ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC-EFFECTS OF REDUCING PESTICIDE USE IN AGRICULTURE (REPRINTED FROM BIOSCI, VOL 41, PG 402, 1991)

Pesticides cause serious damage to agricultural and natural ecosystems . Thus, there is a need to curtail pesticide use and reduce the enviro nmental impacts of pesticides. This study confirms that it should be p ossible to reduce pesticide use in the US by 50% without any decrease in crop yields or change in 'cosmetic standards'. The estimated increa se in food costs would be only 0.6%. This increased cost, however, doe s not take into account the environmental and public benefits of reduc ing pesticide use by 50%.