Reducing pesticide use complex issue says study

[Emma Weitkamp]

New research highlights the complex array of factors that influence farmers' decisions on pesticide applications. The study highlights that economic instruments (e.g. pesticide taxes) alone are not sufficient to shift farmers to lower pesticide use. Instead, the research suggests that professional values drive farmers' choices about pesticide use.

The study, amongst Danish farmers, found that farmers could be divided into distinct groups based on the factors which influenced their pesticide use. Around half were driven by price, suggesting that economic incentives could help reduce pesticide use amongst this group. Around a third of farmers focused on crop yield as the main driver for pesticide use. The remaining group were not particularly influenced by either price or yield.

To read more: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/integration/research/newsalert/late...