The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has approved emergency temporary authorisation for the use of a neonicotinoid pesticide treatment on this year’s sugar beet crop.

Specifically, it is allowing limited and controlled use of the product Cruiser SB, which contains the neonicotinoid thiamethoxam, for a 120-day period.

The measure was taken in recognition of the current risk to the crop from yellow viruses and in response to an application from the National Farmers’ Union and British Sugar for authorisation of the product.

This application was considered by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which sought advice from the UK Expert Committee on Pesticides (ECP) on specific scientific questions. Defra’s chief scientific adviser (CSA) and Defra economists also provided advice.

“We recognise the potential danger of an outbreak of the beet yellows virus on the nation’s sugar beet crop and the impact it could have on the production of UK sugar,” Farming Minister Mark Spencer, who considered the advice above before making the final decision, explained.

“Therefore after careful consideration, we regard issuing an emergency authorisation as a necessary measure to protect the industry.”

The authorisation comes with strict rules and the overall ban on the use of neonicotinoid pesticides remains in place.

“The product can only be used if a strict threshold is met and on a single non-flowering crop,” Minister Spencer added.

Conditions which must be met for use:

  • Use is only permitted if the predicted virus incidence level is 63% or above, as determined on March 1, 2022 by the Rothamsted YV forecast model;
  • Only a specific list of crops, none of which flower before harvest, are permitted to be planted in the same field as treated sugar beet within 32 months;
  • No further use of thiamethoxam seed treatments on the same field within 46 months;
  • Application rate of Cruiser SB reduced from 100ml/100,000 seeds to 75ml/100,000 seeds (this reduces the application rate of thiamethoxam from 60g/100,000 seeds to 45g/100,000 seeds);
  • Observance of industry-recommended herbicide programmes for weeds growing in treated fields;
  • A maximum drilling rate for treated seed of 115,000 seeds/ha;
  • Treated seed must be entirely incorporated in the soil and fully incorporated at the end of rows;
  • Treated seed should not be left on the soil surface. Spillages should be buried or removed;
  • Compliance with a stewardship scheme including a number of requirements for monitoring levels of neonicotinoids in the environment;
  • The authorisation can be withdrawn or amended at any time if the conditions are not adhered to.
SUGAR BEET