Over the past decade, pesticide sales in Europe have declined by 7 percent. At the same time, organic production has expanded at 5.5 percent a year and now comprises 13.8 million hectares. Over that same time, yield gains for corn, rapeseed and rice have fallen relative to the prior decade. By contrast, wheat yields increased at a faster pace, though it is a significantly lower user of pesticides than say corn or oilseeds. Proponents of organic agriculture argue the yield changes are due to climate change and the concurrent increase in droughts in Europe. Drought has increased, though more significantly in southern Europe. How and why yield growth has slowed is important to understanding prospective changes under the Food to Fork plan. If...

TAGS – Feed Grains, Soy & Oilseeds, Wheat, Europe