Pesticide Regulation Means Less Wheat to Feed World Population

“Curbing Pesticides Will Slash Wheat Yields,” By AFP.
France’s winter wheat harvest could shrink by over a tenth if farmers meet targets to halve pesticide use, said a study Thursday highlighting the challenge of feeding Earth’s growing population. The estimates come from field trials where scientists compared yields to cuts in pesticide use. Extrapolated for the country as a whole, halving pesticide use could mean a decline in winter wheat production of two to three million tonnes per year, the researchers said. This amounts to a reduction of five to 13 per cent of national production of winter wheat, and 15pc of French wheat exports. Read more.