Pesticides are part of a much larger conversation about sustainability. Should we be using them? What are the tradeoffs when it comes to our environment and food safety?

Sustainability is the principle of meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. For food, sustainability includes a wide range of factors such as water use, animal well-being, worker care and soil conservation. Learn more about Optimizing Sustainability.

In this series about sustainability, we’ve been looking at the tradeoffs with various food production practices. We reached out to experts to learn about the sustainability tradeoffs related to pesticides.

“Pesticide” is a general term that covers three broad areas of crop production, explains Jeff Graybill, an Extension Educator in Agronomy at Penn State University. “Insecticides control worms, bugs and other insects that can easily consume crops in the field or grains and food in storage. Herbicides will control and prevent weeds from overcoming the crop and lowering the harvest. And fungicides prevent and control diseases which attack our crops,” he said.

Tim Durham teaches agronomy and agricultural sciences at Ferrum College. He’s also part of his family’s fifth-generation vegetable farm on Long Island, New York.

“Since cropping is our livelihood, we’re motivated to protect our investment … we’re constantly evaluating new markets, crops and production systems. We pride ourselves on staying nimble when it comes to pest management,” Dr. Durham said.

What are the different types of crop protection and why are they used?

Chemical sprays are one method used to manage weeds and insects, but there are several approaches.

“Many farmers in the U.S. practice integrated pest management (IPM). This means that farmers use a variety of methods to grow and protect the crop and will only choose chemical control when it is the better option. Other IPM tools include things like crop rotation, better plant genetics (disease and insect resistance) and natural predators,” Graybill said.

Most farms use a combination of practices to protect crops from weeds and insects, Dr. Durham said.

“We use knowledge about pests to exploit their vulnerabilities. This can include a spray – an informed one – but it also draws from a versatile toolbox of alternative approaches, any of which can be mixed and matched to optimize the effect,” he said.

Some additional, non-chemical options include:

• Biological: The use of “good” bug and microbe mercenaries to hunt pests.
• Cultural: Make the environment less hospitable for pests.
• Physical/Mechanical: Exclude troublemakers when possible, or grind them up with a disk or plow when they’re in a vulnerable life stage in the soil.
• Genetic: Use plant varieties that just aren’t appealing to pests.
• Regulatory: Coordinate with trade partners to make sure only clean produce (no pest stowaways) cone in, also quarantine when necessary.

What would happen if farmers didn’t use crop protection? 

Pests – weeds, insects and fungus – are the greatest threat to growing any crop. Without pesticides, some crops could not be grown on a large scale, so our diets would not be as diverse. According to Dr. Durham, without pesticides, fruits and vegetables would be stunted, riddled with injuries and contaminated with microbes, contributing to food waste.

Without crop protection, food would also be more expensive as more of it would be lost to pests. According to Crop Life International, even with the use of modern crop protection products, 20 to 40 percent of potential food production is lost every year to pests.

“Pesticides provide some measure of predictability in the otherwise unpredictable world of farming, helping to stabilize commodity prices and keeping prices low in the grocery aisle. It’s one reason we spend a tiny fraction of our disposable income on food,” Dr. Durham said.

How do pesticides affect the environment?

 There are tradeoffs to using pesticides, to using organic methods or to using nothing at all. Proper pesticide use can help protect part of the environment.

“They allow us to maximize production on the smallest footprint of land. This is called ‘land sparing.’ If we decided to forego pesticides, we’d need to appropriate a much larger chunk of land to do the same job and land that happens to be the most biodiverse and at-risk,” Dr. Durham said.

Efficiently using farmland – growing more food on less land – also protects forests and wildlife habitats from being cultivated. For instance, farmers who do not use herbicides to manage weeds in their crops can instead use tillage, which increases soil erosion and contaminates water sources.

“Fungicides and bactericides can make food safer to eat by reducing toxin levels,” Dr. Durham said. “How? Microbes occupy wounds made by pests. In the process, they produce dangerous toxins. It’s their biology – and also potentially. double jeopardy for consumers.”

“Chemical weed, disease and insect products often require much less time, equipment and energy than traditional production practices; thereby generating a lower carbon footprint and environmental benefits,” Graybill said.

But using chemical pesticides does involve some risk. The compounds are designed to kill a living organism such as a microbe, weed or insect, so they need to be used responsibly, Graybill said.

Some crop protection chemicals have a negative impact on beneficial insects, such as bees and butterflies. The agricultural industry is researching ways to reduce the negative impact. Some of the older, more toxic compounds have been banned and replaced by newer ones that are more targeted to specific species.

Learn more about pesticides and the environment.

As we evaluate tradeoffs in this series, we see that pesticides can have environmental risks because they kill certain plants and insects. Crop protectants also benefit the environment by reducing the amount of land, water and fertilizer needed to grow crops, which protects wildlife areas and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

Is my food safe from pesticide residues? 

 Pesticides are regulated in the United States to be sure that they are as safe as possible for people and the environment.

“The United States has an extensive regulatory system, and whether it’s household chemicals or agricultural herbicides and insecticides, all chemicals go through extensive toxicology testing to look at the benefits and the risks of the product. This is especially true of pesticides used on food crops,” Graybill said “Since these chemicals are designed to kill a specific weed or pest, they must be respected, so when looking at human and animal health implications, regulatory agencies have very stringent standards.”

All foods, whether they are grown with conventional farming or organic methods, are regulated and safe. Even those on the Dirty Dozen are well below the acceptable threshold for residues. This Food Safety Calculator shows how much food a person can consume without experiencing adverse effects of pesticides.

“Any pesticide that comes to market must be approved and certified by the EPA, USDA and FDA. Toxicology data is peer-reviewed and is combed over very intensely. The government agencies then make a determination if there are any negative impacts and whether those negative impacts are outweighed by the good that the chemical will do,” Graybill said in a previous post on Best Food Facts.

Learn more about pesticides and food safety.

What are alternative methods of crop protection? 

Organic methods are often considered more natural. USDA certified organic foods are produced in compliance with National Organic Program (NOP) standards

Organic does not mean that foods are pesticide free.

“It means only that the product was produced according to the standards of the NOP. While organic growers are commonly committed to using limited to no pesticides, they can—and often do—use pesticides allowed under the NOP standards,” said Dr. Paul Vincelli, Extension Professor and Provost’s Distinguished Service Professor, University of Kentucky.

Often conventional – or non-organic – farming involves using natural practices, Dr. Durham said.

“Organics suggests that old standbys like crop rotation and fallowing (field resting) are somehow organic exclusives, when they’re clearly not. Some practices never go out of style. Conventional growers use them regularly, melding the old with the new,” he said.

