What you can say when marketing organic 2020 - Flipbook - Page 29
Pesticides
Organic farmers manage pests using
natural methods229
Organic farmers aim to control pests naturally230
No herbicides (weedkillers) such as Glyphosate
are allowed in organic farming231
Weedkillers can be detected in food including
bread.232 Their use is banned in organic farming233
Choosing organic is an easy way to limit your
exposure to pesticides, herbicides (weedkillers)234
and many additives and preservatives235
Organic farmers aim to create a natural balance
between plants and animals to prevents pests, so
that they don’t need to rely on pesticides236
WHAT ARE PESTICIDES?
‘Pesticides’ are chemicals designed to kill insects
and other pests e.g. insecticides, fungal diseases
(fungicides) and weeds (herbicides). The vast
majority are used in farming to grow our food,
but they are also used in our parks, schools and
even our own gardens. On farms they are being
used on a wide scale. Farmers have become
reliant on them and they’ve found their way into
our food, our soils, our rivers and our wildlife.
Recent studies on global insect declines and
the biodiversity crisis name direct and indirect
impacts of pesticides as key drivers.
Organic farmers aim to use natural enemies of
pests to control their numbers, so they don’t
need to rely on pesticides237
• Around 400 pesticides are used in farming in the
UK238 and pesticides are often present in
non-organic food239
• Many pesticides remain in some of the food we
eat, despite washing and cooking240
• In both 2017 and 2018, roughly a quarter of all
food items tested by the government contained
residues of more than one pesticide. In 2017,
this included more than half of rice, a quarter of
bread and 40% of fruit and vegetables241
• A study of soil in 11 European countries found
UK sites had the second highest diversity of
pesticide residues242
• A long-term UK study over two years revealed
that 66% of samples taken from seven river
catchments contained over ten pesticides243
• In the 26 years between 1990 and 2016, the use
of Glyphosate on British cereals has increased by
well over ten times247
The following statement needs to be used
along with one or more of the listed additional
qualifying statements:
Organic farming uses virtually no pesticides248
QUALIFYING STATEMENTS:
In organic farming, all weed killers are banned
- a very limited number of naturally occurring
fungicides and insecticides are permitted and
their use is severely restricted249
Soil Association organic farmers are able to
use a very limited number of naturally-derived
pesticides like citronella and clove oil as a last
resort, under very restricted circumstances250
• Between 1990 and 2016, the area of UK land
treated with pesticides (treated area multiplied
by number of applications) increased by almost
two-thirds (63%)244
• One way to reduce your exposure to pesticides is
to eat more organic food245
• The best way to reduce your exposure to
pesticides in food is to buy organic; certified
organic food, including fruit and vegetables,
processed food and dairy and meat products have
overall been found to contain less pesticides246
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