European Crop Protection Association
Use Pesticides Safely and Sustainably
Brussels (ots/PRNewswire)
- Solutions for Smallholder Famers and Amateur Users on How to Protect Their Gardens and Small Food Productions
The Safe and Sustainable Use Initiative meets again for its annual conference, this time in Bratislava, Slovakia, where farmers, regulators and plant protection representatives discuss best ways to provide farmers and operators with an easy-to-use toolbox of solutions to ensure the safe and sustainable use of pesticides.
Regular monitoring of performance indicators of this initiative has shown that some easy to implement best practices have been taken up nearly threefold by pesticide users in a short amount of time, increasing protection of human and environmental health.[1]
"This is a model that works and the plant protection industry is now exploring a new area: smallholder farmers and amateur users of pesticide products. Although in legal terms smallholder farmers and amateur users are considered as two different categories - professional certified users and non-professional users respectively - they have one thing in common: both user groups are large. In Slovakia for example every second adult is an amateur user of pesticides and many are considered smallholder farmers. This is common in many Eastern European countries. The challenge therefore lies in numbers" - explained Jozef Kotleba, Executive General of Slovakian Crop Protection Association.
This conference is a means to share and develop new approaches to reach these important target groups, offering an opportunity for exchanging experiences across Member States and elaborating solutions. "This way people can continue to enjoy their small scale food production and well-maintained gardens in a manner that is disease, fungus and pest free as well as being safe for human and environmental health"- Jozef Kotleba continued.
"The Safe and Sustainable Use Initiative is a great example of how knowledge exchange and knowledge transfer can provide appropriate solutions to current challenges and vastly increase uptake of good practices concerning plant protection products. This initiative is part of a wider commitment of the plant protection industry that aims at protecting users, the environment and public health at large"- Dr Friedhelm Schmider, Director General of European Crop Protection Association concluded.
For online version of the press release please follow the link: http://www.ecpa.eu/news-item/slovakian-crop-protection-association/06-10-2013/731/use-pesticides-safely-and-sustainably
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1. Success Factors: baseline and progress survey in Greece. Growers who protect themselves during application always with a coverall in 2005 was 35% and in 2008 increased to 88%.
Notes to editors:
Safe and Sustainable Initiative has been running for over 10 years and is now established in 15 European Countries with the aim of having it implemented in all EU Member States. It provides farmers and amateur users with a toolbox of solutions of how to handle and use the crop protection product safely and sustainably. It includes recommendations about transport, protective wear, storage etc.
Safe and Sustainable Use Initiative Brochure: http://issuu.com/cropprotection/docs/sui
Safe and Sustainable Use Initiative video library: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL814C32D2C2AD0F12|
Safe and Sustainable Use Initiative guide: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFCBF7D8DC03E8880
Plant Protection Products for home and garden: http://issuu.com/cropprotection/docs/7507_home_garden_brochure_v06
Protecting our living spaces: http://issuu.com/cropprotection/docs/7517_amenity_brochure_v05
The European Crop Protection Association (ECPA) represents the crop protection industry interests at European level. Its members include all major companies and national associations across Europe.
Contact:
Anna Seretny, Communications, anna.seretny@ecpa.eu
Jozef Kotleba, Slovak Crop Protection Association, Kotleba.scpa@zoznam.sk, Tel: +32(0)2-663-1550
For more general information:
http://www.facebook.com/cropprotection