So the head of Syngenta, the world’s biggest pesticide maker, urges the continued use of pesticides in agriculture (Pesticide maker says curbs would lead to food crisis in 10 years, 18 June). This is hardly breaking news. Can anybody really be surprised at such a stance from any of the companies that produce these chemicals when their primary concern is to protect profits and to keep pesticides being used.

Considering sales of pesticides in the UK each year are worth about £627m and the world pesticides industry has been valued at $58bn, this is very big business with powerful, vested interests.

There is no doubt that the widespread use of pesticides in agriculture is causing serious damage to the environment, wildlife and, above all, human health. This can be seen in the horrific testimonies from thousands of affected residents in a petition that calls on Theresa May and Michael Gove to secure the protection of rural communities by banning the use of pesticides near residents’ homes, schools and playgrounds.

The first duty of any government is supposed to be to protect its citizens. It is a criminal offence to knowingly expose someone to poison, so there should never have been an exemption on that regarding agriculture. The necessity of pesticides has been challenged by recent reports, with a UN study calling the idea that pesticides are vital to feeding the world a “myth”.

The new post-Brexit agricultural bill and policy provides a real opportunity for the UK to clean up agriculture and adopt a non-chemical farming policy. Such a move is absolutely integral to the health and existence of all those living in the countryside, as well as other species that are being wiped out from the continued use of such toxic chemicals.

Georgina Downs

UK Pesticides Campaign

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