UK Farmers Denied Emergency Use of Neonics – Twice
The UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has refused a second request by the National Farming Union (NFU) and the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board for the emergency use of neonicotinoid pesticides to protect winder oilseed rape.
The government agency concluded on the advice of an expert committee on pesticides that the request did not meet the criteria for emergency use of Cruiser OSR and Modesto to treat against cabbage stem flea beetle, and that to approve the application would allow for too broad of a use with not enough control.
After Defra issued its second denial for the use of the neonics, Guy Smith, NFU president responded, “This is very disappointing news for oilseed rape growers. 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.”
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