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Suddenstrike's Steve Wilkinson appears on BBC TV's Countryfile

14/04/2006

The industry is currently undergoing major scrutiny of its products, some of which are only used in this country, by the European Union. Industry professionals estimate that 75% of the products currently available will no longer be available in ten years time and that the products expected to replace those taken off the market are not as effective.

One of the products under scrutiny is Strychnine Hydrochloride, commonly used in the UK (under strict licensing regulations) to control Moles. Despite its high toxicity, the product is very successful and there have been no major incidents involving Strychnine for well over ten years. The European Union argue that the product is too dangerous to be on the market and that other EU countries successfully control Moles using other methods, whilst others including France say that they do not have problems with Moles.

BBC television’s Countryfile programme invited Suddenstrike’s Steve Wilkinson, and the British Pest Control Associations CEO Oliver Madge to give their thoughts on the argument and what alternatives there are available to the industry.

BBC’s Programme Synopsis for the episode aired on 16.04.2006

“Farmers and pest controllers are concerned that there will be an explosion in the mole population if strychnine, the poison currently favoured to control this pest is banned. Currently strychnine is due to be banned from 1^st September 2006 strychnine because there will not be adequate new safety data to meet new EU regulations. Those involved in controlling moles say there is no efficient alternative method of control and so the damage that moles do to land will become a serious financial burden on farmers.  

The British Pest Control Association (BPCA) is working closely with organisations such as the National Farmers Union (NFU) are hoping that the UK’s Health and Safety Executive will apply for a derogation to this EU regulation, based on the need for strychnine in this country. However, The European Union argues that in the rest of Europe it is illegal to use strychnine and there, they cope & live with the moles. The methods of trapping & fumigating currently used elsewhere have been recommended to England but both have proven to be more costly and time consuming than strychnine says the BPCA.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) welcomes the ban. It doesn't believe moles need to be killed at all, instead saying that UK farmers should learn to live with them, as farmers do in Germany where they are protected.”

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