Pesticide use in agriculture in 2014

Statistics Norway carried out a postal sample survey concerning pesticide use in 2014. Similar surveys were carried out in 2001, 2003, 2005, 2008 and 2011. The survey results serve as information to national authorities when monitoring the pesticide use and in the ongoing work to reach stipulated goals on reduced health and environmental hazard from those substances.

The survey comprised the following crops: Potatoes, onions, common cabbage, carrots, strawberries, apples, meadows and pastureland, barley, oats, spring wheat, winter wheat and oil-seeds. These crops comprised about 97 percent of total agricultural area in use in 2014.

The basic population for the survey was 42 261 holdings applying governmental subsidies as per 31 July 2014, deducted 1 393 holdings practicing mainly organic farming or were under conversion to organic farming. The gross sample included 4 234 holdings. It was voluntary to respond the questionnaire. The survey as a whole had a response rate of 57 percent. However, the response rate varied significantly by crop, from 46 for barley to 69 for carrots. When considering the results from this survey, one should bear in mind that pesticide use varies significantly from one year to another, mainly depending on weather conditions.

34 percent of the areas in the survey were treated with pesticides in 2014. Only 6 percent of meadows and pastureland were treated. Except for meadows and pastureland, the percentage of area treated with pesticides at least once varied by crop from 79 to almost 100. The proportion of oil-seeds areas treated were 79 percent, while 87 percent of the apple tree plantations were treated. Furthermore, between 90 and 97 percent of carrots, barley, oats, barley, cabbage, and wheat were treated with pesticides. Among the remaining crops (onions and wheat) between 98 and close to 100 percent of the areas were sprayed.

Main types of pesticides used varied greatly by crop. Herbicides were used in all the specified crops. In onions almost all of the areas were treated with herbicides. Fungicides were most common in onions, potatoes and wheat. The highest proportions of areas sprayed with insecticides were in cabbages, strawberry beds, carrots and apple tree plantations. In meadows and pastureland solely the use of herbicides was recorded.

In average, apple trees were sprayed 6.9 times during the growing season, while the number of treatments in potatoes and strawberry beds was 6.1. Areas of onions were in average sprayed 6.0 times. Areas of carrots and cabbage were treated 4.6 times. In vegetables, fruit and berries the number of treatments varied significantly by size of crop area. Holdings with a small area sprayed fewer times than holdings with a medium or large area. Grains and oil-seed areas were treated between 1.6 and 2.8 times, included treatment against couch grass etc. after harvest. Almost all treated meadows and pastureland were treated only once.

Treatment against weeds was mainly carried out in May and June. Some areas of grains and oil-seeds were treated after harvesting in September and October. Most areas of grains and oil-seeds were treated with fungicides in June and July. Onions were mainly treated in July. The largest proportion of areas with cabbage and carrots was treated in August. Potatoes were treated with fungicides mainly in July and August. Most of the treatments with insecticides were done in June and July. The survey results show that almost all areas were treated in accordance with recommended application rates or under this level.

Use of pesticides estimated as active substance was 328 tonnes in 2014, while use in previous surveys varied from 282 tonnes to 357 tonnes.

Acknowledgement: The Norwegian Food Safety Authority