The government has unveiled measures seeking to minimise the risks of pesticides to health and the environment, including a UK-wide domestic reduction target.
The environmental risk from pesticides is set to be slashed by 10% over the next five years under the long-overdue plan set out by all four UK governments today (21 March).
Farmers will be urged to utilise alternative measures to reduce the potential harm from pesticides by 10% by 2030, while controlling pests with alternative methods.
The UK National Action Plan on Pesticides (NAP) also outlines how government will ensure environmental and pesticide regulations are followed.
Enforcement efforts will be targeted "where they are needed most", through training, guidance and enhanced inspections.
The UK currently has some of the most stringent pesticide regulations in the world which control any potential impact or risks from their use.
The publication of the NAP follows recent government action on pesticides. In December, three neonicotinoids — clothianidin, imidacloprid, and thiamethoxam – were banned in England.
Environment Minister Emma Hardy said of the new NAP: “The government is restoring our natural world as part of our commitment to protect the environment while supporting productivity and economic growth.
“That is why we have banned bee killing pesticides in England and today we’re going further to support farmers and growers to adopt sustainable practices.”
According to the government, the core goals of the NAP are to set clear targets and measures to monitor the use of pesticides.
It will introduce a UK-wide domestic reduction target for pesticides, focused on achieving a 10% reduction in potential environmental harm by 2030 rather than a simple volume reduction target.
Progress towards this target will be monitored using a Pesticide Load Indicator which measures the impacts of pesticides across 20 indicators.
Farmers will also be encouraged to utilise Integrated Pest Management (IPM), which involves using techniques or methods to reduce reliance on pesticides while managing pests.
This could mean using nature-based solutions to create habitats for natural predators of pests and rotating crops to break pest, weed and disease cycle.
But the NFU has said it was unclear how the NAP would be supported and delivered, especially without Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFI) options, which was closed suddenly last week.
The union also called into question Defra’s commitment to proactively supporting IPM uptake without further impacting competitiveness of farmers.
It pointed to the European Union, which scrapped its proposed Sustainable Use Regulation and 50% pesticide reduction target.
NFU deputy president David Exwood said: “While the government rightly focuses on public health and the environment, it’s critically important this is balanced with the need to grow affordable British food and increase productivity.
"For this, farmers and growers need continued support for IPM uptake and access to more effective tools to protect crops from pests, weeds and disease, and to ensure they can run thriving, profitable businesses.
"The NAP has come up short on the detail of how it will support this balance," Mr Exwood concluded.
