Farmers in France have reacted strongly to Environment Minister Nicolas Hulot’s intention to block the reauthorisation of glyphosate, pointing out the negative effects the ban would have on conservation farming, as well as increased overhead costs.

The French politician reiterated Paris’ opposition to the re-authorisation of Monsanto’s weed killer Roundup. A vote on the issue is expected on 4 October.

“France will vote against a re-authorisation of glyphosate for ten years given the uncertainties that persist with regard to its dangerousness,” AFP quoted a source in the ecology and sustainable development ministry as saying.

Paris defies the Commission, vows to block glyphosate reauthorisation France will vote against a proposal by the European Commission to renew the licence for glyphosate, the active ingredient in one of the world’s most widely used weedkillers, Monsanto’s Roundup, a government source said on Wednesday (30 August).

In May, the Commission decided to restart discussions with member states about a possible ten-year renewal of glyphosate’s licence.

According to the executive, the glyphosate discussion is not a routine case and a decision should be based on available science.

Health Commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis recently told EURACTIV.com, “I must be humble, I am not a scientific expert, but it seems to me that political opinions cannot outweigh broadly agreed scientific opinions.”

“As a doctor, I rely on science. Therefore, I will continue to base my decisions on science and on the rule of law,” the EU health chief emphasised.

End of agroecology

Arnaud Rousseau, President of the French Federation of Oil Producers (FOP) wrote on Twitter that “banning glyphosate would mean “the end of agroecology”.

“All farmers who practice conservation agriculture and have stopped tillage to capture carbon in soils, according to the principles set up at COP21, will have to stop this type of agriculture if they cannot use glyphosate punctually to clean the fields just prior to seeding, when the frost did not remove the plant cover planted just after the harvest,” he told AFP.

Conservation agriculture (CA) is based on three principles: no-till (or minimal soil disturbance), organic soil cover, and diversified crop sequence. In this way, this type of agriculture enables farmers to increase productivity, adapt to climate change and reverse environmental degradation.

Speaking at the AGRI Committee of the European Parliament in July, Gottlieb Basch, President of the European Conservation Agriculture Federation (ECAF), told MEPs, “Glyphosate is an important substance for agriculture, not just for Conservation Agriculture but for conventional agriculture too”.

Conservation farmers claim that glyphosate is a crucial element in the development of conservation systems. The active ingredients used in the pre-seeding weed control are diverse, but normally glyphosate alone or in combination with other herbicides, such as hormonal ones, are a common choice among farmers.

Glyphosate controls many weeds and leaves no residue in the soil that could prevent or delay seeding, they say.

France backs agroecology to fight climate change Agriculture and forestry are responsible for 24% of greenhouse gas emissions, but could be turned into powerful allies in the fight against global warming, according to a new study. EURACTIV France reports.

Financial cost

Jean-Paul Bordes, Director of Research and Development at Arvalis Agri Institute pointed out that a return to the use of tillage would have negative effects on the soil and its fertility.

He said ending the use of glyphosate would mark the end of all the farms situated in intermediate zones with less fertile soils, whose economic equilibrium is based on the reduction of labour costs per hectare.

From an economic perspective, Philippe Pinta, the president of the Association of Wheat Producers (AGPB), emphasised that a ban on glyphosate would add € 900 million per year extra costs to the French cereal farmer.

He also hinted that Minister Hulot’s standpoint on glyphosate should not be seen as the French government’s official position.

Commission says 10-year glyphosate extension is a ‘starting point’ for debate The European Commission believes a 10-year extension of glyphosate weedkiller is a “starting point” for debate and that it is the 28 EU member states which will have the final say, an EU official told EURACTIV.com.