There’s media noise, and then there’s time for science! Today, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published its first conclusions on the risk assessment linked to glyphosate, the most widely publicised herbicide. The European agency concluded that they did not identify critical areas of concern.
Farmers and agri-cooperatives have always supported the science-based risk assessment approach adopted by EFSA and on active substances for PPPs, it always aims to guarantee the utmost protection of human, animal, and environmental health. Therefore, Copa Cogeca welcome the preliminary conclusion of EFSA’s risk assessment on glyphosate.
At a time when the European Union is due to rule on the reauthorisation of the herbicide, the political question is clear: are we going to follow EFSA’s recommendations or are we going to give in to the communication campaigns and European citizens’ initiatives fuelled by narratives contradicted by science?
In this respect, we would always insist that European producers need to be equipped with the right toolbox, developed hand in hand with the latest scientific progress. As a reminder, glyphosate is a key herbicide which is used to fight weeds that compete with cultivated crops or that act as hosts for pests and diseases. Furthermore, it is not used on crops but between crops mainly on plant cover, making it possible to keep cover crops while avoiding excessive tillage.
Artigo publicado originalmente em Copa Cogeca.
