Pesticide usage in Scotland: rodenticides on arable farms 2016

Appendix 3 - Financial burden of rodenticides on arable farms survey

In order to minimise the burden on farmers, the survey team used non-visit methods of collection such as email, post or telephone call, where possible.

To determine the total burden that the 2016 rodenticide use on arable farms Survey placed on those providing the information, the surveyors recorded the time that 139 farmers spent providing the data during the survey. This sample represents 58 per cent of farmers surveyed. Information was recorded from all strata of the sample to ensure that the overall estimate of burden was representative. The median time farmers took to provide the information was three minutes.

In addition, 19 PCPs who provided rodenticide use data and four PCPs who provided compliance data were asked to estimate how long they took to provide information. The median time taken for the PCPs providing rodenticide use data was 15 minutes and for those providing compliance data was three and a half minutes.

The following formula was used to estimate the total cost of participating:

Burden (£) = No. surveyed x median time taken (hours) x typical hourly rate*

(* using median "full Time Gross" hourly pay for Scotland of £13.48 ⁽⁸⁾ )

The total financial burden to respondents for the 2016 rodenticide survey was £336.77.