its shares are listed on the London Stock Exchange and the FTSE 100 Index.

Central Cropsprayers Ltd
Based in North Shropshire, Central Cropsprayers has been at the forefront of crop spraying sales, service and components since 1984. The company specialises in the sales of new and used crop sprayers and with its qualified NSTS engineers it can offer technical experience to keep farming machines working when they’re needed the most.

National Sprayer Testing Scheme
The scheme has been part of UK agriculture since 2003 and a main pillar of the Voluntary Initiative. NSTS tested sprayers are a requirement of UK crop assurance scheme and supermarket protocols and NSTS satisfies the sprayer testing requirements of the Sustainable Use Directive.