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Dave Chandler

University of Warwick

Biopesticides in the UK: can we get regulatory innovation?

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• Dept of Politics & International Studies.Wyn Grant, Justin Greaves.

• Warwick HRI.Dave Chandler, Gill Prince.

• Dept of Biological Sciences.Mark Tatchell.

RELU project team at Warwick

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Microbials: lack of products

USA 150 - 210

Europe 60

Germany 10

France 15

Netherlands 15

UK 5

(data: EPA 2006, Agri-Food Canada 2005; PSD 2006)

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Biopesticides: why regulation is needed

• Contribute to IPM, but natural doesn’t = safe.

• Costs of regulatory failure are high.

– UK BSE episode stifled regulatory innovation.

• Public money invested in discoveries that never reach the market.

• Need a system of regulation that will

– lead to more products on market

– & not sacrifice safety.

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New understanding of UK biopesticide regulation

• Limitations of biopesticide regulatory system.

• Cost / benefits of biopesticides– How is uptake constrained by social factors?

– Policy network theory, workshops, interviews.

– Identify processes that sustain regulatory innovation.

• Compare regulatory models for pesticide use reduction:– UK (private governance)

– Denmark, USA (legislative)

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Some problems:• Regulatory system in UK & EU is based on chemical

model.– Acts as a barrier to commercialisation (ACP, 2003).– Emphasizes costs rather than benefits.– sustainability goals get forgotten in favour of short term objectives.

• Need a tailored system for biopesticides (now happening).– But the regulator has a difficult job: resolve conflicts of interest.– Bureaucracy is shaped by what’s happened in the past. This

affects what can be done in the future.

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Complex, highly regulated system for plant protection products in the EU

• National authorisations.

• EU wide arrangements.

• Mutual recognition between states.

• Doesn’t work.

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Biopesticides industry: a political maturity problem

• ‘Biological control industry has the weakest policy network I have encountered’ (Grant).

• Small industry largely made up of SMEs.

• IBMA does not have resources of agro-chemical industry, still undergoing organisational development.

• Little coalition building with environmental groups.

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Fractured UK policy network

retailers growers

BiopesticideRegulator

BiopesticideIndustry (IBMA) Non government

organisationsResearchers

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Fractured UK policy network

retailers growers

UK biopesticideRegulator (PSD)

BiopesticideIndustry (IBMA) Non government

organisations

Researchers

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Problems of external costs• Financial costs of biopesticides are borne by

producers.

• But benefits are accrued down the food chain.

• Need to pass benefits back to producers.

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Lack of knowledge

• UK Advisory Committee on Pesticides– Group of experts, responsible for pesticide

approvals including biopesticides.

– Work with the regulator (Pesticides Safety Directorate) but have final say.

– No expertise in biocontrol.

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Developments in UK

• PSD – pilot project leads to Biopesticides Scheme.

• Reduced fees, pre submission meetings.

• Industry not taking full advantage.

• Regulator = scientific public servants: keen to improve knowledge, want sustainable IPM.

– Project team giving lectures, workshops.

– Observe ‘closed’ meetings (PSD, ACP).

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For debate - subsidies• US IR-4 programme; safe & effective pest

management solutions for growers of speciality crops.

• Funded 43 projects since 1994 = $2.85M.

• Works closely as a partner with EPA.

• Supported growth of trade association.

• Is there a market failure that can be remedied by government intervention in UK / EU?

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Some design principles for better regulatory system (UK, EU)

• System must support sustainability objectives (economic, social, environmental).

• An improved knowledge base & chain.

• Stakeholders fully involved in debate about regulation, good communication links.

• Biopesticides ‘champion’ (quasi-governmental), acting as advocate for biopesticides.

• Address challenges posed by role of retailers, & complexities of regulatory state (EU).

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Visit our website

http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/pais/biopesticides/