Beekeepers and civil society concerned about pesticide risk assessment methodology

At the Agriculture and Fisheries (AGRIFISH) Council on 28-29 June, Member State representatives will vote on a crucial step for the future risk assessment of pesticides and their impact on pollinators, namely setting a so-called Specific Protection Goal (SPG) for honeybees.

The SPG for honeybees will set the threshold for acceptable reduction in honeybee colony size due to pesticide exposure. Below this threshold, pesticides will be considered safe enough to be on the market and released onto fields.

Pollinators and bees are essential for healthy agroecosystems, the bedrock of the organic approach to plant health. By prohibiting the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilisers, organic agriculture avoids their unwanted negative effects on bees and biodiversity more widely.

IFOAM Organics Europe therefore joins civil society organisations in calling on the Council of the European Union to secure a sufficient level of protection for bees and other pollinators from pesticides. Read the full letter on our website.

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