The crop protection industry’s contribution to productivity

June 2011

Euros JonesDirector,

Regulatory Affairs

Key message

Productivity means being productive for today and for

the long-term

Playing with words…

Productive

Sustainable Resource

efficient

Potato roll leaf virus Potato late Blight Cereal Septoria Oilseed rape - Pollen beetle

Corn Aphids Tomato mildewApple Scab Cherry Fruit flyPea moth caterpillar

What is crop protection?

Crop protection products are the treatments used to protect crops and keep them healthy.

Crop protection combine innovative science & technology to protect farmers’ crops from the dangerous pests & diseases that threaten the quality and safety of our food.

Fast facts:

€200 million: Cost of bringing a new crop protection product to market

9 years: Average time to bring a new product to the market

A highly innovative industry

Productivity growth

Labour

MachinerySeeds

Productivity and inputs

Crop protection

Chemical CP

Bio- control

Fertilisers

Education & training

Agriculture and food supply

Limited growth in global food supply:Limited growth in agricultural acreage (arable land + 7 % between 2000 and 2020);

What prospects for world food security?

Food import gap of the poor countries can only be closed if rich countries produce more food.

Imports, exports - and ‘virtual land’

Given the level of food imports into the EU:Net land import: 34.9 mill. ha.

(Territory of Germany: 35.7 mill. ha.)

An important element of sustainable agriculture is to ensure that we continue to provide adequate food for a growing population

Productive agriculture preserves biodiversity…

on a global scale by increasing yields on existing agricultural land to minimize further agricultural encroachment

> 500 bird species

Source:M. Riffel

Agricultural Production and Biodiversity

Soil Biodiversity & low tillage

Low-tillage can contribute by:

reducing soil disturbance

increasing soil organic matter content

Increasing soil water holding capacity

Source:M. Riffel

Soil biodiversity is a key parameter for maintaining fertility and productivity of soils

More ‘biodiversity friendly’ measures

• Plant cover - stabilizes soil and prevents its erosion

• Appropriate use of fertilizers and pesticides

• Protection of landscape elements

• Adequate crop rotation

Source:M. Riffel

Agriculture and Biodiversity

Ensure Profitability

What influences sustainable agriculture?

Sustainable agriculture

Agricultural Policy

Customer requirements

Environmental protection

Resource efficiency

Sustainable agriculture…

Sustainable production and IPM

Integrated Pest Management is an element of productive agriculture

And will be compulsory from 2014:

“Plant protection products shall be used properly [including] the application of…general practices of integrated pest management…”

Article 55 of Regulation 1107/2009

Availability of plant protection products

• Sustainable agriculture needs:

• Appropriate use of pesticides

• Availability of appropriate products

Cut-off criteria Not based on scientific advice Endocrine criteria may impact certain fungicides European policy making needs to look at the bigger

picture and the real impact on sustainability

Dealing with resistance to Septoria tritici

* QoI fungicides includes the strobilurins

The loss of triazoles would mean more reliance on strobilurins.

But resistance to strobilurins has already occured especially in Northern Europe

It would only get worse with so few solutions left!

Safe use of our products

The safe use of our products is a key priority for the crop protection industry

Ensuring that the product is managed properly up to and including it’s use in the field

Three key areas:Point source pollution

Operator safety

Anti-counterfeit

Safe use of our products

Point source pollutionhttp://www.topps-life.org

Operator safetyhttp://www.ecpa.eu/en/topics/training-and-best-practice

Industry training and training material:

Counterfeit products

Growing problem with imports of illegal products

Products not always of same qualityCan cause severe crop damage

Counterfeit products

Sticker and advert from Italy promoting the Hot Line

Help control Counterfeit and Illegal Pesticides by using the correct product and reporting cases…

Conclusions

The key is long-term productivityBest technology and know-how will be key

Plant protection products play a roleIn a sustainable, resource-efficient and productive European agriculture