Soil Treatments

[endymion]

As Snadge said - the farmer had bought in straw from another farm that had been treated when that farmer was ill [apparently].

So this stuff is carried in straw too, which people could buy to use to mulch their plants?

[oldie]

I've always been told that straw itself is not affected as Aminopyralid was not licensed for use on food crops only pasture/meadows.

[zazen999]

So this stuff is carried in straw too, which people could buy to use to mulch their plants?

Yes, the straw is the carrier but most problems are seen when it is ingested and the manure used.

It's the straw that grew after the weeds were treated for the straw to grow...Aminopyralid is a herbicide so is used to purge the original cereal fields of weeds. Hence it being in the straw which is used to bed the cattle.

[chris]

Interesting.. I didn't know about the straw. I use it for nesting material for my chickens, they often eat bits of it / any barley / whatever that is in it - next year I'll be using their poo once it' composted down more so I'll see if that has any affects. Recently, I've stopped using it mind (ran out, haven't been back to get any more).

[zazen999]

Problem is we don't know who did what to their crops before we got hold of it.

[chris]

Indeed. If this doesn't raise more support for organic methods, then what on earth will!

[Thelma Sanders]

I thought it was only in bought in hay that the horses eat, I didn't realise it could be in straw bedding as well

[realfood]

As far as I know, aminopyralid is not licensed in the Uk to be used on cerial crops, but is licensed to be used on grass (hay). But when cows are bedded on straw, obviously the straw is contaminated by the dung. If the dung is contaminated then the straw will be contaminated as well.

[oldie]

^^ That is also my understanding.

[SarzWix]

Yep, I was told by a farmer recently that if the straw itself is contaminated then the weedkiller has been used unlawfully - it isn't licensed for use on land/crops destined for human consumption. It would only contaminate the straw as the contaminated hay/silage passes through the animal and onto the straw. So, bales of straw ought to be perfectly safe to use as mulch.

[Snadger]

Yep, I was told by a farmer recently that if the straw itself is contaminated then the weedkiller has been used unlawfully - it isn't licensed for use on land/crops destined for human consumption. It would only contaminate the straw as the contaminated hay/silage passes through the animal and onto the straw. So, bales of straw ought to be perfectly safe to use as mulch.

The question is though................ Is all wheat/barley/rye/oats etc grown for human consumption?
I know that farmers were allowed, at one time to plant oil seed rape (not for human consumption) as part of there set aside quota, but what else I wonder?
Surely the animal food we buy for chooks etc must be derived from grain grown especially for that purpose?

PS Just bought a bale of straw for two quid off a local farmer for chooks but was thinking of buying more for mulch!

[Aberdeenplotter]

I know we have to rely on the farmers who may or may not have any scruples but they are no longer allowed to remove or allow to have removed any materials contaminated with aminowhatsit from their farms.

[zazen999]

I know we have to rely on the farmers who may or may not have any scruples but they are no longer allowed to remove or allow to have removed any materials contaminated with aminowhatsit from their farms.

Or what? [not being funny, but there are no comebacks if they do, or are there?]

[realfood]

Zazen, interesting what you say about some brassica leaves being "melted", as I have seen it myself and heard of others reporting the same condition. The only good thing is that the brassicas do not curl up and die with aminopyralid!

[Aberdeenplotter]

Or what? [not being funny, but there are no comebacks if they do, or are there?]

Sorry Zaz, never picked this up at the time. I think there are real penalties but not certain of that. That was certainly the Buzz when the product came back on the market. Off to google