PESTICIDES IN AGRICULTURE
Pesticides in agriculture
The use of genetically engineered (GE) crops in agriculture is a contentious subject. While some argue these crops and the synthetic pesticides used alongside them are essential for feeding the growing global population, the reality is much darker: agrochemical companies have established a system dependent on perpetual pesticide use in GE monoculture fields for the sake of profits. This system, referred to as industrial agriculture, not only degrades the environment but also jeopardizes farmers’ land, profits, and health.
Industrial agriculture and the environment
The Green Revolution of the 1960s brought about profound changes in agriculture. Emerging as a response to the surplus of chemicals after WWII and the challenge of low yields in agriculture, the Green Revolution emerged as the solution, normalizing widespread synthetic pesticide usage and leading to the genetically engineered (GE) crop industry. At the core of industrial agriculture are GE monocultures; single-crop fields that are genetically engineered to withstand the spraying of specific highly toxic pesticides. Crops like Roundup Ready® Corn and Roundup Ready® Xtend are both resistant to the active ingredients of RoundUp and RoundUp Xtend is also resistant to dicamba. Glyphosate is the world’s most used pesticide and has been classified as a probable carcinogen by the World Health Organization and dicamba has been linked with drifting to other farms and killing crops. Monocultures are necessary in this system because if any other crop were planted alongside the GE crop, it would be killed by the pesticide. The impacts of monoculture include depleting soil nutrients and increasing the risk of disease and pest outbreaks through a lack of biodiversity. This leads to a vicious cycle of even more pesticides needing to be applied. In the U.S., more than 90% of corn, soybeans, and cotton are now genetically engineered to be herbicide-resistant.
Farmworker health
Farmworkers bear the brunt of the issues related to genetically engineered crops grown to withstand the spraying of toxic pesticides. Farmworkers' health is on the line because of their frequent exposure to highly toxic pesticides. Research has found that there is a clear link, globally, between occupational pesticide exposure and negative health outcomes for agricultural workers. The EPA estimates that every year 13,000 to 15,000 U.S. farmworkers fall ill due to pesticide exposure. And when accounting for undiagnosed workers, that number could be as high as 300,000 acute illnesses every year. It’s important to note that these figures only account for the acute impacts of pesticides, but do not account for the chronic, long-term impacts such as cancer, neurological toxicity, birth defects, and infertility. Many folks who have been exposed to pesticides and suffer from a health issue have not linked it to chemical exposure.
Downstream impacts
The mutation of pests and weeds into organisms completely resistant to the pesticides used is a common problem related to consistent pesticide usage. When pests and weeds build resistance the only solution is to introduce another pesticide that is more toxic to prevent them from reemerging. Aside from the mutation of pests, there is also the risk of contaminating nearby farms and bodies of water. Research shows that pesticides used in agriculture runoff into nearby bodies of water, contaminating drinking water and polluting waterways. The land is also at risk of becoming completely unable to support life due to the depletion of nutrients from the monoculture and the pesticides that kill the microorganisms in the soil.
Loss of seed sovereignty
There are also financial risks for farmers who grow monocultures with GE seeds. Today, BASF, Bayer/Monsanto, ChemChina-Syngenta, and Corteva Agriscience own two-thirds of the seeds on the market, and because of this, they can drive up the prices. This has led to an over 300% increase in the price of both corn and soybeans over 20 years. Due to the patenting of GE seeds, farmers are forced to buy expensive GE seeds each year otherwise they are liable for patent infringement. This disrupts the tradition in farming of collecting and saving seeds and prevents farmers from sustaining themselves without contributing to the profits of agrochemical companies. This patenting of seeds impacts farmers who don’t use GEs as well because if the GE crop ends up in their fields through contamination from a nearby GE field they can be sued for “seed piracy.”
What you can do
The current status quo -- monoculture fields planted with GE seeds so farmers can spray immense amounts of toxic pesticides -- is degrading both human and environmental health. This is not the solution to feeding billions. There are options outside of this system that are better for the Earth and society as it prioritizes people over profit. A fruitful alternative to GE monocultures is a multi-crop approach. Multi-crop fields grow several crops at once are found to create a higher yield of a crop as well as of seeds that can be planted after crops are harvested. As an individual, you have the power to help change this system as well! You can support local farmers at farmer’s markets and grocery stores and contact your legislators and encourage them to enact policies that support organic farmers. Also, now that you are aware of the uses of GE produce you can make informed decisions when buying items, and don’t forget to spread the word because knowledge is power!