The use of pesticides on UK farms is to be reduced by 10% by 2030 under government plans to protect bees and other pollinators.
Campaigners welcomed the news, but said they were disappointed that the target applied only to arable farms and not to urban areas and parks.
The plan has been a long time coming – it has been delayed since 2018. The EU’s target for pesticide reduction is more ambitious; its member states aim to reduce the use and risk of chemical pesticides, as well as the use of more hazardous pesticides, by 50% by 2030.
The UK government will be unveiling a new pesticide load indicator to monitor progress towards this target, and encouraging integrated pest management, which is a way to reduce pests on farmland without using pesticides.
This can include sowing plants that are more attractive to certain pests next to crops, to divert their attention away, or using carnivorous beetles or other predators to keep down pest numbers. The plan also includes penalties for those who fail to use pesticides responsibly, and the target makes note of how toxic a pesticide is as well as how much of it is used, which campaigners also welcomed.
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A spokesperson from the Pesticide Collaboration, a grouping of health and environmental organisations, academics, unions and consumer groups, said: “We are thrilled 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 a clear signal that reducing pesticide-related harms to the environment is now being taken seriously.
“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.”
Paul de Zylva, a nature campaigner at Friends of Earth, said: “The new plan’s failure to address the use of pesticides in urban areas is a major flaw. The government must commit to the phasing out of pesticide and herbicide use in urban parks and streets, which is unnecessary and risks the health of people, pets, wildlife, rivers and soils.”
Farmers have welcomed the plan, and asked for government support in creating habitats for the predatory insects that feed on pests.
Martin Lines, the chief executive of the Nature Friendly Farming Network said: “I welcome the publication of this long-overdue action plan, especially the inclusion of specific targets for pesticide reduction. However, it remains to be seen whether it can truly can deliver the radical changes we urgently need.
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“Dramatically reducing the use of chemicals and transitioning to nature-based solutions – such as creating habitats for predatory insects – is absolutely key to building a food and farming system that is resilient for the future while also reversing the decline of nature and biodiversity.”
This is the latest step towards reducing pesticide use in the UK, after the government committed recently to ending the use of neonicotinoid pesticide, which is toxic to bees.
The environment minister Emma Hardy said: “The government is restoring our natural world as part of our commitment to protect the environment while supporting productivity and economic growth. That is why we have banned bee-killing pesticides in England and today we’re going further to support farmers and growers to adopt sustainable practices.”
