Search

European Review of Agricultural Economics, 47 (2), ISSN:0165-1587, ISSN:1464-3618

Recherche Agronomique Suisse, 9 (9), ISSN:1663-7917, ISSN:1663-7925

A bio-economic model is developed that allows a detailed representation of optimal weed management decisions. Focussing on German maize production, we apply the model to the effects of a glyphosate ban on farmers’ income, other herbicide use, maize yields and labour demand. We find that a glyphosate ban has only small income effects. Our results show that selective herbicides are not used at higher levels, but glyphosate is substituted by mechanical practices leading to higher labour demand. Slight yield reduction due to less intensive pre-sowing strategies turns out as more profitable than maintaining current yield levels.

Recherche Agronomique Suisse, 8 (5), ISSN:1663-7917, ISSN:1663-7925

Recherche Agronomique Suisse, 8 (5), ISSN:1663-7917, ISSN:1663-7925

A bio-economic model is developed that allows a detailed representation of optimal weed management decisions. Focussing on German maize production, we apply the model to the effects of a glyphosate ban on farmers’ income, other herbicide use, maize yields and labour demand. We find that a glyphosate ban has only small income effects. Moreover, our results show that selective herbicides are not used at higher levels, but glyphosate is rather substituted by mechanical practices leading to higher labour demand. Slight yield reduction due to less intensive pre-sowing strategies turns out as more profitable than maintaining current yield levels.

Journal of Agricultural Economics, 68 (2), ISSN:0021-857X, ISSN:1477-9552

Incentive taxes on pesticides can contribute towards reducing the risk of negative external effects on the environment and human health in real terms. A meta analysis of the elasticity of demand for pesticides shows that the use of pesticides is price-sensitive. Experiences with existing tax systems in other European countries also show that it is possible to effectively reduce these risks at low transaction costs. Targeted pesticide tax systems, in which only very highrisk products are strongly taxed, can especially stimulate the move towards substituting less hazardous products and alternative pesticide strategies. Tax proceeds then flow back to farmers to minimise loss of income. If the reimbursement includes methods that further reduce the risk of pesticide use, this can create significant leveraging effects on the use of pesticides.

We present a meta-analysis based on all studies that have estimated pesticide demand elasticities in Europe and North-America. Our meta-analysis allows identifying demand elasticity estimates across various categories, ranging from the type of pesticide or agricultural systems considered to the methodology employed and the publication channel. We find that the demand for pesticides in special crops is less elastic compared to arable and grassland farming. Moreover, the results indicate that herbicides have a more elastic demand compared to other pesticides. Studies that consider short-term horizons and little flexibility for farmers to adjust indicate significantly less elastic pesticide demands.

Policy measures are needed to reduce the risks associated with pesticides’ application in agriculture, resulting in more sustainable agricultural systems. Pesticide taxes can be an important tool in the toolkit of policy-makers and are of increasing importance in European agriculture. However, little is known about the effects of such tax solutions and their impacts on the environment, farmers, and human health. We aim to fill this gap and synthesize experiences made in the European countries that have introduced pesticide taxes, i.e., France, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. The major findings of our analysis are: (1) overall, the effectiveness of pesticide taxes is limited, but if a tax on a specific pesticide is high enough, the application and the associated risks will be reduced significantly; (2) in all countries, hoarding activities have been observed before a tax introduction or increase. Therefore, short-term effects of taxes are substantially smaller than long-term effects; (3) differentiated taxes are superior to undifferentiated taxes because fewer accompanying measures are required to reach policy goals; (4) tax scheme designs are not always in line with the National Action Plan targets. Low tax levels do not necessarily lead to a reduction of pesticide input and differentiated taxes do not necessarily lead to fewer violations of water residue limits., Sustainability, 8 (4), ISSN:2071-1050