Proposed EU restrictions pose serious threat to farm incomes

EUROPEAN Union proposals to dramatically reduce the use of plant protection products have major implications for the competitiveness of Irish tillage farming, a conference was told yesterday.

Brendan Barnes, director, Animal and Plant Health Association, joint organisers with the IFA of the conference at Dublin Airport, said the proposed restrictions would curtail production of cereals, potatoes and vegetables much more seriously than the Nitrate Directive has done for livestock farmers.

He urged farmers to actively lobby European Parliament members on the damage to Irish tillage farming if some of the more extreme proposals are not rejected.

He said the proposals contain legally binding restrictions, such as 25% reduction in usage of plant protection products within five years and a 50% reduction within 10 years.

A system of taxes or levies with some of the proceeds being used to promote organic farming is also proposed.

Mr Barnes said the new measures would seriously restrict the use of long established safe products and would also curtail the development of new plant protection products.

This would have serious implications for the production of quality food and also for farm incomes, he said.

Professor Jimmy Burke, Teagasc Oak Park, told the conference the adoption of the proposals would erode the competitive position of Irish tillage farming.

“What we need is an acceptable balance between technical efficiency, food cost, food quality and protection of the environment.

Dr Tom McCabe, UCD, said Ireland is uniquely vulnerable to wet weather fungal diseases such as potato blight and septoria in cereals. The past summer has been a classic example where potato blight has been virtually uncontrollable.

He said that rather than ‘top of the head’ reduction in volumes what is needed is a plant protection programme based on risk assessment. “Ireland has made huge advances in this area in recent years and farmers have a highly responsible approach towards the use of chemicals,” he said.