Pesticides Stakeholder Group Minutes (PSG12): December 2024

Attendees and apologies

Chair

Jackie Hughes, Scottish Government

Attendees

Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity

Gillian Reay, scottish Government

Katie Viezens, Scottish Government

Debbie Kessell, Scottish Government

Romy Strachan, Scottish Government

Alison Knox, Scottish Government

Alan Elder, Scottish Governement

Miryana Mckay (Angus Growers)

Ian Graham (Amenity Forum)

Amy Geddes (Cereal Farm Representative)

Grace Emeny (Horticulture Crop Protection)

Wayne Brough (Horticultural Trades Association)

Gaynor Malloch (James Hutton Institute)

John Flanagan (NFUS)

Greg Dawson (Scottish Agronomy)

Jason Hubert (Scottish Forestry)

Darrell Crothers (SEPA)

Teresa Dougall (Scottish Quality Crops)

Dave Bell (Scottish VI)

Neal Evans (Voluntary Initiative)

Apologies

Craig Davis (Scottish Government)

Sacha White (Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board)

Hazel Doonan (AIC)

Andy Steven (Agrovista)

Tom Edwards (British Association of Landscape Industries)

Devina Sankhla (British Retail Consortium)

Kim Parker (Horticulture Crop Protection)

Celine Delabre (Nature Scotland)

Sarah Hathway (Soil Association)

Items and actions

Welcome

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.

Matters Arising 

The minutes from PSG11 (held on 5 September 2024) had previous been agreed and can be accessed at: Pesticides Stakeholder Group - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Action Log: PSG10-02 (forestry crop classification) - SG officials will follow up again with Confor via e-mail. 

Scottish Government Updates
The Scottish Government written update was provided to the group in advance of the meeting. The update contained details relating to:

• The updated Integrated Pest Management (IPM) page on the SG Website.
• Recent updates to the GB Pesticides Approvals Register including:
  • an amendment to the approval restrictions of the active substance fenpyrazamine
  • an amendment to the approval restrictions of the active substance prosulfuron
  • an extension to various active substance approval expiry dates
• The list of recently issued EAMUs which can be viewed on the HSE website

There was also a verbal update that since the SG written update was circulated HSE has published a further review for Flonicamid (which remains approved for use) and have also issued two (repeat) Emergency Authorisations for Apron XL (active metalaxyl-M) as a seed treatment for use on parsnip for damping off, and Force ST (active tefluthrin) as a seed treatment for use on bulb onion and shallot  to control bean seed fly. 

The SG update included information on a recent EU decision for the non-renewal of approval of the herbicide active substance metribuzin.  Whilst this decision does not directly apply in GB, the EU conclusion gives an indication of the issues that will be assessed when this pesticide is reviewed in GB in future. It was noted that in Scotland, it is used on a range of broad acre crops, particularly potatoes, soft fruit (primarily blackcurrants) and vegetables (particularly carrots).  The group were asked about the potential impact possible future withdrawal of metribuzin could have on industry.    

The following points were highlighted by the group:

• metribuzin is the backbone of potato weed control, as it is the widest spectrum option following the previous losses of paraquat and linuron. 
• There would be a need to use a greater range of products, alternatives have a narrower spectrum in their activity (cost and efficacy implications due to a more complicated weed control mix) 
• Confirmed that impact is likely to be similar for carrots.
• Officials asked about aclonifen as a potential alternative. Scottish use has been increased year on year since its approval in ware potato and carrot crops in 2019 and a 2020 PHC report listed it as a potential alternative for metribuzin (which was categorised at high risk of loss). Scottish Agronomy confirmed that aclonifen had a narrower spectrum efficacy than metribuzin and wasn’t a like for like replacement.

A member representing the soft fruit sector commented that they had previously used metribuzin on blueberries, but no longer did so it wouldn’t have a major impact on their operations.  However, officials noted that its use was recorded on a large proportion of the Scottish blackcurrant crop in recent surveys.

ACTION: PSG12-01 – Group members are welcome to provide additional comments/information regarding the importance of metribuzin to their business to SG via the PSG secretariat.

Agriculture Reform Programme (ARP) – Tier II – Enhanced 

As part of stakeholder engagement a presentation was delivered to ensure awareness of changes that are being developed to the Agricultural Reform Program (ARP) – Tier II – Enhanced.

