b'Safety First for Ag Chem DisposalFor disposing of ag chemicals safely, social license to operate is just the start. BY: MADELEINE BAERGONE OF BRITISH COLUMBIASThey arrived asking to see my spraythat what I fill into my tank is just water. If largest-acre and best-known seed potatorecords, he starts the story. you get complaints tomorrow, were going farmers, Bill Zylmans, has a whole listNo problem, he said, pulling out all theto have another conversation because then of management ease and environmentalcorrect documentation, then touring themyoull know how bogus this is.reasons hes a big proponent of safe disposalpast his well-kept chemical shed and sprayer.So away he went at 9 p.m. that night, for ag chemicals. Whats his top reason? HesHe wasnt surprised when they finallylights flashing, sprayer pumping out a got a story ready and waiting to explain. explained why theyd come.very visible spray of pure water. Every When I was a kid, I dont even knowThey said, Were here because therefarmer whos had a run-in with non-what my father or others did with theirwere complaints at city hall this morning. Afarming neighbours can guess exactly what excess chemicals. Maybe they went tobunch of people who live near here reportedhappened next:the back 40 and just dumped them tosomeone out with a sprayer last night,At 8:35 a.m. the next morning, city halls be done with it. As weve become morespraying bad stuff. They all say theyre sickswitchboard lit up like a Christmas tree, he environmentally conscious, especiallythis morning.says. According to the callers, they were all in places like where we farm which is soZylmans says the unfounded accusationsick. Thats what we have to deal with. Thats integrated with the general public, how youwas infuriating. I wanted to say: whereswhy being able to prove that youre doing manage your chemicals matters a lot.the [Farm Practices Protection (Right toeverything right matters so much.While much of B.C.s prime agriculturalFarm) Act], he says. Instead, he concoctedMaintaining social license to operate land coexists with urban development,a more satisfying plan. essentially, being seen by the public as Zylmans farms is some of the mostly denselyI said to the environment guys: I dontdoing the right things for society and the populated farmland in the entire province:like people pointing fingers at farmers. Imenvironmentis becoming a more and Delta, just a stones throw from Vancouver.going to go back out and spray tonight, butmore critical aspect of modern farming. At He adjusts his operations to align withearlier than I usually go so people are stillboth the individual farm and the industry urban, mostly ag-unaware neighbours,awake. Im not going to quiet like I usuallylevel, farmers need to be able to prove including spraying exclusively between 10amwere going to have the beaconstheyre managing resources and inputs in p.m. and 2 a.m. to minimize friction. Aboutgoing on my tractor and flashing lights.a manner acceptable to society. Zylmans eight years ago, a middle-of-the-night sprayWere going to create an entourage. Imsays his night-spraying example is exactly was followed by a bright and early visit fromgoing to give up two hours of my time, andwhy strategic cooperation between various the B.C. Ministry of Environment. youre going to send someone to monitorlevels of government, farmers, chemical Agricultural plastics are collected by Cleanfarms.PHOTO: CLEANFARMS 34SPUDSMART.COMFall 2023'