Pesticides reaching water is a European-wide issue and one that all crop protection companies take very seriously. Through the European Crop Protection Association (ECPA), crop protection manufacturers are working both across Europe and at national level to promote best practice and water protection among farmers and local authorities.
A first stepping stone was the funding, with EU Life support, of the TOPPS project. This set out to define and promote best management practices to stop pesticides reaching water.
It highlighted six critical processes: Storage; transport; the phases before, during and after spraying; and residue management. The foundation work undertaken in the TOPPs project has been completed, but the advice and information continue to be rolled out across Europe.
In the UK this work is integrated within the Crop Protection Association¹s H2OK? Campaign. This has included a special programme of training workshops, jointly funded by ECSFDI, aimed at training providers to help keep trainers up to speed with latest thinking on water protection.
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.