In message , brian mitchell
writes
Three years ago I bought a 5 litre container of Roundup from a local
farmers supply store. When I tried to buy the same this year I was told
they couldn't sell it to me without a holding number. I could buy a 1
litre container but the price difference is extreme. The 5 litre costs
£50, the 1 litre £30.

I'm interested to know if anyone here has run into the same situation,
anyone with a large plot or who gardens professionally? The people in
the store couldn't tell me why this new piece of regulation had been
brought in or what terrible danger is supposedly being averted by it.

I also wonder if anyone knows what a holding number is? I'm guessing
it's to do with some kind of registry of agricultural holdings, but I
don't know if it goes automatically with the sale/transfer of
agricultural land or whether it's some kind of licence granted to the
land holder by DEFRA or some other government agency. Does anyone here
have one?

Finally, are there cheaper glysophate herbicides than Roundup available?
If so, do they work as well?

brian mitchell


A holding number is the county/parish/holding number (CPH) given to all
agricultural holdings registered with Defra or one of its agencies.

They are based on nine digits, county x2/parish x3/holding x4, eg
10/301/1111

Whilst they are not as important for involvement is subsidy schemes as
they used to be they are still useful as a tool for identifying the
location of farming businesses.

If you have a smallholding or land that could be classed as part of the
farmed environment you can apply for a CPH.

--
Robert