Managing soils to protect water from pesticides

Crop protection products help ensure good crop yields and food supplies. However, they can cause problems in water and must be used with extra care to protect the environment.

Through The Voluntary Initiative, farmers and advisers continue to raise standards of pesticide use; however, continuous improvement is needed. Regulators and water companies are monitoring those pesticides which find their way into water following application to autumn-sown arable crops.

Additional measures, such as improved soil management and application when drains are not flowing, are necessary to ensure these products do not reach water; otherwise there may be further restrictions on pesticide use and availability.

The Crop Protection Association, The Voluntary Initiative and its sponsors, the England Catchment Sensitive Farming Delivery Initiative and the Environment Agency, are working together in partnership to provide a range of new information and advice to help farmers and advisers take extra steps to protect water from pesticides.