Farmers fear EU pesticide rules

Farmers say products used safely for years could be banned

Strict new European rules on the use of pesticides are expected to be passed which could "seriously threaten" UK food production, say farmers.

The British government opposes the law, expected to be passed on Tuesday, which critics say would cause rising prices.

It could wipe out the carrot industry and seriously affect many other crops, the National Farmers' Union has warned.

However, the Soil Association backs the EU's bid to cut the use of chemicals it says can cause cancer and infertility.

The association's policy director Peter Melchett said organic farmers had proven that crops could be grown with minimal use of pesticides.

"The vast majority of farmers don't use these chemicals on a regular basis anyway and those few farmers who do use them can find alternatives," he said.

'Major concern'

But National Farmers' Union deputy president Meurig Raymond said members "could be facing a difficult future with our agriculture and food production seriously threatened" if the law was passed.

"The lack of sound science behind the plans is a major concern," he said.

"We cannot support measures which reduce the tools available to farmers and growers to produce crops and that could ultimately jeopardise future food supply and security."

Changes in the way pesticides are authorised for use on crops are part of an EU goal to halve the use of toxic products in farming by 2013.

It is ludicrous that we would bring in a law that would put our crops in real danger Robert Sturdy MEP

The plans include assessing products for protecting plants on the basis of "perceived hazard", instead of scientific evidence.

Farmers would also be banned from using chemicals which affect a cell's genetics, or are carcinogenic or toxic.

But the proposals have already been scaled back after Europe's pesticides industry warned the new standards would remove from the market products that had been used without problems for years.

Certain pesticides are particularly useful in Britain to combat diseases associated with wet weather such as potato blight.

A Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs spokesman said: "We believe the proposals could hit crop yields without noticeable benefit for human health.

"We've done our own impact assessment on the matter but the European Commission has not."

Conservative MEPs say almost a quarter of produce will be lost in the UK alone if the plans go through, including the total carrot yield and 20% of cereal production.

Impact assessment

Along with Labour counterparts, they are calling for a full impact assessment of the proposed changes before the measures are approved.

Conservative Robert Sturdy MEP said: "We must have safer pesticides that are used responsibly but banning products that are safe when used correctly will add to already volatile food prices and food shortages.

"Food security is already becoming a pressing issue, so it is ludicrous that we would bring in a law that would put our crops in real danger."

According to BBC News's environment correspondent, Sarah Mukherjee, scientists are already concerned that insects are becoming more resistant to those pesticides that are available.

If the plans go through, the majority of pesticides currently on the market will be valid until at least 2015, giving pesticide manufacturers time to reformulate their products.