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On Tuesday, the European Parliament voted against re-authorising glyphosate, to ban the pre-harvest application of the active ingredient and to have it completely banned by 2022.
Tuesday’s vote is non-binding, with another vote taking place on Wednesday by a standing committee with representatives from each member state.
There is uncertainty as to how the vote will go tomorrow and speaking to the Irish Farmers Jouranl first vice-president of the European Parliament and Irish MEP Mairead McGuinness, said it may well be that the European Commission could come back in November with another proposal on glyphosate.
“The last time the European Parliament voted on glyphosate it gave it a seven-year extension.”
This time around, McGuinness said that lobbying by NGOs and others against glyphosate had an effect on the way the vote went.
The Fine Gael MEP also said that all MEPs from the Fine Gael party did not vote in favour of a ban of glyphosate and they did not vote in favour of phasing it out.
“We have to be mindful of the European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) view, when used safely and appropriately [glyphosate is unlikely to cause harm to humans].
“It is a vital part of cropping and min-tilling.”
’A sad day for agriculture’
Meanwhile, Ulster Unionist MEP Jim Nicholson has expressed deep concern at the vote to call for a ban on the use of glyphosate within five years.
Describing it as “a sad day for agriculture”, he said the decision has the potential to destabilise confidence in the EU’s entire regulatory approval process for herbicides.
While the Parliament’s recommendation is not binding on the European Commission, he said it could have an effect on the member states’ decision-making, as they seek to renew the authorisation of glyphosate on Wednesday.
Nicholson said: “For producers, herbicides like glyphosate are not a luxury. They are a necessity.
“Not only is responsible use of the herbicide vital for the production of food, it also is beneficial in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting sustainable farming.”
IFA reaction
Also reacting to the vote was the IFA president, Joe Healy, who said there is a clear lack of political leadership when it comes to supporting peer reviewed scientific opinion as is the case with the current debate regarding the reauthorisation of glyphosate.
“Lack of political leadership across the EU is seriously undermining fact-based scientific opinion.
“This has resulted in the current debacle where important tools such as plant protection products, including glyphosate, could be lost to the agricultural sector.”
Glyphosate is an important agricultural, horticultural and amenity herbicide. It is used to minimise weed infestation from economically important crops.
“It has been used to excellent effect in Irish and European farming for almost 40 years.
“The herbicide is an integral part of the modern farming practice in both tillage and grassland production. It is a key arable crop management tool that allows farmers to produce an abundance of safe, affordable, quality food.
“Its judicious use allows us to adopt minimum tillage practices, thus preventing soil erosion and reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the sector.”
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