At last, various European countries are insisting that the new intended regulations limiting, in an arbitrary way, the application of plant protection products are re-examined and the consequences on production assessed.

Ireland has more to lose than most EU countries as many of our annual crops are prone to fungal diseases that are driven by our normal moist, humid climate, which also gives us high yields.

The danger of the current European Commission thinking really hit me as I sat in on a discussion on the need for more protein to be grown in Europe.

While a few farmers may have contracts and are able to grow peas or even soya, in general protein in Ireland predominantly means field beans, and this crop is hugely vulnerable to chocolate spot disease, which can effectively wipe out the crop.

Irony

It is ironic that the vast bulk of protein imports into Europe is soya bean meal from North and South America, produced with GM technology, a technology which is forbidden in Europe.

This element alone would justify a critical re-examination of the current proposals.

But side-by-side with review of the plant protection proposals, there is also a rethink on the sensible place that gene editing technology should have in Europe.

This is technology which allows genes within a variety to be switched on or off to alter the expression of specific traits or characteristics in any organism.

Resistance in wheat to septoria or barley yellow dwarf virus in barley are clear examples.

Problem

How much progress can we expect from both reviews? Part of the problem, at least in my view, has been the reduction in influence of the agricultural section of the European Commission.

Areas such as animal welfare and the environmental effects of modern farming have moved to other directorates in the Commission which are coming up with suggestions and policies that take little account of food security needs or the competition posed by trading competitors with totally different approaches to the place of science in modern food production.

It is ironic that GM technology is routine in the production of insulin for diabetics within the EU but is outlawed in crop production.

While it is too early to forecast what consequences will flow from the plant protection and gene editing reviews, it is clear that the Irish approach in EU discussions should be to facilitate the application of proven science.