As promised last week, here’s some more footage from our visit to JSR Farms in East Yorkshire, where Philip Huxtable, who has run JSR Farms for over 30 years, spoke to us about the potential effects of the proposed revision of the European Directive governing pesticides (91/414).

In this clip, he speaks about the threat of septoria on wheat, and the family of fungicides he uses to treat it - triazoles. These are under threat from the proposed revision, and could potentially cost him 30-40% of his annual yield.

As also mentioned in our last entry, Mr Huxtable’s statements of course represent a farmer’s views. We would recommend that you listen to this report from BBC Humberside radio by Chris Arundel, who was also present at the event, which seeks to provide a more balanced view of the issues (Mr. Arundel interviewed Elliott Cannell of thePesticide Action Network, an anti-pesticides NGO).

Earlier this week, we attended a farm visit at JSR Farms in East Yorkshire, United Kingdom (disclosure: the event was organised by ECPA). The event was an “information day” for the press, aimed at providing a farmer’s opinion on the effects the proposed revision of the current pesticide legislation (Directive 91/414) will have on his ability to grow food. The farmer in question was Philip Huxtable, an agronomist with 30 years experience as a farmer, and currently the Managing Director of JSR Farms. Below you will see a few short clips from the visit in which Mr. Huxtable gives his opinion on what is driving the legislative process, potential impacts on yields, as well as his closing statement from, as he put it, his “political soapbox”!

Next week, we will be posting some entries in which Mr. Huxtable speaks in more detail about pest management on single crops, such as wheat and potatoes, the threat posed by plant diseases such as septoria and blight, as well as his use of integrated farming techniques, to not only protect his crops, but the environment and wildlife on his farm.

Of course, Mr Huxtable’s statements very much represent a farmer’s views. We would recommend that you listen tothis report from BBC Humberside radio by Chris Arundel, who was also present at the event, which seeks to provide a more balanced view of the issues (Mr. Arundel interviewed Elliott Cannell of the Pesticide Action Network, an anti-pesticides NGO).