Dolf van Ursem (46) has a cultivation company in Heerhugowaard. He followed the Spuit Academy course. In this article he talks about his vision of the future on crop protection and how the course has contributed to this.
De Squirt Academy consists of six course days throughout the Netherlands in January and February. The students delve into innovative crop protection techniques and receive five points for the spraying license. There is a possibility to receive an 85% subsidy, also for entrepreneurs.
Can you tell us more about your company?
"We have a vegetable nursery in Heerhugowaard-De Noord. We grow crops such as iceberg lettuce, pointed cabbage, red cabbage and white cabbage. In 1997 we started small with a shed for the storage of agricultural machinery. Since then we have grown rapidly and we have a plot area of approximately 270 hectares."
Are there specific crop protection challenges you encounter?
"The biggest challenge is that crop protection products that are quite important for certain crops are in danger of disappearing. That is quite a challenge. Broadly speaking, I find the new techniques particularly challenging. In addition, also the regulations regarding the use of these new techniques. helps to attend meetings and talk to companies that offer the new techniques. But also the course of the Squirt Academy helped me. Taking the course is very interesting because everything in the field of crop protection is changing rapidly and you can also talk to fellow growers about how they deal with all the changes."
How do you view crop protection in the future?
Personally, I don't think chemical crop protection will disappear in the future. I'm in a working group looking at green methods to protect our crops, but all the existing methods are simply inadequate. I don't expect green methods to take over anytime soon. I think that if chemicals are no longer allowed, we'll have to import the crops we currently grow in the Netherlands from abroad, because they might still be permitted there. By 'abroad,' I mean countries outside the EU, since we often have to deal with European regulations.
Has the Squirt Academy contributed to your vision of crop protection in the future?
"Yes, I learned several things from the course. For example, with regard to the weather and the weather influences on crop protection. I also found the technical side of the course very interesting and also the lecture about communicating with citizens. There I still use it for people who come to our company, to be able to clearly explain why we do certain things."
What did you find the most interesting day of the course? Squirt Academy?
"If I have to choose, I spend the day thinking about weather and crop protection. Because when you apply crop protection - often with very expensive products - it is very important that you do this at the right time and in the right way. The weather is more and more extreme, so it is important to get the products on your crop at the right time, so that you have maximum effect."
What addition does the Squirt Academy had on your daily work?
"We purchased a weather pole to be able to see even better that we are doing the right thing at the right time. And I have set up a group with a number of other growers so that we can see what those weather poles do in various areas in North Holland. "That is interesting to take into account when considering whether to start spraying. We have also continued to use task cards to see whether it is interesting for our company to use."
Would you like to participate in the Spray Academy course yourself, earn five license points and learn everything about innovative crop protection techniques? Then register now. An 85% subsidy is possible for the course. For more information click here.