FAO: Europe’s role as a supplier of food will diminish
Posted by Helen Dunnett on March 24, 2009 in Food & health, Global issues
At the Forum for the Future of Agriculture, organised jointly by Syngenta and the European Landowners’ Organization (ELO) last week, we spoke to Alexander Sarris, Director in the Commodities and Trade Division at the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).
He gave us some insights into the role of technology in agriculture, the productivity gap that exists in the developing world, and how imperative it is that this gap be diminished (a process which may, in his view, involve the reduction Europe’s role as a supplier of food).
UPDATE: Blogactiv were also present at the event and spoke to Mr Sarris (click below). View all of Blogactiv’s interviews from the event by clicking here.
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Comments(0)European Commission completes its pesticide review
Posted by Helen Dunnett on March 17, 2009 in Environment, European Regulation, Farming, Food & health
Last week the European Commission announced the completion of its review of pesticides that were on the market before 1993. The review looked at about 1000 substances used in conventional and organic agriculture. In their press statement, the Commission said that the pesticides “have undergone a detailed risk evaluation with respect to their effects on humans and on the environment”.
In the press statement the EU Health Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou said: “Today represents a milestone in our effort to ensure improved protection of human health and the environment. The review of existing pesticides has lead to the removal from the market of more than two thirds of these substances. I can now say with confidence that our food has become greener.”
Of those 1000 pesticides removed from the market, the vast majority of pesticides (67%) didn’t qualify because their dossiers were either not submitted, incomplete or withdrawn by industry. 7% of dossiers submitted failed the review. 26% of substances were approved.
To promote the end of this review programme, the Commission has produced a factsheet “ EU action on pesticides”
Yesterday the Commission launched a new pesticide database listing active substances. The database is available to the general public. To access it click here.
Download a copy of their factsheet.
EU fund new software to standardise risk assessment of pesticide pollution
Posted by Helen Dunnett on February 17, 2009 in Environment, Farming
The Environmental Expert.com published an article recently about the development of a tool to help standardise risk assessment procedures for pesticides across Europe. The software combines climate, soil and crops data specific to each location to help understand the potential impact of each pesticide used.
The objective of the FOOTPRINT project is to develop a set of 3 computer tools that will allow users to:
- identify the dominant pathways and sources of pesticide contamination in the agricultural landscape.
- estimate levels of pesticide concentrations in surface water and groundwater.
- make scientifically-based assessments of how the implementation of risk reduction strategies is likely to reduce pesticide contamination of water resources.
To find out more about the project visit http://www.eu-footprint.org/ataglance.html
To access the FOOTPRINT software, visit: www.eu-footprint.org/FOOT_tools.html
A view from the European Fresh Produce Association
Posted by Helen Dunnett on February 06, 2009 in Food & health
We recently spoke to Frederic Rosseneu, the Food Safety Adviser at Freshfel Europe (European Fresh Produce - fruits and vegetables - Association), about the use of pesticdes in the sector he represents. He gave us some very interesting insights into:
- The differences in pesticide use in his sector between various parts of Europe due to differing climatic conditions.
- People’s awkward understanding of where their food comes from, given the complexity of modern food production (and in part due to industry’s failure to explain this complexity).
Click below to view and please feel free to comment.
Pesticides regulation in the news since the vote
Posted by Helen Dunnett on January 28, 2009 in European Regulation
Please find below a sample of articles on pesticides from English language news sources since the recent vote on the revision of the regulations governing pesticides in the European Parliament (see posts below for details).
- Get with the anti-pesticide programme (The Guardian)
- This pesticide ban is poison (The Guardian)
- EU pesticide ban ‘will force high food prices’ (Irish News)
- Warning that pesticide residues may have long-term impact on health (Irish Times)
- EU pesticide law condemned by chemists (Royal Society of Chemistry)
- Soil Association ‘Rubbish’ Pesticide Claims (Healthy Pages)
- Pesticides blow to farmers (The Scotsman)
- European ban on pesticides is driven by emotion rather than assessment of risk (The Scotsman)
- Balance elusive in EU pesticide debate (BBC)
Neil Parish MEP: pesticides & food supply, risk vs. hazard, Week without Pesticides
Posted by Helen Dunnett on January 26, 2009 in Food & health
At the Forum for the Future of Agriculture, which we attended last week (see previous post below), we spoke to Neil Parish, a Member of the European Parliament, where he is Chairman of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development.
Please click on the video below to hear Mr Parish’s views on the reduction of pesticides available to farmers and the effect this might have on food supply, the shift from a risk to hazard-based assessment of products, and Week without Pesticides, the annual campaign originally launched by Citizen’s Action for Pesticides’ Alternatives.
Former Commissioner Franz Fischler: balancing food and environmental sustainability
Posted by Helen Dunnett on January 17, 2009 in Food & health
In our last interview from the Future of Agriculture series, we have to Franz Fischler, former European Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries, and now Chairman of the Rise Foundation, an organisation that supports rural development.
The main focus of his position on the future development of the European agricultural sector is on the prioritisation of environmental concerns above all else, which should involve the promotion of farming methods that do not require technology, as well as the reduction of what he calls “harsh” technologies, including some pesticides.
Pesticides regulations backed by European Parliament
Posted by Helen Dunnett on January 14, 2009 in European Regulation
MEPs voted overwhelmingly in favour of the tough new regulations governing pesticides: the regulation governing authorisation of plant protection products; and the framework directive ensuring the sustainable use of pesticides. The consolidated texts adopted yesterday by the Parliament Plenary may be accessed here.
Here’s a sample of other articles from around the web:
- EU assembly votes to ban toxic pesticides (Reuters)
- EU parliament backs pesticide regulations (The Parliament Magazine)
- Euro-MPs back tough new pesticide rules (The Independent)
- Food prices will rise after Europe votes to cut pesticides, warn farmers (The Daily telegraph)
- Toxic pesticides banned in Europe (EUobserver)
- Pesticides Banned (BBC Radio 4)
- L’Europe durcit sa réglementation pesticides (Ouest France)
- Europäer werden vor Pestiziden geschützt (Allgemeine Zeitung)
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