DENMARK'S NEW PLAN TO REDUCE PESTICIDES

In December 1999, Denmark announced a new pesticide reduction program that includes plans to more than triple the amount or organic farmland in that country. 

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Subject:    DENMARK'S NEW PLAN TO REDUCE PESTICIDES---------
Date:       Tue, 20 Jun 2000 08:32:49 -0400
From:        Stephen Tvedten <steve@getipm.com>
Organization:     Get Set Inc. (www.getipm.com)

To:     Lyndon Hawkins <hawkins@empm.cdpr.ca.gov>
          Senior Research Scientist
          State of California, Department of Pesticide Regulation - Integrated Pest Management

Dear Lyndon,

I thought you might like to read an article from the April, 2000 issue of the Global Pesticide Campaigner entitled: DENMARK'S NEW PLAN TO REDUCE PESTICIDES.

In December 1999, Denmark announced a new pesticide reduction program that includes plans to more than triple the amount or organic farmland in that country.  Such a move would reduce the area of land currently farmed using pesticides by 7% and would increase organic farmland from 60,000 hectares to 230,000 hectares.  The program is based on a report by a government committee set up in 1997 to evaluate the possibility of a complete ban on pesticides in Denmark.

As part of the program, the government aims to reduce the average number of times per year a field is sprayed--from 2.45 to 2 by the end of 2002.  Farmers who do not comply may have to pay higher pesticide tax rates.  The government wants pesticide use to be phased out "as soon as possible," with application frequency being reduced to approximately 1.5 times per year within five years.

In addition, the program calls for 10 meter buffer zones around most water sources including any pond or lake larger than 100 square meters.  These buffers zones represent about 1% of farmed land, according to the Danish Environmental Protection Agency.  In addition, any pesticides found in drinking water would be banned immediately.

The Danish Crop Protection Association estimates that the Danish pesticide market will decline in volume terms by as much as 20% in the next three years as a result of the new program.  Pesticide use in private gardens and by local authorities  is also scheduled to be phased out within three years.

Sources: Agrow: World Crop Protection News, January 21, 2000.  Pesticides Information Updates, No. 14 (1/19/2000)

Contact: Danish Environmental Protection Agency, Pesticides Division, 29, Strandgade DK-1401 Copenhagen K. Denmark; phone (45-32) 66 01 00; fax (45-32) 66 04 79; email mst@mst.dk; http://www.mst.dk.

Well Lyndon, some governments are actually protecting their people rather than the POISON "industry" profits.  When will California come on board?

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