Pesticides don’t help reduce food loss and waste

PESTICIDES HELP FARMERS PROTECT CROPS FROM INSECTS, WEEDS AND DISEASE, BOTH DURING FARM PRODUCTION AND DURING TRANSPORTATION AND STORAGE AFTER HARVESTING. WITHOUT PESTICIDES, IT’S ESTIMATED THAT FARMERS GLOBALLY WOULD PRODUCE ABOUT HALF AS MUCH FOOD[7]!
Have you ever tried to grow tomatoes or lettuce in your backyard, only to end up losing part of your crop to insects or disease? Farmers face a constant battle against pests that can damage their crops both before and after harvest. Pesticides can help to protect food crops so that safe, affordable, high- quality food is available for consumers. Imagine this: without pesticides, Canadian farmers would grow 61% fewer cucumbers, 53% fewer peppers and 59% fewer grapes[8].