Among the most
significant changes in modern day agriculture has been the introduction and
widespread usage of pesticides to protect crops from insects. There is much
debate over the necessity and benefits of pesticides. This debate centers
around the impact pesticides have on the government, to farmers, and to the
public. While some believe that pesticides have had a positive effect overall,
there are many strong reasons the use of pesticides should be abolished.
In terms of the
government, the use of pesticides clearly has caused many serious problems. One
of the chief responsibilities of governments is to protect the health of the
public. Yet, there is a large amount of evidence that pesticides are harmful to
human health. An increase in illnesses caused by pesticides would lead to a
huge burden for the government which must pay a large portion of the public's
medical expenses. There is also the issue of environmental pollution.
Pesticides which make their way into land and water must be cleaned by the government
as well.
For farmers,
while pesticides have aided in increasing crop harvests, they have also
adversely affected them negatively as well. While a bountiful harvest may seem
desirable, it makes it much harder for farmers to survive financially. Bumper crops mean that there is an oversupply
in the market, which can cause excess competition among farmers. Competition
forces farmers to lower prices on their crops, resulting in a loss of money.
This especially hits small farmers the hardest because they cannot afford to
take losses. In addition, pesticides affect the health of farmers most
severely, as they are in direct contact with the harmful chemicals. Pesticides
are harmful to farmers in terms of health and finances.
For the public,
the main hazard pesticides present is the effects pesticides have on health.
Long term consumption of pesticides, even in small amounts, has been shown to
contribute to cancers and other serious diseases. However, the public should
not only be wary of fruits and vegetables. Consider the water that runs off
farm land. It is filled with pesticide residue which ultimately runs into lakes
and oceans. This harms ocean life. Even near farms, livestock such as pigs and
cows consume the pesticides directly. In short, pesticides can be found in
everything people consume. Any substance that poses such a danger to the public
should be banned.
Due to
pesticides, fruits and vegetables grown by farmers have escaped the damage
caused by insects, helping to produce agricultural products at a cheaper cost.
In spite of these benefits, there are too many dangers of pesticides that
cannot be ignored. For the government, farmers, and the public, the use of
pesticides brings more problems than solutions. In weighing the pros and cons
of pesticides, it is clear that their use should be abolished.
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