Following all regulations, using pesticides according to the label and also using integrated pest management can reduce the risks of pesticide use.

“Farmers proudly eat what we grow. We have full confidence in our practices and food safety,” Dr. Durham said.

Various types of pesticides are used to protect crops from weeds, insects and microbes. The decision to use chemicals, non-chemical methods or a combination of both approaches results in tradeoffs that can affect food affordability, food waste, land use and carbon footprint.

Learn more about Optimizing Sustainability.

The post Sustainability: What If Farmers Did Not Use Pesticides? appeared first on Best Food Facts.

To gain some insight into the difference between pesticide-free and organic, we reached out to Dr. Paul Vincelli, Extension Professor and Provost’s Distinguished Service Professor, University of Kentucky.

 What does it mean to be pesticide-free? What about organic?

Dr. Vincelli: “’Pesticide-free’ is not a strictly defined term, but it might be used to refer to crops that were not treated with any synthetic (human-made) pesticides. Pesticides are substances for controlling insects, weeds, or disease-causing organisms. ‘Organic’ commonly refers to ‘certified organic:’ agricultural products certified to have been produced in compliance with the National Organic Program (NOP) of the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service.”

The NOP is responsible for creating national standards for organically produced agricultural products. If a product meets their standards, they will receive the USDA organic seal; however, it should be noted that these regulations do not address food safety or nutritional value.

In order to meet the USDA organic standards, a product must contain the following criteria:

• Produced without excluded methods, ionizing radiation or sewage sludge
• Produced per the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances
• Overseen by a USDA National Organic Program – authorized certifying agent, following all USDA organic regulations

If something is organic, doesn’t that mean that it is pesticide-free?

Dr. Vincelli: “No. It means only that the product was produced according to the standards of the NOP. While organic growers are commonly committed to using limited to no pesticides, they can—and often do—use pesticides allowed under the NOP standards.”

Have you wondered what a pesticide is? According to Dr. Vincelli, there are three categories of substances that act to kill pests:

1. Synthetic pesticides. These are pesticides created by humans. This includes substances that may be designed to mimic natural substances. These are applied to the plant in some way: as a spray, a seed treatment, etc.
2. Natural pesticides applied to plants. These are pesticides made from natural substances. An example would be copper-based pesticides. Copper is mined by humans, but the copper-based active ingredient has not been created by human design. Another example would be pesticides made from naturally occurring bacteria found in the soil. These naturally occurring substances can be toxic to pests, such as spider mites, mosquitoes, ants, fruit flies and others. Spinosad is such a compound and some spinosad products are approved for use in organic agriculture.  Pesticides in this category are applied to the plant in some way, much like synthetic pesticides.
3. Natural, internal pesticides. These are natural chemicals synthesized internally by the living plant to defend itself against pest/disease attack. Plants are figuratively assaulted constantly by microorganisms and insects that want to consume the plant’s tissues. Since plants can’t run away to escape these attacks, they must defend themselves through chemicals. Plants are rather remarkable chemists, and defense against attack is a big reason for this.

“When people say the word, ‘pesticide,’ they almost always are thinking of category #1,” said Dr. Vincelli. “Some of the substances in category #2 are approved for use by organic producers. Even though they are natural, they are toxic to target pests—and sometimes to non-target organisms also, including humans. But since these substances are natural, many people mistakenly believe that they cannot be pesticides, but they are, because they kill or disrupt pests. A common assumption about natural substances—pesticides or not—is that, since they are natural, they must be safe. It is an easy assumption to make. I often find myself making the same assumption. However, it is an invalid assumption. The world is full of many natural substances that are hazardous to our health at some dose, even at doses we might consume.”

Dr. Vincelli continued to explain that substances in category #3 “’fly under the radar’ of public consciousness.”

Sometimes we have some scientific knowledge of the human risks of eating natural, internally produced chemical pesticides, but commonly we don’t know much about how they might impact human health,” explained Dr. Vincelli. “I am not saying we should be worried about eating plants and plant products, because of these natural, internal pesticides. To the contrary, a healthy diet includes eating at least five servings of fruits and vegetables, regardless of the possible presence of low amounts of natural, internal pesticidal chemicals. But these are in our food, naturally, and it is interesting to ponder how little we know about these natural pesticides in our diet and how much more there is to learn about eating for optimal health.”

Alright, we’ve received several reader questions about this. Is organic food safer to consume than conventionally produced food?

Dr. Vincelli: “Simple answer: I purchase and eat both conventional foods and organic foods. This is because I am generally impressed with the rigor of the regulatory process for pesticides. Most of the time our federal review and approval of pesticides by EPA is impressive and designed to protect public health while maintaining agricultural productivity. In my 35+ years of working with pesticides, I recall only one instance in which I thought the federal government was not adequately protecting public health through conservative decision-making about a pesticide.  That was a recent example.  But almost always, our government does an excellent job of vigorously assuring the safety of pesticides on and in our foods.”

Summary

Foods that are labeled “pesticide free” and “organic” represent different ways in which the food was grown. Pesticides include a variety of substances, some of which occur naturally and some of which may be used on organic food. Foods in the United States are tested and vigorously regulated to make sure they are safe to eat.

Other articles in this series:

Are Pesticides Needed to Grow Food?

Are Pesticides Safe for Food Consumption?

Are Pesticides Safe for the Environment? 

The post What’s the Difference Between Pesticide Free and Organic? appeared first on Best Food Facts.

Before we dive into what we discovered, it might be helpful to define what pesticides are. Pesticides are a broad category of compounds that are used to eliminate or reduce pests, such as weeds, insects or fungus. Pesticides are used by farmers to protect animals from insects, the same way people use pesticides to protect their pets from fleas and ticks. Pesticides are also used in homes and gardens. They may be made from natural or synthetic products.  The series will look at Are Pesticides Safe for Food Consumption?  Are Pesticides Safe for the Environment? What’s the Difference Between Pesticide-Free and Organic?

For detailed information about why farmers use pesticides on crops they grow, we got in touch with Dr. Steve Savage, a plant pathologist who works with the non-profit CropLife Foundation and creates a bi-weekly podcast called POPAgriculture. We also talked to a farmer to find out about pesticides used on crops.

“Most farmers, including both conventional and organic, need to use pesticides because there are various organisms that depend on plants, but do so in ways that are damaging to the crops in terms of yield, quality and even viability,” Dr. Savage said. “These pests include insects, mites, nematodes, fungi, bacteria and viruses. Weeds also compete with the crop for nutrients, water and light.”

