Syngenta pesticide Cruiser OSR banned in France
The French government has banned the use of a pesticide linked to the decline of bees that is widely used to treat oilseed rape crops. The French Ministry of Agriculture withdrew Cruiser OSR, a neonicotinoid insecticide that contains the active ingredient thiamethoxam, from use on oilseed rape in France. French agricultural minister Stephane Le Foll confirmed the ban on Friday (29 June). Cruiser OSR is a seed treatment by Swiss agrichemical company Syngenta, which describes it as “the most effective and convenient way of controlling damaging pests in oilseed rape”. The ban will take effect from the start of the next oilseed rape sowing campaign in the late summer. However, Luke Gibbs, head of public affairs at Syngenta UK, said British growers would not be affected. “The restriction on the use of neonicotinoid seed treatments in France will not impact the registration of Cruiser in the UK, which will be available for use as normal in the coming planting season,” he confirmed. Syngenta will contest the French ban. The Swiss agro-chemical company said it would be seeking to block the move through a fast-track appeal. A spokesman for Syngenta UK said: "Syngenta believes strongly in the safety of this product and intends to contest this decision in the Administrative Court and will be asking for a suspension of the decision pending the court's ruling."