Farmers could face new spraying requirements, despite Downs defeat

The Defra Secretary has announced he will consult this autumn on giving people access to farmers’ records of spraying activity near their properties and on how farmers should give prior notification of spraying to residents.

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The consultation will also cover the monitoring of how pesticides are being used, new training requirements for operators and what else should be included in Defra’s new National Action Plan for crop spraying.

“Once we have agreed how to implement any changes, we will amend the Pesticides Code of Practice and update our UK Pesticides Strategy,” he said.

Commenting on today's verdict (Tuesday, July 7), he said: “We welcome the Court of Appeal’s judgement that the Government has complied with its obligations under European law, and we welcome the public debate on this matter.

But he added that the action brought by Georgina Downs had ‘raised a number of issues concerning pesticide policy’.

“The protection of the health of those who live or work in, or visit the countryside is our priority. It is essential that the system for approval and use of pesticides is rigorous.

“There is already careful testing and evaluation of pesticides on behalf of all EU countries, and individual products are only authorised for use in the UK after further national consideration.

He said the Government received advice on the issue from the independent expert scientific body, the Advisory Committee on Pesticides (ACP). It had also accepted a number of the recommendations made by the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution (RCEP) in 2006, and has been implementing them, he added.

“Following the view of the ACP and the RCEP on bystander exposure, we have commissioned research to test and, if possible, further improve the scientific basis for assessing the possible exposure of residents and bystanders to pesticides.

“The final results will be available in 2010. This includes work to develop a new Bystander and Resident Exposure Assessment Model.”

He added that Dera had been working with the farming industry to encourage best practice to minimise exposure, and to improve the availability of information for residents, bystanders and other.

“We have also supported a new EU directive that aims to give greater assurance that pesticides will be used,” he said.