Legislation will ruin horticulture
THERE is hardly a month goes by our industry is not threatened by the withdrawal of some of our most integral crop protection tools.
This month is without doubt proving extremely challenging politically. I refer to the current review of EC 91/414, which allows for the placing of plant protection products on the EU market-place.
The proposed "cut-off criteria", which would see a change from the current "risk-based" approval system to a "hazard-based" system, would remove 85 per cent of all actives currently used.
Not only do the proposals threaten the viability of European horticulture, they would also mean most of our food would have to come from countries outside of the EU still able to use the actives removed from our armoury.
The UK already has "gaps" in its ability to control weeds pests and diseases, adding extra cost and pressures to the production of high quality food.
At a time when energy, fuel, labour and fertiliser costs are going through the roof, the legislation will quite frankly ruin the UK horticultural industry.
The proposals could completely remove some key groups of crop protection products, for example all pyrethriods, organophosphates and carbamates, triazoles and dithiocarbamates. Those involved with crop protection will know what impact losing these actives will have on our industry.
Although the UK is aware of the impacts these proposals will have, the rest of Europe appears oblivious.
There is a lot of work going on behind the scenes, not least by the NFU, HDC and even PSD, which have produced a very disturbing paper on the impacts of these cut-off criteria proposals, but all of this may not be enough.
Over the coming weeks this major issue will make the headlines and all growers and major stakeholders will be called to action in an attempt to mitigate these proposals.
Please consider how these proposals could affect your business and be ready to show support for sustainable UK horticulture to those who need educating on such an important issue.
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Weather for Spalding
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 11 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 26 mph
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