Independent TD Verona Murphy has called on the Department of Agriculture to “act immediately” in order to prevent the spread of the highly-invasive weed, blackgrass.
The warning comes following the discovery of blackgrass in an experimental plot at Teagasc’s Oak Park Research Centre where a commercial mix of wildflower seeds was sown in recent weeks.
Speaking in the Dáil, the Wexford TD outlined how blackgrass is “a major problem” in the UK, and can have a devastating impact on crop yields. She said costs to combat the UK blackgrass issue have mounted to in excess of £400m (€462m), adding that it has destroyed 800,000t of UK cereal crops.
“I am very concerned about this development. I understand that the Department of Agriculture has no certification process on imported wildflower seeds.
"We also have straw being imported which isn’t being tested for blackgrass. The Department needs to take this very seriously and put steps in place to raise awareness amongst those who have imported wildflower seeds and implement steps to prevent blackgrass from destroying our crops.”
“Under the pollinator plan, which is a Government-led initiative that aims to help bees, other pollinating insects and our wider biodiversity, local groups such as schools, community groups, tidy towns groups etc., may be importing wildflower seeds to use as part of their efforts.
"With no certification on such seeds, there is a major risk of blackgrass being imported and sown unintentionally right across the country. The Government must immediately take a proactive approach and roll out an awareness campaign to ensure the easy identification of blackgrass.
“Hopefully, the discovery in Carlow is a one-off exception, but I understand that it was found in a commercial wildflower mixture, which means that many others could have bought and imported these mixtures. This is why the Department needs to act fast.”
Speaking to the Farming Independent on the discovery, Michael Hennessy head of the Crops Knowledge Transfer Department said “all we can do is assume that batch of contaminated wildflower seed was made from similar batches with blackgrass in it” which, he says, poses a “significant threat to the tillage sector”.
“Blackgrass is a weed with enormous capacity to produce thousands of seeds - once it gets going on a farm, because the seeds are so small, it’s very easy to spread.
“Within three years it can be absolutely endemic and very difficult to clear, almost impossible,” he said, adding that the contaminated mix was sourced “in good faith” from an Irish company.
“If it’s coming from the UK, a huge amount are extremely resistant to the main herbicides we use. If you get it, there is no chance of controlling it in a arable context.”
He says huge amounts are imported “with almost no regulation”.
“A lot of imported wildflowers are not native to Ireland. We don’t know anything about purity or germination. They’re doing more harm because they’re flowering at the wrong time.”
In a statement a spokesperson for the Department of Agriculture said there are no EU regulations governing the importation and certification of wildflowers and the Department does not receive details of wildflower imports from the trade.
"While the EU seed regulations cover certain weed and disease species, there are no specific controls relating to blackgrass. This also applies to third countries, including the UK, with which the EU has an equivalence agreement for trade in certified seed for the main agricultural crops.
“However under EU Plant Health legislation there are specific requirements for the trade of second hand/used machinery between the EU and third countries (non-EU).
"These requirements apply to all second hand machinery which has been used for agricultural, forestry, horticultural or soil preparation/cultivation purposes. This machinery must be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate from the exporting country confirming it to be clean and free of soil or plant debris of any kind (which could also potentially harbour viable weed seeds or plant parts, including those of blackgrass).
"Straw is not a regulated plant product under EU Plant Health legislation, and as such there are no phytosanitary requirements for importation of straw from third countries including Great Britain from a plant health perspective.”
The Department said it has an agreement with the Irish Seed Trade Association to impose “a zero tolerance” for blackgrass, wild oats and brome in certified seed grown in Ireland; and that the Department is engaging with the industry presently.
