NFU hits back against claim pesticide use is contributing to butterfly decline

25 September 2024

Environment and climate
Butterfly on the ground

The NFU has written to several outlets including The Times, Independent, The Sun and Daily Mail in response to articles on the Butterfly Conservation charity's Big Butterfly Count results which show a decline in numbers. 

Results for 2024 show a significant drop – the worst in the count’s 14-year history.

The articles refer to Butterfly Conservation comments that butterfly numbers were hit by a wet spring and cool summer – but also warn declines are driven by loss of habitat as well as the use of pesticides such as neonicotinoids – which have been granted emergency use on the sugar beet crop in the fight against Virus Yellows disease.

Both The Telegraph and the Independent have since published the NFU’s letter.  

Read the letter below in full:

To the editor,

While a decline in butterfly numbers is concerning, it is disappointing that the finger of blame has been pointed at the use of pesticides. As the Butterfly Conservation charity says, there are many factors at play that impact and contribute to any reduction of species. This includes the weather extremes we have witnessed over the past few years of flood, drought and record temperatures.

The UK has some of the most stringent pesticide regulations in the world which control any potential impacts or risks, and farmers take a very responsible approach when using them.

We are well versed with and understand the importance of protecting the great British countryside and have carried out a huge amount of work over the past 30 years to provide habitat that supports wildlife and protects the environment, alongside producing the nation’s food.

As the article states, neonicotinoids are currently banned in the UK. Where they have been granted emergency use, this has been in the fight against Virus Yellows disease which in recent years has caused losses of up to 80% in the sugar beet crop. This application to a non-flowering crop has been added via a seed treatment, not a spray.

The Butterfly Conservation charity’s own report in 2022 made no mention of pesticides and last year’s report showed the number of butterflies in the UK had actually risen to its highest level since 2019. More research and data is clearly needed to establish the cause behind this latest decline.

Richard Bramley

NFU Environment Forum chair

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