Pesticide usage monitoring surveys
The Pesticide Usage Monitoring Group (PUMG) records the use of crop protection products within Northern Ireland. A cyclical programme examines pesticide usage in all sectors of the agricultural and horticultural industries. Principally, the data collected provides information for consideration by the UK Expert Committee on Pesticides.
The reports
The data may also be used by those involved in:
- residue testing.
- environmental impact studies.
- public information.
- evaluation and regulation of trends in pesticide usage.
Other monitoring
- pesticide residues
- wildlife incidents
Pesticide usage monitoring forms an integral part of the government's pesticide safety control arrangements, in providing quantitative and qualitative data on the usage of pesticides in agriculture, horticulture, food storage and associated industries.
UK Reporting
This work is also undertaken in England, Wales and in Scotland by the Food and Environment Agency (FERA) and the Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture (SASA), respectively. Reports from these regions may be obtained at the following sites and a comprehensive report for the UK is published by FERA and SASA.
Support material, legislation and methods
Article
- Pesticide Use in Northern Ireland's Arable Crops from 1992-2016 and Implications for Future Policy Development by Stephen Jess, David Matthews, Archie Murchie and Michael Lavery.
For further information on this work please contact the Pesticide usage monitoring group