7th July 2009
Contractor’s Response to High Court Appeal on Pesticides
Responding to today's High Court Appeal result on pesticides, the National Association of Agricultural Contractors (NAAC) is relieved and pleased that a reasonable decision has been reached.
‘We do recognise that residents and bystanders have concerns about spraying but we must be allowed to make a proportionate decision about how to reassure individuals based on local conditions’, commented Jill Hewitt, NAAC Chief Executive.
‘We will continue to work closely with the NFU on their good neighbour guide and will be liaising with our membership to further assess the current methods in place and if and how this can be improved. We will also working with Defra to ensure appropriate measures are put in place.’
The Court of Appeal today overturned Georgina Downs previous decision in the High Court.
Defra won its appeal, overruling the previous judgement that it had failed in its duty to protect rural residents during pesticides application.
Jill Hewitt said, ‘Sprayer contractors are already a highly trained,
highly regulated sector of the industry. They are serious about their businesses and serious about the need to
protect the safety of the public and environment. The spraying operation is a highly visible, sensitive operation
and a contractor cannot afford to make mistakes – every job is an advert for their business therefore it must be
done properly.’
For further information contact:
Jill Hewitt, Chief Executive, National Association of Agricultural Contractors
Mobile: 07889 511245 Email: jill.hewitt@naac.co.uk
Notes
- Founded in 1897, the NAAC is the representative organisation for contractors in the UK who supply all types of land-based services to farmers, government, local authorities, sports and recreational facilities.