Jenny Burgess and her husband raise wheat, corn, soybeans and grain sorghum in Kansas. They are first-generation farmers who have built and work their farm themselves.

“On our farm, we use technology and tools to help our crops grow to the best of our ability. Herbicides and insecticides are just a couple of those tools,” Burgess said. “When used correctly, these tools or technologies will help our crops grow to their best potential. Anything that has room to grow without weeds taking water and nutrients away from the crop, or bugs that don’t eat up it, can grow.”

Herbicides, a type of pesticide that kills weeds, and insecticides, which target insects, are important to enable farmers to grow food crops. These compounds enable farmers to use land, water and resources more efficiently, which also helps improve the “footprint” of carbon and energy use, Dr. Savage said. Benefits also show up in shopping carts and pantry shelves. Because farmers can minimize crop losses by using herbicides, we have access to a more diverse, high-quality and affordable food supply.

“If there were no pesticides, some crops would not even be practical to grow. The quality of many crops would be lower, and they would definitely be more expensive,” he explained. “Organic growers use approved natural pesticides, but these are often not as effective or even as safe. The lower yield for organic is a major reason for its higher cost. It is an indicator of the impact pests could have on the price of food without pesticides.”

In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency evaluates all pesticides before they are approved for use.

“We assess a wide variety of potential human health and environmental effects associated with the use of the product. The company that wants to produce the pesticide must provide data from studies that comply with our testing guidelines. We develop risk assessments that evaluate the potential for harm to humans, wildlife, fish and plants, including endangered species and non-target organisms; and contamination of surface water and groundwater from leaching, runoff and spray drift,” the EPA states.

Since the EPA was established in 1970, some of the older pesticides that had more serious environmental impact have been banned, Dr. Savage said.

“With the investment of billions of dollars in new chemical discovery programs over the next several decades, the overall hazard levels of pesticides have dropped dramatically such that most now fall into the EPA’s categories ‘slightly toxic’ or ‘essentially non-toxic,’” he said. “This is because they are mostly now much more specific in that they typically affect enzyme pathways in the pests that do not even occur in animals. Quite a few live biological agents have also been developed with are also very pest-specific in their effects.”

The EPA regulations also include requirements for worker personal protective equipment and re-entry intervals, meaning how soon someone can return to the field after the application and pre-harvest intervals to ensure that those who work on farms as well as those who consume food are safe.

“Each year the U.S. Department of Agriculture evaluates around 10,000 samples from the food supply and consistently finds that residues found are below to well below the conservative tolerances.  Also, farmers and other pesticide applicators are required to take part in detailed and continuing safety training so that they know very well how to follow the regulations,” Dr. Savage said.

Farmers have an important role in making sure pesticides are used properly.

“Pesticides are most commonly used in ‘integrated pest management programs’ which also include genetic resistance, pest avoidance, fostering of beneficial organisms, crop rotations, plant biotechnology and other approaches. This diversity of strategies increases the resilience and efficacy of the pest control system,” Dr. Savage said.

“Many times, I hear or read that we ‘drench’ our crops with so much chemical and don’t care when or where we spray,” Burgess said. “That’s disheartening to hear. My husband and I are very responsible with what we do every day. Special nozzles that create uniformed droplet size combined with speed of tractor, and proper amounts of chemical make it minimal spray”

“Chemicals should be used only when needed and used sparingly. Using too much could cause harm to our soil health as well as run off could harm any wildlife in the area. Chemical are a great tool to help us, but they are expensive,” she said.

She said they use about 24 ounces of herbicide per acre, which is the equivalent of two cans of soda pop for an area about the size of a football field. The rest of the liquid being applied to the field is water.

Summary

Pesticides are used on farms to help grow food by protecting plants from things that would harm them. They help farmers to use land and water more efficiently and enable us to enjoy more variety of foods with better quality. Regulations are in place to make sure pesticides are used safely.

Other articles in this series:

Are Pesticides Safe for Food Consumption?

Are Pesticides Safe for the Environment?

What’s the Difference Between Pesticide Free and Organic?

The post Are Pesticides Needed to Grow Food? appeared first on Best Food Facts.

How do pesticides affect the environment where they are used? If they can harm things such as insects or weeds, could pesticides affect other things?

We asked a farmer for perspective and interviewed three university scientists to find out how pesticides impact the environment. Dr. William Vencill is a Professor of Crop and Soil Sciences, University of Georgia; Jeff Graybill is an Extension Educator in Agronomy, Penn State University; and Dr. Stephen Baenziger is a Professor of Plant Sciences, University of Nebraska. In addition, we talked to a farmer.

These experts emphasized that all pesticides sold in the United States are thoroughly tested to determine if they could cause harm.

“The compounds that become pesticides by law must be safe for the environment using rigorous tests and their review,” Dr. Baenzinger said. “If they were determined to be unsafe, they could not meet the regulatory requirements for their release. Also remember that after a pesticide is approved for release, it is still periodically reviewed to ensure no new information has been developed that may affect at how the compounds can be used.”

All systems of raising food cause some disruption to the natural environment, Dr. Vencill noted. In some cases, using pesticides is the best option.

“If we do not use herbicides, growers will use tillage for weed control that increases soil erosion, losing precious soil in the field, and also contaminating water supplies. Maximizing agricultural production so that each unit of land produces as much as possible allows society to set aside natural areas such as wildlife habitat,” he said.

Janna Splitter explained that protecting the soil is part of the reason why they use pesticides on their farm.

“My husband and I own and operate our fifth-generation family farm in central Kansas. Along with our two young daughters, we grow wheat, corn, soybeans and grain sorghum on drylands and irrigated acres,” she said. “We are a no-till farm. We choose the use of pesticides to control weeds and harmful insects vs conventional tillage (working the ground and turning the soil).”

Splitter said they take steps to use only the amount of pesticide that is needed.

“The ultimate goal each year is to raise the highest quality product in the most sustainable fashion. Having a safe and sustainable product requires intervention throughout the growing season. If there is a weed or a bug that would be detrimental to the quality of the crops we are raising, we have the obligation to control it,” she said. “It is common for us, when needed, to use an insecticide that would only target a specific insect rather than all insects. For instance, when trying to kill headworms in grain sorghum, you use a product that specifically kills headworms without damaging other beneficial insects such as ladybugs, bees, etc.”

We asked the experts for more detailed information about pesticides and the environment.

Are pesticides safe for the environment?

