SASKATOON, Canada — The coronavirus pandemic has impacted almost every industry on a global scale, from retail to pharmaceuticals. Supply chains are seeing instability as different links have issues moving product from one place to another. One industry that has been especially stressed is food and agriculture. Consumers are panic-buying items and stockpiling them, creating shortages across the country. Workers have put in overtime to ensure that the shelves are stocked and no one goes hungry. But with demand higher than ever, can the global food supply keep up with the pace of consumption?
In order to examine if the food industry can keep up with demand, we need to go back to the root – agriculture. Without a consistent stream of crops, grocery store shelves will begin to go bare. But crops themselves need protection in order to thrive – and the pesticide supply chain is one that could possibly be affected by this outbreak. Now more than ever, it is crucial to ensure that the pesticides used on our crops are truly effective, available, and are equipped to create a stable and thriving food supply for the global population.
Since the COVID-19 outbreak began, there has been concern around the pesticide supply chain given the industry’s roots in China. With China as the outbreak’s epicenter, there has been come disruption in obtaining raw materials traditionally used for chemical pesticides, particularly glyphosate. This is putting the food supply of many countries at risk.
Chemical pesticides have been an accepted part of the global food industry for decades – products containing glyphosate have helped increase and secure the global food supply through widespread use since their introduction in the 1970s. The chemical has become so indispensable to the industry that removing it from the agriculture system could potentially under nourish large populations across the globe. A destabilized food supply and undernourished population is not something that can be afforded in a crisis like this one where people are depending on food to stay quarantined and ride out the virus.
However, recent findings about how the chemical accumulates in the air, soil and water supply, and its effect on living beings, has increased concern among the public who are increasingly looking for cleaner alternatives to chemical products in all areas of their lives. Additionally, the news cycle surrounding COVID-19 has brought up concerns around the health and safety of farmworkers, who are the most routinely exposed to them harmful chemical that are used to “protect” our food supply. This increases the call for a non-toxic way to treat plants in order to maintain the health and safety of those on the front lines harvesting crops every day.
This concern has amped up pressure among governments worldwide to find alternatives to the chemical, and potentially ban its use altogether. Increased pressure from consumers, farmworkers and environmental groups may result in glyphosate’s removal from multiple markets without an alternative ready to replace its weed-killing properties – something we cannot afford while in the throes of a worldwide pandemic.
As bans continue to go into effect and the COVID-19 pandemic rages on, a natural option is needed to protect and stabilize the global food supply. The development of formulas that have the same level of efficacy as chemical options and the same control over soil borne diseases and nematodes is crucial at this time, when a robust harvest is needed. Such breakthroughs are a step towards farmers and homeowners using natural, safe and efficient products. A successful natural pesticides is overall considered more effective, and doesn’t leave trace amounts of chemicals in the crop at the end of the process, creating a product anyone would feel safe consuming.
Currently, there are limited natural options that food producers can use to remove pests, such as insects, weeds, nematodes and diseases like club root and powdery mildew. However, those that are already on the market are well-suited to compete with the well-established and soon to be banned chemicals, with some already existing natural products deemed better than their toxic competition.
An outbreak like this is bound to cause changes in the aftermath. It will make consumers become more careful than ever about deciding what to put into their bodies, and cause farmworkers to call for safer alternatives to the harsh chemicals they are exposed to on a daily basis. Supply chains will be reexamined and the importance of stabilizing the global food supply will be a top priority. Although we may not know the outcome for some time, examining the effect this outbreak had on agriculture will be key to future success.
— Byline on behalf of Corey Giasson, President and CEO of MustGrow