Pesticide Usage in Scotland: Rodenticides on Arable Farms 2024
This report presents survey results of rodenticide use on arable farms in Scotland in 2024. Almost 46 tonnes of rodenticides were applied on an estimated 39% of all arable farms in 2024. Rodenticide use in 2024 shows a significant downward trend compared to the previous ten years.
Appendix 1: Estimated rodenticide use and supplementary tables
| Formulation | Total occurrences | Percentage of total specified occurrences |
|---|---|---|
| Alphachloralose (a) | 41 | <1 |
| Brodifacoum | 541 | 12 |
| Bromadiolone | 2516 | 54 |
| Bromadiolone/Difenacoum (a) | 27 | <1 |
| Cholecalciferol (a) | 95 | 2 |
| Difenacoum | 1378 | 29 |
| Difethialone (a) | 43 | <1 |
| Flocoumafen (a) | 53 | 1 |
| Unspecified rodenticide (b) | 570 | n/a |
| Total (excl. unspecified) | 4695 | n/a |
| FGARs (c) | 0 | 0 |
| SGARs (d) | 4559 | 97 |
| Non-Anticoagulant rodenticide (e) | 136 | 3 |
Number of occurrences of each rodenticide formulation and percentage of total occurrences
(a) Estimates are based on <10 occurrences and should therefore be treated with caution
(b) Rodenticides are recorded as unspecified when use has been recorded but product information is not available (refer to methods)
(c) First generation anticoagulant compounds: e.g. coumatetralyl, warfarin
(d) Second generation anticoagulant compounds: brodifacoum, bromadiolone, difenacoum, difethialone, flocoumafen
(e) Non-anticoagulant rodenticide: alphachloralose, cholecalciferol
| Formulation | Formulation (kg) | Product (kg) | Product (percentage of total use) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alphachloralose (a) | 0.42 | 11 | 0.02 |
| Brodifacoum | 0.66 | 13188 | 28.82 |
| Bromadiolone | 1.23 | 24647 | 53.86 |
| Bromadiolone/Difenacoum (a) | 0.02 | 315 | 0.69 |
| Cholecalciferol (a) | 0.17 | 224 | 0.49 |
| Difenacoum | 0.35 | 7051 | 15.41 |
| Difethialone (a) | <0.01 | 110 | 0.24 |
| Flocoumafen (a) | 0.01 | 212 | 0.46 |
| Unspecified Rodenticide (b) | <0.01 | 330 | n/a |
| Total (excl. unspecified) | 2.86 | 45758 | n/a |
| FGARs (c) | 0.00 | 0 | 0.00 |
| SGARs (d) | 2.27 | 45523 | 99.49 |
| Non-AR (e) | 0.59 | 235 | 0.51 |
Weight of rodenticides applied (kg), expressed as formulations (combination of active substances) and products (active substances, baits and other co-formulants)
(a) Estimates are based on <10 occurrences and should therefore be treated with caution
(b) Rodenticides are recorded as unspecified when use has been recorded but product information is not available (refer to methods)
(c) First generation anticoagulant compounds: e.g. coumatetralyl, warfarin
(d) Second generation anticoagulant compounds: brodifacoum, bromadiolone, difenacoum, difethialone flocoumafen
(e) Non-anticoagulant rodenticide: alphachloralose, cholecalciferol
| Question | Farmer (n= 50) (a) | PCP (n=16) (b) |
|---|---|---|
| 1) Have you attended a training course on rodenticide use? (c) | *44 (d) | *94 |
| 2) Are quantity and location of baits recorded? | 96 | 100 |
| 3) Are bait points protected from non-target animals? | 100 | 100 |
| 4) Is bait regularly inspected? | 100 | 94 |
| 5) Is any open area baiting conducted? | 4 | 19 |
| 6) Is bait removed after targeted baiting periods? | 68 | 63 |
| 7) Are rodent carcasses searched for and removed? (e) | *71 | *100 |
| 8) Did you use non-toxic indicator baits in the last year to monitor rodent activity? | *2 | *50 |
Percentage of positive responses to questions regarding training and compliance with best practice of rodenticide use provided by farmers and pest control professionals responsible for rodenticide baiting on the surveyed farms
(a) Not all farmers returned compliance data. These 50 farmers represent 96% of the 52 farmers who conducted their own rodenticide baiting during this survey.
(b) Not all PCPs returned compliance data. These 16 PCPs represented 44% of the contractors encountered during this survey and collectively conducted baiting on 67% of those farms using a PCP.
(c) Training uptake by farmer here refers to all rodenticide use training, this differs from that reported in Table 5 which only records training that is compliant with rodenticide stewardship and allows professional rodenticide products to be purchased.
(d) Forty eight farmers responded to the question regarding training. These farmers represent 92% of the 52 farmers who conducted their own rodenticide baiting during this survey
(e) Forty two farmers gave a response in relation to carcass disposal method. The most common methods were burying (65%), landfill (30%) and incineration (11%), 18 PCPs gave a response in relation to carcass disposal method. The most common method was burying (50%), landfill (33%), and incineration (10%).
* Responses marked with an asterisk are significantly different between famers and PCPs (P<0.05).
| Question | All farms (n=272) | Farms using rodenticide (n=202) | Farms not using rodenticide (n=70) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1) Is your farm a member of a quality assurance scheme? | 93 | *98 | *80 |
| 2) Is livestock kept on your farm? | 57 | *60 | *46 |
| 3) Do you have a pig unit on your farm? | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| 4) Do you have a poultry unit on your farm? | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| 5) Do you have a grain store? | 63 | *72 | *36 |
Percentage of positive responses to questions regarding farm operations provided by farms where rodenticides are used and where they are not used.
*Responses marked with an asterisk are significantly different between farms that did and did not use rodenticides (P<0.05).
| Question | Percentage yes (n=52) |
|---|---|
| 1) Are you aware of the rodenticide stewardship scheme? | 63 |
| 2a) Have you completed a stewardship compliant training course? (a) | 23 |
| 2b) If no, do you intend to complete a stewardship compliant training course in future? (a) | 6 |
| 3a) When you last purchased rodenticides, did you show a certificate of competence/training in rodenticide use? (b) | 8 |
| 3b) When you last purchased rodenticides, did you demonstrate membership of a compliant quality assurance scheme? (b) | 90 |
| 3c) When you last purchased rodenticides, did you purchase non-professional rodenticides (c)? | 6 |
Percentage of positive responses to questions regarding stewardship provided by farms that applied their own rodenticide
(a) Forty eight farmers responded to the question regarding training. These farmers represent 92% of the 52 farmers who conducted their own rodenticide baiting during this survey
(b) Fifty farmers responded to purchase questions. These farmers represent 96% of the 52 farmers who conducted their own rodenticide baiting during this survey.
(c) Non-professionals are limited to purchasing rodenticides with a strength no more than 0.003% active substance, in limited pack sizes.
Contact
Email: wildlifeunit@sasa.gov.scot