Vencill: “It depends on how one defines ‘safe.’ For 10,000 years, humans have been disrupting the environment to grow crops. Except for hunter-gatherers, most food production systems cause some harm to the environment. Nothing is risk free. What we must ask is, does this pesticide when used as labelled have the potential to harm ecological systems? Pesticides must undergo years of rigorous testing in a wide range of environments to show that these risks are minimal.”

Graybill: “All pesticides are thoroughly tested. It generally takes a new product 10 years or more before they are approved for market. During this time, they are tested for water quality, environmental safety and food safety.”

Baenziger: “The compounds that become pesticides by law must be safe for the environment using rigorous tests and their review. If they were determined to be unsafe, they could not meet the regulatory requirements for their release.  Also remember that after a pesticide is approved for release, it is still periodically reviewed to ensure no new information has been developed that may affect at how the compounds can be used.”

What safeguards are in place to ensure unsafe levels of pesticides are not degrading our air and water?

Vencill: “Any pesticide shown to have adverse environmental effects will be pulled from the market or its use will be severely restricted. I have seen the use of several products be severely restricted over the years for environmental reasons. Regulatory agencies use developing science to adjust pesticide labels to try to protect the environment. Product labels provide critical information about how to handle and safely use the pesticide product and avoid harm to human health and the environment. But, even when label requirements are closely followed, we can’t say there is zero risk for environmental harm. Nothing is risk free.

“However, not applying pesticides for pest control also has potential to harm the environment. If we do not use herbicides, growers will use tillage for weed control that increases soil erosion, losing precious soil in the field, and also contaminating water supplies. Maximizing agricultural production so that each unit of land produces as much as possible allows society to set aside natural areas such as wildlife habitat.”

Graybill: “All pesticides go under a review process every 10 or 15 years by the EPA. Companies are required to provide data about the use of the product. Residue levels must be checked and reported, new toxicology testing is done and any university and governmental reports of contamination must be studied and evaluated. Only then will a sales license be renewed. Most products also have a MCL (maximum contaminant level) at which they are safe to use. These are typically in parts per million (PPM). If residue is found in the environment or on the food item in excess of this limit, the EPA will take action to correct the problem or ban the chemical.”

What are some common misconceptions about how pesticides effect the environment?

Vencill: “Some people seem to feel that some pesticides are not regulated, and many do not know how tightly they are regulated. Another is that the mere presence of a compound equals harm.”

Graybill: “Pesticides are only one class of chemicals with potential toxicity. When misused they can potentially contaminate the environment and harm humans. This, however, is no different than any industrial product. Gasoline is highly explosive and can easily contaminate water supplies, etc.  Yet, would we consider not using it as an energy source? When used appropriately, agricultural chemicals have given us a safe, reliable food supply. The benefits far outweigh the risks.”

Baenziger: “Many people seem to think pesticides do not break down and are with us forever. There is also a misconception that pesticides are not well regulated. A prominent notion is that we know very little about how pesticides impact the environment, but there’s actually a great depth of knowledge.”

How are pesticides impacting pollinators like bees and butterflies?

Graybill: “Certain insecticides can harm insects such as bees and butterflies. The agricultural industry is aware of this and most insecticide labels have instructions on how to reduce and minimize the risk to these insects. Also, many of the more toxic compounds have now been banned and replaced by newer ones which are more targeted to specific pests.”

Some say widespread use of herbicides is resulting in weeds becoming resistant to pesticides. What’s your view of this issue?

Vencill: “It is true that herbicides select for weeds that have a resistance trait in a given field. Without herbicide use, no one would notice if these resistant weeds were present. A common misconception is that the herbicide causes a mutation leading to resistance.

“There was an interesting study in France a couple of years ago where they looked at dried samples of blackgrass (a serious weed in Europe) from the 1700s through the 1900s. They found herbicide-resistant blackgrass from 1875 – 100 years before this particular herbicide was commercialized! If growers use a diverse set of weed control tactics, then herbicide resistance can be delayed and managed. It is when growers rely on a single herbicide for weed control and use it year after year, we see more rapid herbicide resistance develop.”

Graybill: “As weeds grow and continually adapt to their environment, they will develop resistance to herbicide. It’s a natural process. This is to be expected and there are ways which farmers are working to minimize this. One practice is to no longer use just a single product, but partner two products together. Glyphosate (Roundup) is one herbicide for which some weeds have become resistant. This was due to it being over used. It was also often used as the only product. Today, when farmers are spraying herbicides they will use multiple products which slows or even prevents the development of resistant weeds.”

Baenziger: “This is a biological concern. All herbicide -resistance genes separate a resistant crop from a susceptible weed. Through mutations, weeds eventually become resistant to the herbicide (similar to the crop). That’s the way nature works. Weeds becoming resistant to a chemical is a very common process. But remember that you started with a susceptible weed, which became resistant to a herbicide, thus the pesticide is no longer useful to control that weed. Farmers were able to grow very good crops for the years the herbicide worked well. When the pesticide fails, you’re back to where you started in that the weed and the crop cannot be separated through the use of the herbicide (the herbicide has become ineffective to control that weed). However, before the weed became resistant, the producer had good choices on how to control weeds.”

Summary

Pesticides help farmers raise crops so that people have food to eat. Pesticides can have an impact on the environment and that is why they are closely tested and regulated. Guidelines help to make sure the products are used in the proper way so that they do not cause harm to the environment.

Other articles in this series:

Are Pesticides Needed to Grow Food?

Are Pesticides Safe for Food Consumption?

What’s the Difference Between Pesticide Free and Organic?

The post Are Pesticides Safe for the Environment? appeared first on Best Food Facts.

Is food that is grown using pesticides safe to eat?  We got in touch with three scientists to ask them about pesticides and food safety. Dr. William Vencill is a Professor of Crop and Soil Sciences, University of Georgia; Jeff Graybill is an Extension Educator in Agronomy, Penn State University; and Dr. Stephen Baenziger is a Professor of Plant Sciences, University of Nebraska.

The experts all pointed out that pesticides, because they do involve an amount of risk, are very closely regulated by government agencies to make sure food is safe.

“Since these chemicals are designed to kill a specific weed or pest, they must be respected, so when looking at human and animal health implications, regulatory agencies have very stringent standards,” Mr. Graybill noted. “Any pesticide that comes to market must be approved and certified by the EPA, USDA and FDA. Toxicology data is peer reviewed and is combed over very intensely. The government agencies then make a determination if there are any negative impacts and whether those negative impacts are outweighed by the good that the chemical will do.”

