QUALITY MEAT Scotland's farm assurance standard for rodent control has been approved for 2018 onwards by the UK Rodenticide Stewardship Regime, it was announced this week.

Since the regime's introduction by UK government in mid-2016, members of QMS have been considered stewardship-compliant as a transitional measure, but this arrangement would have expired on December 31 without the new approval.

But under the Biocidal Product Regulation, QMS member farms can now continue to qualify under the regime as holding proof of competence in the use of 'professionals only' stewardship label rodenticides.

All sales outlets for these products are legally obliged to check every buyer's proof of competence before they can supply – a farm's QMS membership certificate of compliance satisfies this.

"Clearly, this approval for 2018 onwards is good news for members," says QMS brands integrity manager Suzanne Woodman. "We appreciate the help from the Campaign for Responsible Rodenticide Use UK in achieving this."

For schemes to attain 2018 approval, their assurance standards for rodent control are audited for alignment with rigorous rodenticide stewardship requirements. These are set out in the CRRU Code of Best Practice, which can be downloaded from www.thinkwildlife.org/