Pesticide Use in Northern Ireland’s Arable Crops from 1992–2016 and Implications for Future Policy Development
Since the 1960s, the objective for the United Kingdom (UK) government policy and legislation on crop protection practices has been to minimise the impact of pesticide use in agriculture and horticulture to the wider environment. Subsequent European Union (EU) policy and legislation have also targete...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2018-08-01
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| Series: | Agriculture |
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| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/8/8/123 |
| _version_ | 1818661857300316160 |
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| author | Stephen Jess David I. Matthews Archie K. Murchie Michael K. Lavery |
| author_facet | Stephen Jess David I. Matthews Archie K. Murchie Michael K. Lavery |
| author_sort | Stephen Jess |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Since the 1960s, the objective for the United Kingdom (UK) government policy and legislation on crop protection practices has been to minimise the impact of pesticide use in agriculture and horticulture to the wider environment. Subsequent European Union (EU) policy and legislation have also targeted this objective through a demanding approvals process, competency tests for users, maximum residue limits, regular post-registration monitoring and the promotion of integrated pest and disease management techniques. However, none of this substantive regulation refers to target reduction levels for pesticide use. Since 1992, the number of arable farms in Northern Ireland has decreased by 61% with a consequent reduction of 34% in the area of arable crops grown. Despite this reduction in area of arable crops grown, the area treated by the major pesticide groups increased by 49% due to intensification, but the weight of major pesticides applied to arable crops decreased by 37%. However, the intensity of application measured by the total quantity of all pesticides applied to the basic area of arable crops treated remained relatively constant at approximately 3.2 kg/ha. Pesticide usage trends and reduction policies in other geographic regions are also discussed for comparative purposes. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-17T04:51:43Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-30393b4a4f83422eb7ad58591667cec0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-0472 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-17T04:51:43Z |
| publishDate | 2018-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Agriculture |
| spelling | doaj.art-30393b4a4f83422eb7ad58591667cec02022-12-21T22:02:53ZengMDPI AGAgriculture2077-04722018-08-018812310.3390/agriculture8080123agriculture8080123Pesticide Use in Northern Ireland’s Arable Crops from 1992–2016 and Implications for Future Policy DevelopmentStephen Jess0David I. Matthews1Archie K. Murchie2Michael K. Lavery3Sustainable Agri-Food Sciences Division, Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, 18a Newforge Lane, Belfast BT9 5PX, UKSustainable Agri-Food Sciences Division, Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, 18a Newforge Lane, Belfast BT9 5PX, UKSustainable Agri-Food Sciences Division, Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, 18a Newforge Lane, Belfast BT9 5PX, UKSustainable Agri-Food Sciences Division, Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, 18a Newforge Lane, Belfast BT9 5PX, UKSince the 1960s, the objective for the United Kingdom (UK) government policy and legislation on crop protection practices has been to minimise the impact of pesticide use in agriculture and horticulture to the wider environment. Subsequent European Union (EU) policy and legislation have also targeted this objective through a demanding approvals process, competency tests for users, maximum residue limits, regular post-registration monitoring and the promotion of integrated pest and disease management techniques. However, none of this substantive regulation refers to target reduction levels for pesticide use. Since 1992, the number of arable farms in Northern Ireland has decreased by 61% with a consequent reduction of 34% in the area of arable crops grown. Despite this reduction in area of arable crops grown, the area treated by the major pesticide groups increased by 49% due to intensification, but the weight of major pesticides applied to arable crops decreased by 37%. However, the intensity of application measured by the total quantity of all pesticides applied to the basic area of arable crops treated remained relatively constant at approximately 3.2 kg/ha. Pesticide usage trends and reduction policies in other geographic regions are also discussed for comparative purposes.http://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/8/8/123pesticidespolicyherbicidesinsecticidesfungicidesneonicotinoid seed treatmentsarable cropsintegrated pest management |
| spellingShingle | Stephen Jess David I. Matthews Archie K. Murchie Michael K. Lavery Pesticide Use in Northern Ireland’s Arable Crops from 1992–2016 and Implications for Future Policy Development Agriculture pesticides policy herbicides insecticides fungicides neonicotinoid seed treatments arable crops integrated pest management |
| title | Pesticide Use in Northern Ireland’s Arable Crops from 1992–2016 and Implications for Future Policy Development |
| title_full | Pesticide Use in Northern Ireland’s Arable Crops from 1992–2016 and Implications for Future Policy Development |
| title_fullStr | Pesticide Use in Northern Ireland’s Arable Crops from 1992–2016 and Implications for Future Policy Development |
| title_full_unstemmed | Pesticide Use in Northern Ireland’s Arable Crops from 1992–2016 and Implications for Future Policy Development |
| title_short | Pesticide Use in Northern Ireland’s Arable Crops from 1992–2016 and Implications for Future Policy Development |
| title_sort | pesticide use in northern ireland s arable crops from 1992 2016 and implications for future policy development |
| topic | pesticides policy herbicides insecticides fungicides neonicotinoid seed treatments arable crops integrated pest management |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/8/8/123 |
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