Leam Farmers Support Pesticide substitution Trials

Regular water quality monitoring in the catchment shows that a number of pesticides used in agricultural practices are showing up at Severn Trent Water (STW) Water Treatment Works in Leamington Spa at 4x, 7x or even 10x the Drinking Water Standard and as a result are breaching European Regulation. For pesticides this standard is 0.1ug/l.  This is a challenging target but one which reflects the thought that pesticides should not be found in the water environment. 

To add to this, some pesticides such as metaldehyde found in slug pellets can not be easily removed and is therefore still present in drinking water (although not harmful).

If we continue to breach the standard, there’s a danger of metaldehyde being withdrawn from the market and this could happen quickly. Loss of metaldehyde could have a serious impact on the profitability of a range of crops, including oilseed rape and second wheat following oilseed rape, or even result in the total loss of rape from the market completely.

 

 

 Leam Catchment Sampling locations

So what are we doing to help the situation?

Catchment Sensitive Farming (CSF) are working very closely with 2 local agronomists – Jeremy White and Richard Clarke to trial a ferric-phosphate based product (SLUXX) on their clients farms for a season.  So with thanks to Richard Wright at Bridge Barn Farm, Hunningham; Alastair McGregor at Weston Hall Farm, Weston-under-Weatherly; and Harry Johnson of Red House Farm, Leamington Spa for happily agreeing to trail this product.

SLUXX is manufactured by Certis and is an effective molluscicide approved for the control of slugs. It works in the same manner as metaldehyde-based products in that slugs ingest the product and die within 3-6 days; however it contains ferric-phosphate and no metaldehyde so it can be easily removed from water.  Also, the product has shown in previous trials that it is more effective at killing slugs than metaldehyde.

 

What can farmers and advisors do to help?

·         Follow the blog to see how our trial plots fair against the slugs this autumn and winter.

·         Speak to your agronomist and consider trialling ferric-phosphate based products on your own farm.

·         If you are still using metaldehyde then ensure that you or your contractor has completed the PA4S slug pellet application training. CSF can provide pesticide training free of charge; you just have to pay for your test. Please call Melissa Hoskings for more details on 07557 338642.

·         Every user of metaldehyde slug pellets MUST adhere to best practise. The Metaldehyde Stewardship Best Practise guidelines can be found here