3 Nov, 2008 - A cool beer or refreshing glass of wine is enjoyed by millions of people across Europe but how many would believe that, if judged under the same guidelines proposed for pesticides, their favourite tipple would be banned in the EU?
Under new rules proposed by the EU Parliament Environment Committee, alcohol would be safe and legal to drink but considered unsafe and illegal to spray as a product to protect plants in the fight against pests and diseases. This is because of a change in the way products protecting plants are assessed, from a scientific risk-based system to one based on perceived hazard.
These changes would have a devastating impact on the UK’s ability to produce food at a time when global demand is rising, land is becoming scarce and chronic food shortages are being reported in developing countries. This is because with fewer products to protect plants, there is no doubt that crop losses will increase and yields decline - making it more expensive to produce food.
A study by Cranfield University has shown that the proposed ban, which could remove as many as 85 per cent of our pesticides, herbicides and fungicides would see household staples such as potatoes and broccoli double in price.
NFU Deputy President Meurig Raymond said: “With food security now making political headlines, this is the time to be safe-guarding our ability to producing affordable, quality food. It is not the time to start banning the very tools which make food production possible across the EU.
“In some cases we only have one product for one pest or disease on any one crop. To think we could lose some very valuable tools in the fight against disease and pests on the basis that, like alcohol, they could pose a hazard seems absurd. Moreover the absurdity of this proposal is exacerbated by the fact that food, produced using the very same sprays to be banned in the EU, will still be imported from outside the EU and eaten by us all.”