ISSUE 119
August 2019
PESTICIDE NEWS The Journal of Pesticide Action Network UK
An international perspective on the health and environmental effects of pesticides
INSIDE THIS ISSUE Pesticide victim confronts Bayer-Monsanto's CEO "Public money for public goods" - supporting farmers post-Brexit Case studies to promote organic banana production Recognising the Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen London General Assembly moves to eliminate glyphosate
ISSN 2514-5770
PESTICIDE VICTIM CONFRONTS BAYER-MONSANTO'S CEO By Deborah Lewis, SumOfUs Every spring in Germany’s former capital city Bonn, Bayer-Monsanto’s top executives, shareholders and CEO meet for the chemical giant's annual general meeting (AGM). Ultimately, this is the corporation's most important meeting of the year as it is a chance for shareholders to look back at Bayer-Monsanto’s performance and vote on matters that will affect its operation in the year ahead. But this year, it was even more important because there was a special person in attendance who was seeking justice: one of Bayer-Monsanto's most highprofile victims, Paul François. Over a decade ago, Paul François, a French farmer and father of two, was poisoned by Bayer-Monsanto's toxic pesticides. And he has been demanding justice in French courts ever since. Amnesia, vertigo, coma, and seizures - these are just some of Paul's chronic symptoms that he acquired after using the now banned pesticide, Lasso, on his farm. Following in his father’s footsteps, Paul is passionate about his work as a cereal farmer. When he developed health problems, doctors recognised that Bayer-Monsanto’s Lasso weedkiller had caused them. So, in 2007, Paul bravely decided to take legal action against the chemical giant. Since then, Paul has achieved a landmark victory in the French high court, he switched to all organic farming and started the organisation Phytovictimes to help others whose lives have been poisoned by chemicals. But of course, Bayer-Monsanto has pushed back all it could and Paul’s court victory was sadly overturned in 2015. In his entire time fighting the corporation, Bayer-Monsato's CEO, Werner Bauman, never made an appearance in court. The AGM was Paul’s first chance to speak directly to Baumann and tell his story. After waiting many hours inside the AGM, Paul François finally took to the stage to speak his truth - making sure CEO Baumann, BayerMonsanto’s board and all the shareholders
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heard the devastation their pesticides can cause. And the shareholders listened! Late in the evening, as the meeting finally came to an end, the shareholders were asked to submit their votes. 55.5% of them cast a no-confidence vote against CEO Baumann. No incumbent CEO at any company listed in Germany’s blue-chip index DAX has previously failed this type of vote. Many of the shareholders cited Baumann's inability to understand the importance of public opinion on glyphosate and the importance of the company acting in the interest of planet and people as a reason for the no-confidence vote. This was a sensational win for Paul and all the people out there fighting against BayerMonsanto’s toxic pesticides, and against the disastrous mega-merger. All of this was made possible because of SumOfUs members who came together with generous donations to fly Paul in to make sure he was in attendance at this important meeting. SumOfUs is a community of 15.2 million people from around the world committed to curbing the growing power of corporations. We leverage our power as consumers, workers and investors to make sure the biggest companies in the world respect human rights, democracy and the environment. SumOfUs members understand the importance of fighting a Goliath corporation like Bayer-Monsanto and making sure Paul could have a platform to share his story, not just for him but to represent all of the countless others suffering at the hands of these toxic pesticides. PAN UK and SumOfUs regularly work together to fight against the power of the pesticide industry and push for a healthier and more sustainable future. If you are interested in joining the SumOfUs movement to hold corporations like Bayer-Monsanto accountable go to: www.sumofus.org. And you can learn more about Paul François and his organisation Phyto-victimes here: www.phyto-victimes.fr www.pan-uk.org
Paul Franรงois, victim of pesticide poisoning, telling his story at the Bayer-Monsanto AGM (Below) Paul Franรงois and Sum of Us activists at the Bayer-Monsanto AGM (Cover)
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“PUBLIC MONEY FOR PUBLIC GOODS” – SUPPORTING FARMERS POST-BREXIT By Josie Cohen, Head of Policy & Campaigns, PAN UK
Much still needs to be done to drive uptake of IPM in the UK and ELMS has a unique role to play. UK arable farmers are currently using only a small portion of IPM methods potentially available and a recent comparative study of eight European countries on IPM implementation shows the UK lagging behind. ELMS must be designed in a way which encourages farmers to adopt IPM approaches via a combination of incentives and compliance requirements.
