The European Parliament has approved a resolution calling on the European Commission to ban the use of glyphosate, used in the weedkiller Round-up, in five years.
The European Commission had proposed extending the substance’s license for ten years, but said today after the vote it will instead propose a five to seven year extension.
However the final decision is up to national EU governments.
Mairead McGuinness, a vice-president of the parliament and MEP for the Midlands Northwest, says governments should reject the Parliament’s proposal because it sends a message to farmers that would make them return to less climate-friendly farming practices.
Meanwhile, IFA President Joe Healy says the current debate is clearly being driven by populism, and is based on politics rather than science.
Mr Healy says lack of political leadership across the EU is seriously undermining fact-based scientific opinion.
This has resulted, he says, in the current debacle where important tools such as plant protection products, including glyphosate, could be lost to the agricultural sector.
He says glyphosate is an important agricultural, horticultural and amenity herbicide, and is used to minimise weed infestation from economically important crops.
It has, Mr Healy says, has been used to excellent effect in Irish and European farming for almost 40 years.
IFA National Grain Chairman Liam Dunne claims the glyphosate issue is being used as a political football by a small number of vested interest groups and some politicians to drive on their own agendas.
