New Eu Rules On Plant Protection Products Could Have An Impact On Smaller Farmers

New Eu Rules On Plant Protection Products Could Have An Impact On Smaller Farmers

By:


As a result of the EUs completion of a review being carried out into approved substances in plant protection products more rigorous rules and regulations were published in June 2011.

The review has resulted in the removal from the market of many older or outdated pesticides. The new regulations aim to ensure and maintain a high level of human, animal and environmental protection and to provide clearer rules to make the approval process for plant protection products more transparent.

However, concerns have been raised about the effects the tighter rules will have on small farmers who grow crops for export in countries, particularly outside the EU.

The comments that have been reported were made by a member of COLEACP (the Asia Pacific-EU horticultural organisation) who argued that small farmers needed more help to find solutions for high pesticide levels in crops for export to avoid the risk of their being rejected by EU countries and ensure a level playing field in trade.

Arguably, however, these concerns will affect small farmers everywhere.

Newer and safer products being developed and some of these are already on the market. These low-chem agricultural products include biopesticides that use non toxic substances from more natural sources, for example from plants that can directly affect the pest being targeted.

These agriculturals, like any, have to go through a testing, registration and approval process to comply with the new rules. That can take some time and can be expensive, but the products are designed to help farmers produce crops that will have no chemical pesticide residue as well as farming more sustainably to ensure that their land remains fertile while reducing the loss of crops due to plant pests and diseases.

It has been estmated that farmers will need to produce substantially more food to meet the projected population growth by 2050 and that they will need to get more from their existing land as well as reducing the amount of crops lost.

To ensure that small farmers can compete fairly both inside and outside the EU they need both access to alternative and safer low-chemical agricultural products at a price that is affordable and to training and technical support in new forms of pest management.

This will be equally important to ensuring that consumers can continue to buy the safer, more natural foods they are increasingly asking for at a price people can afford and that there are adequate supplies of food being produced to ensure food security across the world.


Copyright (c) 2011 Alison Withers

About the Author:
Tighter EU rules on substances approved to be in plant protection products have led to fears about their effects on smaller farmers around the world.  They need support in accessing safer low-chemical agricultural products such as biopesticides and guidance on their use. By Ali Withers.



Article Originally Published On: http://www.articlesnatch.com


Tags: , , , ,

|

Loading...
Related....
Videos...

Recent Food-and-Drink Articles

Comments

Still can't find what you are looking for? Search for it!

Loading

Site Navigation:

Copyright 2005-2011 ArticleSnatch, LLC - All Rights Reserved.
Privacy Policy | Terms of Service.