The National Farming Union’s (NFU) application for an emergency authorisation for neonicotinoid seed treatments is not looking hopeful as Government advisors think it should be refused.
Two applications for the use of Cruiser OSR and Modesto as neonicotinoid seed dressings on oilseed rape were considered by the UK Expert Committee on Pesticides (ECP).
The applications were created to control cabbage stem flea beetle (CSFB), which UK growers say has devastated rape crops since neonicotinoids were banned in 2013.
A recent survey of 400 arable farmers who all grow winter oilseed rape (OSR) reports that 8.3 percent of the crop this year has failed, mainly because of CSFB.
Because of the risks and dangers to pollinators, the committee appeared to side with refusal of the application rather than acceptance.
They also said no data had been submitted to indicate that a “moderate” threshold constituted an emergency.
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However, the committee noted that CSFB could cause economic damage.
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[April 2017], a study showed that the full cost to farmers of the neonicotinoid ban in 2016 was £18.4 million ($23.7 million) and resulted in almost 28,800 [hectares] (71,166 acres) of lost crop.Defra ministers will announce their final decision on the application [May 2017.]
The GLP aggregated and excerpted this blog/article to reflect the diversity of news, opinion, and analysis. Read full, original post: Application for emergency use of neonics should be ‘refused’, says Government
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