Our departure from the EU has the potential to bring in huge changes to UK food and farming. British farmers and growers will no longer receive subsidies under the Common Agriculture Policy which forms around a third of the EU’s budget and has underpinned UK farming for decades. As a result, the UK government is currently developing a replacement subsidy scheme to support farmers, a core element of which will be the much–heralded future ‘Environmental Land Management Scheme’ (ELMS).
PAN UK’s new briefing ‘Building Integrated
Pest Management outcomes into the design of the Environmental Land Management Scheme’ explores these
ELMS is intended to help deliver the ambitious targets in the Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan and on the outcomes of the new Environment Bill. It will enable the government to pay farmers for providing environmental and other public goods and hopefully drive the urgentlyneeded transition to healthier and more nature-friendly farming. In addition to environmental benefits, ELMS must ensure fair rewards for farmers and land managers in return for delivering public goods. With nature in trouble and the future of our farming sector potentially threatened by Brexit, it has never been more important that we get the design of farmers' support right.
opportunities in detail. It includes some specific examples of where IPM can deliver environmental outcomes and provides case studies of where other countries have successfully integrated IPM into agricultural subsidy schemes. The briefing concludes with a set of overarching recommendations for the UK Government, outlining how to design ELMS in a way which results in a major reduction in pesticide use. PAN UK is working hard to ensure that the Government implements our recommendations. If ELMS is designed in a way which fails to encourage the uptake of genuine IPM approaches then the scheme is less likely to meet its environmental objectives. The opportunity to design a subsidy scheme which drives more responsible farming practices will have been missed and who knows when it will come around again. In contrast, if we get ELMS right, then both UK farmers and our natural world has a chance to flourish.
So far little attention has been given to the role that pesticide reduction could play in both delivering the objectives of the ELMS and helping farmers and land managers to provide the public goods identified. However, without a major decrease in pesticide use it will be impossible to achieve the improvements set out in the Government’s Environment Plan. It’s therefore vital that ELMS is geared towards supporting farmers to adopt holistic systems based on Integrated Pest Management (IPM) - an approach to managing pests, diseases or weeds under which chemical pesticides are used only as a last resort, if at all.
Read the full report at: www.pan-uk.org/environmental-landmanagement-scheme
PAN UK is working to influence ELMS as part of our Brexit campaign. For m0re information on our UK policy work visit: www.pan-uk.org/uk-policy
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GOING BANANAS: “TO GROW ORGANIC IS TO THINK DIFFERENT”
A worker at Golden Exotics organic farm manually cutting banana leaves infected with the black sigatoka fungus. Credit: Banana Link
By Paul Lievens, Communications & Policy Officer, Banana Link
Only 6% of global banana export production is organic, but due to growing consumer demand for organic produce in export markets like Europe and North America, this is changing. In addition, the industry has begun to recognise that the current intensive, chemically-reliant, monoculture production model is not sustainable and the development of alternative production models is a pressing necessity.
"Twenty or thirty years ago, people who are growing organic – they are crazy people! To grow organic is to think different. About the workers, about the social aspects also. To work with the communities. Also, to work with the customer themself." Johan Glo, Director of Operations, Golden Exotics Limited, Ghana
There is limited shelf life for a production model that has negative impacts on human health and the environment through increased reliance on agrochemicals. Especially as it is making the predominant export variety, the Cavendish, increasingly vulnerable to disease. This is demonstrated by the recent spread of Fusarium Tropical Race 4 (TR4), sometimes referred to as Panama Disease, which is threatening what the popular media have dubbed “bananageddon”.
Bananas are grown in more than 150 countries throughout the world’s tropical regions. Around 105 million tonnes of the fruit is produced each year, making up a significant portion of export revenue for producer countries and creating an income for millions of people. In Ecuador, for example, where bananas account for approximately 10% of the country’s exports, banana production provides a direct or indirect livelihood for around two million people.
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Banana Link is in the process of producing and distributing a set of case studies within the banana industry which document viable alternative production methods. The first, a video published in August, looks at the successful development of organic banana production by Compagnie Fruitière, filmed primarily at its subsidiary Golden Exotics Limited in Ghana (500 ha), and to a lesser extent at SCB in Côte d'Ivoire (100 ha) and Finca la Valentina in Ecuador (150 ha).