Pesticides have been used in some form for thousands of years, dating back to the ancient Romans. Synthetic compounds were developed in the 1940s. Over the course of time, these chemicals have undergone extensive testing. Some of those that were determined to be less safe have been removed from the market. Each year, the FDA tests many samples of food to determine if they have unsafe levels of pesticide present.

Even though the presence of a pesticide may be detected, that does not mean that it would have an effect on humans, Dr. Vencill said.

“A misconception is that pesticides at any level are bad for you,” he said. Sometimes, pesticides make a food safer by removing fungus that can be toxic to humans.

Check out these detailed answers from the experts to address questions about pesticides and food safety.

 Are pesticides safe for food consumption?

Vencill: “I would say that nothing is totally safe – there is a risk to whatever we do and this applies to pesticide residues in food. Pesticides are rigorously tested for short-term and long-term health impact by the EPA and other regulatory bodies around the world. They weigh the risks against the benefits of a pesticide in question. In this risk analysis, safety factors of 100 to 1,000-fold are built in to the levels of pesticide residues that could cause harm with a calculated exposure of 70 years.

“So, when a person sees a media report that some group has discovered the presence of a pesticide in a given food product, a couple of things need to be considered. Presence does not equal danger. Analytical chemists are now able to identify pesticide residues at levels far below any possible concentration that has been shown to cause harm.”

Graybill: The United States has an extensive regulatory system, and whether it’s household chemicals or agricultural herbicides and insecticides, all chemicals go through extensive toxicology testing to look at the benefits and the risks of the product. This is especially true of pesticides used on food crops.

“Since these chemicals are designed to kill a specific weed or pest, they must be respected, so when looking at human and animal health implications, regulatory agencies have very stringent standards. Any pesticide that comes to market must be approved and certified by the EPA, USDA and FDA. Toxicology data is peer reviewed and is combed over very intensely. The government agencies then make a determination if there are any negative impacts and whether those negative impacts are outweighed by the good that the chemical will do.”

Baenziger: “Clearly, some levels of pesticides would be toxic to humans, but at low levels they are safe to consume. Also, keep in mind that plants naturally produce many chemicals to protect themselves from the effects and damages caused by insects and pathogens. We have eaten these “natural” pesticides for millennia and foods containing these compounds. If the natural pesticides or the applied synthetic pesticides are known to be harmful to humans, they are monitored and checked before the food product can be sold.”

How long have pesticides been used by farmers … can you give us a brief history of pesticide usage?

 Vencill: “In some forms, pesticides have been used for thousands of years. The ancient Romans used table salt as a pesticide. In the 19th century, many farmers used inorganic salts such as copper and sulfur as pesticides for plant pathogen control. These materials are still used and can be used for certified organic foods.

“The use of synthetic compounds for pesticides really began in the 1940s. A number of halogenated chlorine insecticides such as DDT were used for insect control. Around this same time, 2,4-D, a different molecule, was introduced. It was the first compound that could kill weeds without harming crops (known as selective herbicides).”

In fact, 2,4-D is still used today because it continues to meet all safety standards that have been established by regulatory agencies. It has been studied extensively and approved by more than 90 counties.

“Throughout the 1960s, a number of herbicides that are still the standard of weed control in some systems were introduced (atrazine for weed control in corn, metolachlor in corn and soybean, the dinitroanilines in a number of crops). These materials were typically soil applied at 1-to-4 pounds of product per acre. In the early 1980s, we saw a revolution of sorts in the herbicide world as materials were introduced for weed control that could be applied at very low rates. Since the 1980s, most new herbicide introductions have been low-dose herbicides. The next revolution came in the mid-‘90s with the introduction of glyphosate-resistant, commonly called “Roundup Ready” crops due to the first product name for glyphosate. By the mid-2000s, greater than 90 percent of corn, soybean, and cotton were glyphosate-resistant.”

Graybill: “Modern agricultural chemicals began to be used in the mid to late 1960s. Many products have a long track record of safety, while the more toxic ones have been weeded out and replaced with new products which are less dangerous to humans and the environment.”

Baenziger: “Pesticides have a long history of use. Most people think of synthetic pesticides of the 1940s and thereafter. However, Bordeaux Mixture, a fungicide containing copper sulphate and lime, has been used on grapes for hundreds of years. Copper can be a detriment or pollutant to the environment.”

What are some common misconceptions about how pesticides effect food safety?

 Vencill: “One misconception is that we can have a food supply with zero risk of harm. There are natural pesticides in plant products that are present, but usually cause minimal risk. Since they are natural, most people do not think about them. A corollary to this is that the presence of a compound equals danger. If a pesticide is found, at what level to approved residue levels were present?

“Another misconception is that some pesticides are not regulated. All pesticides used in the U.S. are regulated. Finally, there is a misconception that organically certified products do not have pesticide residues. They do; they are just from a different list.”

Graybill: “Many people don’t realize that pesticides can actually increase the quality of foods. This is because they will control the diseases and insects which can destroy a crop or cause it to become rotten. When crops have less disease and insect damage they can be stored longer and shipped longer distances, giving us a great variety of food products to choose from.”

Baenziger: “Some believe if a pesticide is toxic to an insect, weed or disease, it must also be toxic to humanity. Some pesticides affect one or a few organisms, but not humans. Another misconception is that pesticides at any level are bad for you and that the effect of pesticides on human health are greater than would be the effects of the insects or fungus they are meant to control. For example, some plant fungal pathogens produce very high levels of toxins if they are not controlled. Fungicides actually control some fungi and prevent them from making very severe health-affecting chemical products such as mycotoxins. The presence of mycotoxins is strictly monitored and must be lower than a well-defined level for the crop to be sold legally or ethically into the food system.”

What safeguards are in place to ensure people are not consuming unsafe levels of pesticides?

 Vencill: “All pesticides are rigorously evaluated for their potential impact on human health. Any compound that shows a potential for harm is pulled from development and commercialization is stopped. Regulatory agencies determine the safe levels of residues in all food products. These residue levels have 100 and 1,000-fold safety factors built-in. Furthermore, the FDA regularly conducts market surveys of food products where they purchase food products from a grocery store and analyze for a wide range of pesticide residues. These market basket surveys do show some food products that contain pesticide residues, but they are usually below any residue limit which could cause harm to people.”

Graybill: “All pesticides used in farming have strict labels with instructions on their use. The label is actually the law. It’s a legal document which, if violated, the farmer can incur a fine or other punishment. Also, farmers must have training and a pesticide license in order to apply pesticides. This shows that they are knowledgeable about the risks and benefits of pesticides and how to use them safely for their own farm family and for their customers.”

