The Voluntary Initiative is the name which has been given to the programme of measures aimed at minimising the environmental impacts of pesticides. The 27 projects that comprise the Initiative were proposed by the farming industry as an alternative to a pesticide tax and have been accepted by Government.

The overall aim of “The Voluntary Initiative” is to reduce the environmental effects of pesticide use and to improve biodiversity. The Crop Protection Association (CPA) has set out how it intends to deliver the programme and has identified, by a national survey, those aspects of crop protection that pose the greatest risk to the environment and biodiversity. The CPA and the signatory organisations are currently focusing on developing practical and effective techniques to minimise these risks. A comprehensive training and technology transfer programme to promote better practices on-farm will support the entire process and this has the full support of organisations charged with delivering pesticides-related training such as BASIS and the National Proficiency Testing Council.

The Initiative is industry-led and financed. However, the Environment Minister in the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Michael Meacher MP, has established a steering group to oversee progress over a five-year period. The membership of the steering group was chosen to represent a wide variety of interests and includes: farming and land owning organisations, the crop protection industry, the water industry, Non-Governmental Organisations, and a range of Government departments. SEPA is represented on the steering group, together with NFU Scotland, while the Scottish Executive, with others, acts as “observers” at the meetings.

The content of the Initiative, and a description of how its aims are to be delivered, can be found by accessing http://www.voluntaryinitiative.org.uk