By utilising organic fertilisers, biological and mechanical control of pests, and cover crops to maintain soil fertility and retain water, the French Fairtrade producer has been able to successfully develop organic production over the last four years. The company is also now hopeful of attracting many more women from the local community to work on the plantation given that women are particularly vulnerability to the harmful effects of agrochemicals.
The video isn’t intended to rehearse the arguments in favour of organic production as the reduction of negative impacts on human health and the environment that results from switching from chemically reliant to organic production should be clear. The focus of the film is rather on discovering whether organic production is viable, sustainable and profitable, and if so, how it is achieved.
The bottom line is that organic production is, in this case, more profitable than conventional chemically-reliant production. While there are increased labour costs involved, the higher retail price for organic bananas sold in Europe means that Compagnie Fruitière is better able to minimise these impacts. The company’s comparative figures for labour costs, fertilisation, yields and margins between organic and non-organic production are discussed in the video, which you can watch at: https://vimeo.com/336377622
We look at the technical challenges of organic production, including management of pests, diseases and water resources, as well as the impact of climate change. In Ghana, the dry, and drying, climate is admittedly more favourable to organic production. For example, the leaf fungus Black Sigatoka thrives better in more humid conditions, while nematode pests aren’t present in Ghana.
Banana Link is a not-for-profit organisation based in Norwich, which works for fair and equitable production and trade in bananas and pineapples based on environmental, social and economic sustainability. Find out more: www.bananalink.org.uk
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LONDON ASSEMBLY ADOPTS MOTION TO ELIMINATE GLYPHOSATE By Nick Mole, Policy Officer, PAN UK
The London Assembly Motion was submitted and seconded by Green Party London Assembly Members Caroline Russel and Sian Berry. It was supported and amended by Leonie Cooper, a Labour Party Assembly Member and long-time friend of PAN UK, and ultimately backed by every single Assembly Member, regardless of party. This once again shows that the issue of making our cities safer and greener crosses political boundaries and receives support from right across the political spectrum.
2019 is proving to be an amazing year for our Pesticide-Free Towns campaign, as an ever growing number of councils adopt policies that will bring an end to the use of potentially harmful pesticides in the parks and playgrounds, streets and schools where we all live, work and play. Herbicides account for 98% of the total pesticides used in towns and cities in the UK, and the majority of these are glyphosatebased. This is not just about replacing one herbicide with another, this is about taking a systemic approach to end our dependency on toxic chemicals and finding safe and sustainable alternatives to protect human health and biodiversity.
Whilst the GLA can’t dictate what policies individual London boroughs adopt, this Motion shows clear leadership and will act as a spur for boroughs to act. The full text of the Motion and a press release from the London Assembly can be read at: www.london.gov.uk/press-releases/ assembly/stop-using-harmful-herbicidesin-london
So far, this year has seen Brighton, Bristol, Derry and Trafford adopt policies that will significantly reduce, and ultimately eliminate, their use of pesticides. Other councils such as London’s Hackney and Croydon are making great progress and already have strategies in place.
We are the only organisation working to end urban pesticide use in the UK. Visit our website to find out how to campaign to make your town or city pesticide-free: www.pan-uk.org/london-assemblyunanimously-adopts-motion-to-eliminateglyphosate
And the positive results keep on rolling in. On 4th July at a plenary session the London Assembly adopted a Motion calling on Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, to initiate a plan to end the use of glyphosate on the Greater London Authority (GLA) Estate and calling on all London boroughs to cease the use of glyphosate on council property as soon as possible. The Motion also calls on the Mayor to establish a “…working group for London borough representatives, specialists and other key land managers in London to work towards the removal of [glyphosate] and any other harmful herbicide”. This is a vital part of the plan and is a strategy already adopted in Bristol. By drawing in other land managers to work together, a truly pesticide-free city can be achieved. The working group will aim to develop a set of joined up strategies so that the GLA and other London boroughs are not working in isolation.