Baenziger: “Imported foods and domestic food markets are heavily monitored to ensure everyone has a safe food supply.”

What’s your advice to people who would rather not purchase food from producers who use pesticides?

 Vencill: “One beauty of our free-market system is that foods that claim to be pesticide free are available to those who can afford them. However, I feel it is unjust to try to impose that view on others in the U.S. and worldwide because of the potential to deprive people of access to what I think is the healthiest and safest food supply in the history of humanity.

“A diet with a variety of fruits and vegetables is considered the healthiest. Many people cannot afford to buy organic produce and to spread opinion that consuming traditional food products is not safe because of pesticides is troublesome. It can cause those without the means to purchase other processed food products that are probably less healthy. For developing countries, limiting the food supply because of narrow choices can lead to starvation.”

Graybill: “You can purchase USDA certified organic if you have specific concerns. These products are monitored to ensure that they were grown without synthetic pesticides. Many will, however, have been sprayed with ‘organically certified natural pesticides’.”

Baenziger: “People are free to buy regulated organic food products, but that is a choice. A perceived need to purchase organic food for food safety reasons is not based on science.”

Summary

Pesticides used on crops are closely regulated in the United States to make sure the food supply is safe. Samples are routinely tested to make sure no chemicals are present at unsafe levels on the food we eat. Food that is certified organic is raised without synthetic pesticides, but may be raised with organically certified pesticides.

 Other articles in this series:

Are Pesticides Needed to Grow Food?

Are Pesticides Safe for the Environment?

What’s the Difference Between Pesticide Free and Organic?

The post Are Pesticides Safe for Food Consumption? appeared first on Best Food Facts.

CNN states that the study offers a “possible explanation” for the relationship between organic food and cancer risk stems from the reduction of contaminants during the growing phase.

To gain a better understanding of this study, we collaborated with Dr. Ruth MacDonald at Iowa State University.

Should people be concerned about eating non-organic food?

Dr. MacDonald: “Commercially grown foods are safe and consumers should not be concerned about eating non-organic foods. The pesticides used in commercial foods are tested for safety by the FDA and must be used within specific guidelines by growers. The FDA records pesticide residues in the food supply regularly through the FDA Pesticide Residue Monitoring Program and these reports are available on the FDA website. For the great majority of foods, the amount of chemical residue is magnitudes lower than the established safety levels.”

What your thoughts or takeaways on this study?

Dr. MacDonald: “The study was a survey of 70,000 people living in France who were asked to record their food intake and then to provide information about whether they typically consumed organic foods. The participants were followed for four and a half years and any cases of cancer that occurred during that time were recorded. They study found that the overall cancer risk was 25% lower in people who reported the highest consumption of organic foods. Whereas this is a well-designed study, several aspects limit the ability to make generalizations about the role of organic food specifically in preventing cancer. Further research is needed to determine.”

The researchers pointed out this is one study and the research findings are absolute. “At the current stage of research, the relationship between organic food consumption and cancer risk is still unclear,” Dr. Jorge E. Chavarro and his colleague wrote in the commentary.

When it comes to maintaining a healthy diet, Dr. MacDonald said that the most important aspect is to consume a wide variety of foods that meet the nutritional needs at each stage of life.

“Both commercially produced and organic foods can be part of a healthy diet,” said MacDonald. “A product that is labeled organic might not be the healthiest choice if it is high in calories and low in nutrients. It is always best to read the nutrition facts panel to determine the healthfulness of a food product and not to just rely on words such as organic or natural.”

Both organic and commercially produced foods are safe to eat. Whatever you choose, it is important to incorporate fruits and vegetables into your diet to lead a healthy life. If your fruits and vegetables are organic or not, always wash your fresh produce before consuming it.

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All good questions. We spoke with Dr. Paul Vincelli of the Department of Plant Pathology at the University of Kentucky for some answers:

Farmers are using more chemicals on crops. True or False?

Dr. Vincelli: Total pesticide use by farmers in the USA has gone up somewhat in certain crops, and down in others.  Overall, however, pesticide use has been relatively stable over a period of several decades. So, I think we can say this statement is false.

We can definitely say that insecticide use has gone down. Part of the reason is crops that have been genetically modified to resist insects. In the last few years, herbicide use has been trending slightly upward. One factor driving this is the continuing emergence of weeds resistant to certain herbicides.

The organism you target with a herbicide will usually find a way to overcome it. That’s what we’re seeing with glyphosate (the active ingredient in common weed killers).  It’s been a great tool for farmers but it’s not going to be effective indefinitely. Farmers are now having to use other herbicides to kill weeds that have become resistant to glyphosate and that’s why we’ve seen an uptick in herbicide use in recent years.

But even more important than total pesticide usage, it is worth pointing out that pesticides have gotten safer in recent years. This is good for farmers, farm workers, consumers and the environment.

Are the pesticides used for soybeans and corn the same as those used in fruits and vegetables?

Dr. Vincelli: Sometimes yes, sometimes no. The “active ingredient” is the component of a pesticidal product that actually controls the pest, whether it be an insect or a weed. A formulated product containing one or more active ingredients is what is actually purchased and used by farmers. A given active ingredient is almost always used on more than one crop. Sometimes a formulated product is sold for use on many crops. However, products for crops like corn and soybeans are usually distinct and sold under an entirely different trade name than those used on fruits and vegetables, even if they contain the same active ingredient.

Should we be concerned about pesticide residues in our food?

Dr. Vincelli: Our regulatory system does an excellent job of protecting our health. I’m not going to tell the moms and dads of America what they should or should not be afraid of, but pesticide residue in food is way down on my list of concerns. Exposure to pesticides in the diet is commonly thousands of times below regulatory permissible amounts.

I do note that certain recent regulatory decisions by the US-EPA have surprised me, as they do not appear to be consistent with a conservative approach to protecting public health. I’m referring to concerns about the insecticide chlorpyrifos. I’ve worked with pesticides for more than three decades and I don’t recall ever seeing a situation where a major analysis from EPA’s scientists was rejected by the EPA administration.

What are the societal benefits of using pesticides?

Dr. Vincelli: Weeds, insects, and infectious diseases can cause losses in yield or quality of the crops society depends on. Proper use of herbicides can greatly reduce the need for tillage in certain crops, which results in less soil erosion, and builds soil organic matter in some environments.

Many people care about the appearance of fruits and vegetables and pesticides help farmers grow the attractive and colorful produce you see at the grocery store. Pesticides can also help cut back on molds that produce natural toxins in food.

