What does the EU exit mean for pesticides in UK food and farming?

For decades, the way the UK regulates and uses pesticides has been largely decided at the European level. However, as a result of the EU exit, the UK will soon be operating its own standalone pesticide regime. This change presents some major threats and opportunities in terms of protecting human health and the environment from pesticides.

While far from perfect, UK pesticide standards are some of the strongest in the world. Safety limits for the amount of pesticides allowed to appear in our food tend to be stricter than in non-EU countries and, along with its European counterparts, the UK is more likely to ban a pesticide due to concerns over the harms it causes. As a result of these relatively high standards, future trade deals with agricultural powerhouses such as the US, Australia and India present a considerable risk to the health of UK citizens and the environment. Trade partners attempting to access the UK market for their food exports have listed UK pesticide standards as a key sticking point and made it clear that weakening them is a priority. It’s vital that UK trade negotiators stand up to demands from trade partners and defend our existing pesticide protections.

Read more about pesticides and trade in our report Toxic Trade.

Meanwhile, the EU exit has also led to a number of new opportunities to drive drown pesticide-related harms in the UK. As we move away from the EU’s farming subsidy system (the Common Agricultural Policy) we have a chance to put in place the support farmers need to significantly reduce their pesticide use and transition to agroecological systems which farm with nature instead of against it. While financial assistance is vital to help UK agriculture transition away from its current dependence on chemicals, this package of support must also provide farmers with access to research into non-chemical alternatives and the ability to obtain agronomic advice which is independent from the pesticide industry. We are also calling on the UK Government to introduce an immediate ban on all non-agricultural pesticides (including those used in towns and cities and by amateur gardeners) and adopt a pesticide reduction target, a measure which has been shown to be effective in other countries.

Read more about Brexit and pesticides here.