Details of pesticide ban begin to emerge

The true impact of the European Parliament’s vote on new crop protection rules is beginning to emerge after a report was published by the Government’s pesticide advisors.

The Pesticide Safety Directorate (PSD) said products used to control disease in a host of crops including potatoes, carrots, oilseed rape and onions could be lost under the new criteria.

But the PSD added their study was not complete given there was still no clear definition for the endocrine disruptor criteria (products that adversely effect human hormones).

Under a strict definition, for instance, all triazoles could be deemed endocrine disruptors and banned from the market, chopping wheat yields by an estimated 10-20 per cent.

Chairman of the European Parliament agriculture committee Neil Parish said the PSD study was reason enough for the Commission to conduct its own impact study before the rules are implemented.

“Food security in Europe and across the developing world is becoming a major issue, yet the parliament has voted to make food production more difficult.

“Falling food yields can only mean rising prices in the weekly food shop.

“While this PSD report gives a good indication, the full impact of the EU’s new pesticides rules must be detailed by the commission,” he said.

Agriculture Minsters are due to rubber stamp the Parliament’s proposed rules when they meet in March or April.

To see the PSD report in full follow this link: http://www.pesticides.gov.uk/uploadedfiles/Web_Assets/PSD/Outcomes_paper_-_summary_impact_assessment_(Jan_09).pdf