France sets pesticide safe zones, angering both farmers and environmentalists

PARIS (Reuters) - The French government on Friday established safe distances for pesticide spreading on crops near homes in an attempt to settle a heated debate between farmers and environmentalists but managing to anger both groups at once.

From Jan. 1, there must be a five-metre gap between sprayed fields and housing for shorter crops like cereals and a 10-metre zone for taller crops like fruit trees, the agriculture, environment and health ministries said in a joint statement.