Organic farmers in Côtes-d'Armor denounce the use of the herbicide prosulfocarb

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While the sowing of cereals winter are in full swing, the prosulfocarbea very volatile herbicide, still contaminates cultures on which it is not used, in particular organic crops. THE Group of Organic Farmers of Côtes-d'Armor (GAB 22) sounds the alarm by warning the entire agricultural profession about the dangerousness of its use for farmers, but not only.

A volatile substance

Second herbicide the most used in France, behind glyphosate, prosulfocarb is a very volatile substance which can travel several kilometers in the air, according to ANSES. This substance is regularly found in air and surface water analyzes and contaminates by drift, each year, crops on which it is not used, or even prohibited as in organic farming.

For Dominique Boutouiller market gardener in Plougonver: “Farmers who use this product are often poorly informed and do not fully understand its dangerousness. This molecule is uncontrollable even with all the application precautions used by farmers, we have been denouncing this for almost 10 years! It is very often recommended in the field by companies that are unscrupulous towards users and the impacts that this product has on local residents, miles around.

An increase in spraying

For several years, cases of contamination have been reported to ANSES. However, this product whose approval was to end in October 2023 has seen its approval extended until 2027. Despite the anger, some organic producers adapt as best they can, Pascale Doussinault arboriculturist in Plestan (22) “Every year At the edge of the orchard we place a sign informing of the end of harvest date. It is difficult to know if all farmers respect this date but some adapt their rotation to avoid wheat close to the orchard, we hope that this limits the risks of contamination.

A double whammy for organic producers

Due to the extreme volatility of this molecule, no effective protection measures have yet been introduced by the authorities, despite repeated warnings from the National Federation of Organic Agriculture (FNAB).

This volatility makes it impossible to identify the spray responsible for the contamination, making it impossible to determine any legal liability. Thus, certain organic producers, whose crops present levels of contamination so high that they become unsaleable, suffer crop losses without being able to be compensated.

For Yann Cheritel, dairy cow breeder in Moustéru and president of GAB 22, “it’s a double penalty for organic farmers who are victims of contamination. We are implementing several techniques that work on our farms to do without synthetic pesticides and yet producers find themselves contaminated for reasons external to their system and uncontrollable on their scale, it is profoundly unfair! »

Up to 5km

As president of GAB22, Yann Chéritel identifies feedback from the field. “Recently, we have had contamination on buckwheat and grain corn. Contaminations which also affect the conventional. » And when these fields are contaminated “we must declassify but with what support? »

A situation all the more problematic because “despite treatment on wet ground, with anti-drift nozzles, and an absence of wind, the molecule is so volatile that we can find it up to 5 km away according to our feedback.” Thus affecting fields “but also rivers, schools, homes…”

Techniques that work

It is the very use of this product that the GAB 22 points out. “We are putting in place techniques that make it possible to avoid the use of these products. This involves mechanization and the mixing of varieties, creeping and ascending. By sowing triticale and faba bean, we still achieve yields of more than 60 quintals… and with zero treatment. It can also be rapeseed and buckwheat. And we have a specific culture at 30 quintals. »

Faced with these situations of injustice, the GAB22 has been calling for several years for the establishment of a compensation fund to cover economic losses. “However, financial compensation will never be sufficient in the face of the moral and social damage suffered by producers who are victims of contamination. We also call for the withdrawal of this type of product such as prosulfocarb, the effects of which are harmful to producers, consumers and our natural resources. »

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