Chapter 23
Pesticides
PROTECTING FOOD RESOURCES: PEST MANAGEMENT
Organisms found in ______(such as spiders) control populations of most pest species as part of the Earth’s free ______services.
We use ______to repel or kill pest organisms as ______have done for ______of years.
Chemists have developed ______of chemicals (pesticides) that can kill or repel pests.
Pesticides vary in their ______.
Each year more than ______people in the U.S. become ill from ______pesticides.
Advantages of conventional chemical pesticides (list 3):
Disadvantages of conventional chemical pesticides (list 3):
Rachel Carson wrote ______which introduced the U.S. to the dangers of the pesticide ______and related compounds to the ______.
The Ideal Pesticide and the Nightmare Insect Pest
The ideal pest-killing chemical has these qualities:
– Kill only ______pest.
– Not cause genetic ______in the ______organism.
– Disappear or break down into ______chemicals after doing its job.
– Be more cost-effective than doing ______.
–
______are resistant to pesticides.
Superpests like the silver whitefly ______farmers as they cause more than ______million per year in U.S. ______losses.
Pesticide Protection Laws in the U.S.
Government regulation has ______a number of harmful pesticides but some scientists call for ______pesticide laws.
The EPA, the Department of ______(USDA), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulate the ______of pesticides under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and ______Act (FIFRA).
The EPA has only evaluated the health effects of ______of the ______ingredients of all pesticides.
What can you do? (List 3 things):
Other Ways to Control Pests
There are ______, ______, and ______alternatives to conventional chemical pesticides.
– ______the pest through cultivation practices.
– Provide ______for the pest enemies.
– Implant genetic ______.
– Bring in natural ______.
– Use ______to lure pests into traps.
– Use ______to disrupt life cycles.
Genetic engineering can be used to develop ______and ______resistant crop strains.
An ecological approach to pest control uses a mix of ______and ______methods, and small amounts of selected chemical pesticides as a last resort.
– ______Pest Management (IPM)
Many scientists urge the USDA to use three strategies to promote ______in the U.S.:
– Add a _____ sales tax on pesticides.
– Establish federally supported IPM demonstration ______for farmers.
– ______USDA personnel and county farm agents in IPM.
The pesticide industry ______such measures.
Three main ways to reduce hunger and malnutrition and the harmful effects of agriculture:
– Slow ______growth.
– Sharply reduce ______.
– Develop and phase in systems of more ______, low input agriculture over the next few decades.
Solutions: Organic Farming (List 3 reasons):
More research, ______projects, government subsidies, and ______can promote more sustainable organic agriculture.
What can YOU do? (List 3 things):