Farmers need to be aware that a number of plant protection products are coming to the end of their permissible use period. This means that it is illegal to use them, or even have them in storage on your farm after the specified date.

Many of the affected pesticides are not being completely taken from the market, but have been relicensed as an identical or very similar chemical formulation, with a new Pesticide Control Section (PCS) number.

Basta, a non-selective weedkiller, has not been relicensed, and is no longer available for use in Ireland.

What farmers must do is check the product they have in their stores, to see if the PCS number of a product indicates that it is approaching its use-by deadline.

It must be used or safely disposed of by that date.

Winger, a fungicide (disease spray) with the PCS number 4609, saw this license expire on 31 July, and its use is now prohibited.

On 30 September next, Avadex (90128), Bandock (90135) Basta (90216) Furlong (3183), Nettleban (90776), Score (329) and Starane 2 (1807) all reach their use-by date.

Sell-by date

Chemicals usually have a sell-by date 12 to 18 months in advance of the use-by date, so farmers shouldn’t have purchased any product this year that is reaching its use-by date.

For a full list, go to www.pcs.agriculture.gov.ie, where you can search the status of any product.