Farmers claim new EU rules governing how and when they use pesticides could cost them between thirteen and a hundred and seventy six million pounds. Consultation is under way to decide the best way to implement the European directive on the sustainable use of pesticides and to decide whether there should be a voluntary code of practice when using pesticides or specific mandatory rules. Just over a year ago campaigner Georgina Downes brought the use of pesticides in agriculture directly under the spotlight when she won a judicial review of Government rules on protecting the public from pesticides spraying. The judge declared Defra’s policy to be unlawful. The court of appeal subsequently overturned that ruling and we will hear from Miss Down’s in a moment. First though, Dominic Dyer is from The Crop Protection Association.