NFU call to arms as Brussels threatens Christmas sprouts
Christmas favourite, the humble sprout, is under threat after Brussels announced new legislation on pesticides which will make the festive veg very hard to grow in the UK in the future. The NFU has issued a rallying call today to its members to lobby MEPs to vote against the proposals in January.
EU representatives agreed to increase restrictions for pesticides – already one of the most heavily regulated groups - despite the NFU and British Government calling on Brussels assess the impact of the plans to reduce the number of vital crop protection products available to farmers and growers.
The proposals, part of the Thematic Strategy on Pesticides, will have a devastating impact on the UK horticulture industry and will see a reduction in crop yield and quality. Crucially, at a time when food security and food prices are an issue, this move will also force up prices for other household staples such as potatoes and broccoli.
And the effects will not be restricted to the horticulture industry. It will have a wide-reaching impact across the cereals sector where crop protection products are needed to protect them from common pests, weeds and disease.
NFU Vice President Paul Temple said: "Only last week Prime Minister Gordon Brown said it was unfortunate that few other Member States appear to have examined the impacts of these proposals as carefully as the UK. He said he remained concerned that the European Parliament’s committee is continuing to press for changes which could damage agriculture and food production without securing any meaningful benefits for health or the environment.
"I am also concerned over the lack of sound science behind the plans and we cannot support measures which reduce the tools available to farmers and growers to produce crops – particularly at a time when we need to be increasing food production, not restricting it.
"We are calling on our members to write to their local MEPs to express their concerns over these proposals and ask them to reject this deal at the plenary vote which will take place in Strasbourg in early January."
