The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs has announced that British farmers and growers will continue to have access to important pesticides to support resilient and profitable food production and cut input costs.

Following feedback from farmers and industry, these plans will ensure farmers and growers can continue to buy and use seeds treated with EU-approved pesticides, and more cost-effective pesticides identical to those authorised in Great Britain can continue being imported.

Defra said the plans will not only provide certainty to farmers so they know which treated seeds and plant protection products they can use in coming growing seasons, but will also help improve the availability and reduce the cost of pesticides.

The treated seeds are important for both the arable and horticulture sectors and are particularly important for maize – a crop that is crucial for dairy farmers and in energy production.

After exiting the EU, the government put arrangements in place until the end of 2023 to continue the import and use of seeds treated in the EU.

However, recognising the importance of the scheme, Defra said that secondary legislation had been laid in Parliament to introduce an extension to measures that allow seeds treated with PPPs authorised for use in an EU or EEA member state to be imported, marketed and used in GB for an additional three-and-a-half years, up to 1 July 2027.

The new measures must be agreed through the Houses of Parliament before they are made into law. Once agreed, they will come into force by the end of the year, meaning there will be no break in the existing treated seed schemes (currently due to expire on 31 December), so that farmers can buy and use treated seeds ready for next growing season.

Farming Minister Mark Spencer said:

“The government recognises the challenges faced by farmers and growers in importing treated seeds and more cost-effective pesticide products from the EU as the transition period concludes.

“Ensuring that British farmers and growers have access to the tools they need to produce food sustainably and affordably is a priority.”

Under current timelines, farmers and growers were set to lose access to these products at the end of this year. However, the temporary measures will enable farmers and growers in Great Britain to:

Continue using seeds treated with plant protection products authorised for use in the EU for an additional 3.5 years, extending up to 1 July 2027.

Reinstate trade permits for the import of PPPs that are identical to those authorised in Great Britain for a maximum of two years.

Continuing to give farmers access to these products will help to improve their availability and reduce costs, while providing certainty for the sector over the coming years.

Parallel trade

Defra further explained that the arrangements put in place at the point of the EU exit aimed to smooth the transition to a GB regime without parallel trade, commenting:

“However, global events have led to price increases across a range of important sectors, meaning that the need to access cost effective PPPs has become more acute.

“This temporary measure will be in place while we address the limited competition and potential short-term gaps in the market that have arisen from the potential loss of parallel pesticide products.”

Commenting on maintaining standards, Defra said that “as with any policy on pesticides, maintaining protections for the environment and human health is paramount.”

Products imported through the parallel trade scheme must be identical to the GB reference product. Defra will continue to use both intelligence-led investigation and a broad range of controls to monitor, identify and act on any products that do not meet these standards.

The import of treated seeds will be restricted to products authorised in one or more EU countries.

“This means that they must have passed through a strict regulatory regime with similar high standards to GB to be imported and used in this country. Any products for which the authorisation is withdrawn in the EU will no longer be legal to import and use in GB,” Defra said.