It was noted that it has been a challenging period of time and continued user research, and engagement is essential to ensure that farmers are supported whilst achieving the aims of the policy outcomes that are required.  

Whilst the proposed Enhanced Greening scheme is not yet confirmed, it is expected to be delivered for the 2026 scheme year (running from 1st January to 31st December).  The following areas were highlighted:

• Tier 1 – Base payment (supporting active farming and food producers, conditional on essential standards to ensure climate, biodiversity, and business efficiency outcomes)
• Tier 2 – Enhanced (a universally accessible payment that supplements Tier 1 (Base).  Delivers outcomes for nature and climate improvement, including recognition of wider land management)
• Tier 3 – Elective (targeted actions to support: climate and nature; innovation; supply chain)
• Tier 4 – Complementary (new skills, knowledge, training, and continuous professional development)

Tier 2 focusses on an enhancement and adaptation of the current Greening Scheme with changes focussed on: 1. reviewing permanent grassland guidance to reflect Scottish Conditions; 2. reviewing current exemptions rules to increase population contributions; 3. updating existing Ecological Focus Areas (EFA) options to add policy benefit; 4. the addition of new EFA options to offer customers more flexibility and add policy benefit; and 5. reviewing EFA percentage rate (currently at 5%).

The proposed changes to the EFA currently have 7 options which changes are being looked at with the addition of four additional options.

Following the presentation, group members raised the following points:

• Timing concerns – it was highlighted that farmers already have some 2025 harvest crops in the ground, and it would not be feasible for those farmers to complete the relevant changes by the given timescale (for example as growers may have multi-year contracts)
• Nitrogen Fixing Crops – unlikely to be taken up due to current rules excluding use of pesticides on those crops. 
• Field margins – need to ensure that minimum/maximum margins work best for individual farmers (e.g. 6m could be out of the question for a number of farmers as it would change the productive ground of the farm). Introducing 6m margins could result in some farmers reducing the total number of margins they have. Smaller margins are more practical.
• Appreciation that there is recognition that much of what farmers are doing already is sustainable.  

ACTION PSG12-02 – The Agriculture Reform Programme (ARP) team to be invited to a subsequent meeting to discuss this issue further.
 

Open discussion/Round-table

• Jim Fairlie, Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity stated how valuable these meetings are and wished to put on record that he appreciates those that come along to the meeting.
• A member highlighted the recent European Court of Justice ruling which overturned part of the EU Commission’s non-renewal of mancozeb, citing reliance on outdated scientific data. Mancozeb is an important tool for blight control (and resistance management) in potatoes and wanted to highlight this level of challenge to the SG and also ask if the HSE had any views on it.  Post meeting note: HSE is aware of the EU situation.
• It was confirmed that the expectation for publication of the National Action Plan (NAP) remains as early in 2025.
• The Voluntary Initiative reported to the group that, together with the Scottish VI, it is in the process of arranging a meeting with at the AHDB early in the new year to discuss possible topics/subject areas for monitoring strategic farm meetings during summer/autumn/winter 2025.  If anyone has any ideas for topics/subject areas for joint AHDB/VI Monitor/Strategic Farm visits/presentations (e.g. changes to buffer strips, the glyphosate issue, an increase to the NRoSO CPD points requirement to give increased credibility to the scheme) then please get in touch with Neal direct at: neal@voluntaryinitiative.org.uk
• The Amenity Forum highlighted the proposed UK government Plant Protection Products (Prohibition on Public Sector Use) Private Members Bill.  It was noted that this bill was only at second reading stage and would not, if enacted, affect Scotland or agricultural use. However, it was suggested that messaging from the agriculture and amenity sectors could be more aligned in relation to using glyphosate responsibly.  There is an opportunity to make it clear how it is used in the farming and amenity sectors. There is a public perception that it is not safe to use is perhaps a lack of understanding on how it is used and the importance of its use, particularly in the Scottish agricultural sector.   
• It was confirmed that in the agriculture sector there are a number of areas where work is being done e.g. provision of training courses as a requirement for continuous professional development and annual inspections and agreed consideration should be given on the alignment messages with the amenity sector.

Close and date of next meeting

The Chair thanked everyone for their participation and confirmed the next meeting will take place in March 2025 (date to be confirmed). 

PSG Secretariat
December 2024