If Europeans want to keep a resilient EU farming sector, the simplest reality is that we need to have as many options available as possible

On the 4th May 2021, the European Parliament Intergroup on Climate Change, Biodiversity & Sustainable Development hosted a webinar to discuss reliable EU strategies on plant protection products.  The event was hosted by MEP Norbert Lins (EPP), MEP Ulrike Müller (Renew Europe) and MEP Sarah Wiener (Greens/EFA) with the support of Copa and Cogeca. Beyond political posturing, all speakers addressed the need for long-term sustainability in addition to technological tools, as well as reliable EU strategies and further research on plant protection products. 

MEPs Wiener, Müller and Lins introduced the event where Mr Lins stated, "Agriculture is part of the solution for more climate and environmental protection and not the problem. When it comes to the future of plant protection products, we should all agree on the principle: as much as necessary, as little as possible! And this is why Integrated Pest Management is the key tool – we need to give farmers the necessary toolbox."

MEP Müller added, "Reducing input use and its negative effects on the environment while facing the challenges of climate change is a huge challenge for farmers. We need to create a framework that allows innovation to thrive to equip farmers with the necessary means."

Mr Pedro Gallardo, Vice-President of COPA, explained during his presentation that, "If Europeans want to have a resilient farming sector able to adapt to climate change effects, the simplest reality is that we need to have as many options available to us as possible. Right now, what I'm noticing on the ground is that the options available are getting sparse. Despite the interest of EU farmers to apply low-risk PPPs and other sustainable technologies, proper availability of such products is still not the case. This is still not a palpable reality. It is essential that the Green Deal and the Farm to Fork strategies consider this operational dimension while making sure it is based on solid science-based risk analysis and precautionary principle."

Both as consumers and as food suppliers, farmers are the first interested in having safe production conditions in order to offer top quality products with maximum health guarantees and at affordable prices, as well as contributing to the conservation of our soils, the quality of our waters and the diversity of our flora and fauna.

The development of agricultural activity is done in an open and complex environment, subject to numerous foreseeable and unforeseeable variables that condition production. All this should be taken into account when considering any legislative modifications, specific objectives or impact studies about the EU agriculture situation and the future potential.

By applying IPM, farmers are already avoiding an excessive use of chemical pesticides and they are increasingly moving towards low-risk substances and selective crop protection techniques. Therefore, availability and the use of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) tools is key for a sustainable agricultural production in the EU including chemicals. Which, even with being considered as the last resort in sustainable agriculture, where their shares continue to decrease by the day, they will remain an essential element for a successful application of any IPM scheme.