The research imperatives: knowledge to reduce the use of broadly toxic pesticides

The database of alternatives will need to be updated continually with changes that occur as the result of regulations and their interpretation. However, even in its current preliminary state, it serves several important uses. The database can now be used to identify crop and pest situations in critical need of research. It can also be used to generate preliminary assessments of the economic impact of specific control practices or of restrictions on their use. Information in the database must be applied carefully, however, because the alternative control strategy that will ultimately be used and even its degree of universal availability may not be readily apparent. Cost and benefit considerations will affect the individual grower's choice of control strategy. We can assume that the grower will choose options that will maintain his or her competitive advantage with other growers. The analysis becomes more complex when social and environmental factors are included. Even when regulations restrict the options of all growers, and assuming that some of the restrictions would influence the cost, quality, or availability of some products, market forces will undoubtedly continue to influence what growers can produce and at what production level. Consumers of raw agricultural products, including packers and processors as well as the general public, will help to clanfy decisions for growers based upon their reaction to the changes they perceive in the cost or quality of products. This might result in changes to crop production systems that we cannot predict accurately at this time.