Reduction Strategy

see also climate change, IPM/effectiveness

Study Finds that Pollinators, Not Pesticides, Are More Important to Higher Crop Yields (Beyond Pesticides, November 23, 2022) SNAP Comment: no surprise. ' In the course of watermelon production over a span of two years, pollination, not pest levels, was the key determining factor for yield. Action levels are considered an important aspect of an integrated pest management (IPM) approach in agriculture, whereby a pest infestation reaches levels considered economically unacceptable, leading to a decision to engage in pest control. The concept of IPM however has been influenced by the chemical industry over the decades since its original definition and recent data indicates that it has failed to stop toxic pesticide use. The original intent of IPM was the adoption of preventive practices and utilization of nonchemical tools, placing pesticide use as a last resort when pest control is warranted. As the study finds, “This collective work, including the data reported here, strongly suggest that in watermelon, and potentially other pollinator-dependent crops, insecticide applications, counterintuitively, have a higher likelihood of reducing than increasing yields due to interference with bee foraging and the lack of threat posed by the pest community.'

Intercropping: An Underutilized Tool (PANNA, 11 November 2022) It can work in any type of farming system. 'My own experience tells me that intercropping is just like any other potentially effective tool; you need to expend a little effort on becoming proficient before you fully understand what it can do for you. It was only when we fully embraced intercropping for our melons and watermelons that we unlocked the potential for vine crops to really thrive on our farm. And we do that while also supporting pollinators, promoting the health of our soil, attracting beneficial organisms and suppressing weeds.' 'A diversified cropping system is more likely to provide consistent returns from year to year without external support. There is research that shows us that intentional diversity in cropping systems can provide natural pest control, improve soil health, decrease weed biomass, attract beneficial organisms — believe it or not — improve overall production. ' with explanation and examples on how to introduce intercropping.

California Releases Strategy for Land Management Practices that Confronts Climate Crisis (Beyond Pesticides, November 5, 2021) 'Once again earning its environmental leadership reputation, California has released a draft strategy document designed to catalyze near- and long-term climate action through focused attention on the state’s natural and working lands, and on nature-based solutions. “The draft Strategies do not go far enough in setting ambitious targets that would transition our agricultural systems away from toxic pesticides and towards safer and more climate-friendly alternative agricultural systems like agroecological and organic agriculture.” 'The coalition letter makes these recommendations to CNRA:Include an ambitious pesticide reduction target to:

(1) reduce the use of synthetic pesticides by 50% by 2030, and (2) reduce the use of hazardous pesticides by 75% by 2030 — focusing first on organophosphates, fumigants, paraquat, and neonicotinoids.
Explicitly support organic and agroecological systems as climate resilience and mitigation strategies.