Brussels, Belgium
22 April 2011
In observance of Earth Day and the call to action to perform “acts of green,” CropLife International renews its commitment to helping farmers grow food and feed in an environmentally responsible and sustainable way that conserves resources and preserves the earth for future generations.
“Each day, billions of farmers worldwide ‘act green’ by utilizing plant science products,” says Howard Minigh, president and CEO of CropLife International. “Improvements in seed and innovations in crop protection products have significantly decreased agriculture’s footprint and impact on the environment. With an increasing world population and demand for food, feed, and fibre, farming sustainably is more important today than ever before.”
Innovations in the plant sciences have enabled more sustainable agriculture in several ways:
- The use of herbicides and biotech crops allow farmers to adopt conservation tillage practices, which require fewer passes over the field with farm equipment. This practice maintains soil quality, decreases water run-off, and significantly reduces on-farm greenhouse gas emissions.
- Increased crop productivity enables farmers to produce more food on less land — which means farmers no longer need to convert wilderness and rainforests into agricultural lands — this helps to preserve natural habitats for wildlife and protect the world’s biodiversity.
The plant science industry is committed to providing farmers with the technology and knowledge they need to grow more food while preserving the earth for future generations, and continuing partnerships to help ensure these tools reach those who need it most. Crop protection and plant biotechnology products have a long history of enabling increases in crop productivity, farmer income and job creation in rural communities, especially in developing countries.
“Our natural resources are finite and precious and we can’t afford to waste them,” adds Minigh. “The plant science industry is proud to be an essential partner for farmers as they work to conserve resources and preserve the environment for future generations, while still growing food for an increasing world population.”
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