guide to pesticides
During the 1990’s, the media reported growing concerns about the use of pesticides in food. And our members and customers shared this concern.
So we developed an industry leading pesticide policy to cover all our produce:
- Fresh and frozen vegetables and fruit
- Canned vegetables and fruit
- Dried fruit
- Vegetables in frozen and chilled ready meals
- Fruit within our yoghurts.
Co-operative Pesticide Policy has 4 lists to restrict the use of pesticides:
- Banned – We won’t touch them
- Prohibited – Our growers are only allowed to use them after prior permission from The Co-operative
- Monitored – We allow their use, but monitor it annually
- No restrictions – We allow their use
The co-operative and pesticides, a chronological History.
1980’s
Prioritisation of pesticides, with crop specific guidelines on peas by Co-op Farms.
1995-99
Member and Consumer concerns over excessive use and residues, shown through a number of independent surveys.
1999
Launch of Co-operative Retail Pesticide Policy. This document sought to provide advice to improve grower controls, describe guidelines on pesticide use and minimisation.
2000
Launch of “Green and Pleasant Land,” a report which sought to focus attention on the usage of agrochemicals and especially challenge government, the EU and industry for more radical controls of pesticides.
2002
A banned and “with approval” list of 32 pesticides launched with the supply base.
2003 – 2004
A pesticide advisory group was set up, to further develop the policy with the specific aim of developing the lists through the application of a hazard trigger framework. The group contained NGO’s, pesticide experts, Co-op Farms, Co-op Retail & suppliers.
2005
The lists were developed into prohibited and monitored lists, prohibited meant that we prevented its use except under specific circumstances when no other chemical was available, by a system of derogations. The monitored list meant we allowed its use, but advised looking at alternatives that had no restrictions. Liaison of the lists with our suppliers took place both on produce and frozen vegetables.
2006 – 2007
Launched an online, web based version of our Pesticide Code of Conduct, that allows us to monitor all pesticide usage within our fresh produce supply base. We have provided free training to all our fresh produce suppliers in this.
2008
In line with our food ethical membership consultation, we have extended our banned and prohibited lists to 24 banned pesticides that will never be used on Co-op fresh produce and a prohibited list of 98 pesticides, that can only be used with a derogation.
What is a pesticide?