Record keeping is part and parcel of tillage farming in Ireland. Therefore, it’s important to get it done now to avoid being inside on a fine day after it has all piled up.

Department of Agriculture record sheets are available on the PCS (Pesticide Control Service) section of its website. Farmers should download or print the integrated pest management (IPM) survey and the crop record sheets; all farmers must fill out the IPM survey.

This contains the eight principles of IPM. Farmers must tick what methods they implement on their farm under each of the areas.

There is no limit to the number of methods that you can tick, but there are no advantages to ticking a box if you don’t practice that method of IPM.

A separate record sheet must be filled out for each LPIS parcel (Land Parcel Identification System), number or location.

It’s important to make sure that the PCS number on the container matches the PCS number in the records. This is important as the PCS number may change as the product is re-registered.

Filling out records on the computer can save time. Where fields have been treated, the same information can be easily copied to the next record sheet. This will have a different LPIS number, but may have received the same amount of plant protection products.