From the article:
The measure applies only to sugar beet farmers, whose crop is at risk from the “beet yellows virus”, which is spread by aphids. It damages the root vegetable’s leaves and can dramatically reduce yields.
Before farmers can make use of the chemical, an independent scientific modelling process must find that the spread of the virus is likely to reach beyond pre-set threshold. In both 2021 and 2022, that level was reached.
Another article adds...
Ministers have announced that they will incentivise farmers to use fewer insecticides as part of new post-Brexit agricultural subsidies – just days after approving the use of a
banned bee-killing pesticide.
Environment Secretary Thérèse Coffey was on Thursday set to announce six new actions that have been added to the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), part of a larger scheme to replace the billions of pounds in subsidies once provided by the EU.
The new categories will, among other things, allow farmers to apply for payments for looking after hedgerows, planting wildflowers, reducing fertiliser runoff and leaving grassland fallow. They will also receive payments for limiting their use of insecticides and relying on non-chemical methods such as planting companion crops*, which attract natural predators of pests.
The SFI scheme, which until now had focused on regenerating soil and moorlands, has so far struggled to sign up the desired number of farmers. Fewer than 2,000 have joined so far, despite Defra hoping it will eventually cover 140,000 farms.
The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) welcomed the updates to the scheme, saying that it provided some of the long-term clarity it has been asking for. Until now, farming groups had been worried about a lack of certainty surrounding the Government’s plans. “If Elms is to be successful, we’ve always said that it needs to be simple, provide certainty and fairly reward farmers for taking part. This means schemes being developed that are inclusive and available to every farm business – whether upland or lowland, tenant or owner-occupied.”
*I've been an advocate of 'buddy-plants' for a long while; such as planting borage alongside tomato plants, which ward away bugs (be careful of seedlings, though, as it spreads like crazy - you can pull 'em up young and eat 'em in salads. They taste like cucumber).
inews.co.uk
