Don’t undermine UK pesticide regulations - AIC

The whole UK foodchain, from farm input supplier to consumer, is safeguarded by a regulatory system costing millions of pounds to run each year. Disregarding these safeguards could expose countryside, farmer and/or consumer to serious risk, warns AIC Chief Executive David Caffall.

"We applaud the Pesticides Safety Directorate for the recent legal action it took against the importation and storage of crop protection products that either had no UK approval, or because lower-specification packaging could have exposed operators to unacceptable risk," says Mr Caffall. "The verdicts are a clear signal that our regulators have teeth.

"At AIC we fully support the aims of the UK regulatory system. Each year our distributor members invest heavily in their premises, logistics and staff to ensure the requirements of regulators are met. In addition, qualified and regularly trained agronomists ensure correct use of crop protection products in the field.

"When individuals choose to disregard or second guess PSD – whether it is by importing agrochemicals from countries that may have less stringent regulation, or by setting arbitrary supermarket specifications– they undermine a system that has been developed for the good of consumers, farming industry and countryside, and is driven by the paramount need for safety, rather than short-term commercial gain."