Plant protection is an essential aspect of modern sustainable agriculture and makes a significant contribution to securing yields. The FAIR’N GREEN criteria include the principles of “integrated crop protection” as well as a progressive sustainability assessment and other forward-looking approaches.
When you read crop protection, you think of the use of pesticides. For us, however, plant protection begins long before the first spraying:
Namely with targeted measures to improve soil quality, with the promotion of beneficial organisms and with strengthening the plants’ own defenses. Fungus-resistant varieties also play an important role here. Our focus is on cultural, manual and mechanical measures that both protect the plants and give the ecosystem sufficient flexibility.
All in all, cultivation and phytosanitary measures are just as important in sustainable plant protection as biotechnical and biological methods. We actively support our members in matters of sustainable plant protection and provide comprehensive advice on the most environmentally friendly approaches possible. This also includes
- Optimal site selection with different crops in mind
- Targeted promotion of beneficial organisms and biodiversity
- Use of modern recycling plant protection equipment
- Use of new fungus-resistant crops
For the FAIR’N GREEN certification, an innovative method is therefore also used to assess the plant protection products used: The Toxic Load Indicator (TLI) was developed together with crop protection expert Lars Neumeister.
With this indicator, all companies in the FAIR’N GREEN certification have a neutral basis for evaluating the products they use, which makes the various spraying effects comparable and minimises harmful effects. For the first time, we can use the indicator to compare all active ingredients, regardless of whether they are authorised for cultivation in accordance with EU organic standards or are open to all users.
The TLI (abbreviation for Toxic Load Indicator) is an indicator system for the overall assessment of the potential impact of the products used for plant protection on users, the environment and customers – regardless of whether plant protection products are used for conventional or organic cultivation. The calculation is made as the sum of the individual active substances applied.
The evaluation of the respective active ingredients is based on the analysis of possible harmful effects on humans and the environment. The evaluation by the Toxic Load Indicator is based on the tests of the state authorisation authorities for the active ingredients of the plant protection products.
If you have any further questions about plant protection at FAIR’N GREEN, please contact
Florian Reinert M. Sc.
Senior Projekt Manager
team[at]fairandgreen.com
+49 (0) 2 28 763 78 51
Further information on the Toxic Load Indicator can be found here:
- “Pflanzenschutz im nachhaltigen Weinbau”, Florian Reinert und Nicolas Heinrich, in: Ganzheitliche Nachhaltigkeit in der Weinwirtschaft. Zukunftsfähige Lösungen für die gesamte Wertschöpfungskette. Keith Ulrich (Hrsg.). 2022
- Technical description of the Toxic Load Index by Lars Neumeister
- Position paper on the EU draft regulation on the sustainable use of plant protection products – FAIR’N GREEN
“FAIR’N GREEN shows in an exemplary way how pesticide reduction can take place. The Toxic Load Indicator serves as a yardstick and impetus for continuous improvement of plant protection on farms.”
Lars Neumeister, pesticide expert
Vineyard ecosystem
We take a very critical view of herbicides and insecticides; both groups of active ingredients may only be used in exceptional cases.
Together with Lars Neumeister, who assesses pesticides for Greenpeace and others, we have developed the “Toxic Load Indicator” (TLI) assessment system for viticulture: This enables our members to minimise the potential harmful effects of their chemical plant protection products and to use products with the lowest risks for people and nature.
Vineyard ecosystem
We take a very critical view of herbicides and insecticides; both groups of active ingredients may only be used in exceptional cases.
Together with Lars Neumeister, who assesses pesticides for Greenpeace and others, we have developed the “Toxic Load Indicator” (TLI) assessment system for viticulture: This enables our members to minimise the potential harmful effects of their chemical plant protection products and to use products with the lowest risks for people and nature.
E-HERB-PROJECT
One of the characteristics of a future-oriented and sustainable company is, among other things, the careful and minimised use of plant protection products. The regulation of weeds, which compete with the cultivated crop (wine, fruit) and reduce or even damage its growth, is particularly challenging. In addition to the endeavour to carry out this control in the most environmentally friendly way possible, increasing herbicide resistance and extensive restrictions on the approval of active substances are also reasons for the need to find an alternative to chemical plant protection.
The “E-Herb” project is working on an innovative solution for electronic weed control: The XPower (Electroherb) from the company Zasso is an attachment that is mounted on the tractor and enables systemic treatment. On contact with the treated plant, electric shocks are emitted, which are transmitted via the water channels to the roots, causing lasting damage to the weeds. The plant cells are partially destroyed, causing the plant parts to die. This disrupts the water supply – and therefore growth. The advantage of the electrical effectiveness is the targeted and residue-free treatment of the unwanted plants.
Fair and Green e. V. is testing the implementation of the electroherb process in Rhineland-Palatinate agriculture together with the TH Bingen and other agricultural project partners.