Cosmetic pesticide use: quantifying use and its policy implications in California, USA
Pesticide use is increasingly under scrutiny for its environmental and human health impacts. While government leaders promote sustainable pest management, including reductions in pesticide usage, growers face pressure to produce agricultural commodities at high cosmetic standards, which often requir...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Taylor & Francis Group
2022-07-01
|
| Series: | International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14735903.2021.1939519 |
| _version_ | 1797680465136582656 |
|---|---|
| author | Emily Zakowski Kevi Mace |
| author_facet | Emily Zakowski Kevi Mace |
| author_sort | Emily Zakowski |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Pesticide use is increasingly under scrutiny for its environmental and human health impacts. While government leaders promote sustainable pest management, including reductions in pesticide usage, growers face pressure to produce agricultural commodities at high cosmetic standards, which often requires the use of pesticides. California (United States) has a productive agricultural industry, many sustainability initiatives and a government that actively regulates pesticide use. We identified two cases where it was possible to quantify cosmetic pesticide use in California: stink bug control in processing tomato and red colour and large size in table grape. Between 2009 and 2019, 1.47% and 7.7% of total hectares treated with pesticides were treated with the subset of cosmetic pesticides examined in this study in processing tomato, and table and raisin grape, respectively. Individual hectares can be treated with multiple pesticides that each adds to the total hectares. We identified unique hectares treated with cosmetic pesticides: 8.14% and 57.1% of harvested hectares received at least one application of a cosmetic pesticide in processing tomato, and table and raisin grape, respectively. The current food system that supports high cosmetic standards, and thus demands pesticide usage, can inhibit the adoption of and transition to sustainable agricultural systems. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T23:30:24Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-07b14faab774423a95d578b010c366a9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1473-5903 1747-762X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T23:30:24Z |
| publishDate | 2022-07-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability |
| spelling | doaj.art-07b14faab774423a95d578b010c366a92023-09-20T10:18:00ZengTaylor & Francis GroupInternational Journal of Agricultural Sustainability1473-59031747-762X2022-07-0120442343710.1080/14735903.2021.19395191939519Cosmetic pesticide use: quantifying use and its policy implications in California, USAEmily Zakowski0Kevi Mace1California Department of Food and AgricultureCalifornia Department of Food and AgriculturePesticide use is increasingly under scrutiny for its environmental and human health impacts. While government leaders promote sustainable pest management, including reductions in pesticide usage, growers face pressure to produce agricultural commodities at high cosmetic standards, which often requires the use of pesticides. California (United States) has a productive agricultural industry, many sustainability initiatives and a government that actively regulates pesticide use. We identified two cases where it was possible to quantify cosmetic pesticide use in California: stink bug control in processing tomato and red colour and large size in table grape. Between 2009 and 2019, 1.47% and 7.7% of total hectares treated with pesticides were treated with the subset of cosmetic pesticides examined in this study in processing tomato, and table and raisin grape, respectively. Individual hectares can be treated with multiple pesticides that each adds to the total hectares. We identified unique hectares treated with cosmetic pesticides: 8.14% and 57.1% of harvested hectares received at least one application of a cosmetic pesticide in processing tomato, and table and raisin grape, respectively. The current food system that supports high cosmetic standards, and thus demands pesticide usage, can inhibit the adoption of and transition to sustainable agricultural systems.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14735903.2021.1939519agricultural pesticidespolicycaliforniagovernmentsustainable pest management |
| spellingShingle | Emily Zakowski Kevi Mace Cosmetic pesticide use: quantifying use and its policy implications in California, USA International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability agricultural pesticides policy california government sustainable pest management |
| title | Cosmetic pesticide use: quantifying use and its policy implications in California, USA |
| title_full | Cosmetic pesticide use: quantifying use and its policy implications in California, USA |
| title_fullStr | Cosmetic pesticide use: quantifying use and its policy implications in California, USA |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cosmetic pesticide use: quantifying use and its policy implications in California, USA |
| title_short | Cosmetic pesticide use: quantifying use and its policy implications in California, USA |
| title_sort | cosmetic pesticide use quantifying use and its policy implications in california usa |
| topic | agricultural pesticides policy california government sustainable pest management |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14735903.2021.1939519 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT emilyzakowski cosmeticpesticideusequantifyinguseanditspolicyimplicationsincaliforniausa AT kevimace cosmeticpesticideusequantifyinguseanditspolicyimplicationsincaliforniausa |