The Minister of Agriculture, Marc Fesneau, assured on Monday that there was “no change of trajectory” in the policy aimed at reducing the use of herbicides, in particular S-metolachlor, the prohibition of which is requested. “There is no change in trajectory: the trajectory is a reduction in phytosanitary products”, declared the Minister during a trip to Burgundy.
“But it has to be done in the right order. If we ban a molecule in France, we lie to the French if we say that products would not come from Spain or…”, he added in reference to the withdrawal procedure initiated by the French Health Security Agency. (ANSES) concerning S-metolachlor, an agricultural herbicide widely used in France.
“We cannot accept distortions”
Chemical derivatives of this product have been detected above permitted limits in groundwater – and therefore potentially in drinking water.
Thursday, before the congress of the majority agricultural union, the FNSEA, the minister announced that he had asked ANSES to reconsider its desire to ban the main uses of S-metolachlor, arousing strong criticism.
“I am not asking for anything other than to look at the European chronology,” explained the Minister, who very recently wrote to ANSES, in a letter made public on Twitter, to emphasize that a ban decision of this type of herbicide might not intervene on the part of the European Commission before November 2024… that is to say much later than what is requested in France. “We cannot accept distortions” between European countries, repeated the minister.
“No immediate public health question”
“Twenty-four, thirty-six months, that’s what killed the cherry,” said Marc Fesneau, referring to the ban on phosmet, considered dangerous, but only able, according to producers, to neutralize the fly. Asian who attacks the orchards.
Emphasizing that it was possible to take the time to find “alternatives” to condemned herbicides, the minister considered that there was “no immediate question of public health”.