Norfolk spray operator Scott Harrod has secured the prestigious 2026 Syngenta Farm Sprayer Operator of the Year (FSOOTY) title.
The announcement took place before a packed crowd at the Cereals event. Mr Harrod beat national competition to win the trophy on his first attempt – after being persuaded by his wife to enter the award.
Working for HDF Farming at Hall Farm, Trimingham, Mr Harrod oversees applications across 1,400 hectares. His workload includes 350 hectares of potatoes, a crop he aims to cover weekly.
Judges said his victory underscored the business value of technical precision and operational efficiency in high-value crop production – while doing so safely and with care for the environment.
Technical Precision
Mr Harrod operates a Sands Infiniti 6,000 equipped with 36-metre booms. The machine features a “smart ram” system to improve stability.
He said: “She’s also fitted with the new smart ram which is completely changed the way the boom behaves in the field; so when I’m turning on the ends of the field, she stays dead level the whole time.”
Application volumes vary by crop requirements. For cereals, Harrod typically applies 120 to 200 litres per hectare for fungicides. Rates increase for potato desiccation and pre-emergence mixes.
Mr Harrod said: “Higher end, we could be up to that sort of 400-450 mark on spud prems, where we mix the fertilizer and the herbicides.”
Nozzle selection is tailored to specific crop needs. For the bulk of potato work, he uses the Syngenta 3D90 nozzle. “We found really good results with them with canopy penetration, and I like them for very low drift and very good output.” For cereal work, he relies on Leica IDK nozzles.
Efficiency
Operational safety is enhanced through several bespoke machine modifications. Mr Harrod has fitted extra external lights to eliminate blind spots and a front-mounted pipe carrier to accommodate both two-inch and three-inch filling systems.
To improve cabin access and cleanliness, an additional mudguard was installed in front of the front wheel. This prevents debris build-up on the steps. Mr Harrod also relocated the reversing camera for a central view. He uses a whiteboard marker on his in-cab screen to align the camera view with tramlines.
The farm’s filling area is designed for environmental compliance and workflow. It features a fully bunded zone with a soakaway and biobed. Nearby fertiliser tanks are also bunded. Mr Harrod maintains a highly organised induction area, including digital scales, marking pens, and measuring jugs.
High standards
A simple but effective clip holds post-it notes detailing current chemical mixes to keep information to hand. Mr Harrod initially said he was initially hesitant about entering the competition but eventually did so with encouragement from his wife Emily.
The judging panel highlighted attention to detail as a key factor in Mr Harrod’s win.
Iain Lindsay, a Syngenta application specialist, said: “It’s obvious Scott takes immense pride in his work and it’s clear his skill and attention to the fine details make a huge difference to the application’s outcome.”
Professionalism in the sprayer seat directly impacts business profitability, added Mr Lindsay. “His professionalism and expertise have a big impact on the efficiency, safety and effectiveness of the operation – benefiting the business he works for.”