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Huge support for the UK to drastically reduce pesticide use

  • Last updated: 6 December 2022
Over 45 organisations, plus individual farmers and academics, have responded to the UK Government’s public consultation on the revised UK National Action Plan for the Sustainable Use of Pesticides (NAP).
Bee hovering by a sunflower

This represents nearly 3.5 million UK citizens - including Garden Organic members – all of whom want to tell the government the importance of cutting pesticide use.

It is an unprecedented rallying call.

What is remarkable is the breadth of representation – not just from farmers, but trade unions, as well as health and environment NGOs, plus gardeners and growers across the country. In addition, approximately 200,000 members of the public signed petitions and wrote directly to Defra, expressing concern at current levels of pesticide use and support for drastic reduction.

The government now has a choice. Will they ignore the mounting evidence of pesticide-related harms and choose to go with ‘business as usual’: exposing the public to cocktails of chemicals in their food; depleting soils, furthering impacts on already struggling insect life and the bird populations who rely on them for food; and pesticides routinely sprayed around schools, playgrounds and hospitals.

Or will they listen to 3.5 million citizens who want change.

See here for Garden Organic’s response to the consultation. And our thanks to all our hundreds of members who wrote and shared. We will keep you posted of developments on the NAP.