Are pesticides used in the production of organic food?

Are pesticides used in the production of organic food?

Melissa Kidd (Soil Association Information Officer) gives expert video advice on: Is eating organic better for the environment? and more...

Pesticides are generally not used in the production of organic food. Organic farmers will always aim to prevent any reason to have to use pesticides at all. However, if, for example, we had a particularly hot summer that favoured a particular pest and the balance was thrown out a little bit, then there are four products that can be used. Two of them are under restricted circumstances. These four products are copper, sulphur, Derris, and soft soap; all naturally occurring, none of them leave residues on food and they all break down really quickly in the environment. They are allowed to be used as a very last resort. The farmer would have to give examples and evidence of all the different things he's tried already which haven't worked. So, those pesticides can be used but it's really a fraction; there are only four. There are about 400 pesticides that can be used in a non-organic situation, so really it's a very small amount.