The Farmers Weekly SOS Campaign has got off to a flying start, with over 750 indications of support on our weekly on-line poll, and 150-plus signatures already on our petition.

The campaign aims to resist new legislation going through Brussels that would take large numbers of pesticides off the market, leading to lower food production and higher food prices. At a time of global food insecurity, we say this is utter nonsense. And it seems most farmers agree.

Here are some of the comments received with the petitions:

“At a time of massive growing food demand, to remove key intensively tested and safe pesticides is just crazy.” Jon Nott, farm manager

“This is the most ludicrous set of proposals in the face of insect, weed and disease resistance, not to mention the knife-edge supply and demand of food globally.” Keith Norman, Velcourt

“Have consumers been informed of the reduction in quality and consistency of supply of European-produced fresh produce, I wonder?” Nigel Hodson, technical director

“We will be the only industry in the world to be regulated by hazard and not risk.” Neil Drummond, agronomist

“This would take us back about 50 years and halve our production.” Leslie Hanbury, farmer

But what's your view? Let us know through this forum thread.

More importantly, visit our SOS Campaign landing page on www.fwi.co.uk/sos and sign up to the e-petition

Thanks! Phil Clarke

An excellent response and I fully support the SOS campaign, and would have thought that it would have had a 100% level of support from FWI users yet the poll suggests that 15% will not be supporting the campaign - perhaps they might like to say why....??? 

Why don’t we look at the American farming community and how they are reducing the chemicals used through technology? I have used these in America and they do exactly what they say. It reduced our chemical usage by 60% www.maxcharge.com well worth a look.

Jim Bullock:

An excellent response and I fully support the SOS campaign, and would have thought that it would have had a 100% level of support from FWI users yet the poll suggests that 15% will not be supporting the campaign - perhaps they might like to say why....??? 

I guess there are some organic farmers who won't...