Write a Letter
Write to your MEP to indicate your concern over the matters currently under consideration with the EU Commissions’ review of pesticide legislation and the anticipated consequential loss of many of our current crop protection products. A list of MEP contact details can be found in the Word document at the bottom of this page or click here to open the document.
Template Letter
Click here to open a template letter which can be used in several ways. Add your address (top right box) and the MEP address (top left box) and print it on your own letterhead, not forgetting to sign it.
Idea 1
You could use the letter as a guide when writing your own personalised letter. You might include aspects about your own farm, such as the 20% reduction in yield and quality for your wheat crops which the loss of triazole fungicides could make. If you write a personal letter then always ask a question to which you expect a reply – the MEP has to write a personal response.
Idea 2
Take the template letter and add in your own information about particular local issues that are important to you. If you know your local MEP has a strong environmental leaning, tell him about how you care for the environment on your farm. Also tell him what will happen if you cannot afford to maintain hedgerows, field margins, water-courses and ditches should your farm be compromised by the adoption of poor legislation.
Insert a piece of specific information about your farm business. For example, if potato yields are reduced because nematicides are taken out of use, indicate what the financial impact will be and the tonnage reduction in food produced from your farm. This is a very effective way to engage with your MEP and solicit response. Ask the question about how your MEP will respond to food shortages in his/her constituency if crop yields are limited through loss of crop protection products.
Idea 3
If you wish you could use the template letter in its current format – just add your address (top right box) and the MEP address (top left box), sign it and send it off.
More is Better
Personal letters are the most effective way to lobby MEPs, but volume of correspondence received does also impress urgency upon them. If an MEP is not really involved in an issue but then starts to receive large volumes of letters they soon become engaged and get fully involved.
I hope that this will assist and encourage you to take the time to write if you have not already done so.
www.europarl.org.uk/uk_meps/MembersMain.htm |
