The BASF Pest Control Forum was a very useful event, giving us the opportunity to speak with AF Members, learn about Red Tractor pest control specifications and hear general industry updates. 

Here are my key notes from the event. 

Top tips 

• Keep your paperwork up to date. This may sound and obvious one, but make sure it covered everything required on the Red Tractor (or other) assurance specification including site survey, environmental risk assessment, bait plan and COSHH assessment.
• Don’t be afraid to challenge an auditor if they ask for something not on the specification.
• Always consider alternative control methods before baiting e.g. monitoring and trapping.
• Use correct actives in the right places and the right way.

Future of anticoagulants

• Residuals in birds of prey are not dropping but getting worse with Brodifacoum use.
• Increased resistance has been recorded from using difenacoum and bromadiolone.
• Small mammal residuals / secondary poisoning from eating slugs and snails.
• ‘Open Space’ (away from buildings) to be removed from labels in July 2024.

Stay in the know (CPD)

• CPD will become mandatory in 2026 to buy and use professional rodenticide products.
• BASF will launch free CPD materials and online courses to satisfy the requirements.

Product updates

Glue boards and difenacoum 

• Glue boards will be outright banned in Scotland and Wales (sale and use). England has passed legislation to ban sales/use to the public but can be used by professionals (until April 2024 where rules will be determined).
• Difenacoum is being phased out due to increased resistance and the availability of more potent rodenticides.

Storm range 

• Storm Secure – highly effective cereal based bait, useful in poor conditions as it is waxy.
• Stom Ultra – new generation single feed blocks, effective against rats and mice, very palatable.

Selontra

• Not persistent or bio-accumulative in the environment.
• Targets house mice, brown rats and black rats.
• Only product in the UK which is approved for use on Field and Wood mice.
• No known resistance.
• The professional market is shifting to using cholecalciferol over traditional anticoagulants.

Your AF Crop Protection team can procure all your pest control products. Order by email or call 01603 881 906.