UK watchdog finds Defra breached environmental law authorizing banned pesticide

Britain's Office for Environmental Protection determined the agriculture department violated the law multiple times when it granted emergency approvals for a neonicotinoid pesticide on sugar beet crops in 2023 and 2024.

First covered Jul 2, 2026 · 10:10 AM PT · 1 article

Coverage

10h Guardian Environment Defra breached law when it let farmers use bee-killing pesticide, watchdog says — Office for Environmental Protection finds failures by department when it granted emergency authorisation in 2023 and 2024 The UK government breached…

Appeared in: 2026-07-02 (#18) · 2026-07-03 (#13)

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