AIC supports emergency authorisation of Cruiser SB
The Agricultural Industries Confederation (AIC) supports the decision by the Secretary of State to issue an emergency authorisation for the use of Cruiser SB (thiamethoxam) on sugar beet seed for 2021.
Hazel Doonan, AIC’s Head of Agronomy and Crop Protection Sector, says, “The decision taken by Minister Eustice to issue an emergency authorisation for the use of Cruiser SB in sugar beet crops in England in 2021 was reached based on the advice of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the UK Expert Committee on Pesticides (ECP), and Defra’s Chief Scientific Adviser. They considered that the strict conditions for use that the emergency authorisation requires, has minimised the threat to bees and the environment, and the risk was therefore acceptable.
“Since the restrictions on the use of neonicotinoid insecticide seed treatments for aphid control in beet crops in 2018, many EU member states have had no other option than to seek emergency authorisations for use of these seed treatments until alternative cost-effective solutions can be developed.”
Last season, despite the use of integrated pest management measures, some farmers had significant losses in their sugar beet crops due to virus yellows. The mild winter of 2019 and the warm spring in 2020 was ideal for the carry over and movement of aphids carrying the virus to beet crops.
“The emergency authorisation will enable farmers and agronomists to manage virus yellows more effectively in high-risk sugar beet crops in England until solutions for the control of virus yellows in all beet crops across the UK is found,” explains Mrs Doonan.
ENDS
About AIC
AIC is the UK trade association representing the agricultural supply chain sectors of Animal Feed, Arable Marketing, Crop Protection & Agronomy, Fertiliser and Seed, since its inception in 2003.
In all, AIC represents Members responsible for some £17.8 billion of farm trade. A significant part of its work is political lobbying and influencing, as well as supporting Members with technical information.
AIC Services, which is the professional services arm of AIC manages a range of services, including Assurance Schemes and professional registers recognised by the UK Government as essential tools to underpin feed & food safety alongside fertiliser security.
These schemes and professional registers include:
- Trade Assurance Scheme for Combinable Crops (TASCC)
- Feed Materials Assurance Scheme (FEMAS)
- Universal Feed Assurance Scheme (UFAS)
- European Seed Treatment Assurance (ESTA)
- Fertiliser Industry Assurance Scheme (FIAS)
- Feed Adviser Register (FAR)
- Renewable Energy Directive (RED)
- Forage Assurance Scheme (FAA)
- AIC Services Palm Oil Credit Scheme (APOCS)
Press Contact
Oli Hill, Communications Manager, AIC
+44 (0)1733 385230
[email protected]
