Do Australian farmers use pesticides?
Yes. But if you’re worried, you should know that Australian farmers use substantially fewer pesticides than farmers in the US or UK. The most popular kind of pesticide used in Australia is herbicide. Glyphosate herbicides are used most often. Glyphosates are non-selective herbicides, which mean they kill any kind of plant they come into contact with. This means that the crops that farmers want to survive the herbicide must be genetically modified. Is there a solution? Biologically-based pesticides are increasing in popularity and are considered safer than chemical pasticides. Examples of biologically-based pesticides would be pheremones, microbial pesticides, and genetic engineering. Introduction of natural predators of the targeted pests is another method of control some farmers have tried, some with great success. This page has been updated by Laura318. How do I know this? Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, Pesticide use in Australia, http://www.atse.org.au
