The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) is urging farmers and growers across Northern Ireland to fill out and submit its pesticide usage monitoring survey before the deadline closes.
The surveys, which are being delivered by the Agri-Food and Bioscience Institute (AFBI), are designed to gauge the overall usage of plant protection products, more commonly known as pesticides, during the 2025 growing season in NI.
DAERA stated that farmers and growers are being selected for surveying “through a random sample” and AFBI will send those selected a letter requesting details about their pesticide usage last year, with some reportedly receiving their letters already.
While participation is voluntary, DAERA is encouraging farmers to take part as the survey aims to provide information that will “ensure future decisions, policies, and support reflect the real pesticide needs and practices of Northern Ireland’s agricultural and horticultural sector”.
Pesticide survey
This survey covers four different categories of growers: grassland; fodder crops; vegetables; and edible protected crops.
Selected grassland and fodder crop growers have been given the deadline to return their surveys by January 31, 2026, while vegetable and edible protected crop growers have until February 28, 2026 to submit their entries.
According to DAERA, all participants will have received a stamped, addressed envelope, which should be used to make their return.
DAERA
The department outlined that the collection of this data through the survey is not related to the recent publicity on the new plant protection product record-keeping obligations, which introduced mandatory digital record-keeping for pesticide usage.
DAERA added that all data collected will be anonymised and aggregated before being published in the final report, with no individual farm details being mentioned.
Farmers and growers may be contacted by AFBI surveyors to gather more detailed information where needed.
