Vol. 537 No. 1
101 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if any on-farm inspections take place to ensure that farmers using pesticides comply with instructions and do not use pesticides in a manner dangerous to the environment or their neighbours; and if not, the reason therefor. [15471/01]
As part of the residue monitoring programme, when pesticide residues are found in domestically produced food at levels which exceed the statutory MRL, the farmer/producer is visited to assess the on-farm practice used to apply pesticides. If pesticides are not used in accordance with the labelled instructions then legal sanction can be taken against the farmer.
At present consideration is being given to legislation which will ensure that spraying equipment is correctly calibrated and that operators of such equipment are certified to be competent to use the equipment. The certification of wholesale-retail premises and the certification of the competency of the associated staff is also being considered. There are no plans at present to carry out on-farm inspections to check the general use of pesticides from the point of view of effects on the environment or on neighbours as this would be very resource intensive.
