A petition has been sent to the Gordon Brown to halt the use of Aminopyralid as a weed killer in british agriculture."

The petition reads: "It has recently come to my attention that a hormone weed killer (Aminopyralid)used by the agricultural industry to control broad leafed weeds in grassland stays active in plant matter even after it has been excreted by cattle and subsequently used unknowingly as a manure by gardeners. The resulting crops of Potatoes, Tomatoes, Peas, Beans, Carrots, Lettuce and others are failing to grow or at best stunting their growth."

The government responsed saying it is determined to ensure that all pesticides, including aminopyralid, used in this country are safe to people and the environment.

No pesticide may be sold or used unless Ministers have given specific approval. If pesticides are known to have serious health effects, or such effects are discovered, they are not approved.

In addition, uses of pesticides are not approved if they would result in residues which were unsafe to consumers.

Statutory conditions of use are placed on individual pesticides to ensure that they can be used safely and provided products are used in accordance with these statutory conditions of approval they pose no unacceptable risk to people or the environment.

Unfortunately the label prohibition on using manure that could contain aminopyralid on susceptible crops has not always have been followed when manure has been supplied to allotment holders and gardeners resulting in damaged crops.

However the Government confirms that this has no implications for human or animal health.

The manufacturers of aminopyralid products have now withdrawn their products from sale and the Government has formally suspended their approvals whilst they investigate the options for mitigating against a recurrence of this problem. Only when the Government is satisfied that the necessary measures to achieve this can be put in place will aminopyralid products be allowed back on the market.