Since the regime’s introduction in mid-2016, members of 10 assurance schemes have been considered stewardship-compliant. This transitional arrangement ends on 31 December.

The seven schemes expected to continue qualifying as proof of competence are AIC’s Trade Assurance Scheme for Combinable Crops, Duck Assurance Scheme, Farm Assured Welsh Livestock, Laid in Britain, Red Tractor Farm Assurance, Quality British Turkey and Scottish Quality Crops.

Formally under the Biocidal Product Regulation, this means farmers presenting their membership document at sales outlets will continue to be able to purchase stewardship-label rodenticides.

The Campaign for Responsible Rodenticide Use (CRRU) UK, responsible to the Health and Safety Executive for the regime’s implementation, is working with the other three assurance schemes to bring standards into line with 2018 requirements. These are Lion Eggs, Quality Meat Scotland, and Northern Ireland Farm Quality Assurance Scheme.

Until such compliance is confirmed, there is no certainty that membership will continue to provide proof of competence for purchase of professional rodenticides. As schemes do gain 2018 compliance, the list will be updated and re-issued by CRRU UK.

Romax Rat CP is one of a limited number of products authorised for use in ‘outdoors – open areas’ as defined by the stewardship regime. Where open area baiting is justified under regime guidelines, supplier Barrettine claimed its palatability, high efficacy and low risk to non-targets make it a responsible, effective option for certified farmers.

Over a five-day feeding period on a weight-consumed comparison, tests identified equal efficacy to the ultra-potent second generation anticoagulant rodenticide (SGAR) brodifacoum, according to general manager David Shelton.

“In contrast with the long persistence of SGARs, the active ingredient in Rat CP is metabolised rapidly within the rat’s digestive tract,” he explains. “So any raptor that takes a rat killed or dying from this bait is exposed to very low or negligible levels of active ingredient. In comparison to other anticoagulants, this results in the lowest toxicity to raptors on the market.”

The bait formulation is a 100g pasta-based soft block, inside a paper sachet. Mr Shelton said this combination appeals to a rat’s natural behaviour to chew, while the block can be attached or skewered to a baiting point, preventing availability to non-target species.

Under compulsory application of the stewardship regime’s risk hierarchy, defined by the stewardship regime’s Code of Best Practice, the product group that includes Romax Rat CP is recommended ahead of SGARs, unless defined exceptional circumstances apply.

The first formal assessment of the stewardship regime from the HSE-led Government Oversight Group (GOG) has confirmed that the regime is fit for purpose. However, it states an expectation of reducing second generation anticoagulant residues in Barn Owls as a sentinel species, warning that failure to meet this may result in changes to the regime.

Recognising practical reality in its report, GOG ‘does not under-estimate the significance of this challenge and recognises the significant efforts and achievements of CRRU and all involved’. In particular, the report notes the challenge of getting stewardship standards in place on 100,000 farms.

For the farming sector, stewardship-approved assurance schemes are an alternative to training-based proof of competence in the use of rodenticides. In the report, GOG states the expectation that farmers will not wait for an assurance scheme audit before adopting stewardship standards. It also promises ‘further work to consider how to validate stewardship compliance on the ground’.

Dr Alan Buckle, chairman of the Campaign for Responsible Rodenticide Use (CRRU), the body responsible for the regime’s implementation, said a key priority under the regime is the need for verification audits at point of sale.

“Ensuring that professional rodenticides are only available to responsible certified users is a critical priority,” he said. “With rodenticides in competent hands, the goal is meaningful behavioural change leading to measurable effects in non-target species.”

Already welcomed as “the end of the beginning” by the Campaign for Responsible Rodenticide Use (CRRU), the report identifies the work that has already being carried out while also emphasising that much remains to be done.

“The regime provides a robust system to control rodenticide availability and develop universal and permanent responsible use,” said CRRU chairman, Dr Alan Buckle. “Clearly, however, the regime is in its early stages.

“If stewardship achieves its purpose, with compelling evidence that professional rodenticides can be used without unacceptable effects on the environment, the products (currently in use) will remain available. Otherwise, we must anticipate further restrictions on where rodenticides can be used and by whom.”

