Report from the Sub-comittee on the environment and health

0+-scenario: almost total
phase-out of pesticides
+-scenario: limited use of
pesticides
186
greenfeed production, <strong>the</strong> acreage used for this purpose is increased
slightly at <strong>the</strong> expense of <strong>the</strong> acreage used for cereals. The crop rotations
with potatoes, sugar beet and seed grass are maintained without
clarification of whe<strong>the</strong>r that is realistic in a scenario with a total phaseout
of pesticides.
In <strong>the</strong> scenario with an almost total phase-out of pesticides it is assumed
that pesticides are only used where <strong>the</strong> crop would not o<strong>the</strong>rwise be able
to meet specific, statutory requirements concerning purity or that are
subject to requirements concerning prevention and control of pests
covered by <strong>the</strong> quarantine rules as defined in notices <strong>from</strong> <strong>the</strong> Danish
Plant Directorate or where dressing of seed to <strong>the</strong> 1st generation is
required. It would thus still be permissible to use pesticides for:
• treatment of all seed to and including <strong>the</strong> 1st generation
• control of problematical species of weed in seed grass
• Seed potatoes. Use of desiccation agents and agents against potato
blight.
• control of wild oat in stands in which hoeing is not possible
• prevention and control of <strong>the</strong> Colorado beetle in seed potatoes
• prevention and control of specific pests in pot plants and nursery
cultures.
In <strong>the</strong> scenario with limited use of pesticides, slightly more use of
pesticides is permitted than in <strong>the</strong> 0-scenario. It is assessed here which
crop/pest combinations it would be most difficult to cope with without
pesticides. This decision depends on <strong>the</strong> yield loss as a consequence of
pest attack.
Basically, <strong>the</strong> areas included are those that would produce <strong>the</strong> biggest
yield loss or those where it is estimated that a profitable production of
specific crops could not be maintained without pesticides. There must be
a) considerable average losses (>15-20%) as a consequence of pests or b)
<strong>the</strong> production would be encumbered with so much uncertainty that it
might be discontinued or not fitted into <strong>the</strong> crop rotation. The fact that
losses of more than 15-20% can occur in individual localities and in
individual years is not taken into account in <strong>the</strong> scenario because, for
most crops, it is not possible to predict how often such a situation would
occur.
Use of pesticides would be permitted for <strong>the</strong> following purposes:
• minimal use to combat potato blight in ware and starch potatoes
• seed treatment and band spraying of fodder beets and sugar beet
• controlling specific species of weed in cereals (e.g. camomile and
charlock)
• controlling weeds in peas
• controlling patches of perennial weeds such as thistles
• controlling grass weed in particularly infested areas
• combating serious attacks of leaf diseases in wheat and winter barley
on <strong>the</strong> basis of warnings
• combating pollen beetles in spring rape in conditions in which <strong>the</strong>
crop cannot compensate for attacks
• band spraying with herbicides in maize