There are words of regret. Unfortunately, the Swiss farmers ‘ Association writes on its Website, the press received this “welcome development, only very sparse”. “Good news seem to be of less value than bad.”

The “good news” – it comes from the Federal office for agriculture (foag) and touched a politically sensitive area: the use of pesticides . New Figures show that between 2008 and 2017, sales in Switzerland of 2237 tons in 2030 are decreased, a decrease of 9 percent. Even 27 percent, the Minus is in the case of those plant protection products may only be used in conventional agriculture are used.

there was A particularly sharp decline of the herbicides and especially of glyphosate, sales of which have declined by almost 50 percent. In contrast, sales of active ingredients, which can be used in organic farming increased from 600 tonnes in 2008, of which 840 in the year 2017. This is an increase of 40 percent.

Video: Initiative calls for food without pesticide exposure food should be free of pesticides. Furthermore, Switzerland will be able to vote thanks to the seven fathers of new castle. Video: SDA

The foag has these Numbers on 4. Published February – just before the stand ätliche environmental Commission discussed the clean water initiative, so that people desire to provide for the protection of drinking water only to those farmers subsidies, the completely dispense with the use of pesticides.

The Commission was thus under the impression of this “good news”, as decided by you, the Initiative, no counter-proposal. The referendum comes out in 2020 for a vote. Similarly, a second agricultural concerns, the builders Association fought the people’s initiative for Switzerland without synthetic pesticides, which aims to ban the use of synthetic pesticides. On Monday, the initiators start in Bern your campaign.

risk

include The “good news” from the Department of agricultural Minister, Guy Parmelin (SVP) are highly politically significant. However, The statistics of the BLW shows only a portion of the truth. The tonnage of sales of plant protection products is not to say everything about how problematic these quantities for humans and the environment. “A purely quantity-based approach underestimates the risks,” said Robert Finger, agri-economist at the ETH Zurich. For a useful plant protection policy there is a need for a sound indicator of Risk, but this is lacking in Switzerland.

What says Finger, illustrated by the following example: a field that is a hectares in area, to treat against insects, rich Neonicotinoids a few grams; this is an environmentally harmful medium. In order to achieve the same effect with the acceptable stone powder, per hectare, however, several Hundred kilograms. If so, instead of Neonicotinoids stone flour increasingly is being used, increases in the statistics, the sales quantity of plant protection products significantly, although the change to a stone of flour means a significant relief for people and the environment. The Andreas Bosshard, head of the think tank Vision of agriculture says. “The statistics of BLW is to be interpreted, therefore, difficult and can be misleading.”

Very toxic substance 7th

Finger in a new study: A purely set-based analysis, particularly to identify risk plant protection products not-rich applications as such. Although, a larger quantity of plant protection products in the Mediterranean harbours, according to the Finger in the medium-to larger-scale risks to human health and the environment, extremely high-risk but not identified.

“A pure amount of reduction should, therefore, be the aim of the policy,” says Finger. To be able to effective measures to need it, rather, a combined analysis of the quantity and of the risk of individual substances. This applies, for example, for Chlorothalonil – a fungicide for cereals and vegetables, which appears in the 2017er-list of best-selling pesticides # 7: It is very toxic, especially for aquatic organisms, and can probably cause cancer.

Also Christian Stamm Eawag urges “caution in the causal Interpretation” of the BLW-statistics. Depending on the weather, pest-, weed – or disease pressure from year to year fluctuate greatly. 2017, for example, was in many regions of Switzerland dry to very dry. “This could have been a factor, that the need for chemical plant protection products was lower than in other years.” The backed up data to be missing, however.

Other countries are more than Switzerland. Denmark, for example, has developed an indicator of Risk “Pesticide Load” and can Express in detail the risks for man and the environment in a mass number. All farmers in Denmark have to their use of plant protection products report. The Index is calculated each year. Vision of agriculture requires that Switzerland will follow suit.

Federation wants

respond to The Federal office for agriculture to counter the criticism that the sales statistics show at least a positive trend for the risk-less use of substances, which are in accordance with the Vision of agriculture is problematic, as well as more application of substances which are less problematic. To confirm “this trend, it is necessary to secure additional tools,” acknowledges the foag. The office now wants to develop an indicator to assess the development of the risk potential for aquatic organisms – a work that is part of the National action plan on plant protection products, the Federal Council, the use of pesticides to reduce.

A first step in the right direction, this, is Robert Finger, ETH says. Plant protection products have, however, on creatures that live on Land, impact. “Especially in the light of current discussions to insects die and the pesticides it uses, therefore, too short to focus only on aquatic creatures.” Moreover, such a risk assessment should take into account the human health.

the Federal is too much work – too much probably. Until all the data is available, is likely to be the vote on the two agricultural initiatives in the past.

(editing Tamedia)

Created: 22.02.2019, 21:43 PM