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Emergency pesticide refusal leaves beet crops exposed to virus threat, warn farmers

8 1
25.01.2025

Neonicotinoid chemicals were banned by the EU in 2019 due to their potential impact on the health of bees, other pollinators and the wider environment.

But the continuing threat from the beet disease virus yellows (VY) - carried by infected aphids and capable of halving beet yields - prompted the sugar industry to seek a temporary derogation.

For the last four years, under the previous government, Defra had agreed a conditional emergency authorisation to use a seed treatment called Cruiser SB on non-flowering sugar beet plants - but only if a high virus threshold was reached, and subject to strict controls.

But this year, the Labour government has announced it will not grant the application for 2025........

© Eastern Daily Press