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THE DIRTY DOZEN AND CLEAN FIFTEEN Pesticides used in agriculture can often leave detectable traces of chemicals in, or on, our food known as ‘residues’. The residues detected on a food item will depend on which pesticides have been used and how persistent they are or, put another way, how long they take to decompose. Driven by health concerns, the government monitors residue levels in food consumed in the UK. PAN UK has analysed and compiled the most recent five years of government
data and turned it into a handy list you can stick on your fridge or in your back pocket when you go shopping. A fully organic diet can be difficult and expensive to achieve but our ‘Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen’ list can help you to work out which produce to prioritise. Download the list at: www.pan-uk.org/dirty-dozen-and-cleanfifteen
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NEW GUIDE TO INSECT IDENTIFICATION IN ETHIOPIAN COTTON By Atalo Belay, Project Coordinator, PAN Ethiopia
PAN Ethiopia has now produced several leaflets in Amharic and Oromifa languages on agroecology and soil management and we are disseminating the case studies we compiled from organic farmer groups in several regions of Ethiopia during 2018. This is helping to raise interest in organic and agroecological approaches, along with distributing copies of our cotton IPM Toolkit to be used at nine Farmer Training Centres in southern Ethiopia.
Our sixth season of Farmer Field School (FFS) training for agroecological cotton in the Arba Minch district of the Southern Rift Valley is going well. We recruited 270 new participants in 2019, adding to the 3,727 farmers trained so far. The project has expanded to three new villages and succeeded in improving the number of women farmers participating, up to 39% for this season’s training compared with an average of 15% during 2014-2018 and exceeding our target of 25% for 2019.
Download our new insect guide at: www.pan-uk.org/insect-identificationguide-for-ethiopian-cotton-fields
We organised a refresher training course for agricultural extension agents from local government, as many of the previously trained field agents have moved on to other duties. Of eleven field agents who took part (of which seven are women), nine are completely new to cotton and IPM practices so this has required a lot of initial hand-holding by our experienced team. The female field agents are especially keen to learn about biological control, always looking for cotton pests and the natural enemies that eat them!
This project is supported by TRAID.
One of the learning aids that is really helping farmers and field agents is the illustrated insect identification guide Farmers’ Friends and Cotton Pests, which we’ve recently had published in Amharic. These have been provided along with small hand lenses. Everyone involved is finding these tools really useful for examining small insects and learning which ones are the ‘good bugs’. The insect guide is one of the resources we developed with PAN UK for our Cotton IPM Toolkit for Ethiopia. We have also produced videos on how to prepare and apply food spray to attract more natural enemies into the cotton field and how to conduct cotton agroecosystem analysis as part of weekly FFS ‘discovery learning’.
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FFS participants carry out cotton agroecosystem analysis, Chano Dorga village, May 2019. Credit: PAN Ethiopia
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WE'RE HIRING - HEAD OF FINANCE AND GOVERNANCE As a member of the Senior Management Team you will play a strategic role in the overall leadership and management of PAN UK and have responsibility for ensuring that our operations are efficient, effective and delivered with utmost propriety. We are looking for a qualified accountant with leadership experience and a track record of strategic financial planning and implementation as well as forecasting, budgeting and reporting. You will also be responsible for improving our governance and HR systems and policies to ensure we follow best practice in these areas. This is an exciting opportunity to join PAN UK and be a key part in driving our financial and operational performance. Find full details at: www.pan-uk.org/vacancies
AN INVITATION: LOCAL CAMPAIGNING FOR HEALTHY TOWNS AND CITIES We are delighted to invite you to our workshop on ‘Local Campaigning for Healthy Towns and Cities'. The workshop will look specifically at the use of pesticides in our towns and cities. Whether you are new to the issue or a seasoned campaigner, this day is a chance to come together to discuss how to end the use of pesticides in our towns and cities through local community campaigning and activism. 11am-4pm Saturday 28th September 2019, Toynbee Studios, London E1 6AB. Book your free ticket at: https://bit.ly/2MHdlxV
Who are Pesticide Action Network UK?
Contact PAN UK
We are the only UK charity focused on tackling the problems caused by pesticides and promoting safe and sustainable alternatives in agriculture, urban areas, homes and gardens.
The Brighthelm Centre North Road Brighton BN1 1YD
We work tirelessly to apply pressure to governments, regulators, policy makers, industry and retailers to reduce the impacts of harmful pesticides to both human health and the environment.
Telephone: 01273 964230 Email: admin@pan-uk.org
Find out more about our work at: www.pan-uk.org
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