Your article 'Lord's amendment to protect farmers' (Courant, October 1) highlights the importance of Lord Curry's amendment 101 to the Government's Agricultural Bill proposing that the Trade and Agricultural Commission be made permanent.

This will ensure that British farmers will not be undermined financially by US farmers.

During the debate, on the said Bill, another important amendment 78 was also approved by the House of Lords.

This Amendment 78 is related to prohibiting the application of any pesticide for the purposes of agriculture or horticulture near – (a) any building used for human habitation, (b) any building or open space used for work or recreation, or (c) any public or private building where members of the public may be present, including but not limited to, schools and childcare nurseries, and hospitals.

Rural residents are well aware of the problems with pesticides, and testimonies were received from rural families that have suffered.

This is just one example:

One is from a woman in the countryside in the north of England: “I have brought up my family of three next to a frequently sprayed arable field. On many occasions, the spray has gone over the children as they’ve played. It has covered our washing and gone through our windows. We are long-term tenants on this land, yet we are treated as if this has nothing to do with us. We do not know what these chemicals are, only that the farmer, when mixing them and pouring them into his tank, wears full protective clothing and then sits in a protected cab.”

The Government has fundamentally failed to protect people in the countryside from pesticides and has also knowingly allowed residents to continue to suffer from both acute and chronic adverse health effects without taking any action to prevent the exposure, risks and adverse impacts occurring.

The evidence really is quite clear that the Government has knowingly failed to act and has continued to mislead the public - especially rural residents and communities - over the safety of agricultural pesticides sprayed on crop fields throughout the country.

The Government’s response to this issue has been of the utmost complacency and is completely irresponsible.

Like Lord Curry said, "I do hope that MPs in the North of England will give this amendment their full support," and I trust MPs will give amendment 78 their full support also.

PETER GALLAGHER

London