Horticulture and Potatoes board member, Sarah Dawson, says the government's aspiration for the UK to be one of the most resource efficient countries in the world, must recognise the importance of crop protection products.
Firstly I would like to wish all the newsletter readers a happy, healthy, fulfilling and prosperous new year.
Now back to business. As was highlighted at the ‘Policy Priorities for the UK Food, Drink & Farming Industry Seminar’ at Westminster recently, if Government is to deliver on their aspirations for the UK to be one of the most resource efficient countries in the world, one essential and obvious aspect to the delivery of such an aspiration is improved access and increased availability of crop protection products.
The way in which agricultural chemicals are used and regulated has become more and more significant to NFU members’ businesses and the workload and importance of this policy area has increased greatly over recent years.
Recognising this, I am absolutely delighted that the NFU has boosted its own resource efficiency in the area of crop protection and plant health policy, by creating a new ‘Plant Health Unit’ in the Science and Regulatory Affairs Team.
Highly skilled and knowledgeable in the specialist area of crop protection, members of the new unit include:
Emma Hamer (Senior Plant Health Adviser), who will continue her great work to date and focus on the member-facing and on-farm aspects of crop protection and plant health policy, such as stewardship and agronomy.
Chris Hartfield (Senior Regulatory Affairs Adviser), who has brilliantly led the Horticulture team over the last two years, will now be focussing on the regulatory processes and their implications for availability and use of pesticides, biocides and biologicals, and influencing UK regulatory authorities, EU institutions and International regimes. Chris will also continue to oversee issues around bee health and pollinators.
Tamara (Tammie) Hill (Assistant Adviser), will be providing extra support in the new crop protection and plant health policy unit.
In addition, Chris Pryke (Communications Strategy Manager), will be working closely with the new unit to help ensure farming’s voice is heard in what can be a challenging area for communication.
Finally, Tom Keen (European Policy Adviser, BAB Office), will be working very closely with the new unit, keeping the team up-to-date and involved with the latest regulatory issues in Brussels.
We all have a role to play in terms of resource efficiency, which is why the NFU has recently updated its NFU online IPM (Integrated Pest Management) plan.
Completing an IPM plan is featured throughout the Red Tractor Fresh Produce and Crops Standards. Therefore, by completing the NFU online IPM plan, UK growers are able to demonstrate their commitment to consider all areas of good agricultural practice with an emphasis on optimising the use of PPPs and fertilisers and improved protection of the environment.
Although completing an IPM plan will help towards your Red Tractor Farm Assurance Audit, there are a number of other reasons for completing an IPM plan:
- It will help to demonstrate adherence to the Code of Practice for Using Plant Protection Products identified in cross compliance SMR 9.
- It will help as a decision support to for your farm enterprise – identifying opportunities for improvement.
- It will help the agricultural and horticultural industry demonstrate the good practice of UK growers and support industry schemes to improve stewardship and retain crop protection products.