Sugar beet industry reacts to neonicotinoid review
16th September 2025
The sugar beet industry has raised concerns following the release of new guidance on emergency use of neonicotinoid pesticides.
The Health and Safety Executive has published new guidance for emergency authorisations of pesticides.
DEFRA explained that these changes will “clarify and strengthen the existing guidance to ensure that anyone applying for an emergency authorisation to use a pesticide must take full account of the risks it poses to pollinators in their application”.
“This is the next step in delivering the government’s commitment to end the use of banned neonicotinoids in England,” a spokesperson for the department added.
Cruiser SB denied emergency authorisation for 2025
This is the first time in five years that an emergency authorisation for Cruiser SB – which contains the neonicotinoid thiamethoxam – has not been approved for use.
The government said it has made a pledge to support farmers to reduce reliance on chemical pesticides in the UK Pesticides National Action Plan 2025. This includes measures to increase the use of Integrated Pest Management techniques.
DEFRA confirmed that the new Environmental Improvement Plan will be published in due course.
Concerns raised
NFU deputy president David Exwood said: “Emergency authorisations are only applied for in extreme circumstances where there are no other viable options to protect crops from severe threats of disease, pests or weeds, and farmers from economic loss.
“For example, past derogations have been sought for the use of seed treatment to protect against the devastating impact of virus yellows (VY) disease on British sugar beet on the basis that an independent, scientific model forecasts an emergency threat. Strict controls limit how long these products can be used for and the area they can be used on.”
Mr Exwood added that each emergency authorisation application should be assessed on a case-by-case basis, taking a scientific and evidence-based approach.
“We are concerned this latest approach taken by DEFRA could have unintended consequences on the future availability of these emergency measures, upon which farming sectors – facing new pest issues across hundreds of crops – can be reliant,” he concluded.
A spokesperson for Syngenta said that its field technical managers will be looking to provide sugar beet growers with appropriate advice for the best practice control of virus vector aphids using available insecticide and Integrated Pest Management strategies, according to risk factors ascertained from aphid monitoring and crop growth stages in spring 2026.
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