Annual report highlights include:

• Publications: Code of best practice for rodent pest management; detailed guidance on permanent baiting; updated environmental risk assessment guidelines with client service pro-forma.
• Proof of competence: Audit of certifications/qualifications; review of farm assurance schemes for equivalence to certification of competence.
• Product regulation: Orderly and timely transition from old scheme to new one based on ‘stewardship conditions’ product labels.
• Point of sale: Procedures to check purchaser competence at outlets supplying professional rodenticide products for use outdoors.
• Surveys: In addition to August 2015 KAP, baseline of rodenticide residues in barn owl livers, and breeding parameters in selected owl populations.
• Communication: Sequence of information disseminated to all rodenticide user sectors.

Download the report from thinkwildlife.org

EA dealt a significant blow to the company’s plans to install 14 pig houses holding up to 24,500 pigs, including 2,500 sows, when it refused an environmental permit in February 2015. The decision prompted MPP to withdraw its planning application.

But in the past few days, after MPP submitted further evidence, the agency reversed its decision and finally granted the permit.

MPP stressed it is still a long away from getting the green light for the unit, however. It will now take some time to consider whether to put in a new planning application and, if so, to what extent the application would differ from the original plans.

“We said that we would consider our options when we had the planning permit and that is exactly what we will do,” said a company spokesperson. “The world has moved on since the original planning application and we need to look at how, in the current market, we wish to move forward.”

The EA’s latest decision was welcomed by NPA policy services manager, Lizzie Wilson.

“This is a very important step in the right direction and we are pleased the EA has changed its stance on odour from the proposed unit.”

See full NPA report

“Prospects for 2017 are weak, with global trade expected to stabilise and with all the main producers in expansion mode,” said Rabobank’s animal protein analyst, Albert Vernooij, adding that this will make supply discipline key to the industry securing positive prospects next year.

As for production in the EU, Mr Vernooij (pictured above) added that herd expansion would need to “stop or decline” next year in order to support prices.

The EU’s 2017 prospects are soft, he warned, highlighting rising competition in Asia and the declining value of Sterling as key factors which are “pressuring returns” in the European market.

Rabobank’s summary view of the US market is that “higher-than-expected” supplies, combined with stalling exports and rising domestic competition from beef and poultry, are pushing both pig prices and industry profitability down.

“For pig producers, this situation will worsen in Q4, 2016, with slaughter capacity constraints putting processors in the driving seat until new capacity arrives in 2017,” stated the bank.

The headline view on China, meanwhile, is that low production and seasonal demand towards the Chinese New Year will support prices, after a Q3, 2016, dip in values, and that this will assist ongoing strong import volumes.

Growth in market demand in China is expected to be “slower” than previous months, however, with competition continuing to intensify as more countries and companies obtain export permits.

Without documentation, from Saturday onwards, all sellers including those buying online are prohibited from completing the sale under the conditions of the UK Rodenticide Stewardship Regime.

The changes, designed to reduce the occurrence of residues in wildlife, have been managed by the Campaign for Responsible Rodenticide Use (CRRU) with full involvement in training activities for farmers being given by the Agricultural and Horticultural Development Board (AHDB).

“For many years it was thought best practice to set out bait points on farms, shooting estates and around rural premises, then keep them permanently topped up with rodenticide,” said CRRU UK chairman, Dr Alan Buckle. “We now believe this practice is responsible, at least in part, for the contamination of wildlife that we now see so widely in the UK.

“Of course, there is no risk if rodenticides are not used. So it must be a high priority in all outdoor rural locations to make them as inhospitable as possible to rodents. This is done by reducing harbourage and preventing access to foodstuffs. It is simply not acceptable to provide ‘bed and board’ for rodents and solve the problem by repeatedly poisoning them with rodenticides.”

Access CRRU UK guideline about safe and effective alternatives to permanent baiting, when it may be justified and, if it is, how to do it most safely.

The tool, which is called GLEAM-i (Global Livestock Environmental Assessment Model – interactive) is profiled by FAO as allowing farmers, policy makers and scientists to calculate meat, milk and egg production, as well as greenhouse-gas emissions from livestock, so that they can make their respective sectors more productive and more climate-friendly.

“The objective is to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and ensure that livestock activities are as efficient as possible so that they can continue to contribute to people’s food, nutrition and livelihood needs while utilizing fewer natural resources,” said FAO livestock policy officer, Anne Mottet (pictured above).

