The sheer scale of blackgrass seed production, highlighted by Siobhán Walsh on p40, emphasises the risk that importing straw poses to all farmers.
Straw imports could hit 45,000t this year, and with much of these coming from areas of the UK where blackgrass has taken hold, the hazard is real.
Blackgrass is a highly competitive weed with growing herbicide resistance. To unwittingly import between 200m and 2bn blackgrass seeds would be a shame, but to knowingly do so is even worse.
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As a major agricultural exporting nation, Ireland cannot simply call for a ban on straw imports. However, there is an urgent need for a campaign to educate about the risk posed by blackgrass, as well as the highest level of vigilance from all actors along the import chain.
We should learn the lessons from ash dieback and fireblight.
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The sheer scale of blackgrass seed production, highlighted by Siobhán Walsh on p40, emphasises the risk that importing straw poses to all farmers.
Straw imports could hit 45,000t this year, and with much of these coming from areas of the UK where blackgrass has taken hold, the hazard is real.
Blackgrass is a highly competitive weed with growing herbicide resistance. To unwittingly import between 200m and 2bn blackgrass seeds would be a shame, but to knowingly do so is even worse.
As a major agricultural exporting nation, Ireland cannot simply call for a ban on straw imports. However, there is an urgent need for a campaign to educate about the risk posed by blackgrass, as well as the highest level of vigilance from all actors along the import chain.
We should learn the lessons from ash dieback and fireblight.
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