ABOUT CROP PROTECTION

Americas crop protection industry is helping to feed a hungry world, decrease food costs, drive our economy and protect our environment. Helping to Feed a Hungry World Cropprotectiontechnologieswhichincludeallpesticides,herbicides,insecticides,fungicides,as wellasbiotechnologyproductshelpcontrolthethousandsofweedspecies,harmfulinsects,and numerousplantdiseasesthatafflictcropsandthreatenboththeabundanceandthesafetyofour foodsupply. Throughtheuseofsafe,environmentallysoundandinnovativecropprotectiontechnologies,U.S. producersareabletoincreasecropyieldsandefficiencyoffoodproductionprocesses,whilealso fulfillingthecriticalmissionofguaranteeingareliableandsecurefoodsupply. Upto40percentoftheworldspotentialcropproductionisalreadylostannuallybecauseofthe effectsofweeds,pestsanddiseases.Foodcropsmustcompetewith30,000speciesofweeds, 10,000speciesofplanteatinginsectsand3,000speciesofnematodes,orroundworms,anddespite theuseofmoderncropprotectionproducts,alargeportionofpotentialfoodproductionisstilllost everyyeartopests.Beforetheintroductionofcropprotectiontechnologies,pestsanddiseases oftenhadadevastatingeffectoncropproductionandsafety.Forexample,theIrishpotatofamine wascausedbyafungusthatstillexiststoday,andbeforeaninsecticidewasintroducedtocontrolit theColoradopotatobeetleconsistentlydestroyedonethirdoftheU.S.potatocrop.Eachofthese pestsstillexiststoday,andthelosseswouldcontinueandbemuchgreater,ifwedidnothave productstocontrolthem. Decreasing Food Costs and Driving Our Economy Americanfarmers,becauseofcropprotectiontechnologies,cansignificantlyimproveagricultural productivityandstrengthenournationsfoodsecurity,acriticalrealitythatisparticularly importantinthecurrentinternationaleconomy. ThestrongcropyieldsmadepossiblebycropprotectionhelpkeepfoodcostsdownforAmerican familieswhomaybestrugglingtopreparenutritiousmealsfortheirfamilies.Withoutcrop protection,foodproductionwoulddecline,manyfruitsandvegetableswouldbeinshortsupply, andpriceswouldrise.Instead,cropprotectionproductsmakeitpossibleforconsumerstochoose fromanabundantsupplyoffresh,highqualityfoodsthatareaffordableandaccessibleyearround. CropprotectionproductsalsohelpAmericanproducersgeneraterobustcropyieldsthatdrivelocal economiesandcreatejobsallthewayfromthefarm,tothedistributionsystem,tothegrocery storesandrestaurantswhoselltheseplentifulfoods. Protecting Our Environment Asthenationandtheworlddebateandconfrontthemanyenvironmentalandconservationissues thatthefuturewillbring,thecropprotectionindustrystandsattheforefrontofnewtechnologies thatsupportsustainableagricultureandsoundenvironmentalstewardship.Modernagriculture practiceshelpfarmersproducemoreproductwithlessinputs,whilealsoprotectingthesoiland naturalhabitatsofthelandtheyfarm. CropprotectiontechnologiesalsoenableAmericanfarmerstomanageweedswithoutplowingor tillingthesoil.Notillconservationpracticescontributegreatlytoreducingerosionwhilealso

reducingfuelconsumption.Nationwide,thispracticesaves337milliongallonsoftractorfuel annually,andprevents356billionpoundsofdisturbedsoilfromerodingintoriversandstreams. Ensuring the Safety of Our Products ThecropprotectionindustryisoneofthemosthighlyregulatedintheU.S.Thishelpstoensurethe safetyofusersandconsumers,andreducesenvironmentalimpacts. Theregulatoryframeworkofcropprotectionproductsencompassesnational,regionaland internationallegislation.Aspartofthatdetailedframework,productdevelopmentandtestingby thecropprotectionindustry,andcompletingtheEPAregistrationprocess,cantakeanaverageof nineyearsandrequires$152millionto$184millionofprivatesectorinvestmentforeachcrop protectionproductintroducedtomarketalltoguaranteeasafeandresponsibleproduct. Beforefarmersandotherapplicatorscanusethem,cropprotectionproductsundergoextensive research,development,testing,governmentalreviewandapprovaltoprotecthumanhealthandthe environment.Cropprotectionisoneofthemostresearchintensiveindustriesinexistence,with companiesinvestingabout12percentoftheirturnoverinresearchanddevelopment(R&D).The top10plantsciencecompaniesinvestanestimated$3.75billioninR&Dperyeartodiscovernew science,conductteststoensureproductsafety,andtolaunchnewproducts. OncethatR&Discompleted,productsthatprotectAmericasfoodcropsmustundergosome120 health,safetyandenvironmentalteststoensuretheirsafetyandeffectivenessbeforebeinggranted aregistrationbyEPA. ThemanybenefitsthatcropprotectionproductsprovideAmericanconsumersandfarmersare criticallyimportant.Withouttheseimportantcropprotectionandpestcontroltechnologies,U.S. foodproductionwoulddecline,manyfruitsandvegetableswouldbeinshortsupply,thepriceof foodwouldrise,ourenvironmentwoulddecline,andournationaleconomywouldsuffer.

ABOUT CROPLIFE AMERICA

Establishedin1933,CropLifeAmerica(CLA)representsthedevelopers,manufacturers, formulatorsanddistributorsofplantsciencesolutionsforagricultureandpestmanagementinthe UnitedStates.Ourmembercompaniesproduce,sellanddistributevirtuallyallthecropprotection andbiotechnologyproductsusedbyAmericanfarmers. CLAisdedicatedtosupportingresponsiblestewardshipofourproductstopromotethehealthand wellbeingofpeopleandtheenvironment,andtopromoteincreasinglyresponsible,sciencedriven legislationandregulationofpesticides. Wearethevoiceoftheindustry,ensuringthesafeandresponsibleuseofcropprotectionproducts tosecureournationsfoodsupplyandfeedahungryworld.