This morning, agriculture and fisheries minister, Michel Barnier, presented the Ecophyto 2018 plan to the French cabinet. This plan aims to reduce the use of pesticides by 50% in 10 years, if possible. It also includes the withdrawal from the market of products containing the 53 active substances of most concern, including 30 by the end of 2008.

This plan is one of the offshoots of the 'Grenelle de l’environnement' (government environmental forum), as demanded by the French president.

At the same time as maintaining its high level of agricultural production, France must also improve production by reducing its dependence on the use of pesticides.

The main points of this plan:

• disseminate good agricultural practice with low use of pesticides via a network of 3000 pilot farms,
• ensure the competence of all those involved (users, distributors, advisors),
• promote innovation and agronomic research,
• create an epidemiological surveillance network that is open to all agriculturalists.

The plan was drawn up on the basis of the conclusions of a working group bringing together representatives of users, manufacturers, elected officials, scientists, NGOs and government, and chaired by Guy Paillotin, permanent secretary of the Académie d’Agriculture.

For more information, the plan can be found at:

www.agriculture.gouv.fr