Somerset farmer tackles his slug problem head-on at drilling time

摘要

On the edge of the Somerset levels, Ben Tarr keeps on top of slugs by taking a proactive approach and treats his first slug pellet application as more important than a pre-emergence herbicide spray.Following some high-pressure seasons, and having adopted direct drilling, Mr Tarr has bumped slug control up on his list of priorities."You cannot afford to lose control of them because they can wipe out a crop so quickly," he says.Situated near the market town of Bridgwater, in the catchment zone for Wessex Water, Mr Tarr took the decision to use solely ferric phosphate products in 2008, following growing pressure on metaldehyde after this pesticide was found in watercourses.