Growing Opportunities: Pest Management in a New UK–EU Landscape

The next BCPC PESTS & BENEFICIALS REVIEW will take place 24 November 2026

Warwick University Conference Centre
Event fee: £15.00+VAT

This Year’s Theme

The 2026 review will focus on the opportunities arising from the UK–EU SPS (Sanitary and Phytosanitary) reset for pest and beneficial management in UK agriculture. Rather than dwelling on regulatory complexity, we want to explore the practical, positive implications for growers – what new tools, approaches, and market access could realignment bring? The day will cover topics including product and IPM opportunities, breeding and precision breeding, farm economics, and grower perspectives from both sides of the Channel. We will finish the meeting with a workshop to generate an industry response to highlight any issues or challenges we foresee and want to highlight to the relevant policy bodies.

PROGRAMME

0930: Registration and Coffee
1000: Welcome – Review Chairperson, Geraint Parry, AAB

Session 1: Context Setting – SPS Reset Overview, to include Precision Breeding
1010: NFU perspective of SPS realignment (more on CP side). Chris Hartfield, NFU
1040: KWS  perspective of SPS realignment (more on seeds/precision side). Ben Bishop, KWS
1100: Coffee Break

Session 2: Product and IPM Opportunities. – EU
1115: AdvisoryNetPest EU project on IPM. Mark Ramsden, ADAS
1145: EU project looking at different IPM systems and how to promote it (what blocks it). Ewen Mullins, Teagasc
1215: EU Beneficial product options and IPM developments. Liam Harvey, Biobest
1245-1415: Session 3/Lunch: PhD/early-career short talks and posters.

Session 4: Product and IPM Opportunities – UK
1415: UK VI and grower IPM impact. David Bell, Voluntary Initiative
1435: CSFB IPM insights from Poland. Mateusz Stankiewicz
1450: New UK project looking at IPM solutions in horticulture. Dr Mercedes Torres Torres

Session 5: Farm Finances – CAP vs SFI.
1520: Farm finances SPS realignment. Graham Redman, The Andersons Centre

Session 6: Workshop/Discussion
1605: Full-group or split-group workshop to synthesise key concerns, opportunities, and questions. Output: Open letter/statement to DEFRA and CRD highlighting industry concerns and what needs to change.
1650: Close

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In 2025 the BCPC Weeds Review, Diseases Review, and Pests and Beneficials Review were combined into a single event, on 27 November.

Presentations available on YouTube
Click here for BCPC Joint Review Playlist.

Or to view powerpoint slides only click on the session headline below.


Chairman’s introduction:  Sir Peter Kendall
Setting the Scene: Prof Paul Wilson, Nottingham University

Session 1: Changing Practices

Session 2: Solutions & New Technologies

Panel Discussion & Q&A

PhD/early career Posters

  • Understanding true eyespot disease of cereals: past, present & future – Fareed Bhatti
  • Understanding the genetic source of resistance against the Barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) in a resistant wheat variety – Iza Sandoval-Carvajal
  • Fungal spore dispersal in UK arable crop systems under current and future environmental conditions – Patrick McClean
  • Modelling regional scale fungicide resistance in Septoria tritici blotch with heterogeneous grower behaviour to inform resistance management – Iona McCabe
  • Effects of environmental factors and pathogen populations on severity of light leaf spot on oilseed rape’  – Javeria Wajid
  • ENIGMA I – Wireworm IPM project – Larissa Collins
  • Can Tomato Ketch-up to S. dulcamara’s R.solanacearum resistance? – Kelis Fisher
  • Stem diseases of wheat – Bela Fistric

Previous Pest and Benficials Review presentations can be viewed from the links below:

Supported by: