"Torsten Brinch" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 17 Apr 2003 00:52:54 -0500, "Gordon Couger"
wrote:


"Torsten Brinch" wrote in message
.. .
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P A N U P S
Pesticide Action Network Updates Service
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Agrochemical Sales Flat in 2002

April 14, 2003

Agrow World Crop Protection News reports that 2002 agrochemical
sales were essentially flat worldwide, at US $27.7 billion.
Accounting for inflation and currency shifts, Agrow estimates
agrochemical sales actually fell by 1.5% in 2002. In 2001 the
market also shrank by 4.1%, thus the new figures bring the
overall decline to 12% in the last five years.

I expect that the fall in ag chemicals is correlated to snip

Without data, your interpretation is mere speculation.

True, it is speculation but it is base on what I consider good logic. Every
acre of BT cotton that goes in needs less insecticide than conventional
cotton beside it. To a lesser degree the same is true with corn because a
lot of corn was not sprayed and the boll worm/corn ear worm damage was just
accepted. Now that there is a BT corn for root worms there should be a
bigger drop in insecticide used on corn.

Round up ready technology lets glycophophate replace a lot more
environmentally damaging herbicides and in some cases my increase the actual
tonnage of chemicals used. The only example with rates I can come up with
off the top of my head would be in wheat which is not approved yet would be
for Glean that is applied at less than one ounce per acre and would be
replaced with a pint per acre of Glycophophate. Glean can remain active for
almost a year in normal soils and much longer in high pH soils while Round
Up is inactive as soon as it touches the ground and is broken down in a few
weeks by soil bacteria resulting in great deal more environmentally friendly
farming practices. Replacing long acting herbicides with Round Up has a very
positive effect on the environment even if you use many times as much Round
Up as the long acting product. It is not the weight but the effect of the
chemical the matters.

Gordon