Organic Growers Alliance Welcomes EU Pesticide Vote



On November 4th the European Union Environment Committee votes on further restrictions of pesticide usage affecting fruit and vegetable crops. The OGA looks forward to the further removal of toxic substances from the diets of UK and other Europeans.



Adam York of the OGA said “While the opposition from bodies such as the NFU, pesticide manufacturers and other flat earthers is regrettable, the opposition from Defra suggests less concern with public health than achieving complicity with the Agri-food Multi-Nationals.â€

Recent opponents of the chemical restrictions have been alarmist, from forecasting UK starvation to vegetables being 30-100% more expensive. While the vested interest of the proponents may damage some of these claims the existence of organically certified crops for some decades now further weakens them. Price premiums for organic crops average at 10-30% for vegetable crops and around 15-50% for fruit crops where the use of fungicides particularly, prevails in the UK. Adam York said “Long term yields look better on organically managed land than is widely realised, certainly better than many chemically based systems. The effective end of cheap nitrate fertilisers puts the fragile yields of much conventional production further in jeopardy and price differences have been narrowing of late.â€

The health cost of not removing toxic chemicals from the public diet is difficult to calculate but significant. Precautionary approaches can be a lot cheaper than the smoking experience where huge public health costs have already arrived. Infertility, cancer, Parkinson's disease, birth defects and water clean-up costs are all pesticide associated risks no sensible citizen would want to undertake. Reducing the risk at minimal cost seems prudent.

Notes

· For more information or for interviews please contact Adam York on 07511546701  glebelands@ntlworld.com

· For more information on the OGA go to www.newoga.org.uk

· For information on Georgina Downs UK Pesticides campaign  http://www.pesticidescampaign.co.uk/

· Pesticide Action Network www.pan-uk.org

The Organic Growers Alliance - the voice of organic horticulture