Sweden s National Action Plan for the sustainable use of plant protection products for the period 2019 2022.
Country
Type of law
Policy
Abstract
This Sweden s National Action Plan (NAP) for the sustainable use of plant protection products for the period 2019 2022 is a cross-sectoral policy document. The overall objective of the National Action Plan is to bring about a decline in the risk trend. The action plan s aim is to improve sustainable pest management further by developing and implementing integrated pest management measures and sustainable cultivation systems.
The NAP seeks to make agriculture more sustainable. Two of the six objectives are: 1. to reduce the risks to the environment and to health; 2. to gradually reduce the levels of plant protection products in surface water and groundwater down almost to zero, in line with the Swedish Parliament s Non-toxic environment environmental quality objective. The measures in the action plan focus on achieving the objectives and on targeted activities based on the specified risks involved in using plant protection products and opportunities for reducing these risks. The focus is on narrowing down the risks to health and the environment, so that measures are taken in areas where the problems are greatest. Actions proposed include: Increasing the proportion of agricultural land farmed organically through activities such as providing information, advice and an environmental compensation scheme; Increasing the area featuring protection areas through activities such as providing information, advice and an environmental compensation scheme; Training, information and advice aimed at reducing the risks involved with autumn treatments using herbicides; Training, information and advice aimed at reducing the risks involved with using plant protection products which are toxic to bees on crops that are attractive to pollinators; Training, information and advice, as well as guidance on carrying out self-monitoring with regard, for instance to safe handling and storage of plant protection products, and on using technical aids, disposal of hazardous waste and the use of protective equipment; etc.
The NAP seeks to contribute to more inclusive and efficient agricultural and food systems. Four of the six objectives are: 1. to ensure that residues of plant protection products in domestically grown vegetables will continue to be low and that the risks to consumers will continue to diminish overall; 2. to reduce the risks for professional users of plant protection products by taking protective measures and establishing appropriate working processes; 3. to limit the use of plant protection products which are harmful to pollinating insects so as to minimise the risks; 4.to develop and use sustainable cultivation systems to a greater extent in order to reduce dependency on chemical plant protection products. The intense use of chemical plant protection products should be reduced, with an increase in the proportion of the organically farmed area being one way of achieving this. Developing sustainable cultivation systems includes, for instance, alternative methods and techniques, choice of varieties, tillage methods, crop rotation and other preventive measures. Actions proposed include: Training, information and advice on integrated pest management, for example, preventive measures, tailored use and application of alternative methods and techniques and the same applying to the use of growth regulators in cereals; Better information about products and their use with the aim of improving the application and handling of plant protection products; Further development of guidance on monitoring for county councils and municipalities with the aim of reducing the impact from using plant protection products; etc.
The Swedish Board of Agriculture is the authority responsible for coordinating and managing the work on the action plan and for organising its monitoring and evaluation. The Board must submit to the Swedish Government proposals for the changes to the plan which are deemed necessary. An annual review meeting will take place among all the agencies involved, with the aim of spotlighting the activities carried out and flagging any problems relating to the set objectives.
The NAP seeks to make agriculture more sustainable. Two of the six objectives are: 1. to reduce the risks to the environment and to health; 2. to gradually reduce the levels of plant protection products in surface water and groundwater down almost to zero, in line with the Swedish Parliament s Non-toxic environment environmental quality objective. The measures in the action plan focus on achieving the objectives and on targeted activities based on the specified risks involved in using plant protection products and opportunities for reducing these risks. The focus is on narrowing down the risks to health and the environment, so that measures are taken in areas where the problems are greatest. Actions proposed include: Increasing the proportion of agricultural land farmed organically through activities such as providing information, advice and an environmental compensation scheme; Increasing the area featuring protection areas through activities such as providing information, advice and an environmental compensation scheme; Training, information and advice aimed at reducing the risks involved with autumn treatments using herbicides; Training, information and advice aimed at reducing the risks involved with using plant protection products which are toxic to bees on crops that are attractive to pollinators; Training, information and advice, as well as guidance on carrying out self-monitoring with regard, for instance to safe handling and storage of plant protection products, and on using technical aids, disposal of hazardous waste and the use of protective equipment; etc.
The NAP seeks to contribute to more inclusive and efficient agricultural and food systems. Four of the six objectives are: 1. to ensure that residues of plant protection products in domestically grown vegetables will continue to be low and that the risks to consumers will continue to diminish overall; 2. to reduce the risks for professional users of plant protection products by taking protective measures and establishing appropriate working processes; 3. to limit the use of plant protection products which are harmful to pollinating insects so as to minimise the risks; 4.to develop and use sustainable cultivation systems to a greater extent in order to reduce dependency on chemical plant protection products. The intense use of chemical plant protection products should be reduced, with an increase in the proportion of the organically farmed area being one way of achieving this. Developing sustainable cultivation systems includes, for instance, alternative methods and techniques, choice of varieties, tillage methods, crop rotation and other preventive measures. Actions proposed include: Training, information and advice on integrated pest management, for example, preventive measures, tailored use and application of alternative methods and techniques and the same applying to the use of growth regulators in cereals; Better information about products and their use with the aim of improving the application and handling of plant protection products; Further development of guidance on monitoring for county councils and municipalities with the aim of reducing the impact from using plant protection products; etc.
The Swedish Board of Agriculture is the authority responsible for coordinating and managing the work on the action plan and for organising its monitoring and evaluation. The Board must submit to the Swedish Government proposals for the changes to the plan which are deemed necessary. An annual review meeting will take place among all the agencies involved, with the aim of spotlighting the activities carried out and flagging any problems relating to the set objectives.
Attached files
Web site
Date of text
Repealed
No
Source language
English
Legislation Amendment
No