Register yourself as a Plant Protection Product User

It sounds counter-intuitive, but if you use Plant Protection Products (PPPs) such as copper, or possibly organically approved plant protection products*, you must register with Defra by 22nd June 2022.

This won't apply to most organic producers, but we are advising the precautionary principle of registering just in case. It is your responsibility to ensure you meet the requirements of The Official Controls (Plant Protection Products) Regulations 2020.

If you use pesticides and adjuvants on your farm, you are legally obliged to register your business name, all addresses where pesticides are stored, and an estimated volume of the pesticides you use. The registration form is now open, and can be completed here.

Farm businesses, and others subject to the regulations, must register to notify Defra of their: business name; activities; and location(s) of premises where pesticides are stored. If you begin using pesticides and adjuvants for the first time after 22nd June 2022, or begin selling pesticides, you must register within 3 months of starting. You are only required to register once. If there is significant change in your businesses’ use of pesticides, such as a change of business address or closure of the business, you must inform Defra.

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The deadline for registration is the 22 June 2022.

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This is a statutory deadline. Failure to comply without a reasonable excuse is an offence. If you miss the deadline, you must submit your form as soon as possible.

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The 2020 Regulations apply to pesticides, their components, and adjuvants. Any ‘professional users’ of pesticides in Great Britain are legally obliged to register. Businesses that produce, manufacture, process, import, store, distribute and sell PPPs are also subject to the regulations.

A ‘professional user’ is any person or business who uses pesticides in the course of their work activities. You are considered a professional user if you work in agriculture, amenity, or forestry in Great Britain and:

• use professional pesticides and any adjuvants as part of your work, including if you are hired to spray pesticides on someone else’s land

• have professional pesticides and any adjuvants applied by a third party as part of your work in agriculture or horticulture, amenity, or forestry

• use pesticides when working in agriculture or horticulture when farming or maintaining arable crops, forage crops, livestock, or when treating seeds

* we suggest you contact your supplier to check whether registration is required for PPPs they supply