8. Chemically Dependent Agriculture

Environmental Politics and Law (EVST 255) The change from smaller, more diverse farms to larger single-crop farms in the US has led to greater reliance on pesticides for pest management. Other changes as the US food system becomes more commercialized include: increased use of additives, higher food prices, more water and energy consumption for agriculture, and more pesticide residues entering food through processing. Pesticides have also been used to combat insect-borne diseases, like malaria. The lecture provides an overview of relevant food, agriculture, and pesticide law, and covers the changes in pesticide use as scientific knowledge of a given chemical (i.e. DDT) improves. 00:00 - Chapter 1. The Consequences of Centralized Farm Ownership 12:49 - Chapter 2. Key Problems Associated with Food Production 23:32 - Chapter 3. Dominant Statues for Pesticide Control 28:59 - Chapter 4. Malaria Control and the Marketing of DDT 38:52 - Chapter 5. DDT’s Effects on the Environment