French media reported the government’s intention to ban the use of glyphosate in farms since 2020. This message came amid a growing environmental movement to limit pesticide use.
Glyphosate (N- (phosphonomethyl) -glycine, C3H8NO5P) is a non-selective systemic herbicide used to control weeds, especially perennials. Among the herbicides is the first in the world in production. The active substance of products sold under the trade names “Roundup”, “Hurricane Forte” (Syngenta), Glyphos (Cheminova A / S), “Tornado”, “Argument Star”, “Triumph”, “Ampir”, “Agrokiller”, Chops SANTI, ZARIT, etc.
The herbicidal properties of this substance were first discovered in 1970 by John Franz, who worked for the American company Monsanto. In 1987, John Franz received the National Medal in Technology and Innovation for this discovery. The trade name for glyphosate is Roundup (from the English - “circular defense”) means a circle of wagons, because of which the American settlers were fired from the Indians. Initially, the herbicide was used by the military to combat vegetation at the airfields of Vietnam, later it was used in agriculture and became the most common on the planet. In 2000, the Monsanto patent for glyphosate molecule expired, which led to the appearance on the market of competitors producing analogues of the Roundup brand.
Since 2016, the emergence of glyphosate-resistant weeds has been observed, which forces an increase in the use of pesticides.
Ecological movements in Europe are excited by studies on the relationship between the use of glyphosate and the spread of cancer. French environmentalists are talking about increasing the buffer zones of pesticides and demand to ban glyphosate in general.
French President Macron outlined his position on pesticide buffer zones. He stated that he would like to “move towards more effective management of pesticide distribution areas” due to “public health implications”, and French Environment Minister Elisabeth Bourne noted that she was working on a “new pesticide management project”.
The French government provides subsidies to farmers of 25 million euros to "provide financial support for the purchase of the most effective application tools for phytosanitary products when it comes to controlling the risk of pesticide drift." According to new regulations approved by the French governments, from January 1, 2020, hazardous pesticides can be applied no closer than 20 meters from residential buildings and buildings.
For less hazardous pesticides and depending on crops, a buffer zone distance of 5-10 meters has been determined. For example, spraying berry crops, fruit trees and vineyards will require a distance of at least 10 meters, and five for vegetables.
The rules will apply to all crops sown after January 1, 2020, and from July 1, 2020 for any sown area already sown before this date, with the exception of the most dangerous pesticides.
The mayors of individual cities to increase the buffer zone to 150 meters were challenged in court. The Minister of Agriculture of France called these demands "insane."
You can understand the French - there is little land. In Russia, the buffer zone is 300 meters. With the use of glyphosate, dozens of pesticides are produced. The use of glyphosate is limited only to household plots.
What the Russian agrochemical industry expects in connection with the consistent refusal of the EU countries to use glyphosate is only a guess. In the absence of its own production of pesticide active ingredients, glyphosate replacement is not expected in the fields of Russia, therefore, strengthening of PR-actions is expected to justify the widespread use of CSF in order to improve the quality of the crop for export. But the onslaught of environmentalists in combination with the growing negative reaction of consumers to products using glyphosate during cultivation will only intensify.
The decisive factor, apparently, will be the decision of one country or a group of food-importing countries not to accept food products grown with the help of glyphosate. The question is not close, but quite real, if it comes to a political solution.