British Sugar has come under fire from Suffolk Wildlife Trust after seeking to extend the use of a controversial chemical which used to be widely used on crops.
The company was accused of "failing to deliver" on its own three-year plan - which would have seen it end the use of neonicotinoid to coat sugar beet seeds this year - by applying to use it next year (2024).
Suffolk and Norfolk Wildlife Trusts have warned this could be "a catastrophe" for wildlife in the region - unless farming minister Mark Spencer rejects the bid.
British Sugar said it was making progress in finding other solutions - but needed more time.
Neonicotinoids was used widely on crops such as oilseed rape and beet to protect them from pests that can harm the crop - directly or indirectly.
But following scientific research the chemical has been largely banned across Europe - with exceptions - because it has been deemed harmful to bees and other pollinators.
Ben McFarland, Suffolk Wildlife Trust’s director of wildlife conservation and recovery, accused the company of being "more interested in short-term profits than the long-term sustainability of the farming sector".
"The prospect of yet another year of neonic use being forced on sugar beet growers by British Sugar is frankly a catastrophe for wildlife in the River Waveney and The Norfolk and Suffolk Broads," he claimed.
“No farmer wants to grow crops using banned pesticides – and no one wants their Christmas cake baked with bee-harming sugar. Where are the alternatives that British Sugar claimed it would invest in? All eyes are now on the Minister, Mark Spencer, to uphold the law banning bee-harming pesticides.
“Less than a year ago, the government committed the UK to reducing the risk from pesticides and highly hazardous chemicals by at least half by 2030. Since then, the European Court has ruled against attempts to weaken the ban on neonics.
"Now we learn that the UK Expert Committee on Pesticides has once more advised against the use of these chemicals, citing unacceptable risks to bees and river health."
A third of sugar beet farmers decided against using neonics last year, even though they were authorised for use, he pointed out.
"Many growers are trying to farm in a way that does not harm nature or rivers – yet there is no support for these growers from the industry or government."
A British Sugar spokeswoman said the industry was working hard on solutions to crop diseases such as virus yellows - which are spread by aphids - and were making progress in areas such as gene editing but needed more time.
"While the work develops the industry has applied for a derogation to use Cruiser SB to protect the sugar beet crop in 2024, if conditions mean it is required. If granted, use of the treatment would be subject to strict controls,” she said.
They were also working on Integrated Pest Managements schemes - working with plant breeders to improve natural resistance in the crop, non-chemical approaches such as cover crops and maintaining good farm hygiene, and research into how the industry can benefit from gene editing.
"Our industry has established the largest Virus Yellows screening programme in Europe, run by our research partners the British Beet Research Organisation, to identify and select the next generation of conventionally bred virus resistant varieties," she said.
Sugar beet - grown by more than 2,300 across the East of England and East Midlands - was an important part of growers' rotations which acted as a break crop and thereby improved biodiversity. Organic material from beet tops were returned to the soil after harvested, she added.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here