Archived press release

Don't scrap pesticide tax plans FOE urges brown

30 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. Earlier today the Country Landowners Association said that plans for a tax should be scrapped and replaced by voluntary self-regulation.

Sandra Bell, Pesticides campaigner at Friends of the Earth said:
"Voluntary measures and codes of practise have already failed. Pesticides have had a terrible impact on birds like the skylark and are regularly found in our food. 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% over nine years have been achieved and in Denmark there have been reductions of 30% over seven years.

Friends of the Earth has calculated (based on figures produced by ECOTEC for the Government) that a pesticides tax, set at a low but effective level, could contribute over £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% of the organic food consumed in the UK.

There is evidence that organic farming can bring significant benefits to wildife. Studies have found twice as many skylarks on organic farmland and twice as many non-pest butterflies. There would also be economic benefits. For example a 27% increase in organic farming in the UK (bringing the total area of organic farmland to 30%) could create 16,000 new jobs,of which half would be full time. FOE, along with 100 organisations including major retailers,are backing the Organic Food and Farming Targets Bill which requires a Government strategy aiming for 30% of farmland in England and Wales to be organic by 2010.

If you're a journalist looking for press information please contact the Friends of the Earth media team on 020 7566 1649.

Published by Friends of the Earth Trust