The government has accepted 37 projects to reduce pesticide usage as an alternative to the originally proposed pesticide tax.

But there is hiccup – ministerial indecision over the name for one particular initiative.

Michael Paske NFU vice president said the problem began when work to achieve agreement on pesticide alternatives was passed between government offices from the Treasury to the Department of the Environment – now part of Defra.

'I think you will be aware of his [Michael Meacher's] views, firstly towards the chemical companies in this country and secondly towards the protection of the environment so progress is not as fast as it should be'.

The snag, he claimed, was because the minister could not decide what a scheme known as the Voluntary Initiative should be called. l

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