NFU Scotland has welcomed confirmation that the use of the popular herbicide, glyphosate, has been given a last-minute stay of execution for 18 months.
Repeated votes by EU member states had been unable to reach the majority necessary for the product to be reapproved, but European health commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis confirmed on Tuesday that the licence for glyphosate had finally been approved. Growers and other users had faced the prospect of glyphosate being withdrawn had its licence not been approved by a 30 June deadline.
Glyphosate has been the subject of increased controversy over recent years. Some studies have suggested that the chemical is a carcinogen, but the European Food Safety Authority concluded that glyphosate was "unlikely" to cause cancer in humans.
Although the reprieve is good news for farmers, who can continue to use the product as both a herbicide and pre-harvest desiccant, NFUS has stressed the importance of this 18-month period being used for the European Agency for Chemical Products to reassess the safety of the product.
Earlier in June, the UK farming unions wrote to the European policymakers and elected officials to stress the importance of the reauthorisation of glyphosate.
The unions stated at the time their belief that there was no well-reasoned argument to hold back a full reauthorisation of glyphosate in line with regulations. However, the decision-making process in Europe regarding the use of glyphosate had become highly politicised.
Although much shorter than a previous proposal to re-licence glyphosate for 15 years, the 18-month approval was welcomed by farmers.
NFUS president Allan Bowie commented: "Our farmers need glyphosate to provide a safe, secure and affordable food supply while increasingly responding to consumer demand for greater environmental sensitivity.
"This licence extension is good news for Scottish farmers. However, we now have 18 months for the science to further prove that it is safe to use and provide reassurance to consumers about its safety when it comes to food production.
"While a hugely important herbicide for farming, its application pre-harvest as a desiccant has been crucial to Scotland where harvesting conditions can be more challenging."
Market round-up
Messrs Craig Wilson Ltd sold 843 prime lambs in Newton Stewart yesterday to a top of £105 per head and 212.8p per kg to average 195.1p (+5p on the week).
The 244 cast sheep forward saw ewes sell to £106 for Texels and £68 for Blackfaces.
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