The majority in the Dutch House of Representatives wants the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality to accelerate the ban on the use of glyphosate-containing products, which are used outside integrated plant protection programs, i.e. to stop green fertiliser, secondary crops and pasture cultivation. A 2025 deadline should be set and a gradual elimination plan drawn up as soon as possible for approval by the House of Representatives.

The authors of the November 15 motion point out that the House of Representatives had already called in 2018 for a ban on the use of glyphosate-containing products outside of integrated plant protection, and the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality ignored this proposal for four years, arguing that this is not feasible. However, the legislature has already twice confirmed the feasibility of the anti-glyphosate proposal.

Furthermore, the Netherlands played an important role in postponing the EU vote on glyphosate until further investigation, when two consecutive votes by EU member states on the issue of extending glyphosate authorisation did not give a clear answer to what in December 2022 the European Union itself will decide on whether or not to extend the authorisation for the use of this active substance.

From the point of view of crop management in the Netherlands, topical application of glyphosate products (maximum 10% of the plot) just before harvest is justified for local weed control (use as a herbicide) and, from this point of view, there is no objection to allow glyphosate, provided that the evaluation or reassessment shows that such use is safe for humans,  animals and the environment.

Source: Agrolink