Commodity watch by senior policy officer Patricia Erwin
UFU met recently with HSE / CRD
This meeting was coordinated and hosted by DAERA. The Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) welcomed the opportunity to speak directly with HSE/CRD officials and learn firsthand how HSE/CRD plan to deliver timely approved plant protection products into Northern Ireland (NI). This meeting was attended by UFU deputy president Glenn Cuddy, Jenny Brunton BAB, all UFU arable and horticulture chairs, UFU senior policy officer Patricia Erwin, Voluntary Initiative champion Bruce Steele and UFU parliamentary officer Alexander Kinnear. Whilst the United Kingdom has left the European Union (EU), the complexities of NI remaining and being governed by EU legislation regarding authorization of active substances and placing on the market for use has proven concerning for UFU members. This was an informative meeting with the UFU agreeing to collate additional questions and submit them to HSE/CRD ahead of a follow up meeting in three months.
The UFU are continually in discussions with BAB, DAERA, CAFRE, DEFRA and wider industry. This matter has also been raised with the DAERA Minister on a number of occasions. The UFU understand these additional high costs being faced by the manufacturers in meeting these rules to obtain standard authorization for actives ultimately delivering correctly labelled product in a small NI market is reported to be unattractive for the manufacturers.
Much work continues within the UFU exploring how Article 40 of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 makes provision for the holder of a plant protection product (PPP) authorisation granted in one member state (such as Ireland) to apply for an authorisation for the same PPP, to be available in NI. Whilst Article 40 is an option it is reported the manufacturers / authorisation holders have not been utilising the mutual recognition and parallel trade permit processes and procedures available to date.
UFU seeds and cereals policy sub group discuss the merits of Digital Grain Passports
The UFU at this point in time cannot fully support this proposal and seek clarity on both the cost and other benefits this would bring for their members and growers. The UFU have requested more information and encourage greater consultation with the NI supply chains to gather views allowing for informed decision making going forward. The UFU have expressed an interest in further exploring the proposal and seek evidence of benefits for progressing to digital from the established paper-based system.
Potato blight industry meetings organised by CAFRE
Recognising that last year was a high blight pressure year, locally and with development blight strains resistant to certain groups of fungicides across Europe, the aim of these workshops was to update growers on how the disease is evolving and how guidance on compiling fungicide programmes has also changed. The workshops looked at practical steps growers can take to protect their crops and the importance of blight monitoring. CAFRE and Teagasc presented at these important meetings supported and attended by many UFU potato growers.