Since 1933, CropLife America—a U.S. trade association representing the major manufacturers, formulators, and distributors of crop protection and pest control products—has supported farmers' efforts to produce a healthy, abundant food supply while limiting their impact on the land.

The Hand That Feeds U.S. recently sat down with Vice President of Science and Regulatory Affairs Dr. Barbara Glenn to discuss the significance of crop protection and how CropLife America is helping agriculture make strides towards a greener, more sustainable planet.

Hand: Thanks for taking the time to speak with us, Dr. Glenn. First things first—Can you tell us a little bit about CropLife America and its goals?

Dr. Glenn: CropLife America aims to serve as a united voice for developers and manufacturers of plant science solutions. We promote legislation that affects these products and support the science needed to create them, recognizing that they are essential to modern agriculture and the production of a safe and affordable food supply.

Hand: Can you explain to us exactly what the term crop protection means?

Dr. Glenn: Crop protection encompasses the practices, tools, and technologies necessary to provide consumers with affordable and healthy food. This includes tools such as herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides. Farmers care deeply about the land, and they strive to protect crops and the environment while at the same time producing a nutritious food product, and crop protection products help them meet all needs.

Hand: Why is it so important that farmers have access to crop protection solutions?

Dr. Glenn: Farmers are truly stewards of the land. They are our country's first environmental activists. It is important that they have the necessary tools to produce a healthy and affordable food supply that is also sustainable.

Hand: How do crop protection solutions keep the food affordable?

Dr. Glenn: Crop protection solutions allow farmers to produce viable crops that are safe and nutritious while preventing encroachment onto uncultivated land, which helps preserve natural wildlife. They also help farmers use nutrients efficiently in order to minimize environmental impact. Without crop protection solutions, it would take far more effort and energy to produce a usable crop, and grocery store costs would be higher.

Hand: What are the most important issues going on in agriculture right now that CropLife America is working to influence?

Dr. Glenn: First of all, we think that it is extremely important to talk to fellow Americans about the benefits of crop protection. Communication is key. Second, we want to continue to help farmers enhance the environment by contributing to clean water and air and by aiding endangered species. Finally, we are working to unite all groups in the food chain—the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Environmental Protection Agency, etc.—to provide the science-based technologies that modern agriculture needs to feed the world.

Hand: What has your industry been doing to reduce the environmental impacts of production agriculture?

Dr. Glenn: The crop protection industry is a leader in protecting the environment, and CropLife America's members are heavily involved with environmentally friendly efforts. Agricultural technologies and advancements, such as crop protection products, are allowing farmers to do more with less. Today's farmers become trained and certified in environmental practices, and, using practices like no-till farming (link to article) and integrated pest management, they leave land in better shape than when they started working it! Precision agriculture lets farmers control their inputs so that there is no overlap of herbicides or pesticides. With the help of GPS (link to article), spraying is done so precisely that drift is reduced. Farmers today know what is happening on each and every acre of their farm.

Hand: What are the most difficult challenges facing your industry right now?

Dr. Glenn: I'd say that the most difficult challenge is communicating to Americans the importance of agriculture, the significance of healthy and nutritious food, and the benefits of crop protection. The fact that farmers are so dedicated to preserving the land is significant, and it is something we should be thinking about when we eat our three square meals each day.

Hand: Are there any common misconceptions about agriculture that you would like to address?

Dr. Glenn: I think that many Americans don't realize that agriculture is a people business. Farmers have families, and they are just as concerned about their families' health and nutrition as the rest of us. I don't think that the average American understands this. For this reason, we at CropLife America want people to talk to farmers. If they do, they'll realize that they are just like us.

Hand: Thanks for your time, Dr. Glenn! We really appreciate that what you and your colleagues at CropLife America are doing for American agriculture.