The Environment Agency and key sponsors of the industry-led Voluntary Initiative (VI) have agreed a partnership approach to implementing the pesticide aspects of the Water Framework Directive.
Recognising the challenges posed by the implementation of the Directive, VI sponsors met recently with the Environment Agency and highlighted the contribution the VI could make.
As a result, the VI will work with the Environment Agency using voluntary measures to continue to improve standards of pesticide use and to target specific catchments where pesticides have been identified as posing a risk to the water quality as required by the Water Framework Directive objectives.
Dr Paul Leinster, chief executive of the Environment Agency, said: “We look forward to continuing our work with VI sponsors to reduce the impact of pesticides on the environment. We want to see continuing improvements in the use and handling of pesticides, as well as addressing specific catchments where water quality is adversely affected by pesticides. This will help deliver improvements in water quality and deliver other environmental benefits.”
Speaking on behalf of the VI sponsors, National Farmers' Union (NFU) deputy president Meurig Raymond said: “We welcome the Environment Agency’s recognition of the VI and its commitment to work with us on a voluntary approach. The VI has shown that voluntary measures can work. The uptake of schemes like the sprayer testing scheme has been impressive and real results have been gained in reducing the amount of key pesticides reaching water.
“However, we recognise that there is more to do to ensure uptake of best practice advice and to secure the environmental outcomes that are necessary. We strongly believe that voluntary measures can help us to reach the challenging targets set by the Water Framework Directive and we must work closely with all partners to make sure that the necessary behaviour changes are made.”
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