Demanded: Damage Compensation for Pesticides
For the first time, the organic sector is calling for a damage compensation fund. The Coalition for Offspring Friendly Agriculture (Das Bündnis für eine enkeltaugliche Landwirtschaft) and the Federal Council for Natural Food and Natural Products (der Bundesverband Naturkost Naturwaren) in Germany have conducted a survey to find out how high the additional costs are for organic companies and customers caused by using pesticides in conventional agriculture. The survey shows that for voluntary pesticide residue analyses alone, approximately 23 million euros are spent annually. The total follow-up costs incurred for personnel, complaints about contaminated products where contamination wasn’t caused by the producer, etc., are estimated at 100 million euros per year. The two associations are now calling on the German government to set up a damage compensation fund into which – in accordance with the polluter pays principle – those producers responsible for the polluting substances should pay.
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Translation Eliza Rozeboom
Image GLOBAL 2000, CC
