From 1 January 2018 farmers and growers will only be able to purchase professional rodenticides if they can show they are part of a compliant assurance scheme, or that they have completed an approved training course.
To help further ensure the implementation of rodenticide stewardship across the industry, new requirements come into force on 1 January 2018 for farmers and growers wanting to purchase professional rodenticides. To do so from the new year, they will need to show that either they are part of a compliant assurance scheme, or that they have completed an approved training course.
Farmers presenting their assurance scheme membership document at sales outlets as proof of competence will continue to be able to purchase stewardship-label professional rodenticides from 1 January onwards. The audit standards of all 11 assurance schemes have been verified for compliance with stewardship conditions and the CRRU UK Code of Best Practice, which broadly require a systematic approach to rodent pest control, with documentation and regular independent audit procedures.
Sellers of professional use rodenticides to pest controllers, farmers and gamekeepers will also be required by 31 December to have registered for a stewardship point-of-sale audits.
Farmers outside the approved assurance schemes have three rodenticide use options:
- Take an approved training course and show the certificate when purchasing rodenticide.
- Employ a certified professional pest controller.
- Use rodenticide products authorised for amateur use.
The aim of the Campaign for Responsible Rodenticide Use (CRUU) UK is for this combination of farm assurance and point-of-sale control to help ensure the entire supply chain is correctly implementing stewardship measures.