Ministers advised to reject pesticides plea

MINISTERS HAVE been advised to reject two applications for the emergency use of pesticides containing neonicotinoids to control the threat posed by cabbage stem flea beetles to oilseed rape crops.

The applications submitted by the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) “do not meet the tests enabling an emergency authorisation to be granted”, according to the UK Expert Committee on Pesticides.

The NFU is seeking emergency authorisation for the use of Cruiser OSR and Modesto as neonicotinoid seed dressings for oilseed rape.

NFU vice president Guy Smith said: “This is very disappointing news for oilseed rape growers. Pest pressure is a serious and costly issue for growers and the number of cabbage stem flea beetles remain high and continues to grow.

“Without access to neonicotinoid seed treatments farmers have changed their farming practices in order to best deal with the situation. Some have had to abandon growing the crop altogether. In fact, the area of oilseed rape in the UK has declined since the introduction of restrictions in 2013.

“Farmers will be frustrated, especially at a time when oilseed rape is an arable crop with one of the strongest, average gross margin in areas where pest damage is low.”

Mr Smith added: “If we have a difficult establishment period this autumn with high flea beetle pressure, I have no doubt that a huge percentage of the oilseed rape crop will be lost.”

In its notes to Ministers, the pesticides committee pointed out in a list of reasons for advising the applications to be rejected, that the NFU failed to provide data to indicate the pest pressure constituted “an emergency per se”.