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.

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: