EU commits to slash pesticide use by 50% by 2030 in green agriculture announcement

The announcement comes as part of a new roadmap to make farming and agriculture more sustainable

The European Commission has rolled out a roadmap to boost organic farming, including a 50% cut in pesticide use by 2030.

The EU legislative body says it will act to reduce nutrient losses by at least 50% and cut fertiliser use by at least 20% by 2030 while ensuring no deterioration of soil fertility.

The commission has also pledged to reduce the sales of antimicrobials for farmed animals and in aquaculture by 50% by 2030.

It says antimicrobial resistance linked to the use of antimicrobials in animal and human health leads to an estimated 33,000 human deaths in the EU every year.

Frans Timmermans, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission, said: “The coronavirus crisis has shown how vulnerable we all are and how important it is to restore the balance between human activity and nature.

“At the heart of the Green Deal, the Biodiversity and Farm to Fork strategies point to a new and better balance of nature, food systems and biodiversity to protect our people’s health and well-being and at the same time to increase the EU’s competitiveness and resilience.

“These strategies are a crucial part of the great transition we are embarking upon.”

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