“Hundreds of millions of people around the planet depend on livestock for livelihoods, food security and nutrition. Livestock is also particularly important for developing countries where demand for animal protein is growing and for remote and marginal areas, where limited alternatives exist. Yet, it is estimated that the sector is responsible for 14.5% of all anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions.”

According to research findings by FAO, GLEAM-i is capable of delivering “feasible and affordable” changes to enable livestock farmers to both increase production and reduce emissions by nearly a third.

Access FAO’s GLEAM-i information section

The feed project is part of the EU’s development of a Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) which will eventually measure the environmental performance of any kind of product throughout its life cycle.

In this context, the feed PEF is designed to prescribe the specific product category methodological requirements (PEFCR) for the production of feed for food-producing animals, work which has been backed by nine EU and national feed sector associations and now fewer than 13 major EU-based feed companies.

Having already run public consultations in 2014 and 2015, the technical secretariat behind the feed PEF pilot has now launched a final consultation running from now until September 9, 2016, to gather feedback on its updated draft PEFCR.

“Available environmental studies and life cycle assessments have shown that feed production is a significant contributor to the environmental footprint of animal products and therefore an important element to take into account when considering mitigation options,” states Fefac, the European animal feed body, in its website explanation of PEFCR.

“Without a sound analysis of the impacts of animal feed, it is nearly impossible to establish the PEF of animal products such a meat, eggs, dairy products and fish. PEFCRs for food-producing animals should therefore use the same methodological approaches for the production of feed in their lifecycle studies.”

See previous report on the environmental footprinting of animal feed

Access European Commission information on the PEFCR consultation

This is the key conclusion of studies carried out in the Netherlands by Wageningen University scientist, Hannah van Zanten.

“Looking to insects as a protein-rich source of animal feed is logical,” said Ms van Zanten (pictured above), noting that alternatives, such as soya cultivation have had “major negative effects” such as deforestation, loss of biodiversity and high CO2 emissions, especially in Brazil and Argentina.

After studying the environmental effects of using housefly larvae for animal feed production in the Netherlands, using data from an insect farm, two waste processing companies and an animal feed company that processes the larvae, she said that the housefly larvae appeared to be more eco-friendly per kilo than either soya or fishmeal. That conclusion, however, only applied in terms of the direct effects of switching from soya and fishmeal to housefly larvae.

When Ms van Zanten also analysed the indirect effects of the switch, the story became much more “nuanced”.

“In this part of the study we fed the larvae partly with chicken manure and partly with waste,” she said. “The waste was the problem as 98% is currently being fermented for generating bio-energy, which replaces fossil fuels and so benefits the environment. Feeding all this waste to insects would increase the need for fossil fuels, resulting in a negative environmental balance overall.”

Her final conclusion, therefore, is that it’s currently “unwise” to aim at insect production for animal feed, a result which she agreed would be different if the Netherlands was to become less reliant on fossil fuels in favour of wind and solar power, so reducing its use of waste for bio-energy.

An AHDB Pork meeting, titled ‘Maintaining water quality in East Anglia’ has been called for June 27 in Swaffham, Norfolk, with the aim of enabling all sides of the farming and water debate to have their say.

“The meeting will bring farmers and industry stakeholders together to discuss the issue of maintaining drinking water quality,” said AHDB Pork’s regional knowledge exchange manager, Andrew Palmer. “It’s a great opportunity for producers and water companies to start working collaboratively.”

Mr Palmer (pictured above) said that he believed that by working together the different parties who will be represented at the meeting can help “safeguard” the future of outdoor pig production.

“When not managed correctly,” he added, “farming practices can cause issues for water companies in terms of contaminating drinking water supplies. The meeting will help farmers to understand the issues water companies are facing and will also help them review and learn about farming techniques that will help protect watercourses.”

An Anglian Water representative will outline the importance of maintaining water quality and the key issues that the organisation is facing while an officer from the Environment Agency will highlight the key regulations which pig farmers face.

“Attendees will then be given the opportunity to have an open discussion about their experiences before receiving practical management tips from the Farming & Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG),” said Mr Palmer. “A review of the current resources and support that is available from AHDB Pork will also be given towards the end of the meeting.

“I really would urge producers in the region to come along to what promises to be an informative afternoon. The aim isn’t to point the finger; it’s about moving forwards and working together.”

The meeting, which will start at 2.45pm on Monday, June 27, will be held at The George Hotel, Swaffham.

To register email Andrew.Palmer(at)ahdb.org.uk