What’s on the crops?

SIR, — There is a strange new smell in my part of the countryside, especially late in a summer evening and until I was enlightened by a local farmer, I was somewhat in the dark.

“Oh that’s the carrot men spraying their crops,” he told me with great authority but, unfortunately, he was not as forthcoming with an explanation as to what was being sprayed.

So, I am asking the question — what is being sprayed on the carrot crops of Co Down and why does it have to be executed at dusk?

Can we have the name of the spray or sprays involved and can we be assured they have no long term effects on either the environment or mankind itself?

These sprays are probably quite effective in what they are doing, but what else do they destroy? Have they any long term effect on insect life, butterflies, bees etc and are there any consequences over spray drift?

What legislation is in place in Northern Ireland to control such sprays and who is monitoring their use since the suspension of political oversight?

I am only asking questions, but it would be reassuring to get some intelligent answers.

Yours etc,

MICHAEL DRAKE,

Quoniamstown,

Downpatrick.