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Glyphosate deadlock - drags on

No decision reached in todays vote over the future of glyphosate. At least they managed to vote this time which is more than they managed in October. 28 countries were eligible to vote. 14 FOR, 9 AGAINST, 5 ABSTAINED. 

Last year Malta was the only country to vote against the re-licensing of the crucial active ingredient. A qualified majority is required with each country being allocated a number of votes depending on the size of their population so the abstentions will be crucial to the re-vote scheduled for the end of the month.

Reuters News 

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  • PRO
    I’ve seen this article today as well

    The decisions behind Monsanto's weed-killer crisis
    http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-monsanto-dicamba-specialreport/the...
    The decisions behind Monsanto's weed-killer crisis
    In early 2016, agri-business giant Monsanto (MON.N) faced a decision that would prove pivotal in what since has become a sprawling herbicide crisis,…
  • 14 for banning it or continuing its use?
    What are the alternatives currently available for use?
  • Not sure how to read the result? How many do they need for a qualified majority. From the look of the vote it looks like they voted FOR. So why has no decision been reached? Also, what have they voted for? For the continued use of Glyphosate or the banning of it?

    • PRO
      They need 15 votes for or against to actually confirm it. That’s the way I read it anyway
      • PRO Supplier

        14 voted FOR to re-license glyphosate - the qualified majority rules mean 1 or 2  countries with a large population such as Germany who abstained could have swung it for re-licensing. Its stuck in limbo at present with another vote in a couple of weeks. 

  • The decision was 14 to renew the license, 9 against renewing the license in Dec and 5 abstained. We are an organic gardening company operating in rural North Yorkshire with myself having grown up on a farming and farming. When will we wake up and see the destruction that we are causing to the land and our health. 

    Soil is the only important part of growing crops and plants. We are destroying the microorganisms, soil structure, polluting waterways, killing all wild plant life and only focusing on the monoculture system. We have destroyed habitats and pollinator populations. This has to stop and new modern methods must be implemented now. Please bear in mind that the destruction of our diets, the land and biodiversity has only happened almost within living memory, being the end of the second world war.

    The older generation need to step up and make a 'change' which they are so afraid of. The UK voted for renewal which is a disgrace. There are plenty of other options out there and many was to farm...it just takes change. The only place we ever use chemicals is with selective herbicides on lawns used sparingly and on large hard surfaced areas. We can minimise chemical us as a minimum in order help the land recover. We always, always avoid using chemicals wherever humanly possible and always as a last resort with the minimum of applications and area covered. We have 5 employees and have made 3 chemical applications since March this year covering 95 regular clients and 40 individual clients. No issues here.

    • PRO
      I’m sorry but if you’re “organic” you would not use any of these chemicals.
      I’m not suggesting that we should be using these things over other methods but to think there would be no problems after stopping using glyphosate in particular is short sighted
      • I think it has its place but it is not 100% necessary to apply chemicals. Chemicals should be used as last resort and in minimal areas. We are organic as far as humanly possible but cannot find a viable organic solution for everything, and so use chemicals in the smallest amounts and in the minimal amount of application area. The amount of chemicals we see being used by lawn care companies, farmers (of which grew up on and have worked on for 15 years), councils and the food industry is enormous. Certainly not a last resort or targeted or in the minimal area/ quantity that could be applied. You only have to look at the scientific figures as to the amount of chemical found in our cereals (breads with 60% having glyphosate present at a consumer level), livestock (from feed), seafood (pollution run off), sea water and veg to see that chemicals are used far too much and without thought. Heaven forbid we actually test our soils properly beyond the statistics provided by the report claiming that 45% of all agricultural soil had active glyphosate in it; destroying microorganisms. 

        Chemicals do have 'their place' but that has been exploited and are being misused. So my argument is not 'short sighted' but very long sighted indeed for the wellbeing of the planet. There are plenty of organic farms around us doing just fine, I operate my gardening business from a large commercial farmyard (corner of) managing 12 farms and 8000 acres of land (for whom myself and my two brothers have both worked for in the past), I have grown up on a 750 acre mixed stock and arable farm and see no problems that farmers would face if a change were to occur. Not at all short sighted and a change needs to happen now.

        We have developed GM crops called 'Roundup ready crops'. A crop that is so GM modified that it does not die when a chemical that is meant to kill almost everything in its path will not kill it...and then we are meant to eat the produce this crop makes!

        As gardeners and members of this guild, are we not meant to be promoting the biodiversity and soil health of the nation and world? We work with nature and try to let it blossom and look after itself while we keep it under our perception of ordered control. Our current monocultural agricultural system that we have today with no biodiversity or crop irregularity to combat or 'fire break' the spread of disease will destroy environments and eventually our selves. We follow the advances of the agricultural industry and used products that harm the soil. We should minimise these as much as humanly possible. As I have said, they have their place and we have used only 1 litre of chemical over nearly 150 gardens (our largest being 7 acres, our second largest being 3 acres, down to our smallest being 80m2). Our claim of being organic cannot get any closer than that in my opinion. 

        If you think that a change in this system in short sighted then you have a lot of research to do and also a lot responsibility resting on your shoulders for the continued use of chemical applications to be both beneficial to the environment, human health and sea life. The destruction of which from this short term solution both selfish and short sighted.

        • PRO
          Well all I can say to that is you’ve used 3 times the amount I have and I’m not claiming to be organic!
          I am guided by my clients and if they want hand weeding instead of chemicals they get it.
          As for lawns if cut weekly and not too short most turn out reasonably well without any chemicals too (I can see massive disagreement to that statement coming a mile away!)
          If you really wanted to you could be organic 100%
          That’s if you believe the statements you wrote above anyway.
          I’m not pushing in either direction if I’m honest.
          What I don’t like is being told by someone claiming to be organically managing things that it’s ok to use chemicals when it suits them.
          Preaching to people doesn’t help
          • I

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