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Metaldehyde slug pellets to be banned from March 2022
"The risks metaldehyde poses to the environment and to wildlife are too great" - Victoria Prentis MP.
Decision reached to 'better protect wildlife and the environment'.

A UK-wide ban on the outdoor use of metaldehyde is set to come into force in March 2022, the government has announced.

Farming minister Victoria Prentis said the decision to ban the pesticide on farms and in gardens was reached 'to better protect wildlife and the environment'.

It takes into account advice from the UK Expert Committee on Pesticides (ECP) and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) about the risks that metaldehyde poses to birds and mammals.

Ms Prentice said: “The scientific evidence is clear - the risks metaldehyde poses to the environment and to wildlife are too great.

“The government is committed to building back greener from Coronavirus and the restrictions on the use of metaldehyde are another step towards building a cleaner and greener country for the next generation.”

Metaldehyde will be phased out by 31 March 2022 to give growers and gardeners appropriate time to switch to alternative slug control measures. Gardeners are being encouraged to dispose of the product through their local authority waste facilities, rather than at home.

Pesticides containing ferric phosphate can provide effective control without carrying the same risks to wildlife as metaldehyde slug pellets, Defra states. Alternative pest control methods may also include planting slug resistant crop varieties, selectively timing irrigation and harvest and sowing seeds more deeply into the soil.

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Cold-water dip to raise funds for Vetlife

News Story 1
 The veterinary mental health charity Vetlife is inviting the veterinary community to join it for a sponsored cold-water dip.

The event will take place at Walpole Bay, Margate, on 17 May during Mental Health Awareness Week. Participants of all abilities can join in the challenge and are advised to bring a towel, a hot drink, a snack, and warm clothes to get changed into afterwards.

Those taking part are being asked to try to raise 100 each to support the work of the charity.

Details about how to take part can be found here. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Bluetongue low vector period ends

In an update to its bluetongue guidance, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced that the seasonal low vector period for the disease has ended.

With winter over, Defra is planning for a possible increase in cases as midges become more active. It has warned that farms along the east coast of England from Norfolk to Kent, and along the south coast from Kent to Devon, are at highest risk from infected midges blown over from northern Europe.

Since the virus was detected in England in November 2023, there have been 126 confirmed cases. The most recent case to be confirmed was on 1 March 2024.

Farmers are asked to continue to frequently monitor their livestock and ensure their animals and land are registered with the Animal and Plant Health Agency.