IBMA has presented its position on the revision of the Sustainable Use Directive with the aim, together with other policy changes, to achieve the new and ambitious objectives of the European Union in terms of environmentally friendly agriculture for future generations.

IBMA Executive Director Jennifer Lewis stresses that "biosecurity, biocontrol technologies make a crucial contribution to the transition to a more agroecological agriculture and therefore to the realization of the overall objectives of the 'Farm to Fork 'and the EU's' Green Deal', including 50% reduction in the use and risk of chemical and more dangerous pesticides, 25% share of organic agriculture and 10% of biodiversity areas within the lands agricultural, by 2030. "

IBMA supports the objective of the Sustainable Use Directive to achieve the sustainable use of pesticides by promoting the use of Integrated Pest Management (IPM), but to be effective this must be through the full mandatory implementation of IPM with the first biological approach, through agronomic decisions and the use of biocontrol solutions.

IBMA advocates for an EU definition of IPM and biosecurity, along with systematic monitoring and measurement of IPM adoption, using biosecurity as a relevant indicator of adoption. Creating positive targets for biosecurity uptake has a positive social impact by showing constructive solutions that catalyze increased biosecurity uptake and agricultural change.

The revision of the Sustainable Use Directive provides the opportunity to enforce stricter requirements regarding the use and implementation of Integrated Pest Management and the use of biosecurity as an effective tool. The implementation of biosecurity has a multiplier effect on pesticide reduction efforts, as producers using biosecurity maintain and even restore biodiversity. Additionally, the restoration of biodiversity provides a biological buffer effect which means that fewer chemical pesticides are required over time.

Clear and ambitious adoption targets should be set, which farmers and advisers should be incentivized to achieve financially, through funding from the CAP green system. Training and communication programs on IPM and biosecurity should be provided to facilitate their adoption. Only by supporting farmers will the EU ensure changes in agricultural practices.