ABSTRACT
In the United States, agricultural producers (farmers) have been able to increase the yield of crops, primarily through the use of hybridization, commercial fertilizers, and chemical pesticides (Young (2000)). When chemical pesticides were first developed, they were inexpensive and generally effective, leading to their extensive application. Some pests, particularly insects, began to develop resistance to the pesticides. New pesticides were developed as insects continued to show resistance. Concerns about the possible deleterious effects of pesticide use on human health and the environment were also raised. Many began to question whether pesticide use could be limited while still protecting the crops. See Young (2000) or Mulekar and Young (2003) for a fuller discussion of the issues.
