In This Issue
Chris Pateman appointed Chair of Horticultural Trades Association
November trading sets new records
More double-digit plant growth
Ramraiders target Webbs but leave empty handed
Stax seals distribution deal with Flymo and McCulloch
German minister defied Merkel to push glyphosate extension through
Garden Re-Leaf 2018 registration now open
RHS reviews future of 'Perfect for Pollinators' labelling
Torwood Garden Centre wins hat-trick at business awards
Town & Country goes from strength to strength
Haskins donates toy reindeers to Children’s Hospital
Santa arrived in style at Squire’s Garden Centres
GCA Christmas Regional Winners Announced
Get your own copy of GTN Xtra
Lighting brightens up garden product sales
November growth for growing media sales
Sweet moment as new Christmas record set
BIZZ Holland present at IPM Essen 2018 with 60 participants
Get your tickets for the Party for Perennial
The best of last week's
We cleared out Homebase management too quickly, confesses parent company's new CEO
Glyphosate licence approved for 5 years
Brookfields becomes a winter wonderland
Santa Paws delivers memorable experiences for Pet Owners
Bestsellers Top 50 charts every week
Buy your subscription to GTN Bestsellers
All the latest news from the world of garden centre catering
Work on new Groves Nurseries restaurant almost complete
Send us your news and great ideas

Contact us with your news. 

Email neil.pope@tgcmc.co.uk, or trevor.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk or call the GTN News team on 01733 775700


Glyphosate licence approved for 5 years
 

British MEP Anthea McIntyre has welcomed a last minute reprieve for glyphosate after it was belatedly granted a fresh licence for continued use across the European Union.

 

The decision to grant the herbicide a licence for a further five years was reached today (Mon) by the EU Commission's Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed, comprising representatives of the 28 member states, after a series of meetings this year failed reach consensus. The approval comes just a few days before the current licence expires on December 15, which left many farmers fearing a sudden ban with drastic effects.

 

Miss McIntyre, Conservative MEP for the West Midlands, said: "The scaremongering and indecision over this product had left farmers and growers fearing they were staring over a cliff edge, so this will be greeted with enormous relief."

 

www.euronews.com reports that Germany swung the vote, coming off the fence after abstaining in previous meetings to oppose its key EU partner France, which wanted a shorter licence extension.

 

 

The Miss McIntyre, member of the European Parliament's Agriculture Committee, said: "It should never have taken this long to renew the licence and it should have been renewed for a full 15 years but the last minute reprieve and the licence for five years is welcome.

 

"A *de facto *ban on glyphosate would have been a shocking and unscientific backward step.

 

"Farmers would have had to fall back on mechanical weed control. That would mean 25 per cent increase in greenhouse gas emissions and a significant impact on farm bird life - including skylarks, partridge, lapwing. 

 

"For a zero Improvement in public health and safety, we would have been worsening food security, soil quality, biodiversity and climate change."

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Del.icio.us Digg | Comment (0)
Comment
Name:*

Email Address:*

Comment:*