EU Pesticides Ban Could Damage Scottish Farming
21 October 2008 NFU Scotland – an agricultural association formed in 1913 – is concerned that EU proposals to impose stricter controls on pesticides will ban chemicals essential to Scottish farming. The organization has said its members must be allowed to use pesticides to overcome the country’s wet climate.
After a two year debate, EU agriculture ministers have approved stricter controls on the use of pesticides, which would force farmers to stop using chemicals toxic to humans, such as carcinogenic chemicals or those harmful to human hormones or reproduction. Pesticides would no longer be approved nationally, but regionally. Environmental consultancy ADAS says yields of key crops such as potatoes and wheat could fall by 25% under the proposed EU ban.
NFU Scotland will lobby Members of the European Parliament scheduled to vote on the proposed restrictions later this year.
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