Brazilian regional spraying ban not right

The ban on aerial spraying of pesticides in the Brazilian state of Espirito Santo is based on disinformation. That is the judgment of the Brazilian national association of agricultural aviation companies, the Sindag. It argues that the regional approved law is unconstitutional, media report. The association’s president, Nelson Antônio Paim, says the authorities are targeting the wrong practices. “The intention is to reduce the indiscriminate use of pesticide, but the first step is to ban the very tool that cuts the need for chemical products on crops,” he says. Aerial spraying of pesticides was banned in a region of Espírito Santo last month ( Agrow No 622, p 21). The regional authorities intend to hold public meetings to discuss the move, newswire Agrolink reports.