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Pesticide Use and Regulation: Making Economic Sense Out of an Externality and Regulation Nightmare

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Listed:
  • David Zilberman

    (ARE - Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics [Berkeley] - UC Berkeley - University of California [Berkeley] - UC - University of California)

  • Katti Millock

    (ARE - Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics [Berkeley] - UC Berkeley - University of California [Berkeley] - UC - University of California)

Abstract

This article argues that the existing maze of pesticide policies reflects the multidimensionality of side effects of pesticide use that cannot be addressed by uniform policies. Pesticide policies will improve as (a) economic literacy among natural scientists and policymakers increases; (b) economic models of pesticide use and agricultural production in general better incorporate biological considerations; (c) benefit-cost criteria are introduced to determine regulations of pesticides; and (d) policies are enacted that take advantage of new information technologies and enable increased reporting of pesticide use. Moving from bans toward financial incentives and flexible policies that will allow chemical use where the benefit-cost ratios are high will improve resource allocation.

Suggested Citation

  • David Zilberman & Katti Millock, 1997. "Pesticide Use and Regulation: Making Economic Sense Out of an Externality and Regulation Nightmare," Post-Print hal-00107244, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:hal-00107244
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Buchanan, James M & Tullock, Gordon, 1975. "Polluters' Profits and Political Response: Direct Controls Versus Taxes," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 65(1), pages 139-147, March.
    2. Khanna, Madhu & Zilberman, David, 1997. "Incentives, precision technology and environmental protection," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 23(1), pages 25-43, October.
    3. Erik Lichtenberg & Robert C. Spear & David Zilberman, 1993. "The Economics of Reentry Regulation of Pesticides," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 75(4), pages 946-958.
    4. Zilberman, David & Sunding, David & Dobler, Michael & Campbell, Mark & Manale, Andrew, 1994. "Who Makes Pesticide Use Decisions: Implications For Policymakers," Pesticide Use and Produce Quality: Proceedings of a Workshop 260053, Food and Agricultural Marketing Consortium (FAMC).
    5. John M. Antle & Prabhu L. Pingali, 1994. "Pesticides, Productivity, and Farmer Health: A Philippine Case Study," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 76(3), pages 418-430.
    6. Cropper, Maureen L. & William N. Evans & Stephen J. Berard & Maria M. Ducla-Soares & Paul R. Portney, 1992. "The Determinants of Pesticide Regulation: A Statistical Analysis of EPA Decision Making," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 100(1), pages 175-197, February.
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    Cited by:

    1. Yuquan W. Zhang & Bruce A. McCarl & Yibo Luan & Ulrich Kleinwechter, 2018. "Climate change effects on pesticide usage reduction efforts: a case study in China," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 23(5), pages 685-701, June.
    2. Amalie Bjørnåvold & Maia David & Vincent Mermet-Bijon & Olivier Beaumais & Romain Crastes Dit Sourd & Steven van Passel & Vincent Martinet, 2023. "To tax or to ban? A discrete choice experiment to elicit public preferences for phasing out glyphosate use in agriculture [Taxer ou interdire ? Une expérience de choix discret pour obtenir les préf," Post-Print hal-04057671, HAL.
    3. Ellis Wongsearaya, 2022. "An Agricultural ‘Systems-Based’ Framework For Indexing Potential Exposure To Farming Pesticides: Test Findings From Asia-Pacific, And Asean," Malaysian Journal of Sustainable Agriculture (MJSA), Zibeline International Publishing, vol. 6(2), pages 131-141, March.
    4. Brethour, Cher & Weersink, Alfons, 2003. "Rolling the dice: on-farm benefits of research into reducing pesticide use," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 76(2), pages 575-587, May.
    5. Ehlers, Melf-Hinrich & Huber, Robert & Finger, Robert, 2021. "Agricultural policy in the era of digitalisation," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 100(C).
    6. Mathews, Kenneth H., Jr., 2001. "Antimicrobial Drug Use And Veterinary Costs In U.S. Livestock Production," Agricultural Information Bulletins 33695, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.

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