No Majority Vote on Glyphosate Concerning – IFA

IFA National Grain Chairman Kieran McEvoy said the failure to reach a qualified majority vote on the renewal of glyphosate is very concerning for EU agriculture.

“The European Food Safety Authority has identified no critical areas of concern with products containing glyphosate. It is positive to see that Ireland followed the conclusions of the assessment, but disappointing that other member states appear unwilling to fully accept the scientific evidence on glyphosate,” he said.

“Access to glyphosate products is critical for the continued, future transition of Irish agriculture to a more sustainable model. Increased utilisation of cover crops; greater use of multi species swards; and reduced tillage establishment methods are simply not possible without glyphosate herbicides,” he said.

“IFA will be meeting with officials from the Pesticide Registration and Control Division of DAFM next week to discuss the full implications of today’s outcome,” Kieran McEvoy concluded.