Roundup to be banned in the UK, ?

[Peasgood]

It isn't a digression it is exactly why we are where we are.

Not sure how regrettable it is never having had to do without. My view is that the biggest downside is that lack of hunger for something better. Why strive for more if what you have is pretty comfortable.

[easy-lift guy]

Resistance to Roundup is inevitable regardless of any deliberate genetic modifications. The range of chemical herbicides available to farmers is rapidly decreasing year on year. Roundup is extremely cheap, as food prices are pushed lower and lower farmers have little choice but to use the cheapest product available. This is human nature not a fault particular to farmers.

Few alternatives and a low price for Roundup pushes its use more and more. With various weeds capable of producing vast amounts of seeds it doesn't take very much natural variation in there to happen upon a seedling that is resistant to Roundup. If that seedling manages to get as far as producing seeds of its own, of which a very low percentage are also resistant..... it does not take long to get to a point where Roundup is no use as a herbicide any more.

It is probably this mechanism that will ultimately get rid of Roundup. It won't need to be banned as it won't serve its purpose anyway.

Simazine went down a very similar route. Local authorities and railways etc used it in such vast amounts that it made its way into the water courses. It was this that got it withdrawn in the end (and of course the blame was given to farmers as usual). What rarely gets mentioned is that Groundsel amongst other weeds had already become resistant to it anyway.

 

 

FYI Round-Up is a Post emergent herbicide. Pre emergent herbicides kill weed seeds. When both types of products are used the results usually equal higher yield and better quality crops. People in the US that abuse both products are nearly all of the time home owners that really have no business controlling anything much less vegetative growth. Still professional pest control operators and farmers are left to blame. Way of the world this side of the Atlantic/Pacific.

easy-lift guy

[Graham]

As i said before. Other brands of glypho are available

 

I think the ban is on all Glyphosate based herbicides.

[Mark Cattell]

As a professional weed control practitioner, I welcome a ban purely as it will undoubtably lead to more commercial opportunities.

 

Its becoming a nanny state, but if i can't change a plug on a electrical appliance these days without paying a professional then why should i not be paid to undertake weed control in domestic properties.

[skyhuck]

As a professional weed control practitioner, I welcome a ban purely as it will undoubtably lead to more commercial opportunities.

 

Its becoming a nanny state, but if i can't change a plug on a electrical appliance these days without paying a professional then why should i not be paid to undertake weed control in domestic properties.

 

:confused1:Yes you can.

[skyhuck]

The benefit system certainly seems to encourage folk to sit on their backsides but that is far from the whole story.

The system itself discourages people from working. Why go out and find a couple of days work if the end result is you have less money than if you stayed in bed. I am a hard working bloke but I'm not so sure I wouldn't turn down the chance of staying in bed for the same money.

 

Another very significant issue is that we as parents are turning out far too many kids that have no practical experience of anything.

I employ seasonal workers and the natives that turn up in 80% of cases are just useless. They have no work in them, can't work using both hands at the same time, can not follow very simple instructions, are so slow it is unbelievable etc etc. I'm not talking about dole drawing wasters here, a lot of them are university students on summer break. They can't turn up on time, can't turn up at all a lot of the time, won't work in the rain, turn up for farm work on a wet day in flip flops, turn up with no lunch as they expect there to be a shop somewhere in the field, no drink on sweltering hot days, work in the full sun with no hat or shirt and then get sunstroke (even when repeatedly told to cover up). Arrive in cars newer than mine (I guess Daddy bought it)

 

Self respect.

[Mark Cattell]

:confused1:Yes you can.

 

Skyhuck, You missed my sarcasm in the original statement, just that lots of simple electrical works now in theory need to be undertaken or at least signed of by a registered fitter and my comment also sighted probably the only electrical works that do not need a certificate (and light bulb change) if done in the work place or household especially when selling your property.

[treequip]

:confused1:Yes you can.

 

It says on the back of my microwave that it "should" only be opened by a qualified electrician. You have to take the cover off to change the little bulb.

[SteveA]

Is food too cheap? Yes.

Is organic food too expensive? Yes.

Is Roundup/ Monsanto,etc bad for environmental health (inc people)? Yes.

Is having large fields of mono-crops going to be a problem for pest/weed management? Yes.

Is there an alternative? Yes, always.

[SteveA]

But in reality what are the options?

Just suppose i have 40 acres of oil seed rape i need to harvest.

Have 4000 eastern europeans hand picking weeds?

 

The 40 acres of just oil seed rape is the problem. Thousands of the same plant across a huge area isn't a good start.