Agriculture

Pesticides application rates have reduced by 95% since 1960!

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While striving to make things better, it's important to look back and recognise what’s been achieved. Pesticides use and design are subject to continuous improvements. For example, in these days pesticide application rates have been reduced by over 95%[1] in the last 60 years.

As a result, these days farmers measure pesticide doses in grams, whereas previous generations used kilograms. Innovation has also improved pesticide performance and safety levels, with average toxicities being reduced by 88%[2] in the EU since the 1960s.

Before a pesticide active ingredient can be approved for use in the EU, over 100 official scientific studies are required to demonstrate its performance and safety to people and to the environment.

If you would like to find out more, feel free to send an email to Paul Leonard at paul.leonard@basf.com.

[1] Phillips McDougall, 2018
[2] UIPP, 2019