Ei OPERATOR

Scott Harrod is the Syngenta Farm Sprayer Operator of the Year 2026. He was presented with the prestigious FSOOTY trophy in the Sprays & Sprayers Arena today (10th June 2026) at the Cereals Event. The main spray operator for H.D.F Farming, Hall Farm, Trimingham in Norfolk, Scott is responsible for all applications on the 1,400ha farm. “I’m really overwhelmed to win. I take great pride in my work and have picked up many tips from reading about past finalists and winners.

Specialist spot sprayer choice in the UK continues to increase, with Opico introducing the German-built Rumex range into this fast expanding sector. Rumex, which takes name from the Latin for docks, was originally developed to detect the weed in grassland. Now, however, the ‘green on green’ artificial intelligence (AI) system can not only detect broadleaf weeds in grassland, but also in other high value crops, including onions, carrots, sugar beet and potatoes.

While the original 500R sprayers go on show at the Cereals Event for the first time, John Deere announces it is introducing a new high capacity flagship, along with a range of upgrades for next year. The new 560R 6,000-litre flagship joins the existing 4,000- and 5,000 litre capacity models, following the same format and maintaining the 2.55m transport width.

While all operators should know how to calibrate sprayers, which they will have done as part of their PA2 or other PA module, it’s a task that may often be overlooked. It is, however, a must do job: the Code of Practice for the Use of Plant Protection Products states sprayers should be in a good condition and calibrated for use. Farm assurance schemes require applicators to be regularly calibrated (which must be recorded).

Good sprayer hygiene is essential for crop, operator and environmental safety. Thorough rinsing and cleaning are vital to prevent contamination to the sprayer, operator and environment, as well as to protect the machine and its components. The Code of Practice recommends operators: ‘safely clean applicators, inside and out, preferably before leaving the treatment area’, with a safe washings area identified prior to spraying.

Before applying pesticides operators are legally required to assess any potential impacts to wildlife and the environment and any take any necessary protective measures. This is an area where conservationists and the public remain vigilant, and all those involved in the planning and use of crop protection products (agronomists, growers and operators) should be aware of the legal requirement to protect the environment from accidental harm.

All spray applications aim to cover the whole target with a suitable number of adequately sized droplets, created by the nozzles. The goal is to achieve the best spray coverage, which is the degree of contact between the droplets and the target surface area. Operators can control many of the factors that determine spray coverage, which include: nozzle size and type, sprayer pressure, nozzle height and condition, water volume, forward speed and time of application.

Scott Harrod says he has followed the FSOOTY competition for years, but never entered until this year – making the final at his first attempt. “I’ve learned a lot and picked up many tips from reading about previous FSOOTY finalists. I take great pride in my work and my wife, Emily who is an agronomist, encouraged me to enter. “I thought I would give it a go because I am always keen to learn more.

Encouraged by his farm manager to enter FSOOTY, Suffolk-based operator, James Cracknell has reached the finals at this first attempt. “My manager, Shaun Keal, has made the FSOOTY final twice himself. So, I was proud to be acknowledged by him when he suggested I enter,” says James, who has worked at Hyde Parker Farms for four years, and carries out all the spray and liquid fertiliser applications.

It’s the second year running that Jack Williams has reached the FSOOTY final. “While it would be great to win FSOOTY, I entered again because I really enjoyed the whole experience last year and I learned so much, not just from the judges but also talking to the other finalists. In fact, I have changed my nozzle set-up after a really detailed conversation with a previous winner I met at the presentation,” he explains.