Understanding motivational factors for improved spray application on farms

Spray drift, the off-target movement of herbicides and pesticides, negatively impacts agricultural production across Australia. The problem is particularly acute in mixed cropping regions where a diverse range of chemicals may be applied at any given time. Although industry organisations have developed and implemented an impressive set of technologies, education programs and workshops aimed at improving spray solutions across multiple agriculture sectors, the problem persists. This investment utilised behavioural sciences to identify the main drivers and barriers to best-practice spray application and identify the main leverage points to initiate and sustain behaviour changes to reduce spray drift.