Consultation on access to information for pesticide spraying

Farmers, environmentalists, consumer groups, people living near crop fields and others with an interest in pesticide spraying are being asked to contribute to two Government consultations announced by Rural Affairs Minister Alun Michael today.

The first is an informal, preliminary consultation to explore the options requiring farmers and growers to notify those in surrounding houses of intended spray operations and to complete and maintain a register of pesticide treatments, which will be available for public consultation. Key stakeholders will be asked to contribute to discussions on the practical implementation of these measures.

A formal consultation document 'The introduction of no-spray buffer zones around residential properties,' which seeks views on proposals to introduce mandatory buffer zones between fields where spraying takes place close to people's homes, was also announced.

Rural Affairs Minister Alun Michael said:

"All the scientific evidence available to us suggests that there is no risk posed to people in the countryside from pesticide spray drift, which is assessed as an integral part of the pesticides approval process".

"But, despite these safeguards, members of the public living near agricultural land remain concerned about their exposure to pesticide spray drift. This is why we are carrying out these two consultation exercises.

"I hope everyone affected by these issues will be encouraged to contribute, so we can develop proposals that will truly reflect the best interests of the countryside."

Among a series of practical measures being considered is the introduction of buffer zones between the areas to be sprayed and residential properties. This is the issue addressed in the second consultation.

The two options proposed are:

Option 1: Do nothing. This would maintain the status quo by continuing to rely on the existing statutory and non-statutory controls.

Option 2: Farmers and growers to operate a no-spray buffer zone between the edge of spraying and surrounding houses.

Views are invited on the desirability and practicality of this proposal, with any comments on the size of buffer zone that should be set. This option acknowledges that cultivated land will be lost. The impact of such zones on the economics of production will largely depend on the size of the no-spray area introduced and whether alternative productive use could be made of the land.