Bee-harming pesticides’ emergency approval will end, vows Defra tophyper

The emergency use of three pesticides that can be deadly to bees will soon be halted for good, the government said.

Neonicotinoids were banned in 2018, but sugar beet growers have been given special permission to use them every year for the past four years to combat yellowing virus, a disease spread by aphids.

The government announced on Saturday that it would consider “legislative options” that would legally prevent any future use of three specific types of neonicotinoids.

Meanwhile, an emergency use application in 2025 will still have to be considered by the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) and British Sugar under current laws.

The two organizations said the industry’s work on developing alternative methods to combat the disease – which has caused crop losses of up to 80% in the past – was “progressing well”.

The FA added that the mere existence of a list of banned products for which there could be no emergency authorization “could set a worrying precedent”, but wildlife organizations welcomed the government’s announcement.

Craig Bennett, chief executive of Wildlife Trusts, said: “There is no place in British agriculture for toxic pesticides that kill bees.”

He added that the government’s decision “should not be undermined by allowing emergency use of neonicotinoids next year.”

Gina Hegarty, head of policy at the Nature Friendly Farming Network (NFFN), said the decision was “long overdue”.

The current emergency use authorization application is for Cruiser SB, a neonicotinoid used as a seed treatment.

Although the application process will continue under the law as it stands, the government said it would review the guidance to ensure “full consideration” of risks to pollinators is taken in any decision the Secretary of State makes.

Studies have shown that neonicotinoids can be highly toxic to pollinators, and even at doses that are not directly fatal to bees, they can cause cognitive problems that affect bees’ foraging abilities and hive productivity.

Banning emergency mandates was one of Labour’s key election pledges, and the government said on Saturday it would hold consultations on the plan and identify potential changes to legislation needed.

A future complete ban will cover neonicotinoid products containing clothianidin, imidacloprid, or thiamethoxam.

Environment Secretary Emma Hardie said stopping their use was “an important step in supporting the long-term health of our environment, waterways and agricultural sector”.

In a joint statement, Michael Sly, chairman of the NFA’s sugar board, and Dan Green, agricultural director of British Sugar – which supplies 60% of the UK’s sugar – said there remained a “continuing risk” of the yellowing virus.

But they said the insecticide would only be used on seeds if a certain threat threshold – set by the government – was met and any use would be strictly managed.

They added that the industry is committed to finding “sustainable solutions” to address crop diseases.

“We have seen developments in many areas, including gene editing, traditional breeding techniques, and many new IPM trials that show promise,” they said.

British Sugar previously said it hopes crops resistant to yellow viruses will be commercially available by 2026.