Academic Advisory Panel minutes: 28 October 2024

Items and actions

Chemicals in the environment, and Integrated Pest Management

Introduction  

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and provided feedback on the advisory note regarding greening options for permanent pastures. The Panel members emphasised the importance of the advice in the note and expressed concern that policy development might not be ambitious enough to support future climate and biodiversity targets. They highlighted the need to consider linkages between the Agricultural Reform Programme and other environmental policy targets to avoid a siloed approach to policy development and implementation. With constrained funding, using all policy levers to achieve desired outcomes becomes even more critical.

Chemicals in the environment – minimising negative impacts of pesticides and veterinary medicines

Two updates on work conducted by the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology and the Moredun Institute were presented to the Panel. The first presentation provided a high-level overview of the primary chemical influences on biodiversity in England's landscape and rivers. Evidence and data analysed by the project indicated significant improvement in fish species richness since the 1990s. However, similar improvement has not been observed in terrestrial invertebrates.

The second presentation reviewed work on monitoring the impact of anthelmintics - veterinary medicines used to deworm grazing ruminants - on dung beetles and other dung, soil, and aquatic fauna. It also covered work funded by the Scottish Government to support farmers in making informed decisions about sustainable parasite control. Both presentations highlighted the crucial role of wildlife in indicating environmental health. Wildlife monitoring, supported by statistical analysis, is essential for understanding the key chemicals contributing to species decline.

The follow up discussion answered questions on practices that could help to support sustainable pest control solutions and minimise the impact of chemicals on the environment and biodiversity, indicators that should be considered to monitor the adverse effects of pesticides and veterinary medicines on the environment and biodiversity, and how climate change can affect future risks from pesticides and veterinary medicines. An Advisory Note capturing discussion points will be published on the ARIOB website.  

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) – considerations for the Whole Farm Plan and greening options

An overview of the IPM Assessment Plan, available from the Plant Health Centre (Scotland’s Centre of Expertise), and the IPM Tool, which provides guidance on control measures relevant to individual crops, pests, weeds and diseases, was presented to the Panel to provide background information on the discussion topic. The Panel discussed strategies to increase future uptake of IPM, ways to use data to maximise benefits of IPM adoption, and the potential impact of greening measures on IPM. An Advisory Note capturing discussion points will be published on the ARIOB website.

Any other business

The next AAP meeting is scheduled for 3 February 2025.

The Panel was asked to submit ideas of topics that should be discussed in 2025.

Update on actions from the 5 August meeting was provided.

Summary of actions:

• the AAP secretariat will explore options to make advisory notes available in the public domain – In progress
• the AAP secretariat will discuss with the ARIOB secretariat the possibility of inviting SEPA and Crofting Commission representatives to attend ARIOB meetings as observers – The Cabinet Secretary was content with the suggestion that SEPA and Crofting Commission representatives are invited, when appropriate Action Close
• the AAP secretariat will request feedback from ARIOB on the advice provided by the Panel – In progress