Effective September 1, 2018 all Neonicontinoid pesticides have been banned from use in France, because they are believed to be killing the bee population. New French law also makes it illegal to use any chemical pesticide in any park or public place after 2020, punishable by a 30,000 Euro fine and six months in jail. According to the Telegraph (Henry Samuel, August 31, 2018, Paris), France is the first country in Europe to ban all five pesticides researchers believe are killing off the insects. Consequently, wine growers in France are in search of new tools for sustainable crop protection.
STK VP R&D and business development Shay Shanan commented, “STK’s botanical-based biopesticides and hybrid products are currently providing sustainable solutions for growers in over 30 countries, and there is no doubt these technologies can help growers in France to comply with the new regulatory environment. For new users of biological products, Timorex Gold and Regev are highly recommended. Regev is a new hybrid product with a very easy approach, applied in exactly the same way as the growers’ current chemical pesticides, with no mixing, resulting in much lower residue levels and much better resistance management.”