Farming bodies across the EU have stepped up action to call for glyphosate to be re-authorised for fifteen years after the EFSA gave a positive assessment.
Ahead of talks next week, European farming bodies including COCERAL, Copa and Cogeca and the NFU have called on EU Member States to re-authorise the use of glyphosate.
It comes as news that the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) gave glyphosate a positive assessment.
The EFSA's assessment, published on 7 September, found there is no evidence that glyphosate is having a harmful effect on human hormone systems.
Copa and Cogeca, an EU farming cooperative, said it has "strong scientific evidence" from both EFSA and ECHA to support the re-authorization of the widely-used active substance for 15 years.
The cooperative said there no safety concerns. Secretary-General Pekka Pesonen said: “Its use is also essential together with catch crops to prevent soil erosion and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
“It puts our own farmers in a less competitive and uncertain position vis a vis their competitors in non-EU countries.”
COCERAL Secretary-General Teresa Babuscio said: “Glyphosate is the most widely used herbicide in the EU and worldwide, enabling farmers to produce safe, affordable, quality food. We urge Member States and the European Commission to re-authorise for the full fifteen years as set out in EU legislation.”
The statements come as the EU readies itself to discuss reauthorisation on October 5-6.
Financial difficulty
Indeed, a survey released shows a ban on glyphosate could force one in five British wheat farms into 'serious financial difficulty'.
More than half of British farmers say they are concerned that a ban could cost them more than £10,000 every year.
But a bitter transatlantic row over possible risks to human health has prompted investigations by congressional committees in the U.S. and in Europe.
It has led the French government to reaffirm its commitment to phase out the use of glyphosate in a gradual manner, following complaints from farmers worried about a potential imminent ban.
It intends to vote against and block the European Commission's proposal to reauthorize the chemical.
This is despite the Canadian government concluding glyphosate to be safe, confirming the product's importance to Canadian farms.
UK farming unions have been active on this issue, and have said they will continue to work to ensure the facts about glyphosate’s safety and its importance are 'fully understood' in the run up to the European Commission confirming its decision on the licence.
