Petition to ban herbicide

done John-terrible that after the campaign to get it banned they hope to sneak it all back in.

 

I've also signed up, plot holders not too far from me have been caught by this menace and their plots ruined.

Steve...

 

Also signed up.......

 

From the epetition site..

"A hormone weed killer (Aminopyralid) used on grassland was taken up by grazing animals and remained in manure which, when applied to the land, caused the failure of a wide range of crops including beans, peas, potatoes and tomatoes, soft fruits and flowers. Aminopyralid attaches itself to organic matter and the length of time it takes to beak down completely is as yet unknown. The potential for contamination by aminopyralid and clopyralid is causing growers to lose confidence in peat free composts. Due to the occurrence of patches of contamination in organic matter it is extremely difficult if not impossible to ensure an uncontaminated end product. A receiver of contaminated material is landed with a problem of disposing of toxic waste. After widespread protests it was withdrawn in August 2008 but an application has been made for its reinstatement. We believe that, even taking into account improved stewardship, the use of this chemical cannot be adequately controlled."

This is bad news for the future developement of peat free compost, especially when confidence is lost in it as a product and is therefore a step backward, not forward where we should be going if we are to be environmentally minded. Imagine this scenario, an allotments takes a delivery of infected manure and all gardeners grab their barrows and merrily spread it on their plots, everything dies and plot holders waste their time, money and effort for no gain....not to mention the loss of wildlife from the area...a huge blow!!

What I really dont understand is why someone would want to use such a product in the first place, surely its counter-productive for farmers?

Steve...

 

"What I really dont understand is why someone would want to use such a product in the first place, surely its counter-productive for farmers?"

As John says, but there are some additional very-difficult-to-kill weeds which it tackles, and in a way that makes the job easier for the farmer (I forget the details, but I think it may have been that it can be applied over a wider time range than the other chemicals which ahve to be used at very specific points in the weed's, or possible the grass's, development).

I have zero sympathy with the Farmers on this one. The instructions on the pack make it absolutely and abundantly clear what the issue is, and that they must inform any recipient of fodder / manure / slurry that the product has been used. IF that HAD happened there wouldn't have been any problem.

Also, the farmers I spoke to near here, last summer, had no knowledge of the issue - so what was the framing press doing about it then? If the product will rely on proper communication in the use-chain then farmers need to demonstrate that they will do that; I haven't seen anything in the last year that suggests that has improved enough to re-instate the licence. If they are going to make any failure-to-communicate usage a criminal offence then fair enough ...

 

clopyralid is used in Verdone Extra

 

I've signed it, but it needs a bit more publicity somehow. There are only 131 signatures so far. Maybe those of us that use other forums, have blogs or their own websites should mention it there too.

The thing is, this is another example of a government that doesn't listen to its public. I remember a while ago the petition against their Pay As You Drive road tax proposal got a record number of signatures and made the news, then totally out of the blue it was on the news yesterday that the government is proposing a new pay as you drive road tax system.

 

wkipedia states that 1459 signed the first petition

 

Clopyralid is also the active ingredient in the trade selective of choice that I use for fine lawns
(Bayer spear head) I use this specifically due to its residual persistence and good kill of sucking clover.

Just as with the agricultural version Bayer clearly state on the label not to use the clippings as a compost or mulch probably also on verdone. Not really a big problem in large gardens, I just pile them up in one area and during a dry spell irrigate with red diesel and burn them up.

Sadly the farmer does not have this option!!!! They do however have other chemicals that whilst they don't have the persistence are very effective.

 

"Sadly the farmer does not have this option"

The farmer can put the manure on cereal crops with no problems (and get a great yield ).... its only flogging it to companies that make Compost, or "giving" it to allotments, etc., that is causing the problem