We are pleased that the UK Government has today announced the UK’s first ever pesticide reduction target of 10%. While we had hoped for a higher percentage, the adoption of a target, which takes into account both how much of a pesticide is used and how toxic it is, is a clear signal that reducing pesticide-related harms to the environment is now being taken seriously. However, one serious flaw is limiting this target to only apply to the arable sector. Whilst arable is the largest user of pesticides, there is significant use in other sectors, such as orchards, outdoor vegetables and forestry. All of these pose a threat to the environment from unsustainable pesticide use and should be included within the scope of the new target.
In addition to the reduction target, we are also pleased that there are commitments to increasing the uptake of non-chemical alternatives by farmers and urge the government to provide them with the support they need. While there are no commitments to phasing out urban pesticide use, we have been assured by the government that this area of work will be progressed separately.
Tractor spraying wheat field. Credit Oticki / Shutterstock.com
However, overall, we are disappointed that the focus of the NAP appears to be solely on reducing the environmental harms of pesticides. Pesticide use poses a risk to the health of the population in general but particularly to rural residents, farmers and farmworkers. This was a great opportunity to increase protections for those most vulnerable to the health harms of pesticides, which in this iteration of the NAP has been missed.
We look forward to working with Minister Hardy to build on the promises made in today’s National Action Plan and increase the ambition of these significant policy shifts.
Further information on the National Action Plan and what we had hoped to see included can be found here.
Note that we will be analysing the newly published National Action Plan in more detail over the coming weeks and will put forward a more detailed response soon.
