CORE ACTIVITIES OF THE PESTICIDE USAGE GROUP
	The Section undertakes regular surveys of pesticide usage throughout Scotland covering a wide range of agricultural and horticultural crops and stored products. Detailed quantitative and qualitative information on the use of agricultural pesticides form the essence of published reports. These data  provide the regulatory bodies with an important feedback mechanism for the official process of pesticide registration and review. In short, the surveys provide a snapshot of the type, amount and extent of all pesticides used on individual crops during a particular growing season. A 4-year cycle of surveys ensures that all crops grown in Scotland are covered at least once, with the more important crops such as the arable group, comprising all cereal crops, potatoes and oilseed rape, being surveyed biennially.  The reports detail pesticide usage on each crop in terms of weight, area and percentage treated with a specific active ingredient or mixture of ingredients if co-formulated.
Published Reports During the 2008/09 winter period the pesticide survey group undertook several surveys.  The main survey focused on pesticide usage on arable crops covering the 2007/08 growing season.  The total recorded area of arable crops in Scotland was 525,473 hectares.  Overall for arable crops, fungicides were applied to approximately 3,517,189ha, herbicides to 1,763,932ha and insecticides to 297,227ha, corresponding to 752,  537  and  24 tonnes of active ingredients respectively (herbicide data excludes sulphuric acid). Latest Reports:  Arable Crops 2008  Grain Stores 2008-09 Potato Stores 2008 The 2009 season reports (Grassland and Fodder, Outdoor Bulbs and Flowers and Hardy Nursery Stock) will be published on the website in October 2010.  Access full report list  In addition to our published reports we can also help with more complicated data requirements and are able to supply data for specific active ingredients or groups of pesticides on request. We can supply data encompassing several surveys and in a format that suits your requirements.  We also welcome feedback on our reports.  If you would like to request specific pesticide data or would like to comment on our reports please contact us at  psu@sasa.gsi.gov.uk