The Northern Ireland Executive has launched a campaign to gather data from growers regarding their application of active substances during the current season.
An official announcement issued on 16 October confirmed that the Department for the Economy wants farmers and horticulturalists to assist with the upcoming monitoring exercise.
Participation is being encouraged through a random selection process, where selected producers will be contacted by the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute.
Those chosen will receive correspondence containing forms designed to capture information on specific crop types including arable produce, top fruit, and soft fruit varieties.
The data collection phase is scheduled to start in October of next year, with the primary focus remaining on three distinct agricultural categories.
While the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute may follow up by telephone to clarify responses or obtain additional details, strict confidentiality measures are in place.
No personal identifiers or specific usage records for individual growers will be disclosed outside the official statistical framework.
The initiative is underpinned by Regulation (EU) 2022/2379, which mandates the collection of statistics concerning agricultural inputs and outputs across the region.
The Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute operates as a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for the Economy to deliver this work.
Growers can access an online portal linked within their correspondence to submit electronic records directly without paper forms.
For those requiring assistance with the documentation, contact details provided in the letters allow direct communication with the institute's survey team.
Further information regarding the methodology and scope is available through the official website dedicated to pesticide usage monitoring.
Enquiries should be directed to the designated email address or mobile number included in the notification materials sent to participants.