Contaminated Manure

[alan refail]

This problem looks as though it's become widespread and likely to get worse.
I agree there's no point bothering with Dow - they will only claim "You were warned" last November.

Interesting and disturbing to hear of people buying affected manure from "an organic farm". More forum discussion from the organic perspective here.

I think DEFRA are the ones to involve; it will be interesting to see whether they are more responsive than PSD.

[oldherbaceous]

Without reading through all the replies again to see if they have been informed, how about getting in touch with Patrick Holden or Monty Don from the Soil Association.

Whether it goes against the grain or not, they might be interested and would carry a lot of weight in such a situation.

Just a thought.

Dear Gallotments, you are doing a sterling job.

[richard p]

ive had a reply from the pesticide directorate, which basically said , any questions about residues should be addressed to Dow. ive asked the directorate to confirm that to give approval they only look at data supplied by the manufacturer and that there are no independant tests to confirm what they claim.
to me it looks like a rubber stamp job, no chemical company seeking approval for a product are going to supply negative data.
in short the system is designed to approve products not to independantly test them.

[glallotments]

Hi,
I have emailed DEFRA about a week ago but no repsonse.

I have tried looking for contacts for celeb gardeners but it haven't managed to find any direct contacts. (I think Monty Don will have too much on his mind at the moment following his illness) but I have made posts on the blogs for Joe Swift, Alys Fowler and the producer of Gardeners' World - only Alys has responded. I also emailed Christine Walkden and she replied saying she would see if the One Show were interested but hasn't got back. I emailed James Martins manager (he has had a gardening/cookin programme).

The Telegraph were one of the papers that I emailed with links to our website but the articles to be honest doesn't ask questions does it. The Observer were supposed to be getting back tome but haven't yet. I am going to email the Telegraph with questions and point them to my web page

I also wonder about manufacturers of compost as at least one person thinks that may have been contaminated. I think if as many people a possible can contact as many as possible then we will have done our best. Incidentally DOW are ringing me this morning to go through one or two things. In a lot of ways it isn't them who are responsible but protocols set up by who - government - to regulate and have some method of informing the supply chain - certification of some sort to say what chemicals have been used prior to people buyng silage/bedding etc.

Again if anyone suspects that they have had this problem contact thr RHS for confirmation and let me know so that I ca add it to my list on our website http://glallotments.co.uk/ACManure.aspx

Anyone else with a website please add a link back to my page.

[glallotments]

Jut had nearly an hour on the phone with a DOW person and I have to say he was extremely helpful and answered all my questions as best he could.

DOW do seem to be taking this very seriously - even though they are just one of the manufacturers who produce a herbicide that could have this effect. Apparently they are the only one that have a helpline which is why everyone is being pointed in their direction. They are happy to field enquiries but in many ways the naming of DOW and aminopyralid means that we may miss asking questions and assume that if we avoid aminopyralid then everything will be fine when other chemicals could be present that have the same affect. THis could include agents applied to wood shavings that may be used for horse bedding.

DOW do have strategies in place that their distributors have to conform to but it is as the effects of the product move down the chain that information appears to be lost. They are going to work with the RHS to try and develop strategies to ensure that situations such as this are avoided in the future. My concern is that it seems to be that the government are just passing the buck! DOW may establish effective protocols but will other companies?

[glallotments]

Just added information from my telephone conversation with DOW on our website scroll wel down.

http://glallotments.co.uk/ACManure.aspx

[glallotments]

Response from HSE is to contact PSD. More going around in circles. (If I do they will pass me on to DOW again no doubt. I have replied that it isn't the here and now that we need support with (we know what to do know we have been contaminated), but how protocols are established to prevent this happening in the future which I would hope is a government concern.

Ironic isn't it that the most helpful contact so far has been a chemical company!!

[glallotments]

Spoke to the Observer today. They had read the article in the Yorkshire Post!

[glallotments]

I received a letter from an influencial source recommending that I contact Pesticide Action Network so I emailed the named contact immediately.

I have also emailed again Sky news, and BBC news. Newspapers are fine but don't hit a mass audience. Ou website is still getting emails from affected people so it is definitely a national problem. If you are reading this and affected please email our website or blog

[PLUMPUDDING]

Thank you for all your hard work Gallotments. I've been using tons of well rotted horse manure this year, so had quite a panick when I read about your problems, but my farmer assures me he doesn't use any chemicals on his pasture, and my plants all look very healthy.

Have you contacted the Independent Newspaper, they are very keen on things like this?

Thanks again,
Pat

[Geoff]

The Telegraph have reproduced a snippet from the RHS

[glallotments]

Hi Plum Pudding,
Yes Independent didn't reply to my email.

Just a word of warning - one person has contacted me to say his manure came from an organic farm - the herbicide can come via the bedding bought in and a farmer may not know a herbicide has been used. As someone else mentioned organic farmers apparently can buy in bedding from non-organic sources. However, if your plants look OK that's the main thing. Our potatoes look as though they are showing signs of improvement. Latest casualties are aubergine plants.

My main concern now really other than publicity is to try and get the government to sort something out so that this can't happen again or anything like it.

[alan refail]

Excellent job by the Observer today.

http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/food/2008/0 ... _blam.html

[glallotments]

Yes it is good coverage.

Just as long as the protest stays on the right track. (see their blog) i.e. that we ordinary gardeners have been affected by a chemical that shouldn't have managed to reach us because of a lack of protection from those who licence it etc. If we end up looking like anti-chemical activists then sympathy/support may be lost from some quarters. Just a personal worry - others may not agree.

[JohnN]

Do we have any names of bagged proucts that may be affected? I have just bought from my Allotment Association (but not yet used!) bags of J Arthur Bowers Farmyard Manure and also Micael Kings "Camelot" Horse manure. Are they safe, do we know?
John N