Environmental and Economic Impacts of Reducing U.S. Agricultural Pesticide Use

Several studies suggest that it is technologically feasible to reduce pesticide use in the United States 35—50% without reducing crop yields (PSAC, 1965; OTA, 1979; NAS, 1989; Palladino, 1989). Two recent events in Denmark and Sweden support these assessments. Denmark developed an action plan in 1985 to reduce the use of pesticides 50% before 1997 (Mogensen, 1989). Sweden also approved a program in 1988 to reduce pesticide use by 50% within 5 years (NBA, 1988). The Netherlands is developing a program to reduce pesticide use 50% in 10 years (Suddeutsche Zeitung, 1989). These proposals, along with Huffaker’s (1980) assessment that the United States overuses pesticides, prompted us to investigate the feasibility of reducing the annual use of synthetic organic pesticides by approximately one-half.

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