European MP Merja Kyllonen, one of those responsible for steering glyphosate’s reauthorisation through the European Parliament, said evidence it was not harmful to humans was unconvincing.
Her revelation came as another new study showed glyphosate to be non-carcinogenic and several respected bodies including the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the United Nations Food and Agriculture World Health Organisations’ joint committee on pesticide residues declared it to be safe,
Kyllonen said the European Food Safety Agency’s (EFSA) conclusion that glyphosate was unlikely to pose a carcinogenic hazard to humans was not convincing enough and she agreed with the International Agency for Research on Cancer’s (IARC) assessment glyphosate was probably carcinogenic to humans.
“As long as there is insufficient evidence demonstrating glyphosate is definitely non-carcinogenic – if that ever turns out to be the case – the precautionary principle must be applied, meaning glyphosate must be banned until we have solid proof it does not pose a risk to our health or the environment,” she wrote in the European Union Commission magazine, The Parliament.
Commission proposals to revise regulations on plant protection products were also criticised by the Kyllonen.
She branded steps to move away from hazard-based legislation extremely dangerous.
“Sensible precaution has been replaced with warning people only if damage is 100% proven.”
“European Crop Protection Association director-general Jean-Philippe Azoulay criticised the EU’s handling of the issue, saying politics was undermining science.
“There is a real danger politicians are sleep-walking into a food production crisis, with significant consequences for the environment, trade, production and the economy impacting on every one of us, from the farmer to the consumer.”
But the warnings seemed to fall on deaf ears as EU Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan pressed ahead with a separate ban on the use of pesticides on certain crops in ecological focus areas (EFA).
The ban, to be introduced in 2018 as part of greening simplification plans, would cover catch crops, nitrogen-fixing crops and cover crops.
It was being introduced in the face of strong opposition from 18 national governments and EU farmer lobby group Copa.
Strutt and Parker consultant Richard Means said “If this change is implemented then it will be very disappointing news.
“Pulses have been the preferred EFA option for many farmers as they are straightforward to grow and help with the three-crop rule.
“If farmers are unable to spray any pulses grown in an EFA then they will become an unviable option.
“There is likely to be a significant decrease in the area as a result.”
Farming Minister George Eustice said he wanted the United Kingdom government to take a risk-based approach to pesticides, despite rejecting an application from the National Farmers Union to allow farmers to use banned neonicotinoid seed treatments on oilseed rape earlier this year.
It was not clear how that would work in practice if British farmers were exporting to the EU after Brexit.
NFU senior plant health adviser Emma Hamer said it might be possible for separate stores to be set up for trading with Europe and selling on the domestic market.
UK Farmers Guardian
