Violation of the Plant Protection Act more often

Last year, companies with arable crops and field vegetables more often exceeded the Plant Protection Products and Biocides Act, according to new research by the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA). The compliance percentage for the past year was 83%, compared to 2013% in 2015 and 86.  

Last year, the NVWA carried out a compliance measurement with the Plant Protection Products and Biocides Act at 183 companies that grow open field vegetables or arable crops. This resulted in a compliance rate of 83%. In short, the rules were broken slightly more often than in 2013 and 2015, when that percentage was still 86%. Last year, extra attention was paid to the use of neonicotinoids. In 2 of the 133 samples a neonicotinoid was found, 1 time imidacloprid was found in sugar beets and 1 time thiamethoxam was found in potatoes.

Unauthorized substances or substances
According to the NVWA research report, substances were found in 37 samples that were not permitted in the cultivation in question. In 3 cases it concerned substances that are prohibited in all crops. In addition, the agency reports that 11% of the companies surveyed have been fined or warned for the incorrect use of these resources on the company. You can think of the use of products that are not permitted for cultivation or the violation of the legal instructions for use.

The NVWA further writes that in 3% of the cases a warning or fine was issued for having in stock substances that are no longer permitted. For example, there were 3 companies that had several expired crop protection products in stock, which together formed a large quantity. At 5%, administrative requirements were not met. In all cases, the spray registration was not in order. In 2 of all the investigated companies, there was a lack of care, because due to insufficient or non-cleaning of spraying equipment, residues ended up in a cultivation that did not belong there.

The whole report is here to watch.

Kimberly Baker

Kimberly Bakker is an all-round editor at Boerenbusiness. She also has an eye for the social media channels of Boerenbusiness.

k.baker @boerenbusiness. Nl

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