Does the UK Pesticides National Action Plan go far enough?

Last week, the UK Government published its policy framework on pesticides. It's titled the "UK Pesticides National Action Plan 2025: Working for a more sustainable future".

The National Action Plan (NAP) was originally due to be published in 2018. It represents a set of objectives that aim to support farmers and land managers to manage pests and pesticide use more sustainably. The goal is to benefit the environmental and human health.

Though long overdue, its publication was urgently needed. It comes at a time when we know we’re losing the battle to save nature. Recently published data indicates Defra has ranked progress on its nature recovery target as amber/red. The NAP provides a framework to help tackle the increasing challenge of pesticide use, and encourage more nature-friendly farming. But does it go far enough?

Why is the NAP important?

'Pesticide' is an umbrella term for agricultural chemicals, like herbicides, insecticides and fungicides. They're known to damage soil health and are extremely harmful to wildlife. They fuel invertebrate, wildflower, and pollinator decline. Their widespread use is driving global biodiversity loss, and the UK is no exception.

According to the latest State of Nature report, we’re one of the most nature-depleted countries on earth. As well as the climate crisis, this biodiversity loss is a key contributor to food insecurity. A resilient food system relies on healthy, living ecosystems, from the ground up.

Pesticides are also highly toxic and can have serious implications for human health. Exposure to these chemicals is linked to various chronic illnesses, like cancer, and heart, respiratory and neurological diseases. 

There is also growing evidence that pesticides become more harmful when combined. This phenomenon known as the cocktail effect. Some foods have been found to contain up to 14 different pesticides in a single item. 

To tackle this issue, the UK needs a plan to reduce pesticide use. We need to support nature-friendly farming methods, such as organic. We need a set a pathway for an ambitious transition to more sustainable management practices. We need support for non-chemical alternative management practices. Farmers, the environment and the public would all benefit from this shift in the long run.

What does the Soil Association think should be in the NAP?

It's vital the UK reaches the targets in the NAP. Doing so would also help us reach our legally binding climate and biodiversity commitments.

However, much more support is needed for farmers to transition to sustainable pest management. This support would mitigate the impact of chemical pesticides on our food system and health.

The good news is, there are clear solutions to this challenge. There is already a productive farming system thriving without artificial pesticides. It's called organic!

For decades, organic farmers have innovated to produce good food in harmony with nature. It’s disappointing that the NAP fails to acknowledge the role these farmers play in supporting a healthy and sustainable food system. There is no mention of organic and no clear commitments to scale up this way of farming.

To spark the change we need to see, the Government must show genuine support for organic. We’ve been working with ally organisations to call for an Organic Action Plan to help scale up organic farming. This plan would tackle the existing barriers to organic production and consumption across the country.

We're also urging the Government to reinstate support for farmers to convert to organic. This follows the closure of the Sustainable Farming Incentive earlier this month. Without that support, it is not clear how farmers will be supported in the conversion to organic. Only 3% of UK farmland is organic, so that support is needed more than ever.

What's in the NAP?

The NAP sets the UK's first pesticide reduction target: to reduce potential harm from pesticides by 10% by 2030. The target will take into account both amount used and toxicity of a pesticide, which is great to see. The plan also encourages the uptake of Integrated Pest Management. This is a useful step towards reducing the reliance on these chemicals. It encourages more nature-friendly practices. But when you think of the damage caused by pesticides, this target, whilst welcome, is really quite modest.

What's next?

We welcome the publication of the NAP, but much more is needed to help support a healthy, safe and sustainable food system. The Soil Association’s policy team will continue working with our allies from across the sector. The Government must reward the farmers that are already working in harmony with nature - while encouraging others to make that shift. Our environment, health and wildlife depend on it.

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