The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the EU Member States have finalised the re-assessment of glyphosate, a chemical that is used widely in herbicides.
The report concludes that glyphosate is unlikely to pose a carcinogenic hazard to humans and proposes a new safety measure that will tighten the control of glyphosate residues in food.
The conclusion will be used by the European Commission in deciding whether or not to keep glyphosate on the EU list of approved active substances, and by EU Member States to re-assess the safety of herbicide products containing glyphosate that are used in their territories.
A peer review expert group made up of EFSA scientists and representatives from risk assessment bodies in EU Member States has set an acute reference dose (ARD) for glyphosate of 0.5 mg per kg of bodyweight, the first time such an exposure threshold has been applied to the substance.
Jose Tarazona, Head of EFSA's Pesticide Unit said: "By introducing an acute reference dose we are further tightening the way potential risks from glyphosate will be assessed in the future. Regarding carcinogenicity, it is unlikely this substance is carcinogenic."
NFU Scotland Policy Manager Peter Logie said: Glyphosate is one of the most important tools in the Scottish farming sector's armoury of plant protection products and has been successfully and safely used to control weeds for some considerable time.
"In welcoming this review, it was hugely important that any decisions on the product's future use and availability were based on all the scientific evidence accumulated on the product and made on the basis of risk and not hazard.
"We await the views of experts on what impact any new "exposure limit" safety measure for food may mean.
"We know that glyphosate is already one of the most monitored plant protection products in modern day use with foodstuffs regularly checked for residues.
"We would hope that any new residue limits do not generate a barrier to the safe application of glyphosate in the field in accordance with recommendations, and that this important product continues to be available to Scottish farmers in the future."
Market round-up
United Auctions sold 483 store heifers at Stirling on Wednesday to a top of 257p per kg and an average of 195.9p (-12.6p on the week), while 466 store, beef-bred bullocks peaked at 284.4p and levelled at 206.4p (-8.5p). Thirty-eight store, B&W bullocks sold to 167.2p and averaged 133.8p (+2.4p).
In the rough ring 246 beef cows averaged 102.6p and 39 dairy cows levelled at 72.8p.
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