Imogen reads from Steve's blog post of 16th December 2024, which is about the rise and fall of oilseed rape (canola) growing in the UK. We have moved from exporters to importers of rapeseed oil, and the countries that we import from use a loophole to allow them to treat with neonicotinoids, which are technically banned.
0:00 When oilseed rape (OSR) first arrived in the UK
00:50 The UK has moved from being a net exporter to net imported of rapeseed oil, costing the UK economy £1 billion
01:10 List of the main cooking oils ranked by healthiness
03:10 Rapeseed oil is the most consumed oil in the UK
04:00 OSR is useful to arable farmers as a rotation crop
04:40 OSR downsides, cabbage stem flea beetle, neonics
05:20 The neonic ban in the UK, lower crop yields
05:50 Sources of rapeseed oil imports
06:15 EU emergency derogations (the loophole)
07:20 Emergency derogations are also allowed for so-called organic crops
07:50 Offshoring of neonic usage
08:20 OSR Reboot - plans for the future by the main stakeholders in the industry