The 12-week consultation period launched by Defra to discuss implementation of the EU Directive on the Sustainable Use of Pesticides came to an end on May 4.
The HTA submitted a detailed response to the consultation on behalf of the garden industry, calling on the Government to "maintain the status quo where possible when implementing pesticides legislation".

It also said it has "serious concerns" that some of the proposals outlined in the consultation document sent out from Defra and the Chemical Regulations Directorate are "over-bureaucratic, unworkable and frankly unnecessary".

The HTA complied a response to the consultation with the help of senior industry figures from their ornamentals, retail management and technical committees, and also worked closely with other bodies including the British Retail Consortium and the Crop Protection Association.

The response covers a wide range of issues, such as action plans and reduction targets, where the HTA believes current practices should be maintained, and training and certification, where the HTA says existing measures should be built on. It proposes a voluntary approach to training at retail level, and opposes any legislative requirements which would be overly-bureaucratic and costly to business, with no clear additional benefits.

HTA director of business development Tim Briercliffe said: "Depending on how it is implemented in the UK, this EU pesticides legislation could have serious implications for the business activities of all HTA members, whether grower, retailer or landscaper, as well as implications for the gardening public."

He continued: "We believe that our response is a balanced view of future requirements for pesticide use, which is of critical importance to the industry as a whole. We look forward to working with Government on implementation of the legislation so that all parties can be satisfied with the final outcome."

The industry must now wait, however, as Defra processes the results of the consultation. A statement on the Defra website says only minor updates will made to the site until after the general election.