Restrictions on the pre-harvest use of glyphosate come into effect from 22 August following publication in the EU Official Journal on 2 August. This will ban all glyphosate use on food crops but it still allows use on feed crops or crops destined for feed.

The European Commission decision to extend the current glyphosate license for 18 months imposed a number of new constraints which limit pre-harvest use, use in amenity areas and bans the use of some formulations. However, the implementation of the pre-harvest restrictions were left to each member state and the Department of Agriculture here recently gave guidance on future controls.

It seems likely that Ireland will restrict pre-harvest glyphosate use to crops not destined for human consumption. There is also a question here with regard to oilseed rape crops.

In addition, pre-harvest application of glyphosate in feed crops is to be restricted to areas for the control of problematic weeds such as scutch. Pre-harvest application for purely desiccation purposes will no longer be permitted.

Headlands of food crops can be sprayed providing this part of a crop is removed from food use and sent to the feed pile. In summary, the pre-harvest use of glyphosate is no longer allowed on crops destined for human consumption. There are no plans to alter the rules pertaining to the use of glyphosate ahead of silage or grazing for grass reseeding.

Amenity use of glyphosate may incur some restrictions also as use of the active is to be minimised in public spaces.

The sale of “tallow-amine ethoxylate” formulations of glyphosate will be banned and other specific co-formulants may also be removed from the market.