Representatives of the UK pesticide supply sector are urging the Government to maintain current controls on the use and distribution of pesticides as the EU Sustainable Use Directive is implemented into UK law.
The Crop Protection Association (CPA) and Agricultural Industries Confederation (AIC) have both written to Defra secretary Caroline Spelman expressing concern that the Government's plans to transpose the text of the directive directly into UK law could undermine the status of current professional standards on user and adviser certification and training.
The focus is the decision to transpose all European directives directly into UK law to avoid any "gold-plating" of EU legislation. In the case of the Sustainable Use Directive, member states would be required to provide access to training, rather than stating that all sprayer operators and advisers must be trained and certificated by law.
The CPA and AIC are urging the Government to ensure the UK legislation reflects the intent of the directive to reinforce pesticide controls, rather than weaken them. In particular, they want a continuation of the UK's statutory requirement for certification of sprayer operators and an extension of this to all advisers, as well as statutory provisions for training and professional development.
- David Caffall, chief executive of the Agricultural Industries Confederation, has been appointed chairman of the agrosupply section that represents the European fertiliser and crop protection products trade within food supply trade body COCERAL. He also becomes a member of COCERAL's presidium, responsible for the work of the board and the organisation's strategic guidelines.
Caffall said: "I am pleased to play a senior role alongside colleagues from other EU states to work for more joined-up responses from the supply industry to proposed legislation."
Expert Comments
"Normally we would support Government moves to avoid the gold-plating of EU legislation, but in this case we feel that it could result in a dilution of the existing robust UK controls on pesticide use. While the Voluntary Initiative and Farm Assurance Schemes may ensure that standards are maintained among the farmers and growers they cover, overall we feel that this would represent a backwards step after the UK crop protection sector has worked hard to set what are the highest stewardship standards in Europe."
Dominic Dyer, Chief Executive, CPA
"Transposed directly, the Sustainable Use Directive has the potential to sweep away current professional standards on user and adviser certification and training, This is a concern in sectors where the uptake of schemes is voluntary and membership of assurance schemes is not a requirement. The industry remains committed to promoting best practice in the distribution and use of pesticides and this must be underpinned by legislation to protect and enforce minimum standards."
David Caffall, chief executive, AIC.
