Urgent action is needed to reduce pesticide use in the UK: The Pesticide Collaboration leads the effort

On the 23rd of May, the Pesticide Collaboration organised its annual event for members, where they shared highlights of their ongoing work to raise awareness and influence policy about pesticide use in the UK. 

It was highlighted at the event how many European countries have tried to set pesticide reduction targets with mixed results. The Pesticide Collaboration argue we can learn from their experiences to establish realistic and ambitious targets suited to the UK context.  

In their recent briefing, the collaboration provides a summary of the main concerns regarding pesticides and human health. The briefing outlines that certain pesticides have been proven to be detrimental to human well-being and that there are different groups of UK citizens who are most exposed, including farmers and farmworkers, rural and urban residents, children, women, and those who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Ahead of the upcoming General Election, a document with the most important asks has been published. The key asks of the collaboration for the next government are:  

1. Set ambitious targets to reduce pesticide use and toxicity.  
2. Commit to a phase-out of pesticide use in urban areas.  
3. Commit to ending repeated emergency derogations of unauthorised pesticides.
4. Increase support for farmers to adopt agroecological farming practices. 
5. Incorporate pesticide reduction into climate and nature policies. 

Some of the campaign wins so far

• In March 2024 The Labour Party announced that they would end the cycle of emergency derogations for thiamethoxam on sugar beet. Campaign wins like this will ensure further protection of pollinators and the environment for generations to come.  
• Integrated Pest Management (IPM), a technique that promotes biodiversity to control pests and diseases, is our safest bet if we are to farm in a more agroecological way. The Pesticide Collaboration has been campaigning to include solid standards that benefit farmers adopting this method through the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) and Environmental Land Management schemes (ELMs). Four key initiatives proposed by The Pesticide Collaboration have been incorporated, including an insecticide-free option, which has seen significant uptake.  
• At least twenty MPs from all the major parties have signed an Early Day Motion supporting a national ban on local authorities using pesticides. 

Will, Sustainable Farming Campaign Coordinator said: 

“The ongoing work of The Pesticide Collaboration is vital at this time of continuing biodiversity loss. We strongly endorse their policy recommendations, which are aimed at reducing pesticide use while supporting farmers to transition to more agroecological ways of farming”

Find out more about The Pesticide Collaboration and the work they do.