It’s in our best interest as consumers to have robust farming communities across the country. Pesticides that control threatening diseases and weeds help farmers remain economically viable. Working people get a paycheck once a month or every two weeks. In a given field, farmers commonly only get one chance each year to make a crop—and therefore, to pay their bills.

What does the future hold for pesticide use?

Dr. Vincelli: We need new approaches to weed control. Some farmers are using cover crops, which may sometimes help with weed control. An example would be a farmer planting grass or a cover-crop mixture in a field after the crop has been harvested. This not only crowds out weeds but also keeps soil from eroding. I’ve also heard talk of robotics that could be mounted on tractors and sense where the weeds are and mechanically whack them or pull them.

I’ve worked with pesticides for 34 years. I’m telling you we can do a lot to reduce the use of pesticides with genetic engineering. Although the acronym GMO sometimes frightens consumers, in fact, genetic engineering holds tremendous promise for reducing pesticide use. There are many, many genetic alternatives to pesticides for controlling insects and diseases. Honestly, this is why the “non-GMO” marketing trend worries me a little—because I believe we are closing off opportunities to produce food with fewer pesticides, which would be good for everyone in the food system: farmers, farm workers, food marketers, consumers, and the environment.

Genetic engineering holds tremendous promise for reducing pesticide use.
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Weed control presents a greater challenge. Genetics offers very little for reducing farmer dependence on herbicides. There are ways to reduce the “herbicide treadmill,” but they may require that consumers pay quite a bit more for foods.

Words You Need to Know:

• Pesticide – A substance used for destroying insects, plants or other organisms harmful to cultivated plants or to animals. Pesticide is an umbrella term for substances that kill weeds, bugs or fungi. Pesticides are used in essentially all farming systems, though some systems rely on them more than others.
• Insecticide – A substance used to kill insects.
• Herbicide – A substance used to kill unwanted plant growth like weeds and grass.
• Pesticide residue – Refers to active ingredients in pesticides that may remain on or in food after they are applied to crops. The maximum allowable levels of these residues in foods are strictly regulated.
• Resistance – Weeds can become resistant when the same herbicide is used repeatedly for several years in a row. Genetic engineering can also be used to develop plants that are resistant to weed killers. This allows a farmer to spray an entire field with herbicide, leaving only the food-producing plants to grow without competing with weeds and grass for sunlight and water. And finally, “resistance” can mean that the plant has been bred or engineered to fight back against insects or diseases.
• Organic – In general, organic standards are designed to allow the use of naturally-occurring substances to control unwanted plant growth and insects while prohibiting or strictly limiting synthetic substances.

Looking for more information? Check out these resources:

Pesticides: A Look at the How and Why

Is It OK to Eat Fruits and Veggies Sprayed with Pesticides?

Are We Being Poisoned By Glyphosate?

Chlorpyrifos: What We Know Today

Glyphosate in Food

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Why do farmers use pesticides? A food science expert, a registered dietitian and a farmer explain.
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“Modern pesticides have been developed that target very specific plant or insect metabolic pathways to reduce damage to plants or humans,” Dr. MacDonald said. “How they are used also varies greatly by the way they work… both weeds and insects can do significant damage to a crop.”

Dr. MacDonald added that in general, farmers try to use as few pesticides as possible and the United States Department of Agriculture carefully monitors pesticide use. Just how much pesticide is used varies by the crop and the purpose. Jennie Schmidt, registered dietitian and farmer, said the amount is probably less than you think. “Spraying isn’t dousing like many people believe,” Schmidt said. “In fact, what many people don’t know is that when they see a farmer spraying their crops, the majority of what they are spraying is actually water.”

William Layton, a third-generation Maryland farmer and owner of Layton’s Chance Vineyards and Winery, explained that on his farm, they have been working for generations to learn about plants, pesticides and what happens in the soil. “Farmers are very conscious about what they put on the land. Pesticides don’t hurt soil; they are taking care of the things that hurt crops,” he said.

Organic and conventional are two methods of farming that generate a lot of conversation and debate in regards to chemicals used and overall comparisons. What’s the difference between these two?

Dr. MacDonald said, “Farmers must follow the National Organic Program guidelines to be certified to produce organic foods. In practice, there is actually a great deal of commonality between organic farming and conventional farming.”

One thing they have in common is that both methods use pesticides. Sometimes it is believed that organic fruits and vegetables are healthier because they don’t use pesticides, but that’s not the case.

“Agriculture of any kind requires effective use of pesticides to ensure a high quality product,” said MacDonald. She added, “Organic farmers battle the same pests as conventional farmers. Therefore, chemicals are needed to produce a crop… Generally, natural substances are allowed and synthetic substances are not.”

Dr. MacDonald said foods that are grown using conventional methods are safe. “There are very limited reports of health effects caused by pesticide exposure in humans,” she said. “The main reports are of acute overexposure from accidents. The types and amounts of pesticides used in the U.S. today are well monitored and have been tested for safety.”

That’s why experts encourage individuals to eat more fruits and vegetables – whether they are conventionally or organically raised – because they are all safe and nutritious.

If you’re concerned that pesticide residue on fruits and vegetables may cause health problems, we’ve put together this infographic to represent just how much pesticide is used and how many servings of an individual product you can have in a single setting without any effects.

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Dr. Bruce Chassy, Professor of Food Microbiology and Nutritional Sciences at the University of Illinois, said there are no spices that are genetically modified, so the new label is not meaningful in that aspect.

Dr. Chassy

GM spices, if they existed, would be perfectly safe because GM technology is the safest method of breeding crops and GM crops undergo rigorous regulations. In years past, it was a claim FDA would not allow on the label since GM spices don’t exist. The claim implies that competitors’ spices are genetically modified.

Where do spices come from?

Dr. Chassy

Most spices we use to flavor our food are grown outside the United States. In fact, the U.S. imports more than 40 different spices and seven of those — vanilla beans, black and white pepper, capsicum, sesame seed, cinnamon, mustard and oregano — account for more than 75 percent of the total annual value of spice imports. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the top countries where spices are imported from are India, Indonesia, Brazil and Mexico. Food safety risks are generally low.

Are spices safe to consume?

Dr. Chassy

Because we use such small amounts of spices, even if there were toxic poisons, we probably would not consume enough to hurt us. Consumers need to start thinking about dose. No person who eats a lot of spices would be at risk because the levels are thousand-fold below the maximum safe intake level.

Dr. Chassy also suggested considering several factors when deciding to buy spices that are organic or not.

