Update on the Sustainable Use Directive

Defra is expected to publish regulations this spring that implement the Sustainable Use Directive (SUD). Member states were supposed to implement the Directive by November 2011, but Defra’s timetable has slipped. These regulations will effectively:

• remove grandfather rights for sprayer operators,
• encourage continuous professional development (CPD) of sprayer operators and
• require mandatory sprayer testing initially within five years and then every three years.

The NFU have been very active in the debate over the development of the SUD over the past few years and have worked very hard to minimise the impact on farming. The key thing for members is that most of the main measures actually duplicate or are very similar to arrangements that have already been in place in the UK (but not across the EU) for many years, so there should be no hidden surprises.

However, one potential area of continuing concern for the NFU is that anyone purchasing a pesticide will have to hold a suitable qualification or evidence of training. In effect this means that “grandfather rights” (operators born before 31 Dec 1963) will go. Therefore, work certainly hasn’t stopped for the NFU and whilst we await the regulation to formally come into force, discussions with Defra and other key stakeholders on the practicalities of its implementation are on-going.

Meanwhile, whilst we await publication of the regulations and further official news from Defra, you may find the attached short briefing on the SUD helps fill in some of the detail and helps address any questions.