8:10am Thursday 11th February 2010
The RSPB has called for a new EU pesticide directive to be used to protect farmland wildlife in the UK.
A public consultation started on 9 Feburary on pesticide use following the European Sustainable Use Directive which was signed off in Brussels last year.
Agricultural and conservation groups are being asked how the UK should implement the directive. The RSPB is pushing for the new rules to benefit birds like corn buntings, grey partridges and yellowhammers which have suffered from the use of pesticides in our countryside.
The RSPB is calling for – All pesticide users to receive compulsory training Statutory regular ‘MOTs’ for pesticide spraying equipment Buffer strips between sprayed fields and water courses “The UK already has strong rules on environmentally friendly pesticide use compared with most other countries in Europe so we need to continue to lead the way in this area, ” said RSPB agriculture policy officer Jim Densham.
“Pesticide use can result in loss of insects and seed rich plants which farmland birds thrive on. To reduce these impacts pesticides need to be used responsibly alongside additional measures such as field margins and in-field habitats for wildlife.
“The vast majority of farmers and smallholders use pesticides responsibly, but a small minority do not and they are putting wildlife at risk.
“We want to see a professional standard of pesticide use in our countryside so that farmland birds and other wildlife do not suffer and our waterways stay clean and healthy. Farmers who use these chemicals need to be trained and hold a certificate of competence as well as having their equipment regularly tested, preferably annually.”
The rules will not just apply to farmers. Local councils which use pesticides to spray weeds in public spaces and retailers selling pesticides to gardeners will also be covered by the legislation. The RSPB is calling for all local council employees handling pesticides and all garden centre staff selling chemicals to receive full training.
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