Vision to protect plants from pests

A five-year action plan to protect plants from pests and diseases and mitigate climate change was published by the Government yesterday.

The proposals include stepping up the monitoring of online retailers and social media sites for the trade of highrisk plant products and investment in robust domestic tree supplies.

Updated figures show that plants provide an annual value of £15.7billion to the UK. However, the risks from hundreds of plant pests and pathogens cost the economy more than £4billion a year, the Government warned.

Lord Benyon, minister for biosecurity, said: “This landmark strategy sets out how we will protect Great Britain’s plants, with the Government, industry and the public working together to tackle the risks posed by plant pests and diseases.”

He added this would be “critical to… facilitating safe trade amidst a challenging economic backdrop”.*