Potato Industry CIPC Stewardship Group

Don’t let warm weather delay CIPC. For effective control APPLY EARLY to dormant crop 2-3 weeks after loading. 

Using CIPC on potatoes? Be sure to use a Stewardship Store Checklist . Call 0800 0282111 for advice.

Working with Industry to best use and retain this key sprout suppressant

The rapid establishment of a Potato Industry CIPC Stewardship Group in 2007/8 and development of an Action Plan is a reflection of the industry's commitment to improving the level of stewardship of the use of this vitally important sprout suppressant. Here is some useful information if you are using CIPC on your crop.

• Industry Code of Best Practice for Application of CIPC
• Growers' Advice – Best practice guidelines for the use of CIPC sprout suppressant
• Guidelines for Obtaining a Potato Sample for CIPC Residue Testing
• Improving the use of CIPC in Bulk Stores
• Improving the use of CIPC in Bulk Stores Animation Video
• Potato Storage - FWI Academy
• Store Checklist
• CIPC Products and Services
• BASIS Course in Crop Protection for Post Harvest

Stewardship background

Chlorpropham (CIPC), used as a sprout suppressant on stored potatoes, received European Annex I clearance under Directive EC/91/414 and, as part of that process, a Maximum Residue Level (MRL) of 10 mg/kg was set, which came into force in April 2007. Following a detailed submission to the Advisory Committee on Pesticides (ACP) by the industry, a series of recommendations was made to Ministers which require that:

• The total amount of chlorpropham applied to potatoes destined for the fresh market must not exceed 36 g chlorpropham/tonne.

• Where the total dose exceeds 36 g chlorpropham/tonne then the crop must only be used for commercial processing.

• The maximum amount of chlorpropham applied to processing potatoes must not exceed 63.75 g chlorpropham/tonne.

These limits took immediate effect and refer to the total amount of CIPC applied, not individual products.

To date, the Action Plan has delivered the following outputs:
 

• Establishment of a committed cross-industry group responsible for development and delivery of a CIPC Stewardship Action Plan agreed with ACP (Action 1).
• A communication strategy to promote the uptake of existing knowledge and the targeted delivery of future advisory information (Action 2).
• An ongoing commitment to support R&D to address factors affecting the variability of CIPC residues (Action 3).
• Review of R&D to identify gaps and priorities for future research (Action 3).
• Development, publication and implementation of a Code of Best Practice for use of CIPC (Action 4).
• Enhanced controls including operator training and certification, equipment operation and store management and adherence to Crop Assurance protocols (Action 4).
• Commitment by the industry to provide additional samples to complement residue monitoring of CIPC by the Defra Expert Committee on Pesticide Residues in Food (PRiF) (Action 5).
• Industry surveys to benchmark understanding of CIPC use and monitor progress of the Action Plan (Action 5).

Download the complete CIPC Stewardship Action Plan (pdf 315Kb).

For more information on Potato Industry CIPC Stewardship, contact the Stewardship Group Secretary, Adrian Cunnington on 01406 359411 or email adrian.cunnington@potato.ahdb.org.uk

Stewardship Group members 

Dr Mike Storey, AHDB Potato Council, Chairman; Adrian Cunnington, AHDB Potato Council, Secretary; Grace Gillard, Aceto; David Hudson, Assured Food Standards; Dr Tudor Dawkins, Certis Europe; Dr Leon Terry, Cranfield University; Simon Faulkner, Fresh Potato Suppliers' Association; Nick Green, NAAC Applicators' Group; Adrian Briddon, AHDB Potato Council; Richard Harris, Potato Processors' Association, Mick Bridge, United Phosphorus Ltd.

This page is hosted by AHDB Potato Council on behalf of the Potato Industry CIPC Stewardship Group. The content of this page is controlled by and copyright of the Potato Industry CIPC Stewardship Group. Contact information for the Group appears above.