NFU: Unnecessary red tape must not harm ability to produce food

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Tuesday, 30, Sep 2008 12:00

Agriculture’s potential to farm and grow reliable and abundant supplies of high quality and affordable food must not be impeded by unnecessary red tape from Europe the NFU has said today as it signed up to an industry-wide call to action.

The NFU has joined the Crop Protection Association and other key stakeholders in a letter sent to PM Gordon Brown calling on Government to ensure proposals to cut crop protection sprays, under a revised EU’s Pesticides Registration Regulation, do not reduce farmers’ and growers’ ability to produce food at a time of rising food prices and concerns over food security.

The EU regulation is looking to move from a risk-based assessment to a hazard based assessment which has huge impacts. Under the EU Council’s plans:

· Farmers and growers could lose up to15 per cent of current available and approved sprays including some which are critical for growing carrots, potatoes and parsnips.

· Cereal yields could fall by 20-30 per cent if key cereal fungicides are banned

However the EU Parliament proposals go much further and could result in the removal of 85 per cent of all EU approved pesticides. This would result in:

· Increasing problems with pests, diseases and weeds resistance

· Greatly reduced crop yields

· Increased carbon foot print of key crops like wheat and potatoes

· Reduced profitability for some crops resulting in shortages and rising food prices

NFU Director General Richard Macdonald joined seven other signatories. He said: “At a time of rising food prices and food security concerns we must be certain that we do not introduce EU legislation which has an unacceptable impact on EU farmers’ ability to grow reliable, abundant supplies of high quality food or has unseen consequences for consumers.”

The letter calls on UK Government to ensure the EU-wide impact of the proposals are fully understood and mitigated where they could have an impact on food supply. It also calls for the EU Commission to publish an EU-wide assessment on the effect of pesticide cut off measures on consumers before the regulation is agreed by Council.

Notes to Editors:

1. The key stakeholders signed up to the letter are: NFU, Crop Protection Association, Agricultures Industries Confederation, the British Crop Production Council, British Retail Consortium, Country Land and Business Association, Food and Drink Federation, and the Fresh Produce Consortium.

2. The letter has been sent to Prime Minister Gordon Brown and the leader of the Conservative Party David Cameron and Nick Clegg, leader of the Liberal Democrats.

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Press Officer: Sharon Hockley

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The NFU champions British farming and provides professional representation and services to its farmer and grower members.