Everett Griner talks about controlling insects and pests is a challenge without the use of chemicals in today’s Agri View.
Chemical Challenge to Control Insects
Farmers use a lot of chemicals to kill bugs. It might surprise you to know how much. Well, it is in the thousands of tons. Our EPA has called on the government to ban the use of some of these chemicals. Let’s just supposed they did. Yes, our environment would be safer. Wildlife would benefit. Naturally, the citizenship would be better off. But we would pay a heavy price in other ways. With no way to control bugs, insects, and weeds. The production of just about every food item grown on the farm would come to, just about, close to extinction. Many farmers would cease to grow the vegetables that sustain us. They would have to. The bugs and insects would eat the whole crop. What you would find in the grocery store would cost you more than you could afford to pay.
That’s Agri View for today. I’m Everett Griner…
Images: (top right) The scarlet lily beetle (Lilioceris lilii). Beetles leave considerable damage on host plants. Damage to the leaves and flowers can also leave the plants weakened and susceptible to diseases.
(bottom left) Harmful insects on tree leaves.