Impact of
Although views about
pesticides have often been
polarized, the public generally
now has a more rational attitude
than was the case just a few
years ago.
This opinion was expressed by
F. H. Tschirley, a pesticides
coordinator with the U. S.
Department of Agriculture, in a
speech recently at the annual
meeting of the Weed Science
Society in St. Louis where nearly
1,000 scientists gathered to
review research reports about
weed control technology.
Tschirley, who discussed the
impact of government decisions
and attitudes on pest control, said
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Government on Pesticide Usage Reviewed
tjbat manufacturers and others
engaged in weed science work
may encounter more difficult
problems because of the great
concern for environmental
quality.
He told his audience of week
scientists that Rachel Carson’s
‘Silent Spring’ and the attitude it
helped to shape led Congress to
recognize that gaps existed in
formation about the secondary
effects, fate and metabolism of
pesticides. This led to ap
proporiation of funds to conduct
the research needed to fill those
gaps.
The amount of pesticides being
introduced into the environment
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is a cause for concern, Tschirley
said. In 19701.03 billion pounds of
synthetic organic pesticides were
produced in the U. S. Thirty-nine
per cent of that production
represents synthetic organic
herbicides. For the five years
previous to 1970, herbicide
production grew at a rate of 13
per cent, compared with 7.5 per
cent for all pesticides.
Tschirley said that based on
current technology, a five-fold
increase in pesticide usage would
be needed for‘a two-fold increase
in food and fiber production on
the acreage now wharves ted.
Although there is increasing
attention being given to alternate
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methods of control, the govern
ment'scientist said that there is
no likeihood that the world will be
able to produce and adequate
supply of feed, and fiber without
the judicious use of pesticides.
Tschirley also pointed out that
requirements for data in support
of registration have increased
steadily, particularly in recent
years. While great attention has
been given to the active
ingredient in pesticides, he
believes that greater attention
will be given to the various ad
juvants that become part of a
formulated product. An adjuvant
is added to herbicides or in
secticides to enhance their ability
to stick to foilage.
Manufacturers of pesticides
are concerned about the in
creasing requirements for
supporting data and rightly so,
Tschirley said.
“I have long believed that
industry can provide a product if
the regulatory agency gives them
reasonably precise parameters
within which to operate. In
definite criteria simply do not
permit intelligent business
decisions”, he said. “When we
define the data needed in support
of registration, the problems of
industry will be eased con
siderably.”
The USDA scientist expressed
doubt that industry would be able
to provide the broad range of
pesticides that will be needed in
agriculture.
“There is general agreement,”
he said, “That greater in
volvement by the public sector
will be needed. Registered
pesticides for use in minor crops
are of particular concern,” he
said, and a greater effort would
be required to provide crop
protection for producers of small
acreage crops.
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Decisions on pesticide use
patterns, he said, will involve the
public to a much greater extent
that was the case in the past. The
Environmental Protection
Agency, he added, is committed
to the philosophy that better
decisions can be made when the
public is involved.
“Concern about pesticides,”
Tschirley stated, “has led in*
creasingly toward the concept of
pest management. This concept
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is now firmly entrenched in the
collective minds of federal
agencies such as USDA, but also
EPA and others
“A bi'slc principle of pest
managment or integrated control
is that pests are controlled only
when needed, not on a preventive
basis. Moreover, the method of
control may be chemical,
biological, cultural, or com
binations of two or more
methods. There has been much
rhetoric for many years about
integrated control”, Tschirley
said, “but now decisions have
been made for action that will
give impetus to the concept.”
To support this observation
Tschirley cited the recent fun
ding of a proposed research
program for integrated insect
control.
“This program,” he said, “will
be conducted on six crops, with
the total program being ad
ministered by the University of
California and the research being
conducted by personnel from 18
universities and the Federal
Government.” One of the prin
cipal thrusts of the program, he
said, will be to define threshold
levels of insect populations and
then use “that method of control
that is most effective and least
damaging to the environment”.
Tschirley closed on an op
timistic note, although he
foresees additional problems
arising.
“Pesticides,” he said, “are
needed along with other methods
of control and I have no doubt
that their use will continue. We
can face problems of the future
honestly and squarely
recognizing that adequate food
and fiber are basic requirements
for any successful society.
Producing adequate food and
fiber becomes an evermore
difficult task because the
population continues to increase
and the land area available for
cultivation is limited.
“We will have to use the most
sophisticated technology
available,” he added, “to
discharge the responsibility we
agriculturists have. Agriculture
has been successful in the past
it will continue to be so in the
future ”
Ph. 397-3539