The Irish Farmers Association (IFA) has warned that the continued removal of plant protection products for tillage farmers is lowering the viability and competitiveness of Irish crop production.
It comes after an IFA delegation met with Dr Klaus Berend, deputy director general with responsibility for the Food Safety, Sustainability and Innovation Directorates in DG Sante in Brussels.
The association’s grain chair, Kieran McEvoy, who led this delegation, said that tillage farmers are increasingly concerned about the loss of such products from the European market.
“The recent decision not to re-authorise the key cereal herbicide flufenacet is yet another solution removed from the tool-box for farmers,” he said.
“Over 78 active ingredients have been lost since 2019 with virtually no replacement products coming on to the market. Unfortunately, this looks set to grow further as authorisation timelines of the active ingredients defined as ‘candidates for substitution’ under EU legislation draw nearer.”
Pesticides
The recently published EU Vision for Agriculture document references the need for more careful consideration around the removal of active substances where alternatives do not exist.
The IFA said that farmers are willing to move towards the use of biopesticides provided they are direct replacements for conventional plant protection products, however, this is currently not the case for cereal production in Ireland.
“It is clear that European policy makers believe that biopesticides and solutions such as mechanical in-crop weeding are viable alternatives to conventional plant products,” added McEvoy.
Read more
Crops surging ahead after in growthy conditions
Weekend weather: dry but cloudy at times
Make sure you are controlling weeds this spring
What tillage farmers need to know about glyphosate resistance
The Irish Farmers Association (IFA) has warned that the continued removal of plant protection products for tillage farmers is lowering the viability and competitiveness of Irish crop production.
It comes after an IFA delegation met with Dr Klaus Berend, deputy director general with responsibility for the Food Safety, Sustainability and Innovation Directorates in DG Sante in Brussels.
The association’s grain chair, Kieran McEvoy, who led this delegation, said that tillage farmers are increasingly concerned about the loss of such products from the European market.
“The recent decision not to re-authorise the key cereal herbicide flufenacet is yet another solution removed from the tool-box for farmers,” he said.
“Over 78 active ingredients have been lost since 2019 with virtually no replacement products coming on to the market. Unfortunately, this looks set to grow further as authorisation timelines of the active ingredients defined as ‘candidates for substitution’ under EU legislation draw nearer.”
Pesticides
The recently published EU Vision for Agriculture document references the need for more careful consideration around the removal of active substances where alternatives do not exist.
The IFA said that farmers are willing to move towards the use of biopesticides provided they are direct replacements for conventional plant protection products, however, this is currently not the case for cereal production in Ireland.
“It is clear that European policy makers believe that biopesticides and solutions such as mechanical in-crop weeding are viable alternatives to conventional plant products,” added McEvoy.
Read more
Crops surging ahead after in growthy conditions
Weekend weather: dry but cloudy at times
Make sure you are controlling weeds this spring
What tillage farmers need to know about glyphosate resistance
SHARING OPTIONS