Pesticides News No 33
The Journal of the Pesticides Trust [now PAN UK]
An international perspective on the health and environmental effects of pesticides
Quarterly/September 1996

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Editorial 2

News
Garden pesticide banned in UK 3
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF) announced on 27 June that approvals in the UK for Roseclear,  a garden pesticide, would immediately be revoked.  According to MAFF the chemical, containing the insecticide pirimicarb, and fungicides triforine and bupirimate, poses a hazard of accidental eye damage which is unacceptable in an amateur garden pesticide. It remains unclear what in Roseclear causes the health concern, as not all the MAFF data is in the public domain. By David Buffin.

Pesticide reduction
The case for organic-are specialist systems a tactical manoeuvre? 4
There is much current debate on the subject of sustainable agriculture. Recent issues of Pesticides News have featured extensive coverage of various world-wide initiatives aimed at reducing dependence on these toxic products and consideration of the relative merits of IFS, ICM, IPM - and other acronyms - compared to organic (ecological) production methods.  Some argue that all reduction in use is a step in the right direction. Joy Greenall asks if such initiatives are clouding the issue for many farmers and questions whether farming systems are more complicated than needed, dependent as they are on specialist agronomic and agrochemical advice. 

Sustainable farming in Holland-green labels and environmental yardsticks 6
Farmers are the main players in the development of a sustainable agriculture. The Centre for Agriculture and Environment (CLM) argues for a policy to help  farmers  reduce environmental problems caused by the use of pesticides. Jaap de Vries of CLM presents three approaches which are showing success in the Netherlands-rewards for positive results, crop protocols and a green label.

European news 7

• WWF report on Swedish pesticide reduction

• OP use in greenhouses linked to suicides?

• Organic farming-rapid European expansion  

• EU Directive annulled-a question of  principle

Pesticides in court 8

• Wrong signals-lenient fine and community service for costly lindane pollution

• US$4 million for Benlate eye victim

• Legal aid granted

• Jury awards herbicide victim US$1.2 million

• First UK OP claim set for 1997

• Attempted murder linked to OPs exposure

Focus on Food - A review of food security for the World Food Summit: p9-24.

UK news 25

• WWF reduction policy

• Voluntary codes of practice not reaching farming community

• UK ACP report

• Poison treatment-education for medical practitioners

Water 26-27

• General water quality-an overview of the issues

• UK water report

• EC raises water concern

• Residue analysis data gaps outlined

Food 27

• Monitoring results show pesticide residues remain in food

• Brand name release with residue tests?

• Call for shake-up at UK food ministry

Fact sheet 28
Glyphosate 

Chemical news 29

• Egypt bans carcinogens 

• Synergistic oestrogens

• Lindane ban

Book reviews and resources 30

• Agent Orange update

• Effects of spraying on non-target species

• Taxing toxics

• Green farming

• New WHO guidelines for pesticides in water

• GMO overview

• Genetic engineering risks

• NAFTA pesticide market

• Great Lakes study cut-back

• Application of biologicals

• Ecological pest control

• Comparative poisoning in the EU

• Home chemicals guide

Small doses 31

• Chemical industry's bad reputation

• Worry over Salmonella-based rodenticides

• DDT masquerading as 'pyrethrum'

• DDT poisons Italian lake

Focus on Food  
A review of food security for the World Food Summit

Rice and the Asian environment 9
Asian rice producers consume 13% of global pesticide use, at an increasing cost to the environment. But appropriate training could reduce chemical pesticide use by at least 50%, and organic practices are now achieving similar yields.  Kevin Gallagher looks at problems and the urgent need for new approaches.

Ethiopian experience with pesticides-no foundation for food security 12

IPM points of view 14
The International Institute of Biological Control (IIBC) supports and develops biological control-the use of organisms as pest control agents-and integrated pest management (IPM) world-wide, through research, training and provision of advice and information.  Director, Dr Jeff Waage, explains why IIBC is committed to promoting farmer-led agricultural strategies and how this can contribute to food security.

Women reclaim traditional agriculture and establish community grain banks 16
photo story- Deccan Development Society

Striving for agricultural diversity and food security in Brazil 18
Over the past 30 years, the debate on food security has focused predominantly on aspects related to agricultural production. Increased food production, especially through productivity per unit area, is seen as a solution to the problem of hunger and malnutrition that currently affects 800 million people in the world. This is the argument for agricultural modernisation that developing countries were, and still are, persuaded to follow. Angela Cordeiro asks-is this the solution?

The benefits of locally based food security 20

Food security campaigning 'Eat locally grown produce'21

Sustainable agriculture as a way of life for Cordillera indigenous women 22
Leticia Bula, a rural villager in the Philippines, addressed the World Conference on Women in China last year. She put forward an argument to maintain her sustainable way of life, which clashes with the Philippine government policy to increase income through cash crops. The government plan of planting flowers for the export market by replacing local rice fields, will, she maintains, be resisted.

Feeding the 10 billion by 2020-without agrochemical inputs23

• The IPM Global Facility 15

• Bio-control setback in Brazil 19

• Food security means a sustainable environment and sustainable jobs-poor record of prawn farming 21

• UK conference for the World Food Summit 24

• Call for healthy living 24