Sprayer operators face new regime to comply with EU pesticide rules
Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney has also confirmed plans for tests on all pesticide application equipment. Compliance with the EU’s Integrated Pest Management programme will be mandatory from Jan 1, 2014.
The European Commission is imposing a two-year ban on three named insecticides, which it blames for killing bees that pollinate food and fruit crops. The ban is being challenged by pharma firms Bayer and Syngenta, producers of the ‘neonicotinoids’ in question.
