Commission Decision on Renewal of Glyphosate the Right Call – IFA

IFA National Grain Chair Kieran McEvoy said the decision by the European Commission this morning to renew the approval of glyphosate, subject to conditions, for a further 10 years is a very positive development for Irish and EU agriculture.

“Access to glyphosate products is critical for Irish and EU tillage farmers, particularly with an ever-increasing focus on reducing emissions from agriculture. Increased utilisation of cover crops; greater use of multi-species swards in grassland; and reduced tillage establishment methods are simply not possible without glyphosate herbicides,” Kieran McEvoy said.

An IFA delegation travelled to Brussels yesterday to meet with Irish MEPs as well as representatives of Commissioner McGuinness’s cabinet to highlight the critical importance of continued access to glyphosate products for farmers.

“IFA felt it was vital to travel over to Brussels in person this week to highlight the importance of the glyphosate issue. We also took the opportunity to highlight the need to ensure proposals under the Sustainable Use Regulation do not threaten the viability of the Irish tillage sector ahead of a plenary vote on the regulation next week,” the IFA National Grain Chair concluded.