Protecting Food Resources: Protecting Food Resources: Pest ManagementPest Management

Chapter 13 – Food, Soil, Chapter 13 – Food, Soil, Conservation and Pest ManagementConservation and Pest Management

What is a pest?What is a pest? Any species that Any species that

competes with us competes with us for food, invades for food, invades lawns and gardens, lawns and gardens, destroys wood in destroys wood in houses, spreads houses, spreads disease, invades disease, invades ecosystems, or is ecosystems, or is simply a nuisance.simply a nuisance.

Pest ControlPest Control Pesticides – chemicals to kill or Pesticides – chemicals to kill or

control populations of organisms we control populations of organisms we consider undesirable.consider undesirable. insecticidesinsecticides herbicidesherbicides fungicidesfungicides rodenticidesrodenticides

Types of PesticidesTypes of Pesticides

First-generation pesticidesFirst-generation pesticides natural chemicals or botanicals borrowed from natural chemicals or botanicals borrowed from

plants that had been defending themselvesplants that had been defending themselves

Types of PesticidesTypes of Pesticides Second-generation Second-generation

pesticidespesticides chemicals produced in chemicals produced in

the laboratory or the laboratory or chemicals created by chemicals created by improvements on first-improvements on first-generation pesticides generation pesticides and microbotanicalsand microbotanicals

broad spectrum agentsbroad spectrum agents selective agentsselective agents

Advantages of Modern Synthetic Advantages of Modern Synthetic PesticidesPesticides

Save livesSave lives Increase food suppliesIncrease food supplies Increase profits for farmersIncrease profits for farmers Fast actingFast acting Human health risks are low when Human health risks are low when

applied properlyapplied properly Safety is improvingSafety is improving

Disadvantages of Modern Synthetic Disadvantages of Modern Synthetic PesticidesPesticides

Accelerate genetic resistance to Accelerate genetic resistance to pesticides in pestspesticides in pests

Increasing costs to farmersIncreasing costs to farmers Non-specific/ May kill beneficial Non-specific/ May kill beneficial

organismsorganisms Pollute land and waterwaysPollute land and waterways Can harm wildlifeCan harm wildlife Some can threaten human healthSome can threaten human health

U.S. Pesticide Control LegislationU.S. Pesticide Control Legislation Scope:Scope:

2.4 million tons of pesticides generated/yr2.4 million tons of pesticides generated/yr ~25,000 commercial pesticide products~25,000 commercial pesticide products

RegulationRegulation Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide

Act (FIFRA) – 1947, 1972Act (FIFRA) – 1947, 1972 Tasks EPA with evaluating health hazards of pesticidesTasks EPA with evaluating health hazards of pesticides

Food Quality Protection Act – 1996Food Quality Protection Act – 1996 EPA must reduce the allowed levels of pesticide EPA must reduce the allowed levels of pesticide

residues on food by 10x if data on harmful effects on residues on food by 10x if data on harmful effects on children is inadequatechildren is inadequate

Enforcement is poor.Enforcement is poor. Banned substances may be manufactured and Banned substances may be manufactured and

exported.exported.

Fig. 13-30, p. 299

What Can You Do?

Reducing Exposure to Pesticides

• Grow some of your food using organic methods.

• Buy organic food.

• Wash and scrub all fresh fruits, vegetables, and wild foods you pick.

• Eat less or no meat.

• Trim the fat from meat.

• Grow some of your food using organic methods.

• Buy organic food.

• Wash and scrub all fresh fruits, vegetables, and wild foods you pick.

• Eat less or no meat.

Alternative Pest Control MeasuresAlternative Pest Control Measures Crop rotationCrop rotation Adjust planting times to avoid pest emergenceAdjust planting times to avoid pest emergence Growing crops in areas where major pests do Growing crops in areas where major pests do

not existnot exist PolyculturePolyculture Implant genetic resistanceImplant genetic resistance Encourage natural pest enemiesEncourage natural pest enemies Trap using pest pheromonesTrap using pest pheromones Use pest hormones to control pest development.Use pest hormones to control pest development. Scald themScald them

Integrated Pest ManagementIntegrated Pest Management Crop & pests are Crop & pests are

evaluated as parts evaluated as parts of an ecological of an ecological system.system.

Uses combination Uses combination of biological, of biological, cultivation, and cultivation, and chemical chemical approachesapproaches

Integrated Pest ManagementIntegrated Pest Management

SOLUTIONS: SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS: SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTUREAGRICULTURE

Three main ways to reduce hunger Three main ways to reduce hunger and malnutrition and the harmful and malnutrition and the harmful effects of agriculture:effects of agriculture: Slow population growth.Slow population growth. Sharply reduce poverty.Sharply reduce poverty. Develop and phase in systems of more Develop and phase in systems of more

sustainable, low input agriculture over sustainable, low input agriculture over the next few decades.the next few decades.

Fig. 13-33, p. 302

SolutionsSustainable Organic Agriculture

More Less

High-yield polyculture

Soil erosion

Soil salinizationOrganic fertilizers

Aquifer depletionBiological pest control Overgrazing

Integrated pest management

Overfishing

Loss of biodiversityEfficient

irrigation Loss of prime croplandPerennial crops

Crop rotationFood waste

Water-efficient crops

Subsidies for unsustainable farming and fishing

Soil conservation

Subsidies for sustainable farming and fishing

Population growth

Poverty

Sustainable Sustainable AgricultureAgriculture

Results of 22 Results of 22 year study year study comparing comparing organic and organic and conventional conventional farming.farming.

Figure 13-34Figure 13-34

Solutions: Making the Transition to Solutions: Making the Transition to More Sustainable AgricultureMore Sustainable Agriculture

More research, More research, demonstration demonstration projects, projects, government government subsidies, and subsidies, and training can training can promote more promote more sustainable organic sustainable organic agriculture.agriculture.

Figure 13-35Figure 13-35

Photo ReferencesPhoto Referenceshttp://bruinbooks.com/mosquito.htmhttp://bruinbooks.com/mosquito.htmContech Inc.Contech Inc. 2008. Web. 09 Mar. 2010. 2008. Web. 09 Mar. 2010.

<http://www.pherotech.com/page223.htm><http://www.pherotech.com/page223.htm>http://www.biconet.com/botanicals/GIFs/rotPyr2.jpghttp://www.biconet.com/botanicals/GIFs/rotPyr2.jpghttp://www.btinternet.com/~micka.wffps/pyrethrum.jpghttp://www.btinternet.com/~micka.wffps/pyrethrum.jpghttp://www.mindfully.org/Pesticide/DDT-Household-Pests-http://www.mindfully.org/Pesticide/DDT-Household-Pests-

USDA-Mar47a.GIFUSDA-Mar47a.GIFhttp://psdblog.worldbank.org/photos/uncategorized/http://psdblog.worldbank.org/photos/uncategorized/

2007/08/20/ddt_molecule.jpg2007/08/20/ddt_molecule.jpghttp://www.actionoutdoors.org/edres/images/DDT.jpghttp://www.actionoutdoors.org/edres/images/DDT.jpghttp://www.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/energy/pestmgt.jpghttp://www.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/energy/pestmgt.jpg