Source+Nine


 * Unlike synthetic options, biopesticides are naturally occurring products derived from materials like plants and microorganisms (think bacteria and fungi)
 * . In most cases, biopesticides are less toxic than conventional pesticides, making the food safer for people who eat it and those who grow it.
 * In fact, products like a fungicide from my company, can be applied in the morning, with workers safely returning to the fields by the afternoon.
 * Biopesticides generally affect only the target pests, compared to broad spectrum, conventional pesticides that may cause harm to birds, insects, mammals, and other organisms.
 * They often decompose quickly, and reduce the likelihood that pests and plant pathogens will develop resistance.
 * Using our products, farmers can grow crops with no synthetic chemical residues, allowing them access to the most profitable export markets in Europe, where regulators have implemented strict laws about chemical use on crops.
 * Chances are that when you open a bag of lettuce or spinach, they were grown using one of our natural products. So why haven’t you heard of biopesticides?
 * While they’ve been around for 50 years, biopesticides remain the domain of small companies -- typically without the clout of multi-billion dollar global enterprises.
 * As you can imagine, it has been difficult to get the word out and break through all the chatter.
 * Anything that increases consumers’ connection to food production is a good thing.
 * Pragmatically, we know that agriculture is not going to change overnight to one system or one technology.
 * For years to come, there will be multiple ways to grow crops, with different systems and technologies co-existing.
 * But you can be sure that any food production system that feeds 9 billion people has to be done sustainably -- taking into account the triple bottom line: people, planet and prosperity (or the three E’s, according to others: social equity, environment and economics).