Anger over decision to push for pesticides ban

Published on Thursday 6 November 2008 22:18

THE decision by the European Parliament on Wednesday to press for a ban on a wide range of pesticides and other crop protection chemicals is provoking anger among professional farmers who feel that their livelihoods, and food supplies, are at risk.

The consensus is that emotion has taken over from practicalities.

John Picken, a major cereal grower in Fife, said: "The vote by the environment committee in Brussels to embrace this proposal shows the breakdown of a democratic process.

"How can they ask the 785 MEPs to vote on a bill that has no impact assessment? The trade and the food industry have been asking for months for the European Commission to provide an impact assessment. There have been appeals from the UK's pesticide regulation body, from the Netherlands Wanganegen University and many more from the chemical industry, but all to no avail.

"The Dutch say that this could end the growing of bulbs, Brussels sprouts and onions in the Netherlands."

In Scotland, Denmark, Sweden and Norway, the potential problems are especially acute. These northern countries produce the best malting barley in the world – much of it destined for the beer and spirits industry. The economics of growing malting barley are on a knife-edge, and the prohibition of a wide range of chemicals, many of which have been used for the better part of 30 years would be devastating, according to Picken.