As a food safety expert with over 40 years of experience in the field, I’d much rather eat a GM spice than an organic one. Why? The real risks associated with spices are that they are easily contaminated with bacteria, some of them pathogenic. Hot, humid climates and more primitive conditions conspire to make headaches for spice companies that must put systems in place to assure the spices they sell are safe — which they almost always are. It’s a job for big companies who know their business. I personally would steer clear of organic spices.

Dr. Chassy says the spices he uses most frequently include salt, pepper, cumin, powdered thyme, rosemary and poultry seasoning.

I try to use fresh cilantro, basil, rosemary, thyme and oregano when available, but will use freeze-dried or just dried leaves. Less often, I use allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon, coriander and whatever else a recipe calls for. I try to throw out all my spices once a year, but that’s not safety-related — it’s for freshness.

I’m totally comfortable with giving any of these spices to my family and safety never enters my mind with but one exception. There have been several reported outbreaks of salmonella in fresh cilantro from Mexico, so I watch for outbreak or recall news before I buy cilantro. The fact is that it’s the microbes that can give you foodborne illness that consumers should be aware of. GMOs and tiny residues of pesticides will do no harm.

What about pesticides?

Dr. Chassy

It’s worth noting that in the U.S. at least, the infinitesimal residues of pesticides found in some ingredients pose no threat to human health. The pesticide claims by organic companies are false in two ways: 1) they use pesticides — some more toxic than those used on conventional crops, and 2) there is no rational or scientific reason to be concerned about pesticides.

_{The image “Spices” by Brianna Lehman is licensed under CC BY 2.0.}

The post The Spice of Life appeared first on Best Food Facts.

Are more chemicals used on GMOs than other crops/foods?

Jeff Graybill:

There is potential for less to be used, especially on crops that have a GMO technology that provides insect resistance. This means you can use less insecticide because the plant is producing a natural chemical that protects it from the pest.

When it comes to weed control, as more farmers use no-till farming (farming without plowing, allowing for much less disturbance to the soil) and work to build a more healthy and natural soil, they have to find a way to control the weeds without tillage. If farmers are growing non-GMO corn, they will often still use glyphosate to control the weeds before the corn is planted. If farmers are growing GMO corn, glyphosate can be used over the top of the corn because it is no longer affected. In most cases, glyphosate is used regardless of whether it is a GMO, and it does an excellent job of controlling the weeds. It’s not that more chemical is used if it’s GMO. The timing of the chemicals is just different.

What safeguards are in place to ensure GMOs sprayed with pesticides are safe?

Jeff Graybill:

The United States has an extensive regulatory system, and whether it’s industrial chemical or household chemical or herbicide or insecticide, it goes through very extensive toxicology testing to look at the benefits and the negatives of the product. Since these chemicals are designed to kill something, when you’re looking at human and animal health implications, the regulatory agencies have very stringent standards. Any pesticide that comes to market has to be approved and certified by the EPA and other federal agencies. One of the common complaints is that the companies that sell the chemicals do the testing. This is true, but these companies are the developers of the chemicals and know them the best. They provide data to the EPA and USDA and then, that data, no matter who created it or did the research, is peer reviewed and is combed over very intensely. The government agencies then make a determination if there are any negative impacts and whether those negative impacts are outweighed by the good that the chemical will do.

How do I know there is no chemical residue on fruits and vegetables, especially those that are GMOs?

Jeff Graybill:

There can be chemical residues no matter what the product is. Whether it’s a naturally-occurring pesticide that some of the organic farmers use or one that’s manufactured, which is often based off of a compound that’s found in nature, there are tolerances set for what is a safe standard of residue. I heard a professor say one time, if you could go to the North Pole and you had instruments that were fine-tuned enough to detect parts per billion, you could find a trace of every manmade chemical that’s ever been produced in the environment. So we have to face the fact that there may be residues, but based on EPA testing, the residues are deemed safe and acceptable. It’s always a good idea to wash your fruits and vegetables because they can have very small amounts of chemical residue. The government does random testing of food to test for residues, making sure the amount of residues are below the standard determined to be safe, very similar to a drinking water standard.

Are the chemicals or products used on GMOs safe?

Jeff Graybill:

They’ve all gone through extensive testing, but they are a pesticide. They are designed to kill living organisms. If they aren’t used properly, they are not safe. But that said, if products are used according to the label, the benefits far outweigh the costs and this is true of all chemicals and pesticides, not just ones created with GMO technology. If we looked at our food system 50 years ago, we lost millions of dollars of food to insect damage and lower yields due to weed competition. We don’t see that today, because the crops are protected with chemicals.

Is it true that glyphosate, one of the chemicals used on GMOs, can cause cancer?

Jeff Graybill:

I use chemicals a lot, and I grew up on a farm. These chemicals have a label on how to use them properly, and also a material safety data sheet (MSDS), which provides information on all of the health hazards associated with that product and how to handle it. It will list all of the issues associated with it, whether it is carcinogenic, for example, whether it will cause a rash, and at what levels it would be safe (similar to drinking water standards). The MSDS for glyphosate does not list it as a known carcinogen. There are plenty of other products that at high levels, are. Glyphosate has been used for almost 40 years, long before GMO crops, and it is considered one of the safest pesticides to use because it has very low mammalian toxicity and isn’t considered a carcinogen. In my mind, glyphosate is one of the safest chemicals.

How do I know my food has not been sprayed with unsafe chemicals?

Jeff Graybill:

If you want to ensure your food has not been sprayed with chemicals, you can grow your own crops, and pick the bugs off before they destroy the food you’ve grown, and weed your garden by hand. You could also buy USDA certified organic, which would be the best way to ensure that no synthetic chemicals were used. I think people’s concern that they are eating healthy food is great, but I don’t think we’re putting things in the proper perspective. We’re concerned about a few parts per billion of pesticide residue, which I believe is not much of a danger.

Should I be worried about pesticide use?

Jeff Graybill:

We should always be worried about pesticide use. I work around chemicals and we have to respect them, but I realize, when used properly, these chemicals allow society to have a higher standard of living, as fewer people are growing our food that’s also higher quality food and are able to distribute it around the country and world. There can be negative effects, but only if it’s not used appropriately. You know – gasoline is very dangerous, it’s very explosive, but should we quit using it? Maybe, but what are we going to replace it with? We need to embrace the science and technology to understand the risks. When the chemicals are handled properly, they are very safe and productive.

Would you eat food that has been treated with glyphosate?

Jeff Graybill:

Yes, but I would still wash fresh food before I eat it.

For more information, see What’s the Safest Way to Clean Produce? and Should I Wash Fresh Fruit in Vinegar?

_{“Sprayer Maintenance” by United Soybean Board is licensed under CC BY.}

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