Can Protective Netting be used in Organic Systems and for Quarantine Purposes?
McMahon Brothers, near Stanthorpe in Queensland, have been BFA A-grade certified for seven years. Over the last few years, they have been producing Summer-season crops such as tomatoes, lettuce, celery, snowpeas and zucchinis – all marketed as Organic. About 3 years ago, McMahon Brothers commissioned an insect exclusion structure from NetPro P/L, specifically for growing their organic tomatoes. The netting is classed as an “allowable input” by the certifying bodies; and in fact, it was looked on favourably because of the potential to reduce disease without chemical sprays (“non-allowable inputs”). Suspended Pitch Screenhouse – total insect exclusion “We grew our best organic tomatoes under exclusion netting” says Jeff McMahon. He went on to explain how the netting excludes the insect vectors of disease, and how the plants grew much better because of the micro-climate created under the netting. The warmth, shading and reduced wind meant that they were using up to 50% less water on the c
