Call for pesticide tax30 October 2000
Friends of the Earth today urged the Chancellor to bring in a pesticide tax to tackle the appalling impact of chemicals on the environment and reduce the contamination of our food.
"Voluntary measures and codes of practice have already failed. Pesticides have had a terrible impact on birds like the skylark and are regularly found in our food," said Friends of the Earth Real Food Campaigner, Sandra Bell. "The Government must put public health and the environment before vested interests and stick to its plans for a pesticides tax. Imposing a pesticide tax and putting the money into farming would help British farmers produce the sort of chemical-free food people want. It would also help to repair the damage to our countryside inflicted by 50 years of intensive agriculture.
Other countries have introduced a pesticide tax and achieved significant reductions in pesticide use. In Sweden pesticide reductions of 65 per cent over nine years have been achieved and in Denmark there have been reductions of 30 per cent over seven years.
Friends of the Earth has calculated that a pesticides tax, set at a low but effective level, could contribute more than 30 million a year to support farmers wishing to convert to organic farming. Added to the 20 million a year promised by the Government from next spring, this could contribute to a significant expansion of organic farming in the UK and help reduce our reliance on imports of organic food. Currently we import 70 per cent of the organic food consumed in the UK.
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