In summary

Pest control advisers put the latest science to work every day on California farms to ensure the best, safest crop protection method is being used.

By Mike Wade, Sacramento

Mike Wade is the executive director of the California Farm Water Coalition.

Re “California can lead the world to a more sustainable agriculture industry”; Commentary, April 27, 2020

We’d like to welcome the author to the future he envisions, because it’s already here.

Licensed pest control advisers put the latest science to work on California farms every day. They ensure the best, safest crop protection method is being used, perform pre- and post-application inspections, and report back to the government. Sometimes the recommendation will include integrated pest management, which uses good bugs to eliminate the bad bugs endangering crops.

Thanks to California farmers adherence to science, they have reduced pesticide use by 66% since 1998.

And the effort to utilize science, doesn’t stop with pesticides. California farmers use strict fertilizer management plans, grow more with less water, meet the challenges of climate change, create better habitat for fish, and produce some of the healthiest, safest food in the world.

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