Farming organisations have expressed concerns about a lack of consultation over new rules which require all those who use Plant Protection Products (PPPs) in a professional capacity to register with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
In an email sent on 8 April, HSE said, ‘If you use professional plant protection products as part of your work, or if you have professional PPPs applied by a third party as part of your work in agriculture, horticulture, the amenity sector or forestry in Great Britain, then you must notify Defra using this form by 22 June 2022… The Official Controls (Plant Protection Products) Regulations 2020 apply the Official Controls Regulations (OCR) to PPPs in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales).’
The NFU questioned the rationale behind these new requirements given the coverage of farm assurance and why the opportunity to fully engage with the industry has been missed. ‘While the OCR (Official Controls Regulations) introducing these new requirements are not new, there has been a concerning lack of consultation on how they are going to be implemented in a practical and meaningful way, the Union said in a statement.
Introduced in 2020, the OCR is a package of requirements, based on EU law, to ensure regulators are engaging with professional users and distributors of PPPs in a proactive way, establishing a risk-based approach to inspection and enforcement.
NFU Vice President David Exwood said, “This additional red tape is very poorly timed, affecting farmers and growers when their businesses are already under significant stress from spiralling costs, in particular for fertiliser, feed and labour.
“We’re extremely disappointed about the complete lack of consultation with industry on these changes from Defra. And the concerning feedback I have already heard from members since this requirement was published shows that consultation with farmers was desperately needed.”
Photo source – NFU