Pesticide Usage in Scotland: Rodenticides on Grassland and Fodder Farms 2021

This report presents the results of a survey of rodenticide use on grassland and fodder farms in Scotland in 2021.


Appendix 2: Survey statistics

Census and sample information

Table 6: Distribution of grassland holdings sampled - 2021
Size Group (ha) H & I and C & O Moray Firth Aberdeen Angus & East Fife Lothian & Central Lowlands TV & SU Solway Scotland
0.01 – 19.99 23 8 10 7 13 6 2 69
20.00 – 49.99 17 5 14 4 20 4 4 68
50.00 – 99.99 21 4 13 6 28 15 8 95
100.00 – 149.99 16 5 6 2 19 6 10 64
150.00 + 25 3 4 5 28 42 20 127
Total 102 25 47 24 108 73 44 423

H&I=Highlands & Islands, C&O=Caithness & Orkney, SU = Southern Uplands, TV = Tweed Valley

Table 7: Census distribution of grassland holdings (excluding rough grazing) - 2021
Size Group (ha) H & I and C & O Moray Firth Aberdeen Angus & East Fife Lothian & Central Lowlands TV & SU Solway Scotland
0.01 - 19.99 10,514 1,988 3,654 2,144 4,122 1,665 1,257 25,344
20.00 - 49.99 1,510 447 933 410 1,260 482 387 5,429
50.00 - 99.99 888 240 526 229 1,052 421 490 3,846
100.00 - 149.99 375 102 160 89 498 242 319 1,785
150.00 + 392 83 115 96 392 484 352 1,914
Total 13,679 2,860 5,388 2,968 7,324 3,294 2,805 38,318

H&I=Highlands & Islands, C&O=Caithness & Orkney, SU = Southern Uplands, TV = Tweed Valley

Table 8: Distribution of fodder holdings sampled - 2021
Size Group (ha) H & I and C & O Moray Firth Aberdeen Angus & East Fife Lothian & Central Lowlands Tweed Valley & Southern Uplands Solway Scotland
0.01 – 4.99 9 6 8 3 3 2 1 32
5.00 – 9.99 10 7 11 5 9 6 4 52
10.00 – 14.99 5 5 3 3 4 7 6 33
15.00 – 19.99 3 1 4 2 4 5 3 22
20.00 + 5 5 2 4 5 9 9 39
Total 32 24 28 17 25 29 23 178

H&I=Highlands & Islands, C&O=Caithness & Orkney

Table 9: Census distribution of fodder holdings - 2021
Size Group (ha) H & I and C & O Moray Firth Aberdeen Angus & East Fife Lothian & Central Lowlands Tweed Valley & Southern Uplands Solway Scotland
0.01 – 4.99 450 174 332 83 135 81 56 1,311
5.00 – 9.99 130 86 139 73 83 73 59 643
10.00 – 14.99 29 25 32 20 40 47 30 223
15.00 – 19.99 14 11 18 9 17 22 22 113
20.00 + 14 21 14 14 24 29 39 155
Total 637 317 535 199 299 252 206 2,445

H&I=Highlands & Islands, C&O=Caithness & Orkney

Raising factors

Table 10: Raising and adjustment factors for grassland holdings - 2021
Region Size group (ha) Adjustment factor
  0.01–19.99 20.00–49.99 50.00–99.99 100.00–149.99 150 +  
Highlands & Islands/Caithness & Orkney 457.13 88.82 42.29 23.44 15.68 1
Moray Firth 248.50 89.40 60.00 20.40 27.67 1
Aberdeen 365.40 66.64 40.46 26.67 28.75 1
Angus/East Fife 306.29 102.50 38.17 44.50 19.20 1
Central Lowlands & Lothian 317.08 63.00 37.57 26.21 14.00 1
Southern Uplands & Tweed Valley 277.50 120.50 28.07 40.33 11.52 1
Solway 628.50 96.75 61.25 31.90 17.60 1

Note: The sampled data within a region and size group were multiplied by the appropriate raising and adjustment factors to create an estimate of national use (please refer to Appendix 4 for description of statistical estimation process). For example, a total recorded rodenticide use of 10 kg on 100-150 ha sized farms in Aberdeen would be multiplied by 26.67 (raising factor) and 1.00 (adjustment factor) to give an estimated rodenticide use in that region and size group of 266.7 kg.

Table 11: Raising and adjustment factors for fodder holdings - 2021
Region Size group (ha) Adjustment factor
  0.01 – 4.99 5.00 - 9.99 10.00 – 14.99 15.00 – 19.99 20 +  
Highlands & Islands/Caithness & Orkney 50.00 13.00 5.80 4.67 2.80 1
Moray Firth 29.00 12.29 5.00 11.00 4.20 1
Aberdeen 41.50 12.64 10.67 4.50 7.00 1
Angus/East Fife 27.67 14.60 6.67 4.50 3.50 1
Central Lowlands & Lothian 45.00 9.22 10.00 4.25 4.80 1
Southern Uplands & Tweed Valley 40.50 12.17 6.71 4.40 3.22 1
Solway 56.00 14.75 5.00 7.33 4.33 1

Note: The sampled data within a region and size group were multiplied by the appropriate raising and adjustment factors to create an estimate of national use (please refer to Appendix 4 for description of statistical estimation process). For example, a total recorded rodenticide use of 10 kg on 15-19.99 ha sized farms in Aberdeen would be multiplied by 4.5 (raising factor) and 1 (adjustment factor) to give an estimated rodenticide use in that region and size group of 45 kg.

Survey response rates

Table 12: Response rate for grassland survey - 2021
  2021 Percentage of total
Number of postal surveys sent out 1,298  
Achieved rodenticide responses (no. returns) 423 33
Total number of refusals/non-contact 875  
Table 13: Response rate for fodder survey - 2021
  2021 Percentage of total
Target sample 200  
Total achieved 178 89
Total number of farms approached 281  
Total number of refusals/non-contact 103  

Financial burden to survey respondents

In order to minimise the burden on farmers and to comply with the restrictions imposed by COVID-19, the survey team use non-visit methods of data collection such as email, post or telephone call.

To determine the total burden that the 2021 rodenticide use on grassland and fodder farms survey placed on those providing the information, farmers were asked to estimate the time that they spent providing data. Ninety-seven per cent of the farmers surveyed provided this information. The median time taken was three minutes (this includes all responses, including those who did not use rodenticides).

In addition, PCPs were also asked to estimate how long they took to provide information. Seventy per cent of the PCPs supplying data provided this information. The median time taken was 15 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 £16.07(10))

It is estimated that the total financial burden to respondents for the 2021 grassland and fodder crop rodenticide survey was £552.

Contact

Email: psu@sasa.gov.scot

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