Give farmers a SURe future: Vote for a positive future for farming to give farmers more alternatives.

A strong vote in favour of the Sustainable Use Regulation (SUR) will unlock the transition to resilient, sustainable agriculture. The SUR will give farmers the right to access alternatives including biocontrol, the proven solution for natural pest control, and get the training they need. What's more, given the climate crisis, farmers will need access to even more environmentally friendly solutions going forward.

Farmers need alternatives NOW

Farmers are crying out for more green farming tools to control pests and diseases. The EU is in the unique position to satisfy this need by passing the Sustainable Use Regulation (SUR). This will make more biocontrol solutions available to farmers so they can control pests and disease effectively and continue to provide healthy and sufficient food for all.

Food security and sustainability go hand in hand?

Giving farmers a SURe future means providing them with further tried and tested alternatives, so they can transition to more sustainable practices. According to the most recent EU Commission statistics, at EU-level from the 2015 to 2017 baseline to 2021, a 33% reduction compared with the baseline period was already observed for Farm to Fork pesticide reduction target?1. In the meantime, 75 active substances have not been renewed since 2011. Farmers need access to more alternatives. The SUR can enable this by providing quicker access to biocontrol solutions as well as training on how to use them.

Structured dialogues on the future of agriculture

The strategic vision for agriculture proposed by European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen , aims to ensure a fair and sustainable transition for agriculture. The upcoming ‘Structured dialogues on the future of agriculture’ will build upon the SUR and the availability of alternatives to strengthen and support farmers in their transition to more sustainable practices. The SUR will pave the way for a sustainable transition by providing a quicker route for alternatives such as biocontrol along with other sustainable practices.

Next generation of farmers

The European Commission understands the critical role alternatives play in making agriculture more resilient. Their services are committed to ensuring farmers have access to the training and support they need, particularly as young farmers are keen to embrace sustainable agriculture. Farmers of the future need resilient farming systems to manage climate change and to continue to farm profitably.

SUR is the legal instrument to unlock biocontrol

Policy coherence is critical not just for policy makers but also for farmers. The SUR will unlock biocontrol, provide a clear Integrated Pest Management (IPM) definition, while also providing alternatives to farmers. A strong CAP (common agricultural policy) will continue to provide production support. Financial instruments will empower farmers to invest in green farming. The Sustainable Food Systems Strategy – if it gets the green light - will provide clear direction. Together, these instruments are designed to provide policy coherence.

We need a strong SUR to transition to sustainable agriculture and increase the availability of modern alternatives such as biocontrol.? Indeed, we need a strong SUR for a positive future for farming.

The SUR is key to the green transition

IPM, including biocontrol and knowledge-based training, support and advice for farmers to adopt more informed and holistic approaches, is at the heart of the SUR. Enabling farmers to access alternatives means giving them the best chance of a successful future, boosting their long-term competitive capacity as well as their productivity and ability to develop resilient farming systems based on agroecological practices.

The SUR can be seen as a step towards a Single Market in green farming tools. This is why it is so important; enshrining an EU definition of biocontrol and instruments to support accelerated access to farmers, including options for provisional authorisation and facilitated label expansions.

With the SUR and the related 1107 authorisation regulation, Member States will have several options to speed up authorisation of alternatives, giving farmers more options for natural pest control. Current timeframes for authorisation of nature-based alternatives such as biocontrol are 7-10 years, and each Member State has to undertake the same lengthy process for each product. The SUR will speed up access while continuing to ensure safety but providing options for provisional authorisation, facilitated label expansion and a review of 1107 to look at further adaptions for biocontrol to the 1107 provisions.

Give farmers a SURe future

Now is the time to support farmers in Europe in the challenging transition to sustainable and resilient agriculture. Farmers on other continents already have easier access to natural alternatives such as biocontrol. The SUR is the start of a journey for many conventional farmers, as well as a natural pathway for young farmers. Giving all farmers both the right to access alternatives and training will help garner support from the entire farming community for green farming. Given the climate and biodiversity crises we face, farmers need to continue working further with nature and agronomic practices together with more low impact solutions such as biocontrol.

A strong vote for the Sustainable Use Regulation will unlock the transition to resilient sustainable agriculture in Europe. We urge Members of the European Parliament and Member States to vote for a positive future for farming, giving farmers more alternatives.? Take this opportunity to give farmers a SURe future.