Commodity watch by senior policy officer, Patricia Erwin
Whilst the legal deadline date has passed the portal remains open and the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) encourage all farm businesses who use plant protection product (PPP’s) to register now.
If you are a business, organisation or sole trader and store or use PPPs to control pests and diseases or to eradicate weeds, as part of your work in agriculture, horticulture, forestry or the amenity sector, you must register your business details with the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA).
This includes you if you:
- Store PPPs and any adjuvants for your own use or to be applied by a third party
- Use PPPs and any adjuvants as part of your work activity
- Have professional PPPs applied by a third party as part of your work activity
- Are a contractor hired to store or apply PPPs and any adjuvants for others
- All farm businesses and sole traders must register but not all the individuals who use plant protection products within that farm business
For more information and to apply click here.
DAERA has produced user questions and answers regarding this new requirement:
Q. Why are users being asked to register as a pesticide operator?
It is a legal requirement. The Official Controls (Plant Protection Products) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 requires all pesticide operators to register with the competent authority and to provide a minimum amount of information about their pesticide related business activity. In Northern Ireland the Competent Authority is the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA).
Q. How do I register?
DAERA has developed an online registration process. You can access the portal from the DAERA website at www.daera-ni.gov.uk/articles/official-controls-plant-protection-products-regulations-northern-ireland-2020-list-operators
Q. How much does is cost to register?
There is no cost to register.
Q. What information are you asking for?
You will be asked to provide a main business address and the name and contact details of the main point of contact for the registration. This should be someone with a good knowledge of your business pesticide activity.
You will also be asked to give details of all other additional premises (located within Northern Ireland only) where you store pesticides or keep records.
The form asks you to estimate the quantity of pesticides that you place on the market; or you use in a typical year. This includes the pesticides that you apply, and any pesticides you have applied for you by third parties.
Q. How is my business or organisations information being used?
The information collected will be used by the Department in the organisation of Official Controls and therefore may be shared with those persons authorised by the Department to carry out Official Controls on our behalf.
Q. Is my business or organisations information going to be made publicly available?
No. The information submitted will be held on a secure database and will not be made publicly available.
2023 annual VI operator roadshows
The dates for the 2023 annual VI operator roadshows have now been announced. These workshops are being delivered jointly by the UFU and the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE), at various locations across Northern Ireland.
Up and coming dates include:
- French’s Bistro, Clough – 18 January, 10:30am
- Bushtown Hotel, Coleraine – 19 January, 10:30am
- Whitehorse Hotel, Campsie – 7 February, 10:30am
- Rice’s Hotel, Poyntzpass – 8 February, 10:30am
- Rockmount Golf Club, Carryduff – 9 February, 10:30am
- Online – 1 March, 10am
The numbers attending each workshop are limited and places will be allocated on a first come first served basis. This is your opportunity to collect your National Register of Sprayer Operators (NRoSO) CPD and BASIS points.
An online booking fee of £5 per delegate will apply. To view up and coming dates and to book your place click here.
Arable conference
The 2023 Arable Conference will take place on Tuesday 31 January 2023 at CAFRE, Greenmount Campus, Antrim from 9.30am – 4.00pm. This all-day conference jointly organised by CAFRE, the Ulster Arable Society and the UFU will update arable growers on current agronomy and business management issues.
The conference will focus on important issues at present, including grain and other field crop markets, fertiliser markets, options to ensure efficient fertiliser use and improving energy efficiency on arable farms.
For more information and to book your click here.
