June 5, 2006:
Environmentally, the best system to store fertilizers and pesticides on the farm is to not store any at all, but that is not always possible for some farmers. That is why minimum setback distances between storage units and water bodies are established. Pesticide storage, mixing and loading must be a minimum of 30 metres from a water body, says Jock McIntosh, agriculture and chemical advisor with Alberta Environment. The minimum setback distance for fertilizer storage, mixing and loading is 20 metres.
However, McIntosh stresses that this minimum setback distance is just that - a number set to outline the minimum standard of safety. "The best management practice is to go above and beyond these minimums and maintain as great a distance as possible between any potential contaminant and water sources or bodies," he says.
The information on this website is available for reprint with credit to "The Alberta Environmental Farm Plan, www.albertaEFP.com".
Article development courtesy of The Alberta Environmental Farm Plan Company