In a statement last week, the Amenity Sector welcomed the ECHA’s committee for risk assessment statement that glyphosate is not a carcinogen, mutagen or toxic. This re-affirms previous statements and conclusions. The adopted opinion will go through a normal editorial check before it is sent to the European Commission. This is an important stage in the re-approval process for glyphosate. In the cycle of events, the current approval for glyphosate runs to the end of the year, hence the European Commission and Member States will be considering renewal of glyphosate as an active substance in pesticides later this year. The ECHA opinion is important in this process.

In considering weed, pest and disease management, the Amenity Forum supports an integrated approach always considering all the options. Glyphosate is an important element in such approaches and vital in maintaining amenity areas, keeping them safe, healthy and fit for purpose.

For further information, please contact the Forum admin@amenityforum.net

When Warrington Golf Club’s course was struck by lightning the voltage burnt out its 30-year-old irrigation controller and the club found itself in the market for a new system, which is where Bailoy stepped in.

Warrington Golf Club course manager John McLoughlin explains: “The lightning picked up one of the irrigation cables and burnt out the controller. The system we had was an original Bailoy SC3000, still going strong after delivering us 30 years of service, but it understandably couldn’t withstand the power of a strike from above!”

Investigating different manufacturers comparing price and products soon led John back to the original manufacturer, Bailoy and its latest GTI PC system, and John says it was the product’s straight forward operator experience and application precision that sealed the deal: “What impressed me most about the GTI PC was its adaptability. The team now irrigate in the preferred measurement of millimetres rather than minutes. We abstract from a pond and also have access to a mains water feed, so managing water usage in a sustainable manner is extremely important for the club. Better controlled water application via the new software and daily monitoring of the greens’ moisture levels has allowed for greater control of the greens playability in a, pleasingly, more sustainable manner.”

John and his greenkeeping team of seven are also finding the GTI PC incredibly easy to use. “Compared to the other products we looked at this one seemed the most user-friendly. We’ve had our first full season using the software and we can now vouch for this first hand.”

The club also opted for ongoing GTI Support, choosing the Gold level. This backup service, although not yet used by John, is reassuring to have. He says: “I’m glad we haven’t had to use this yet, as it of course means there’s no product, installation or setup issues! But having it means there’s no need to worry if something does go wrong, Bailoy will be available to investigate the situation.”

The GTI PC comes with Remote Access, which John is very much looking forward to using this year. “One of the other key benefits is that we will be able to manage the software remotely; with changeable weather patterns it is of the upmost importance we can make real time decisions at the push of a button. Controlling the system out in the field will also offer an operating exercise that had previously not been possible.”