| Pests
Nobody expects the Wildlife Incident Investigators!
Iain Turner BSc, MSc, DIC, DMS Director National Pest Technicians Association.
I run two pest control courses at a local Agricultural College, one on the Safe Use of Aluminium Phosphide( City & Guilds) and the other on the Safe Use of Rodenticides( RSPH Level 2). They both result in Approved Certification in the use of the pesticide products concerned, which are now a legal requirement * for any professional user.
A‘ late entry’ on the Aluminium Phosphide course I ran last week was a dairy farmer who had just realised that they were due to cut silage and they’ d run out of‘ gas’ to control the moles. They’ d tried to buy some more and found that their local supplier had stopped selling it. They found another supplier, some distance away, but then found they didn’ t have the proper certification to buy it or use it( even though this requirement has been around since November 2015!).
Members of the National Pest Technicians Association( NPTA) have over 1,000 Members all over the country, many with a great deal of experience working with farmers, allowing them to get on with what they are good at – farming.
They did get a quote from a local pest controller, but thought their price was too high, hence the last minute inclusion on my course, which they felt was a cheaper option.
The day long course is followed by a one-to-one assessment, both of which have a significant cost. What they hadn’ t realised, however, was that you have to turn up to the assessment with your own application equipment and respirator, which added another £ 250 + onto their setup costs!
Suddenly, the quote by the professional pest controller didn’ t seem so expensive after all!
The rodent control course is also a day long, which seems a long time to many who come on it, often very grudgingly. I’ ve had farmers on the course who’ ve …“ been doing rat control for 30 years”… and resent having to do more training. That’ s understandable, but as they soon learn, things have changed significantly over that time and that’ s what they need to understand.
Of course, no-one is looking over your shoulder when you’ re doing your rat control work, so who’ s going to know if you don’ t exactly follow the rules?
The problem is that there are a lot of people out there looking for dead‘ non-target’ animals, especially for birds of prey, like Barn Owls. These bird lovers are looking for evidence of poisoning because many want rodenticides banned and if they find a dead bird, they will likely find that evidence.
In 2015 95 % of Barn Owls tested had residues of anticoagulant rodenticides in their bodies.
That not only is proof that there is widespread and uncontrolled leakage of these chemicals into the food chains, but could well trigger a Wildlife Incident Investigation.
And what happens if that dead bird just happened to be found on or near your property?
You may be entirely innocent. You may have been following the requirements of the Rodenticides Stewardship Regime to the letter, so should have nothing to fear – but could you prove it?
One thing that those attending the new rodenticide training courses quickly find out is that there is a lot more paperwork involved than previously.
There are Site Risk Assessments, Environmental Risk Assessments, COSHH Assessments of the products used, Site Surveys, site maps, Treatment Reports every time they use rodenticides, follow up reports, reports showing rodenticide waste is being properly disposed of … the list goes on and on. And all this paperwork needs to kept ready for
inspection, just in case the Wildlife Incident Investigators knock at the door.
It is, unfortunately, the way all trades and professions are going. It is no longer acceptable to just do a good job, you have to keep a record of what you are doing, just in case it is ever needed. It’ s called building up your‘ due diligence defence’.
Professional pest controllers have been aware of this trend for some years and have come to terms with it. They’ ve also developed experience at dealing with the pests concerned, so can deal with rats, moles and rabbits much more effectively and efficiently than those who do it every now and then when the need arises.
In short, professional pest controllers can relieve farmers of the paperwork burden that is now an essential part of pest control – as well as dealing with the pests!
Members of the National Pest Technicians Association( NPTA) have over 1,000 Members all over the country, many with a great deal of experience working with farmers, allowing them to get on with what they are good at – farming.
So instead of‘ bodging it’, may I suggest you contact the NPTA Office at 01773 717 716 or email office @ npta. org. uk to get the contact details of professional, properly trained, experienced and insured pest controllers in your area who can help you.
After all, nobody expects the Wildlife Incident Investigators … but they’ re out there.
* Farmers who are members of certain Farm Assurance Schemes will not need this certification. Check with your FAS. Those who are not members of such‘ approved schemes’ will require specific certification in order to purchase and use‘ professional use’ rodenticides from the 1st January 2018. For further information, contact the Campaign for Responsible Rodenticide Use( CRRU) www. thinkwildife. org
www. farmingmonthly. co. uk August 2017 | Farming Monthly | 39