Use Pesticides Safely and Sustainably

Brussels (ots/PRNewswire) -

- Solutions for Smallholder Famers and Amateur Users on How to
Protect Their Gardens and Small Food Productions

The Safe and Sustainable Use Initiative meets again for its annual
conference, this time in Bratislava, Slovakia, where farmers,
regulators and plant protection representatives discuss best ways to
provide farmers and operators with an easy-to-use toolbox of
solutions to ensure the safe and sustainable use of pesticides.

Regular monitoring of performance indicators of this initiative
has shown that some easy to implement best practices have been taken
up nearly threefold by pesticide users in a short amount of time,
increasing protection of human and environmental health.[1]

"This is a model that works and the plant protection industry is
now exploring a new area: smallholder farmers and amateur users of
pesticide products. Although in legal terms smallholder farmers and
amateur users are considered as two different categories -
professional certified users and non-professional users respectively
- they have one thing in common: both user groups are large. In
Slovakia for example every second adult is an amateur user of
pesticides and many are considered smallholder farmers. This is
common in many Eastern European countries. The challenge therefore
lies in numbers" - explained Jozef Kotleba, Executive General of
Slovakian Crop Protection Association.

This conference is a means to share and develop new approaches to
reach these important target groups, offering an opportunity for
exchanging experiences across Member States and elaborating
solutions. "This way people can continue to enjoy their small scale
food production and well-maintained gardens in a manner that is
disease, fungus and pest free as well as being safe for human and
environmental health"- Jozef Kotleba continued.

"The Safe and Sustainable Use Initiative is a great example of how
knowledge exchange and knowledge transfer can provide appropriate
solutions to current challenges and vastly increase uptake of good
practices concerning plant protection products. This initiative is
part of a wider commitment of the plant protection industry that aims
at protecting users, the environment and public health at large"- Dr
Friedhelm Schmider, Director General of European Crop Protection
Association concluded.

For online version of the press release please follow the link: ht
tp://www.ecpa.eu/news-item/slovakian-crop-protection-association/06-1
0-2013/731/use-pesticides-safely-and-sustainably

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1. Success Factors: baseline and progress survey in Greece.
Growers who protect themselves during application always with a
coverall in 2005 was 35% and in 2008 increased to 88%.

Notes to editors:

Safe and Sustainable Initiative has been running for over 10 years
and is now established in 15 European Countries with the aim of
having it implemented in all EU Member States. It provides farmers
and amateur users with a toolbox of solutions of how to handle and
use the crop protection product safely and sustainably. It includes
recommendations about transport, protective wear, storage etc.

Safe and Sustainable Use Initiative Brochure:
http://issuu.com/cropprotection/docs/sui

Safe and Sustainable Use Initiative video library:
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL814C32D2C2AD0F12|

Safe and Sustainable Use Initiative guide:
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFCBF7D8DC03E8880

Plant Protection Products for home and garden:
http://issuu.com/cropprotection/docs/7507_home_garden_brochure_v06

Protecting our living spaces:
http://issuu.com/cropprotection/docs/7517_amenity_brochure_v05

The European Crop Protection Association (ECPA) represents the
crop protection industry interests at European level. Its members
include all major companies and national associations across Europe.

Contact:

Anna Seretny, Communications, anna.seretny@ecpa.eu

Jozef Kotleba, Slovak Crop Protection Association,
Kotleba.scpa@zoznam.sk, Tel: +32(0)2-663-1550

For more general information:

http://www.ecpa.eu

http://www.facebook.com/cropprotection

https://twitter.com/#!/cropprotection

http://www.pollination-station.eu

ots Originaltext: European Crop Protection Association
Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.de