Diana visits East Riding farm

4.38.49pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 3rd Oct 2008

The Liberal Democrat MEP for Yorkshire & the Humber, Diana Wallis, has visited a farm in Broomfleet in the East Riding to hear concerns from farmers and producers about the EU's proposed Pesticides Directive.

The Directive, which is due to return to the European Parliament for its second reading next week, aims to cut down the number of pesticides in use, by moving from a risk based assessment to a so-called 'hazard based approach'. If adopted it will means that some substances will be banned merely if they have certain properties, whatever the low nature of the risk associated with them. Not surprisingly, this has met with fierce opposition from farmers who warn that if these proposals go ahead yields of key crops like wheat will plummet by up to 35% and other crops, particularly vegetables, will no longer be viable. The problem is that there will be no alternative pest and fungal controls available on the UK market and new ones are unlikely to be developed for many years. By way of example, Diana Wallis was concerned to learn of the potential effects of the withdrawal of pendimethalin used to ensure the clearance of previous crops like potatoes before a pea crop can be established.

Diana Wallis said:

"The results of this one withdrawal could be devastating to a hugely important local agriculture industry with a worst case scenario seeing the growing of peas in this county moving to New Zealand!

"It important that that the European Parliament understands the effects of these proposals on such a region as ours. I certainly intend to see what amendments we can try to introduce and to seek to highlight the difficult position of our local farmers and growers with the Commission with whom the proposals originated."

Representing the National Farmers Union, Laurie Norris said:

"Our meeting today with Diana Wallis MEP was an important part of intensive lobbying work being carried out across the country to raise awareness of the impact of these proposals. The potential threat to home-produced food is very real and this is a message we must get across. Working with our MEPs will be crucial in trying to achieve the amendments we need. Sleep-walking into such new regulation is not an option."

(Photo shows Diana with local farmer Robert Pratchett and Birds Eye Sustainable Agriculture Manager, Dr Liz Chadd)