What is the annual cost of weeds to U.S. agriculture?
The cost of weed control in U.S. agriculture is greater than the combined cost of controlling insects, plant pathogens and nematodes. On average, the total cost of weeds to U.S. agriculture exceeds $12 billion/year: $ 8 billion in control costs plus $4 billion in lost yields. For example, U.S. cotton growers spend approximately $200 million/year on weed control, but still lose 15% of the cotton crop, which has an average value of $600 million/year. Of the $8 billion spent annually on weed control in the U.S., approximately $ 2 billion is for herbicides. Three crops account for 75% of the $4 billion in annual crop losses and the $2 billion spent each year on herbicides – corn, cotton and soybeans. Globally, $10 billion is spent on herbicides.
