The UK government has unveiled its first National Action Plan (NAP) on pesticides in more than a decade, aiming to reduce environmental harm and enhance sustainable farming practices.

The plan sets a target to reduce pesticide-related environmental risks by 10% by 2030, focusing on minimising the impact of pesticides on human health and the environment, while supporting food production.

The NAP, which includes a commitment to enhance integrated pest management (IPM) techniques, encourages farmers to adopt nature-based solutions and alternative methods, such as crop rotation and biopesticides, to manage pests without heavily relying on chemical pesticides.

See also: Imported food found to carry higher pesticide residues

This shift aims to lower farmers’ expenditure on chemicals, thereby increasing productivity in the long term.

The NFU welcomed the long-awaited publication of the plan but expressed concerns about its effectiveness without support from the suspended Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), which provides payments for IPM practices but has been temporarily closed to new applicants.

Environment minister Emma Hardy highlighted the importance of balancing productivity with environmental protection: “The government is restoring our natural world while supporting economic growth.

“Today, we’re going further by helping farmers transition to sustainable practices,” she said.

The action plan includes a UK-wide reduction target for pesticides, monitored using a Pesticide Load Indicator, which tracks the environmental impact of pesticide use across 20 key indicators.

The goal is to reduce the reliance on conventional chemicals while maintaining effective pest management.

Industry reaction

NFU deputy president David Exwood highlighted the lack of detail in the plan and commitment to ensure farmers and growers will have the crop solutions they need to produce food now and in the future.

He also noted the need for continued IPM support to balance environmental goals with food production and farm competitiveness.

Scottish agriculture minister Jim Fairlie stressed the importance of providing farmers with the necessary tools to manage pests sustainably.

“Our goal is to minimise pesticide risks while ensuring land managers have effective tools to manage pests and pesticide resistance,” he said.

Martin Lines, chief executive of the Nature Friendly Farming Network UK, welcomed the action plan, but said the success of these targets hinges on full support from retailers and distributors.

“For farmers, this should be a win-win situation, cutting costs while improving soil health.

“We need governments to help farmers reduce reliance on chemicals to tackle the biodiversity and climate crises,” he said.

The NAP is part of the Labour government’s broader strategy to safeguard food security and promote sustainable farming, building on previous actions such as the ban on neonicotinoids.