Student Article High School Science Journal Author: Michelle Arce

Contemporary Issue: Pesticides

August 05, 2007

Every year billions of dollars are spent to control pests in
agriculture. Every year the amount of money spent on pesticides
increases. The United States spends such an enormous amount on this
undesirable competitor because it is the cause of one-third of food
production loss. Because farms grow food based on maintaining a stage
of early succession, they compete with weeds for light, water,
nutrients, and room.
The problem with the use of pesticides is its adverse effects on
various organisms. For example, in the past harmful pesticides were in
use, such as DDT, killed not only so called pests but other organisms
that were beneficial to the crops such as ladybugs. Another problem is
the more pesticides that are in use, the faster the unwanted organisms
will develop immunity to them making the current pesticide
insufficient.
The question is, are pesticides really the answer to our food
production losses? No, there are not enough beneficial effects to
except the set backs that pesticides bring. Not only to pesticides
affect other pants that are not aimed to be killed but they affect the
food chain. If one species is eliminated what will the current animal
consuming them eat next and how will that affect the next organism in
line? Pesticides are also tided into the water table. No matter how
pesticides are applied they always end in the soil. From the soil they
enter the water table which then enters humans through water usage.
Pesticides are not worth making millions of people sick so they
receive chemically sprayed carrots in their local grocery store.
However, over recent years there have been diverse alternatives to the
use of pesticides. One way to eliminate pesticide usage in agriculture
is to have a greater diversity of plants planted within a certain
area. This will reduce the damage of food because the pest will not
have easy accessibility to the product they are there for. Another
would be to introduce another organism which will feed off the
undesired organism. Various types of herbs can be planted that will
repel the pests. Not only can all of these options eliminate or at
least reduce the use of pesticides another can be for the farmer to
practice no-till or low-till agriculture to reduce the out breaks of
food production losses.
Overall pesticides are not the answer to such a controversial issue at
the present time. They are more beneficial alternatives that have
minimal if not no negative affects to agriculture and its surrounding
environment.

 
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