The 1995 White Paper Rural England proposed an
Action Plan to carry forward the policy of pesticide minimisation. As part
of that process, a closed Conference was held in October 1995 and government
announced as a result the setting up of a discussion Forum. The Forum is
intended: "to bring together the views of those concerned with the use
and effects of pesticides, to identify their common interests and to assist
in the effective dissemination of best practice, advances in technology and
R&D results and to advise government on the promotion and implementation
of its policy relating to the responsible use of pesticides.”
The nominated members of the Forum met on 23 May. At the
start of the meeting, the Department of the Environment (DoE) issued a press
release to welcome the Forum, and the Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and
Food (MAFF) announced a booklet on the responsible use of pesticides.
Members of the Forum wondered if 'public relations' (PR) rather than
pesticide use was the order of the day.
The membership of the Forum was selected from some 90
organisations that expressed interest. The main interest groups represented
are larger farmers and the agrochemical industry. Some members felt that
organic farmers and pesticide users should also have a place. MAFF and DoE,
the sponsors of the Forum, took the view that a truly representative group
will be unmanageably large, and a balance was struck by making the
proceedings of the Forum open.
Press releases covering the October conference and the
Forum stressed the advantages of integrated crop management (ICM). Forum
members were concerned that ICM—as popularised by Linking Environment and
Farming (LEAF) represented only one view of an important concept that had
many different forms. Was it any different from current best practice? What
place should be found for other systems ranging from low-input agriculture
to organic? It is likely that a broad approach will be followed, not wedded
to any one practice.
The Forum will set its own agenda to fulfil its remit.
Members called for a debate on genetic modification and herbicide
resistance, pesticide labelling, transfer of technology and the availability
of information. The Forum seemed to support the view that getting ideas onto
farms and involving farmers should be a central perspective which is
welcome.
Maintaining support for the Forum will depend on how it
can pick out priority issues and contribute clear advice. The MAFF/DoE
secretariat will pass the Forum’s recommendations to the Advisory
Committee on Pesticides, which advises ministers. Whether the ACP or
ministers will respond will depend on the quality of the Forum’s work. (PB)
The Pesticides Forum has a joint secretariat:
MAFF, Matthew Wells, PSD, Mallard House, 3 Peasholme Green, York, YO1
2PX, and
DoE, Dr Andy Croxford, Romney House, 43 Marsham Street, London SW1P 3PY.
[This article first appeared in Pesticides News No. 32, June 1996, page 19]