Simon Fox, Managing Director of Emerald Research Ltd (ERL), has criticised Defra for the way it is handling a review of biostimulant approvals for the UK, which will affect which products can be sold and used from September 2022.
The review (DEFRA, Project 31280 “Creating an Enabling Regulatory Environment for Enhanced Efficiency Fertilisers”) has come about under the EU withdrawal agreement, as within it the UK signed up to the EU Fertiliser Regulation, (EC) 219/1009, which includes new requirements for biostimulants, including efficacy and safety testing.
According to Simon, there seems to be little ‘consultation’ and ‘evidence evaluation’ but rather a pre-determined course of alignment with the EU legislation. DEFRA is due to publish a formal consultation for industry comment in August 2021, before starting to develop the draft legislation in December, but Simon is concerned that, ‘biostimulant manufacturers and importers will be required to conduct the same level of environmental, safety and field trials that are required for pesticide registration. However, unlike pesticides, they will not be able to make any claims of plant strengthening or reduction of biotic stress, even when proven.’
He added, “The absurdity of the proposed legislation would mean farmers are, for example, unable to use dilute seaweed extracts or fulvic acid on food crops to resolve biotic stress, while the public is free to purchase both seaweed and fulvic concentrate capsules over the counter as supplements to directly ingest! Within the industry, I have had numerous conversations and we are all at a loss for the need for regulation at all.”
He called for a ‘non legislative’ or ‘light-touch’ approach, which will enable farmers and growers to be at the forefront of sustainable agriculture.
Photo Caption: Biostimulant trials