Farmers oppose neonicotinoid ban
Farmers may have to increase their agri-chemical use if the Environmental Protection Agency follows the European Union’s lead and bans neonicotinoid pesticides in crop production.
The European Commission has voted to scrap neonicotinoid pesticides in EU member states. The decision is expected to come into force by the end of the year, with only greenhouses exempted.
The ban was introduced because of the pesticides’ harm to bees. In response, the EPA told Radio New Zealand they would review the use of pesticides containing the agri-chemical.
Federated Farmers arable vice-chairman Colin Hurst said neonicotinoid pesticides were used differently in New Zealand compared with the EU, where they were used on flowering crops that were visited by bees.
In New Zealand, seeds were coated with neonicotinoids to prevent pest insects such as aphids eating the plant.
If they were banned, farmers would have to look at more widespread spraying.
‘‘If we didn’t have the use of that, it will mean more pesticides would be used.’’
In New Zealand, few crops, including brassicas, swedes and turnips, lasted to the flowering stage because they were grown as forage crops for livestock.
Foundation for Arable Research manager Richard Chynoweth said the chemical was used differently in New Zealand.
‘‘In Europe, you can still buy Federated Farmers arable vicechairman Colin Hurst foliar neonicotinoids and spray them on the crop. In New Zealand, we don’t do that.’’
AgResearch scientist Mark McNeill said withdrawing neonicotinoids would cause some issues for farmers, as there were no ready alternatives.
‘‘Irrespective of any future decisions, New Zealand farmers need to have effective and safe treatments for controlling pests at the seedling stage.’’
However, the EPA review was welcomed by the Soil and Health Association.
‘‘Neonics are just as toxic in New Zealand as they are anywhere else in the world – they’re bee-killing compounds,’’ chairman Graham Clarke said.
Neonicotinoids could persist in the soil and that meant flowering crops or weeds could express the chemical, he said. A breakthrough that allows dairy farmers to treat dairy shed ‘‘green water’’ so it can be confidently reused as yard wash, could lift the dairy sector’s effluent and water efficiency.
The emerging technology, known as ClearTech, was developed in a joint project between fertiliser co-operative Ravensdown and Lincoln University and looks to cut freshwater use, help existing effluent storage go further, and reduce the environmental and safety risk linked with farm dairy effluent. The pilot project, which is installed at the Lincoln University Demonstration Farm, represents a $1.5 million investment so far by Ravensdown.
ClearTech will be available commercially later this year, once testing is complete, in a managed rollout.
Ravensdown effluent technology manager Jamie Thompson said about a quarter of a dairy shed’s fresh water was used during yard washing, so the potential benefits were enormous for safely reusing treated water.
‘‘ClearTech will look to save 42 billion litres of freshwater a year – the equivalent of 17,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools through the reuse of safer water for dairy yard washing.’’
The technology, which binds effluent particles together in order to settle them out from the water, is installed between the dairy shed and the effluent pond. Effluent circulating in the system is automatically monitored and treated. The separation process kills up to 99 per cent of micro-organisms such as E. coli and reduces smell.