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Report
No.230906 |
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Make a Final Check on What to Be Done! Subsequent upon the revision of the Food Sanitation Law, regulation under the newly installed system of positive list is due to take effect from May 29 with the residue standards for all kinds of farm chemicals. While there remains several days before the new system is implemented, it is virtually starting for farmers. This is because, as the chemical residue standards under the new system will be applying to vegetables and wheat now growing and will be shipped around the time of launching the new standards, farmers need to take this into account when using farm chemicals. Farmers and others concerned, therefore, need to double-check what the new system tells and up to where they have prepared themselves for it. They are well advised to give thought to what to do. Basically, there is nothing farmers should change in how they do things from the way they have been doing. Good enough for them to practice pest and disease control in compliance with the Agricultural Chemicals Regulation Law. Problem, however, is what has not been a breach of law under the Agricultural Chemicals Regulation Law could, in certain cases, be subject to regulation and may even constitute a breach of the Food Sanitation Law under the new system. Typical example of that is an impact of farm chemicals flying over from adjacent farm fields. By the way, some of the farm chemicals do not have tolerant residue levels stipulated in the residue standards under the Food Sanitation Law or on standards adopted in overseas countries. The new positive list system sets out an across the board residue standard of 0.01 ppm for all such chemicals. One part per million gram of any of such farm chemical attached on a bundle of 100 gram spinach would constitute a breach of regulation. There is no total denying of a possibility of only that much amount scatters over from adjacent farms and sits on your crop, more so if your farm is engaged in multi-crop small amount cultivation. With imminent coming into force of the new system, JA organizations and local autonomies have been busy holding lecture meetings for farmers especially to instruct thorough practicing of such chemical application as will take heed to and reduce chemical fly-overs. Some of the farming areas even chose to stop chemical spraying using helicopters to ensure that non-target crops do not receive chemicals. Others will prevent chemical scatters by changing from the use of liquid to granular form of chemicals. Producing areas have indeed taken steps to confirm what the new system means for them and to prepare themselves for it. The essence of the Food Sanitation Law lies in the principle of producer liability. Applied to agriculture, it means that farmers will be held liable, who produce farm products. It is, therefore, quite natural that JA cooperatives and local governments in producing areas make earnest efforts to propagate the new system. However, successful implementation of the new system will not be ensured, with producers alone taking the responsibility. The most severe aspect of the positive list system is the across the board residue standard of 0.01 ppm. For reducing the variety of farm chemicals subject to across the board residue standard, it is necessary to have new standard levels fixed for the chemicals not having residue standards in food as yet. To proceed ahead with that work, efforts and ability of chemical manufacturers and the government are indispensable. Producing areas have been preparing for the introduction of the new system. Likewise, related farm input manufacturers and the government must have been making preparatory works such as fixing new residue levels to implement the new system smoothly. To what extent such preparations on their part have reached so far is perhaps something producing areas should make a check on and confirm afresh. (from an editorial in the May 9, 2006 issue of the Nihon Nogyo Shinbun) |
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