The change from smaller, more diverse farms to larger single-crop farms in the U.S. has led to greater reliance on pesticides for pest management. Other changes as the U.S. 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.

Reading assignment:

Pollan, The Omnivore's Dilemma

Resources

Lecture 8 [PDF]