Do pesticides deserve such
BAD PRESS? Languard’s PAUL CAWOOD seems to think not Peregrine Falcon
PESTICIDES have rarely had a good time in the media. It seems that, with little understanding of what they do or how they do it, journalists can tap into, and perpetuate, the negative perception created around pesticides and their uses. But what exactly is this perception based on? Is it the ability to solve problems in the environment that can no longer be done by other means? Is it the broad brush suggestion that all pesticides are bad no matter how modern, low dose, and environmentally benign they are?
In the last decade advances in pesticide Pine Martin
research and technology have produced products that deliver high levels of performance with doses that are measured in grams not kilos. The most recent example is the introduction of the strobilurin fungicides such as Heritage. Steps forward with products like this have meant environmental profiles of products have improved dramatically. Real progress is being made in advancing product technology. This is important as more modern products can be used in a sustainable integrated pest management system without creating problems in the future. This progress is known but kept within the industry - and never shared with the public by the media so, in the interest of balance, I hope to put the case for a new generation.
Most media coverage of pesticides harks back to the grim days of Silent Spring by Rachel Carson in the 1960s and the tragic episode of DDT and the effect on birds of prey. When comments on birdlife are made on the television, the use of pesticides in modern farming systems and methods are routinely blamed for a decline in numbers. In recent years bird numbers and biodiversity have enjoyed a resurgence. Did anyone know that?
The previously unforeseen effects of pesticide use in the environment has lead directly to a new area of research, assessing the effects of these compounds once introduced to the natural environment. This area of research is environmental fate. It forms a cornerstone of the rigorous process to get a candidate crop protection / amenity product approved. Immense levels of knowledge are now held on how a product or active ingredient dissipates into the environment, and how the decay of these products affects the ecology of the environment. Despite this though, it seems that progress we, as an industry, should be proud of has not filtered through to influence public perception. There have been some well-documented successes in improving biodiversity in managed environments such as the
In recent years bird numbers and biodiversity have enjoyed a resurgence. Did anyone know that?
Buzzard
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