New GB Registration Requirement for all Pesticide Users Deadline 22 June

The Official Controls (Plant Protection Products) Regulations 2020 (OCR) are now in force for the following organisations to appear on a central register under the Official Controls (Plant Protection Products) Regulations 2020 (OCR).

Full details available here >>  Failure to register will be breaking the law.

Certification audits conducted by UKFCG will be checking for evidence of registrations. [See UKWAS indicator 1.1.1 and 3.4.3]

All businesses, organisations or sole traders using or storing professional plant protection products (PPPs) or adjuvants in Great Britain (England, Scotland or Wales) must register with Defra, by 22 June 2022. Defra will collect this information on behalf of the Scottish and Welsh Governments.

Registration applies to all organisations whatever the size or business structure. Employees who use professional pesticides do not have to be individually registered, nor do those solely using amateur home & garden products.

You must register every address where you store PPPs and adjuvants, manage sales, keep records, or apply them (if on your business property such as land you own or rent).
You should not add the addresses where you apply PPPs for clients on their land.

This legal requirement is being backed up by increased inspections by Defra and will be enforced.
The registration form can be found here, and once completed, should be saved and emailed to: GB-OCR-Notification@defra.gov.uk

Assistance in filling the form can be gained by emailing to: Defra.helpline@defra.gov.uk or by phone to: 03459 335577.

 

Example

The woodland is owned by an estate / private individual / public authority etc. The land is managed by an external woodland management company and they hire a contractor to apply a PPP.

  • The contractor needs to complete the form as the buyer and storer of the PPP. As the contractor does not own or rent the land they don’t need to submit a location where the PPP was used.
  • The woodland management company don’t complete the form as they didn’t buy, store or apply the PPP.
  • The landowner needs to complete the section on location of PPP used as the owner of the land (of course this could be completed by the woodland management company on behalf of the landowner and submitted under the landowner’s name).

This would also include harvesting contractors using spray bars when felling, and establishment contractors with knap sack sprayers, basically all PPP.

Nurseries treating trees would need to complete all sections of the form.

 

2022 Tenth Anniversary re-evaluation audit of UKFCG by Soil Association

The closing meeting of the audit took place last week.  So far, a pleasing result with just one minor NC and one Observation.  However, there are follow-up requests for documents to be actioned over the next few days, so the final report outcome is yet to be finalised.  We hope to be in a position to provide a full report on the audit in the next few weeks.  This will include feedback on a range of subjects which came under scrutiny, did not result in any corrective actions, but all members should be aware of to avoid the risk of non-conformity in future.

A big thank you to the nine forest managers whose forest areas were selected for the audit as a representative sample of all UKFCG members.  In relation to the current UKFCG membership of 170 forests with a total area in excess of 80,000 hectares and harvesting over half a million tonnes of timber annually, the outcome of the audit was exceptionally good.

 

Management Changes at UKFCG

With effect from 1st April Phil Webb is now the sole Director of UKFCG and is the main point of contact for all members, Paul Sandys continues to work for UKFCG in the role of Lead Auditor.  Simon Webb has joined UKFCG and is currently undergoing FSC auditor training and will be meeting as many UKFCG members as possible in the year ahead.   With additional admin support we will be making some changes to our website and upgrading a number of our documents.  Streamlining our record keeping and improving our communications to members is increasingly important with continued expansion.  We will keep everyone updated with developments over the next few months.

 

Welcome to new members who have recently joined UKFCG

Knockinglews                         Dinnet Estate                          Over Dalgliesh

Fasach Forest                          North Skelmonae                    Tarcriesh

Glass Rig