Decision against UK pesticide tax

The government has asked the Crop Protection Association (CPA) to make proposals to reduce the adverse effects of pesticides if it wants to avoid a pesticide tax.

After two false starts a third set of proposals has been published by the CPA and various trade associations. The proposals now recognise that pesticides have an adverse impact on the environment. However without imposition of a tax, implementation is unlikely. We believe a tax-rebate mechanism linked to the measures in the package is the only way to ensure compliance. The CPA proposals include:

• individual farm crop protection plans;
• more users and advisers to be trained, the phasing out of exemptions and the introduction of continuous professional development for users and advisers;
• more environmental data on pesticides;
• equipment to be tested every two years.

PAN UK responded to the government together with English Nature, the government’s statutory conservation advisor, and RSPB, indicating that we believe the proposed measures are unlikely to be delivered without a tax and other incentives to ensure implementation, adequacy of resources for the programme, comprehensiveness of targets and a review programme to assess progress. It is thought the Environment Agency will adopt our position. We are sceptical that there will be sufficient take up of the measures, particularly as the government has agreed another budget without setting a tax.

Minimising the environmental impacts of crop protection chemicals. Revised proposals. February 2000, CPA, National Farmers Union, the Country Land and Business Association, the UK Agricultural Supply Trade Association, the National Association of Agricultural Contractors and the Agricultural Engineers Association, Peterborough. 50pp.

[This article first appeared in Pesticides News No.51, March 2001, p9]