Factors that influence utilization of pesticides by selected vegetable producers in Tennessee

The road we have long been traveling is deceptively easy, a smooth superhighway on which we progress with great speed, but at its end lies disaster. With the above words, Miss Rachel Carson helped open the door to the argument of the advantages and disadvantages of the use of pesticides. The essence of the argument is that some persons believe that the hazards and unknown risks of large-scale use of pesticides may outweigh the gains to agriculture and public health; that upsetting the balance of nature eventually be disastrous, and other methods of control should be developed. Others are of the opinion the gains in agricultural productivity more than balance losses of other aspects and is reason enough for nonrestriction of their use.² This controversy is still raging and is not the intent here to expound upon this argument but to mention that, as a result of it, much economic, agronomic, and chemical research has been undertaken with pesticide use. Indications are that more research is needed.