Acetamiprid: Setting the record straight
Intervention in the public and mediatic debate on exemptions that still allow the use of neonicotinoids in Wallonia.
Presentation
The current debate on the use of neonicotinoids in Walloon agriculture, and in particular acetamiprid, deserves more than simplistic arguments. At Sytra, we conducted an in-depth study in 2021 on the uses, impacts and alternatives to these substances.
As a reminder, acetamiprid is a molecule used in particular by the sugar beet sector, whose arsenal of plant protection products has been steadily declining in recent years with the ban on the main neonicotinoid insecticides.
Here are three scientific facts to shed light on the current discussions:
📉 1. Impact on sugar beet yields: highly variable effects across years.
The localised nature of yellows virus infections can have a significant impact on certain farmers, without however significantly altering regional average yields.
📊 2. Actual use and persistence of acetamiprid in the Walloon Region.
In Europe, the use of acetamiprid has been severely restricted for beet cultivation but remains authorised in Belgium through annual derogations. Nearly 200 kg will still be used in 2022 on rapeseed and potatoes. Historical and current uses have already led to widespread contamination of Walloon soils, including untreated ones, as well as the floral resources that depend on them.
⚖️ 3. Risk assessment: a framework that needs to be strengthened
Current assessment protocols are unsuitable for the chronic and sublethal effects observed, particularly in pollinators, despite known physicochemical properties.
