Should Australia Embrace The Change Of Real Alternatives To Widespread Pesticide Use?


Australian farmers are heavily reliant on the use of pesticides to control weeds, diseases, and insect pests, collectively known as agripests. In some industries, pesticides are the first option when managing pests, rather than a last resort. They are not only applied as aerial sprays after a pest has been detected but are coated on seeds and soil as a ‘just-in-case’ application, well before any outbreak is detected. What are your thoughts LiveTribers? Should Australia use real alternatives instead of widespread pesticide use?

Posted by on 20 Oct 2022

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  • [0] [0]
    Michelle

    Organic is best in long run unless you want a whole host of medial bills

    Posted by Michelle on 20 Dec 2022
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  • [0] [0]
    Sandrag

    We need the little critters and plants as much as we need the larger species.Monocultures are not sustainable, we need diversity. Pesticides should not be used.

    Posted by Sandrag on 04 Nov 2022
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  • [0] [0]
    DDTT

    Not all food producers use nasty chemicals. Some use some derived from flowers such as pyrethrum. It is actually a native plant overseas. Some years ago in SA there was a lot of research into the best "species" of wheat to grow for food production. Surprisingly they found one that doesn't rust. To do it they actually put good thick soil on top of what is in this entire and surrounding areas, solid clay. After the wheat was harvested they brought sheep in to eat the stubble. The sheep had been living in what had become a drought area. In actual fact I now live on the soil the wheat was grown in.

    Posted by DDTT on 04 Nov 2022
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  • [0] [0]
    Nana56

    Pesticides kill the biodiversity of the area. Butterflies and bees are necessary to our food production and they are murdered by pesticides and herbicides. Not to mention the ill-effects those chemicals have on humans.

    Posted by Nana56 on 04 Nov 2022
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  • [0] [0]
    H2

    May I say as a Western Australian farmer We never use excess Not only because it's counter-productive to use to excess It's bloody expensive And though naturally sourced would be nice I have 7000 acres under crop it's just not viable But a test of my soil will show high soil flora and fauna Through good practice and minimum till snd no burn off's like still prevalent in the east Only person I've seen I'll from fresh food has been a home gardener with no idea of what they're spraying Have seen white fly treated with fly spray Not good

    Posted by H2 on 04 Nov 2022
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  • [0] [0]
    Spiderwoman

    Please, save the bees and everything else by using only natural pesticides and stop mono-cropping.

    Posted by Spiderwoman on 01 Nov 2022
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  • [2] [0]
    CILLY0

    Grow as much produce as you can yourself - it will save you money and you can stop all the pesticides and chemicals being used so you don't ingest them. You can also harvest your own seeds so they are not coated in the first place. It's not hard to do this and your children will see true sustainability at work.

    Posted by CILLY0 on 21 Oct 2022
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  • [0] [0]
    DDTT

    We have a seniors community garden group which does exactly that.

    Posted by DDTT on 04 Nov 2022
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  • [1] [0]
    Paula

    Whatever we do we shouldn't rush into anything like Sri Lanka did which has resulted in bringing their economy to a halt with widespread hunger, homelessness and political unrest. Any change should be gradual and well researched first.

    Posted by Paula on 20 Oct 2022
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  • [1] [1]
    jamckee

    Australian farmers have used pesticides to control weeds, diseases, and insect pests for years we are still alive. I bought veg last week with slugs infested in the center badly rotting from the inside with such high prices of produce these days I'm not happy to overpay and toss the product in the bin. I feel more of the damage is done from the water we drink yes, the good old household tap water! Do your homework on what they put in our water we also bath in it daily... we spray bugs in and around our homes all year round we spray ourselves with repellants and many deodorants, powders and many other products... We also take many medications i hate to think of all the harmful ingredients.... So overall i feel the farming side has a low impact

    Posted by jamckee on 20 Oct 2022
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  • [1] [0]
    mact

    In general if it was not for agrichemicals much of the world would starve...... it's that simple!

    Posted by mact on 20 Oct 2022
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  • [1] [0]
    ere

    Nothing wrong with using pesticides if used according to the instructions. The alternative is to go Green and not use them at all and starve or pay rediculous prices for your fruit and vegetables. People are free to make up their own minds, just don't try to push their agendas on to others.

    Posted by ere on 21 Oct 2022
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  • [0] [0]
    caperteewaratah

    Pesticide used on food, means it has to be washed before eating, with a mild soap and rinsed. While orking with cancer patients, the health advice is to do the above, and not drink out if plastic bottles, not heat up food in plastic which is a petroleum product. Growing vegetables without pesticides is possible, and better for taste and health. I think you are misinformed uf you think poison in our food is ok. Also it has created the problem of killing our bees which pollinate crops and in actual fact, has x-rated more pests and plant diseases by destroying the natural balances in the soil. Go and pick up a handful of dirt on one of these chemical farms you advocate, and you will see how dead the soil is. Not one single worm or microbe which keeps soil healthy and capable of supporting good plant growth and health. You don't need to listen, but it is becoming increasingly difficult to get away from chemical produced, sprayed, and poisoned food, and is killing us with diseases such as cancer and auto immune disease.

    Posted by caperteewaratah on 01 Nov 2022
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  • [0] [0]
    Perce

    Farmers today do not overuse chemicals at all. They use what is needed to give them the best chance of higher yields etc. The cost of pesticides/weedicides is to cost prohibitive to overuse. Give the farmers a break, between drought, fires & now floods in some areas the poor buggers cant take a break

    Posted by Perce on 04 Nov 2022
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