Your crop protection plan can help save our sprays online

Forgotten to do your Crop Protection Management Plan? There's still just time to complete it to influence this year's Voluntary Initiative target - but you'll need to do it online.

CPMPs, NSTS sprayer testing and NRoSO membership are the three cornerstones of the Voluntary Initiative, introduced in 2001 to stave off the threat of a pesticides tax.

Each has an annual target and last summer the NFU introduced an online version of the CPMP to stand alongside the paper format that is still available.

Designed to be simpler to complete, providing automated action plans and scores on completion and offering easy return to the NFU, the new computer-based format has already been completed by about 600 users, notes plant health adviser Paul Chambers.

Last year 1.3m ha were covered by the almost 4000 completed paper forms, he notes. This year's target is 1.7m ha.

"The VI is required to report annually on the uptake of these plans across the UK. Our experience is that many CPMPs are completed on farm but not reported to us.

"If it appears that the farming community is not taking voluntary action to demonstrate care with pesticides there is a risk that we face a pesticide tax or new regulation.

"In England, where we're asking for an industry-led initiative to retain the benefits of set-aside, it is vital we show support for existing voluntary schemes."

And despite CPMPs being dropped as points scoring options under ELS, all farmers who included them in their original schemes must continue to complete one each year, he stresses.

"Time is running out to meet this year's target, so I'd urge everyone who hasn't yet done their CPMP to go online."

If builders and other businesses have to demonstrate professionalism so should farmers, and the on-line CPMP helps them do so, says Andy Barr.

Andy Barr, Farmers Weekly Kent-based Barometer farmer, completed a paper CPMP for 2006-7 and 2007-8 last June, but recently ran through the new version to see if doing it via computer was any easier.

Until alerted by Farmers Weekly he was unaware of the facility.

"From an arable farmer's point of view, launching something like this in the middle of harvest wasn't a very good idea. But I'm glad they've got it on-line," he says. "It's not before time."

Spelling mistakes aside, which will be corrected, says Mr Chambers, he gives the form an overall thumbs-up. It took about an hour to complete.

The most noticeable difference is the substitution of a series of simple 'yes/no' tick boxes for the more complicated self-assessment of performance ranging from A (best) to D (poor).

"I do think, though, that for some of the questions there's scope for an in-between, non-committal box."

Answers to plenty of the questions, for example: 'Do you have an emergency action plan for your farm?' and 'Does your pesticide store meet the correct standards?', are already covered under ACCS membership, he adds.

"It's double recording which none of us really enjoy."

There are plenty of new thought-provoking questions, especially under the section on biodiversity, he notes.

"I can't say we've ever considered the bottom sediment when cleaning ditches."

Although the form is interspersed with short help notes and the website has an FAQs tab, direct clickable links to some of the more unfamiliar acronyms would be useful, Mr Barr believes.

"The instructions told me to include the spray operator in the process, which is probably a good idea. In our case that's Richard Shannon who is on the NRoSO and belongs to an operator agronomy group run by Mid-Kent Training."

The on-line CPMP for the 626ha (1548 acres) at East Lenham Farm near Maidstone scored 78%. But while the website shows how all other on-line respondents have answered each question, there is no way to see how that score compares overall, he notes.

Users trying to access their completed plans may also need to be patient. "Trying to get back was very slow - and my computer's running fine otherwise."

More significantly Mr Barr believes the action plan, shown as a printable advice wall chart, could be more explicit.

And one question, about over-wintered stubbies (sic) left him stumped. "However, we do have a problem with people leaving empty beer cans in the field margins."