Arable
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) plans
IPM is a whole-farm approach to pest management that maximises productivity while minimising negative impacts on the environment. If your farm uses professional pesticides to produce crops, fodder or feed (including grassland and pasture), you should complete an IPM plan. The VI have worked with the National Farmers Union (NFU) to replace the current IPM plan with an improved plan. The new plan will continue to help farmers meet the requirements of the Sustainable Use Directive, which requires professional users of pesticides to consider the principles of IPM before the use of chemicals.
There are now two versions of the IPM plan, as follows:
1. Broadacre Crops – complete this IPM plan if you farm any combinable, forage and/ or field scale veg crops.
2. Grassland – complete this IPM plan if you farm grassland as a main crop. Pesticide use in grassland is dominated by herbicides. Hence the IPM Assessment Plan for farm businesses with no other crop than grass only covers Integrated Weed Management (IWM).
Activity: How often should an IPM plan be completed?
Activity: Who should be involved in completion of the IPM plan?
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