Sustainable use of plant protection products

- a contribution to the efficient use of resourcesECPA, Friedhelm Schmider

Agricultural resources

• Efficient use of water, soil, energy and land is essential for farmers to meet rising food and feed demand without exhausting valuable natural resources.

• Growing demand for food, together with soil erosion, climate change and increasing stress on water sources, is putting existing farmland under pressure.

PPPs and efficient land use

• Expanding agriculture onto uncultivated land threatens natural habitats and biodiversity, as well as exasperates climate change through deforestation.

• Plant protection products (PPPs) enable farmers to achieve a sustainable balance between improved productivity and environmental protection.

• Efficient & effective production helps farmers to protect small habitats in the arable landscapes.

Land is a limited resource – plant protection products can sustainably deliver more crop from less land

PPPs and efficient soil protection• Sustainable agriculture, with the

appropriate use of inputs, aims to optimize the use of resources while protecting the long-term economic viability of farming.

• Ex: appropriate herbicide use supports soil conservation practices by enabling minimum tillage, conserving soil structure and reducing soil erosion, this also helps retain valuable soil moisture and nutrients.

Soil is a precious resource – plant protection products can reduce soil erosion, loss of vital nutrients and drying

PPPs and efficient crop delivery• Various production methods can fit into integrated farming

systems when the products and methods used are safe, effective and economic.

• Truly sustainable solutions to farming should integrate all available modern crop protection technologies and plant varieties.

• PPPs are an essential part of the integrated farming toolbox to combat crop loss from pests and diseases.

Healthy crops are a vital resource - plant protection products can reduce crop loss - thereby making the most of valuable resource inputs used by agriculture such as water- and they can deliver affordable food.

PPPs making way for biodiversity and water conservation

• Better yields on existing farmland, combined with sustainable agriculture techniques such as minimum tillage, works alongside conservation measures, such as leaving areas for the creation of diverse habitats on field margins, essential for preservation of biodiversity in arable areas.

• Biodiversity is the foundation for sustainable agriculture and beetle banks, flower strips and hedges on field margins can also help conserve water and provide a valuable food source for pollinators. Modern farming takes care of the environment and

utilises the tools available efficiently – plant protection products are part of the solution

PPPs efficient tools of today

• The plant protection products of today are far more targeted, tested, regulated, proven to be both environmental safe and efficient than ever before.

• The PPP industry continues to develop new tools and programs to address the resource efficiency issue and mitigate use risk.

• The PPP industry continues to work with the farming community to use water and nutrients more efficiently and prevent run-off from fields, promoting conservation agriculture techniques to preserve biodiversity and adapt to climate change.Never before today were we as ready to build a sustainable

agricultural future as we are now – plant protection products are part of this future

Promoting innovation

• The plant protection industry continues to innovate and look for the tools of tomorrow.

• Science and knowledge need to remain the backbone of society and require investment and endorsement from all sectors.

• If we stop promoting science, and the solutions it has to offer, we are not going to be equipped to deal with the upcoming challenges.

The plant protection industry is committed to do its part and provide its expertise, however we need you to join us

Collaborating to achieve results

• Now is the time to put down differing views and to work together to deliver the ambitions of the EU.

• The vision has been defined and energies must be used to constructively build the roadmap for a sustainable, robust, agriculture that upholds rural communities and attracts the next generation to the agricultural sector.

Plant protection products have helped deliver food & feed for the welfare of the EU and will continue to have a key role to play in ensuring we will achieve these successful results and meet the needs of tomorrow

Plant protection products, our success is your success

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