Since Defra announce its intent to legislate for a prohibition on the sale of peat by the end of 2024 , there has been much confusion and supposition about what this means for professional growers , not aided by inaccurate headlines in the press . NFU gardening and white potato adviser Christine McDowell sets out the facts on the current situation . There is a new Prime Minister , Rishi Sunak , with a new Defra Secretary of State in post . The recent period of political uncertainty stretches across into policy development – not least the expect ban on the sales event of peat - growing media by 2024 .
Exemptions for edible and ornamental agriculturalist beyond 2024Defra has said that a prohibition in the professional sector is likely to amount at a much later date , potentially into the next decade , in acknowledgement of the complex challenges cultivator are up against in shifting to substitute materials and the associated belt - on impact to the grocery .
Exemptions for professional growers are likely to be timebound and for specific expert reasons . It ’s expected Ministers will decide near Christmas on the detail .
diligence engagementDefra has been engaging across both the edible and ornamental sector to understand what demand an immunity , why , and for how long .
discourse to date have focused on the technical challenge associated with locomote away from peat , such as in propagation , male plug , blocking , and module production .
Discussions have also focused on the specific challenges where no alternative is available , such as in mushroom production . There are , of course , other crops with specific challenges , which Defra is aware of , peculiarly in the decorative sector .
Defra has also been asking the industriousness what living is needed for growers to shift to alternate material . A clear ask from all agriculturalist is to allow for sufficient time to move , supported by authorities unblocking insurance barriers in accessing a variety of sustainable substitute material , subsidisation funding for infrastructure , equipment , and R&D into receive new cloth .
The NFU and several growers have also met with the Office of Internal Markets , which is considering the implications to the functioning of the internal market place of an English - only prohibition . We continue to provide support as part of this review , which is look to fill in in February 2023 .
maturate MediaThe NFU does n’t want to see legislation and , along with others from the grow Media Taskforce , continue to keep that legislation is not the ripe mechanism to shift the diligence to sustainable alternative growing media . As a creditworthy sphere , witting of our environmental step , collectively , we know the need to reduce our peat use and , indeed , are doing so p.a. .
But there are challenges and unintended consequence to think , such as have alternative materials available at scale and ensuring a level playing field of operation with imports . As an manufacture , they must also weigh cautiously that they are not exporting the carbon footprint by shift to unsustainable option .
They are call on the politics to work with diligence to dispatch policy barriers and support raiser to find sustainable option through funding and R&D.
The develop Media Taskforce , of which the NFU is a member , is posed with a joint letter requesting a meeting with the new Minister to discuss issue further .
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For more information : NFU Energy024 7669 6512www.nfuenergy.co.uk
