Baden-Württemberg shows throughout Europe how crop protection reduction can succeed

Baden-Württemberg shows throughout Europe how crop protection reduction can succeed

EU Plant Protection Ordinance: Minister Hauk praises the decision and emphasizes importance of the biodiversity strengthening law

The planned plant protection regulation of the European Union was rejected yesterday with 299 against 207 votes in 121 abstentions from the European Parliament. This decision was welcomed by Minister Peter Hauk, the Minister of Nutrition, Rural Area and Consumer Protection (MLR). He had warned of the possible consequences of the regulation for months and sees an opportunity to achieve a meaningful and practical reduction in pesticides based on the biodiversity strengthening law together with agriculture.

HAUK praised agriculture in Baden-Württemberg for its responsible handling of pesticides and emphasized that there were effective alternatives to the blanket ban on plant protection products. The country's biodiversity strengthening law serves as a model for a cooperative solution in dealing with plant protection reduction. The minister emphasized that the state government wants to reduce chemical-synthetic pesticides by 40 to 50 percent by 2030.

The rejection of the EU Plant Protection Ordinance enables Baden-Württemberg to continue the way to the sensible reduction of pesticides together with agriculture without endangering the production bases for many companies. Hauk underlined the importance of the coexistence of agriculture and nature conservation as well as the professional competence of the farmers in this process.

The rejection of the planned EU Plant Protection Ordinance thus has far-reaching effects for Baden-Württemberg and agriculture in the region. It enables the country to continue its way to reduce pesticides and to rely on a cooperative solution with agriculture.