19/October/21

 

A new review looks at glyphosate herbicide effects on plant, animal and human health due to shifts in microbial communities. The findings show that plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria and beneficial intestinal bacteria are negatively affected by glyphosate applications, while pathogenic bacteria and fungi are enhanced. The authors state that such shifts in microbial community composition have been implicated in enhanced susceptibility of plants to the fungal diseases Fusarium and Rhizoctonia, of birds and mammals to toxic Clostridium and Salmonella species, and of bees to Serratia bacteria and Deformed Wing Virus disease. In animals and humans, glyphosate exposure and concentrations in urine have been associated with intestinal diseases and neurological as well as endocrine problems. Front. Environ. Sci.

 

 

The European Parliament has voted in favour of a Farm to Fork sustainability strategy text with the binding pesticide reduction targets still in place, despite the massive lobbying effort to gut the text. Benoît Biteau MEP on Twitter @BenoitBiteau

 

 

Proponents of the Farm to Fork strategy, including green groups, say it will reduce farming's share of planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions while keeping food affordable. Yet it has come under fire from the powerful agribusiness lobby. Documents show that these groups want to get rid of specific targets for reducing the use of pesticides and fertilizers, references to health risks associated with intensive farming, requirements to increase transparency by labelling products, and the ability of member states to impose higher taxes on unsustainable products. But the same interest groups have also been accused of abusing science, skewing media coverage and failing the farmers they claim to represent. DW

 

 

In the framework of the revision of the legislation around New Genomic Techniques (a new terminology created in order to avoid using the term GMO), the European Commission asked for feedback on their Inception Impact Assessment relating to the legislation review. European Coordination Via Campesina (ECVC) has responded to this document with the analysis and recommendations of small and medium-scale farmers. ECVC highlights the incoherence of the proposal and urges the Commission to take into account organic and non-GMO agriculture, peasant’s rights, consumers’ right to information and freedom of choice, but also biodiversity and the risks of abusively extending the scope of patents to native plants. ECVC