Pesticide Usage Survey (PUS) Programme

HSE is looking for a supplier to collect and manage pesticide usage data from a range of farms and other organisations and establishments across England and Wales. There will also be a need to publicly report and make available information of pesticide use (including working with data collectors in Scotland and Northern Ireland to generate UK reports).

Pesticide usage data helps to:

• inform policy and other deliberations, answer questions and meet international reporting obligations on the application and impact of regulatory processes relating to pesticides (including methods of pest, weed and disease control);
• inform programs that monitor the impact of pesticides on human health and the environment (for example, in foodstuffs and/or waterbodies);
• provide a basis for wider research related to pesticide use and its impact.

The programme currently collects data:

• every two years for arable crops, edible protected crops, outdoor vegetable crops, soft fruit, orchards and potato stores;
• every four years for grassland and fodder and amenity use; and
• annually on aerial applications.

The supplier will collect and manage pesticide usage data from farms and other organisations and establishments across England and Wales. The programme and outputs must be organised and delivered in a way that is compatible with the principles and practices described in the UK Statistics Authority's Code of Practice. The data must be:

• collected/able to be provided in a way that minimises the burden on data providers (contact details of the population from which samples are drawn will be provided, for all except the amenity survey).
• Stored and managed and made available securely, in accordance with relevant data protection legislation. Data from previous surveys will be made available/need to be stored.
• Used to generate and make available information on pesticide usage (this can, but does not necessarily have to, be by way of notices/reports and providing on-line access to data).

Data must be collected in the year following use on the crop/situation under survey, the results should be available within 12 months of the data being collected. However, HSE would like to work with the provider to explore ways to minimise the amount of time from when the final application of a pesticide to the crop/situation under survey and when the data is reported. They should present as a minimum the following information :

• Treated area/proportion of grown area treated with pesticides.
• Quantity of pesticide active substances and products applied (including, by pesticide type (herbicide, insecticide, fungicide, etc)).
• Presentation of usage patterns on a monthly basis within a calendar year.
• Analysis of the trend in active substances and products applied in the previous three surveys

There should be 95% degree of confidence in results at a government region level. The magnitude of change the survey methodology should be capable of detecting will be agreed in due course.

The supplier will also be required to make provision for responding to bespoke/detailed requests for pesticide usage information. Budgetary provision will be made for this work and HSE will discuss with the supplier how this service is to be delivered. Additional information: A joint Teams Q&A meeting is arranged for the 11th February 2024 at 14:00 where the HSE will explain the PIN content, seek feedback and views from potential suppliers to help the HSE shape their requirements of the specification for the formal tender.

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