Contaminated Manure

[glallotments]

The RHS have now issued warnings on
http://www.rhs.org.uk/news/Weedkiller-manure.asp
http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profiles07 ... manure.asp
I have emailed the BBC, ITV and Sky and also another Gardening Magazine.
I have also emailed the manufacturer as follows.
"I am also concerned that no guarantee can be given that we are able to eat any produce that we can actually retrieve form our crops – although at this stage it looks unlikely that many of our crops will succeed in producing any yield other than a few potatoes. Our plot holders are devastated as they see a whole year’s work and not insubstantial amount of money spent to provide their families with fruit and vegetables for the year wasted. Some have treated the whole of their plot with the manure. Some have used manure to mulch fruit bushes and trees that take several years to provide a yield – is fruit affected? If you can’t guarantee that we can eat our produce, then can you guarantee that the milk and meat from livestock grazed on pastureland treated with the herbicide is safe to consume. Also does the herbicide have any effect on bees, butterflies, ladybirds etc that are feeding from affected plants.
One final concern probably the most serious is – it would seem that the only way in which the end user can know whether or not this herbicide has been used at the start of the food chain is if each supplier gives his customer the required information. We only need one break in this link to result in the consequences that we are now faced with. I can see that if we do trace our source – if the farmer has a regular supplier of sileage and/or bedding then we are probably going to be faced with a difficult task of finding out who exactly is to blame. Farmers who contributed to a forum that I have been taking part in didn’t even know that such a chemical existed.
Plot-holders on our site are semi organic. They only use chemical control if it is absolutely unavoidable. Many refuse to use weedkillers on their soil at all. One of the main reasons that they grow their own is to avoid chemical pollution. They considered manure to be a good natural product but are now regretting that they ever bought the stuff. Presumably even when the effects of the contamination has worn off the soil will still hold traces of contaminant. About 20 plots on our site have been affected. We need help urgently and some answers as to what we can do to minimise our problem".
I have also emailed the council officers responsible for allotments and asked that they inform all site secretaries in our area and all allotments officers in the country.
I am getting round to government officials next.
The farmer who supplied the manure has responded to say he was totally unaware that any herbicide lasted so long and that although he produces most of his own herbicide-free sileage he does buy in some from a number of farms. I have asked if he can let us have information of which farms. But it sounds as though we are going to have a devil of a job to track it back.

[Johnboy]

Hi Gallotments,
It would appear that the Health and Safety Executive are the controllers of the use, storage and safe disposal etc.
JB.
Lifted from the PSD website;

Responsibilities for Enforcement
Responsibility for enforcement is shared between the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), local authorities and the Agriculture Departments.

The HSE are authorised to enforce controls on the storage and use of pesticides as part of the work activity such as by industrial users in the treatment of timber, in private dwellings by professional contractors, use in agriculture and the storage of pesticides by certain distributors, and use by Local Authorities and public utilities. They are also responsible for the use of pesticides as part of a work activity in private dwellings.

Local authorities enforce controls in respect of the advertisement, sale, supply, storage and use for those areas not under HSE's jurisdiction, such as wholesale and retail premises, hotels and residential accommodation, warehouses, museums, catering establishments, sports grounds (including golf courses), gardens, parks and garden centres. Local authority responsibility is usually split between trading standard officers, who are responsible for consumer aspects of advertising, sale and supply and environmental health officers, who undertake enforcement in respect of storage and use in areas not covered by the HSE. Some Local Authorities, however, combine these functions.

[glallotments]

I have now emailed, MPs, MEPs, Defra Ministers, Prime Minister and Prince Charles so will now have a go at the people you suggested too Johnboy.
Just maybe someone out there will pick up the banner!

[richard p]

i was involved in a dispute locally with an agricultural contractor/farmer over missuse of chemicals some 25 years ago, we eventually got hse and county council, i think it was environmental health, activly involved which did eventually resolve the problem, in that case it was spraying at very high pressure in high winds with clouds of mist blowing over residential property and a dairy unit. it took a couple of years, FOE and a nearby MP, not our own, were very good.

[Johnboy]

Hi Gallotmets,
Having just re-read Responsibility for Enforcement it also says the Local Authority enforcement is split between Trading Standards and the Environmental Health Department.
As we are not at all sure of the health aspect I feel that your local Environmental Health Department are the people who should be able to get to the truth
about the safety of the consumption of any crops that may survive. Try and get them to visit the sight with you. If possible make a personal visit to their office. Do not take no for an answer but if they will not entertain you get your mobile out and phone the local paper from their office! So go armed with the number.
I also think that we must contact as many other gardening forums and 1. make them aware of the situation and 2.If at all possible to enlist their help.
I feel that you are doing an awful lot and hope that your fellow allotmenteers are helping you.
Carry on the good work.
JB.

[oldherbaceous]

I have been reading this topic with much interest.
But i do hope that the powers that be, don't lay all the blame at the farmers doorstep.
I think we know how these so called high profile people like to find a scape-goat.

I should say the farmer and his family are worried sick with the implications of the situation, wether his is guilty of negligence or not.

[Johnboy]

Hi OH,
When you use a chemical spray you should be aware of what you are doing and what effects it will have on the land in relation to other living material. For the farmer to say I didn't know this and that is no excuse. It is your duty of care to know any possible hazards.
I somehow think that Dow Agrosciences have supplied insufficient information about their product and have sold their products on what they will achieve for the farmer without highlighting the possible hazards. They are not forthcoming with any explanations. In this instance the PSD don't know if they are on their arses or their elbows either.
I have no doubt that the farmer is remorseful but I am afraid that is not enough.
I think that they maybe if we make a big enough stink we can get these products removed from the list of approved chemicals.
I feel that we should be thinking of Gallotments and his fellow allotmenteers and let the farmer sweat!
JB.

[oldherbaceous]

Dear Johnboy, don't get me wrong, my sympathies are with Gallotments and the other allotmenteers above all. The uncertainty of it all must be quite overwhelming.

But it just goes to show how a little lack of thought can cause such a trauma, especially when it shouldn't be able to happen in the first place.

[glallotments]

Hi Johnboy,
Environmental Health have been back and advised that I contact DEFRA - I emailed back to say that I had but I will contact again as you suggest.
No other replies as yet.

[glallotments]

Old herbaceous,
I have emailed the farmer and he responded saying that he was grateful that I had informed him of the issue as he too wasn't aware that such a persistent chemical existed.
He doesn't use herbicides and so any contaminated sileage came from another source which I have asked if he can give us info on.
I don't blame the supplier of the manure at all and will make sure anyone who asks me knows that. At the end of the day protocols don't seem adequate for the use of the chemical considering its persistence.

[glallotments]

[Johnboy
Just for the record I'm a her!

[Johnboy]

Hi Gallotments,
I guess that my eyes are not what they used to be but to miss your avatar altogether is really unforgivable. Thick or what! Sincere apologies.
JB.

[glallotments]

Hi Gallotments,
I guess that my eyes are not what they used to be but to miss your avatar altogether is really unforgivable. Thick or what! Sincere apologies.
JB.

No problem - to be honest I started off without an avatar but then everyone else had one and I felt left out so I uploaded one half way through the discussion

[oldherbaceous]

Dear Gallotments, may i just say, i think you have handled the situation impeccably.

[glallotments]

First result - interview with the Yorkshire Post and photographer coming tomorrow - well it's a start.

Thanks for the encouragement