STEPS TO CONTROL INSECTICIDE USE

Press, Volume C, Issue 29520, 23 May 1961, Page 20

STEPS TO CONTROL INSECTICIDE USE

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON. May 22. The Minister of Agriculture (Mr Hayman) today announced steps to control the use of insecticides on pastures. This came after recommendations made by the Agricultural Chemicals Board at its meeting last week. Mr Hayman said he would recommend to the Cabinet that regulations governing the use of insecticides should be made to come into force with the operation of the Fertiliser Act, 1960. He said that after a full examination of problems involved in the widespread use of insecticides on pasture, the Agricultural Chemicals Board recommended that except for D.D.T.-fertiliser mixtures no insecticides should be used on pastures without permits issued by local farm advisory officers of the Department of Agriculture. "Use Not Large"

"The use of insecticides other than D.D.T.-fertiliser mixtures is not large and the permit system is not likely to cause inconvenience and will certainly ensure that insecticides are used with proper precautions,” Mr Hayman said.

“The regulations proposed will also provide that not more than one-third of a farm is dressed at one time with the fertiliser-D.D.T. mixture, that it is applied only to closely grazed pastures, and that livestock are removed from the treated fields and not returned until sufficient time has elapsed

for the residues of D.D.T. to disappear.

“Thesis conditions for use of D.DT.-fertiliser mixtures have been advocated since the use of the material was first recommended for grass grub control, but it has become apparent that some farmers have been careless in their procedures in applying D.D.T.-fertiliser mixtures and correction of unsatisfactory practices is necessary. "I propose also to inten. sify my department’s ad. visory campaign in the correct use of insecticides on pastures and to extend its testing service so that results of the campaign may be evaluated. If it does not give the results I expect, closer control in the use of insecticides may be necessary,” Mr Hayman said.