19 June 2019
Two scientists from Cranfield University will visit the island this week (Thursday, 20 June - Friday, 21 June) to discuss the latest practices in pesticide and fertiliser use with Government, members from the potato and dairy industries and Jersey Water.
Dr Robert Simmons, an expert in sustainable soil management, and Dr Lynda Deeks, a research fellow in soil science, will tour potato fields in St Ouen and Grouville. After visiting growers, they will take part in presentations and discussions at Howard Davis Farm with officers from Growth, Housing and Environment and Assistant Environment Minister, Deputy Gregory Guida. The group will discuss how to tackle nutrient run off, erosion and how pesticides and fertilisers can best be used to suit Jersey soil.
Deputy Guida said: “Government already has robust guidelines for pesticide use, we want to continually evaluate these while growing a sustainable future for agriculture and protecting our biodiversity. We hope the information will also be useful to the Action for Cleaner Water Group to support their excellent work on farming practices and water quality.”
Steve Thompson, Environment Plant Pathologist and Laboratory Manager, said: “Our partnership with world experts from Cranfield University helps us evaluate our own use of pesticides and fertilisers to see what we could do better and keep us up to date with the latest innovations and products on the market.”