Northern Ireland farmers that are part of a farm quality assurance (FQA) scheme are exempt from new rules governing the purchase and use of professional rodenticide bait until end of December 2017, the UK's Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has announced.
From 1 June 2016, anyone wanting to buy professional rodenticides will have to have training and be certified in the use of bait for rodents. This follows on from an EU directive on the sustainable use of pesticides.
The new regulations aim to reduce the risk to non-targeted species, such as barn owls, red kites and buzzards.
UK farmers’ organisations have successfully lobbied to allow membership of a farm quality assurance scheme to be recognised as “proof of competence” when the new regulations come in next year until the end of 2017.
It was estimated over 90,000 farmers would have needed training within the next 12 months. The Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) have stated that this delay for FQA farms would now allow farmers time to implement their own rodent control measures and undertake necessary training.
“The number of farmers who would have needed to be qualified by the 1 June 2016 deadline was so large that there was a real risk that essential rodent control would be under threat,” said UFU deputy president Ivor Ferguson.
He also warned farmers to consider their options now and not to leave it to a last minute rush at the end of 2017.
Options for farmers after 1 June 2016
Possess an approved certificate of competence from an approved training programme such as LANTRA: Responsible and Effective Control of Commensal Rodents or City & Guilds: NPTC Level 2 Award in the Safe Use of Pesticides for Vertebrate Pest Control for Rats and MiceBe a member of a FQA scheme (until December 2017) that has an audited programme of rodent pest management in its standardsEmploy a professional pest controller with approved qualificationsPurchase and use amateur rodenticide bait which usually come in pack sizes less than 1.5 kg
Northern Ireland farmers that are part of a farm quality assurance (FQA) scheme are exempt from new rules governing the purchase and use of professional rodenticide bait until end of December 2017, the UK's Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has announced.
From 1 June 2016, anyone wanting to buy professional rodenticides will have to have training and be certified in the use of bait for rodents. This follows on from an EU directive on the sustainable use of pesticides.
The new regulations aim to reduce the risk to non-targeted species, such as barn owls, red kites and buzzards.
UK farmers’ organisations have successfully lobbied to allow membership of a farm quality assurance scheme to be recognised as “proof of competence” when the new regulations come in next year until the end of 2017.
It was estimated over 90,000 farmers would have needed training within the next 12 months. The Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) have stated that this delay for FQA farms would now allow farmers time to implement their own rodent control measures and undertake necessary training.
“The number of farmers who would have needed to be qualified by the 1 June 2016 deadline was so large that there was a real risk that essential rodent control would be under threat,” said UFU deputy president Ivor Ferguson.
He also warned farmers to consider their options now and not to leave it to a last minute rush at the end of 2017.
Options for farmers after 1 June 2016
Possess an approved certificate of competence from an approved training programme such as LANTRA: Responsible and Effective Control of Commensal Rodents or City & Guilds: NPTC Level 2 Award in the Safe Use of Pesticides for Vertebrate Pest Control for Rats and MiceBe a member of a FQA scheme (until December 2017) that has an audited programme of rodent pest management in its standardsEmploy a professional pest controller with approved qualificationsPurchase and use amateur rodenticide bait which usually come in pack sizes less than 1.5 kg 
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