Bayer CropScience has emphasised product stewardship as an important aspect of product use. Over the years it has trained operators in the safe use of granular insecticides and, following the Cherwell study into point-source pollution, communicated widely to all operators the importance of correct pesticide handling to prevent pollution of surface water. It has contributed significantly to the success of the Voluntary Initiative's operator road shows to train users in the correct use of all products and we have actively promoted the need for operators to join the National Register of Sprayer Operators.

In addition, the Four Seasons Farmer Club has proven to be a successful vehicle to advise and train our farmer customers on correct product use and increase environmental awareness. Substantial training and advice on product stewardship maximises the benefits of crop protection, while minimising potential risks to human and environmental health.

“Bayer CropScience is keenly aware of the problems facing UK fruit growers at present,” says head of business stewardship Chris Kyndt. “In many production sectors there are already limited options for crop protection, and many of the existing uses are currently threatened with removal during the ongoing EU Review programme. Bayer CropScience has set up a small, dedicated commercial and technical team within its UK organisation to service UK horticulture, and to assist the introduction of new compounds and uses.”

Recent introductions from Bayer CropScience for the top-fruit industry include Calypso (thiacloprid), an aphid/pest control for apples now in its third commercial season, and Runner (methoxyfenozide), for Lepidoptera control in apples and pears, which was launched this spring.

Graham Jenner, the company's campaign manager for horticulture, added: “A number of new compounds for horticulture are under development and it is hoped that further new introductions will be made in the coming seasons. In top fruit, Elvaron Multi (tolylfluanid) was registered in July into the apple and pear sectors, although it will only see limited use by UK growers this year and is ready for a bigger launch in 2004. Trifloxystrobin co-formulations, top-fruit fungicides, could see us break into the fungicide market should the demand for the product arise. Spirodiclofen (BAJ), a broad spectrum acaricide from a new chemical class, is likely to be on the market by 2006.”

BAYER CROPSCIENCE STRATEGY FOR HORTICULTURAL DEVELOPMENTS

The UK Pesticides Safety Directorate (PSD) has for some time accepted data from other European countries (suitably justified) in support of UK product registrations. This has been very important for progressing horticultural uses, where the UK market is often small, and therefore hard to justify significant specific local expenditure for product registrations.

Bayer CropScience has looked to utilise this route as much as possible;

Much of the UK dossier (efficacy/crop safety) for both Calypso and Runner, for instance, was based on central European data (augmented with limited UK studies).

Kyndt says: “Bayer CropScience also works very closely in the UK with key horticultural advisors in their development/marketing operations, for example East Malling; Horticultural Development Council (HDC) and Horticulture Research International (HRI).

“PSD have been very proactive in designing and implementing the SOLA scheme ñ this has been a vital component for introducing a wide range of minor uses for the UK horticultural sector, and more recently in assisting the introduction of similar schemes into other European countries. Bayer CropScience has very actively utilised the SOLA route in close liaison with HDC/HRI to introduce new uses for UK horticulture in recent years:

“Our aim has been to get new uses legally registered for UK users to utilise as early as possible ñ we are keenly aware of the importance that UK growers have access to new control options in line with their EU production competitors wherever possible to maintain a ëlevel playing field'. Bayer CropScience continues to be very active in looking to extend the UK horticultural industry's chemical armoury by introducing new SOLAs and full registrations as early as possible.”