The Agriculture Lab’s Role in Pesticide Research

The agriculture industry and its affiliate laboratories cover a wide range of operations related to the cultivation of food crops. Global reliance on agriculture makes it essential to diligently test everything from fundamental soil and irrigation water to the pesticides used to cultivate much of our global food supply. In particular, testing the effects of chemicals such as pesticides is crucial for policy formulation and creating pertinent legislation and regulations to ensure community health and safety. This, in turn, helps us make safer choices moving forward.

Pesticide regulatory actions impact the agriculture industry

Pesticide research has promoted society’s well-being and provided excellent insights and findings that can improve agricultural practices moving forward. For example, through pesticide research, the pesticide dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) was determined to have negative health impacts on humans. DDT was severely harming the environment and causing liver damage in humans. As the evidence of the pesticide’s diminishing benefits and negative environmental and toxicological impacts grew, the US Department of Agriculture started taking regulatory action to ban most cases of DDT usage in the late 1950s and early 1960s. DDT and other pesticides are now permanently prohibited in the US and other nations.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)  is involved in restricting or banning the use of dangerous pesticides in the United States. The EPA and other public and commercial laboratories collaborate to develop analytical techniques for evaluating pesticides like DDT. They also help with inquiries into specific problems like crop damage or assessments of unlawful pesticide residues, as well as completing chemical and efficacy analyses as necessary.

Pesticides should be evaluated, with their respective benefits and risks, in full to understand and potentially mitigate the risks associated with pesticide use and exposure. However, implementing regulations based on that research requires some lead time. In September 2022, the Farmers Deserve Notification Act was introduced. The act is aimed at forcing the EPA to give farmers at least nine months’ notice before requiring the implementation of new regulations.

In support of the act, Congressman Jim Baird (IN-04) stated that “for the last two years, our nation’s producers have been forced to navigate supply chain issues and skyrocketing input costs, which have seriously challenged their ability to feed and clothe the American people.” Congressman Baird goes on to say that producers need time to find alternatives, and the Farmer’s Deserve Notification Act is intended to provide time to adapt to ensure continuity in the supply of safe and affordable food.

Pesticides boost food production

In the process of producing food, pesticides are crucial. Pesticides are able to increase the number of times a crop can be planted on the same land each year and protect or boost overall yields. In nations where there are food shortages, this is especially crucial as pesticides are used to prevent pests from destroying or damaging food.

Yet many of the older, less expensive (off-patent) pesticides— including lindane—can linger in soil and water for years. Countries that ratified the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants in 2001 have outlawed the use of certain compounds and the quantity in which they are used. This convention sought to bring legislation in the form of an international agreement to reduce or ban the production and use of persistent organic pollutants. This includes both the pesticide type and quantity used to eliminate pests. This furthered recognition that pesticide manufacturing, distribution, and use require tight oversight and control due to its inherent toxicity and intentional environmental dispersion.

Agriculture’s production has been considerably boosted thanks to the widespread usage of pesticides. However, these harmful chemicals can contaminate the environment by interfering with normal water, air, and soil activities, changing the ecosystem and negatively affecting nutrient cycles, or poisoning non-target creatures.

Agriculture laboratory pesticide testing techniques

Top agriculture laboratories are also expected to develop and deploy pesticide testing techniques to detect even minute levels of pesticides in food, feed, water, and soil. The goal is for pesticide residue amounts in samples to be measured, including any significant chemical compounds, to identify the chemical’s presence in a consumable item. This analysis better protects us from handling and consuming products that are not safe for the public and furthering awareness of the contaminants in our consumables.

Despite rising consumer demand for organically grown foods, pesticides are still routinely employed on crops intended for human consumption or animal feed. Because of this, pesticides remain a subject of research interest to ensure safe pesticide application, monitoring initiatives, and residue-testing techniques are used.

The sensitivity of detecting pesticide residues has been improved by developments in analytical techniques like gas and liquid chromatography. Specifically, liquid chromatography is mainly used in food detection applications, such as detecting toxic and harmful substances, microbial contaminants, and food additives. It is also necessary to regularly evaluate residue levels in the environment and food to ensure safety.

Best practices for agriculture labs

Proactive legislation has been developed to limit the types and amounts of pesticides used in agricultural production because the benefits of pesticide testing and regulation have been clearly and firmly proven over time. As a result of the increasing focus on pesticide testing, the levels of these dangerous chemicals in our air, soil, water, food, animals, and bodies have substantially improved the general health of our environment and human life.

Increased crop and livestock yields, enhanced food safety, improved human health, and improved quality of life are all advantages of pesticide research. Due to these advantages, research on pesticides ought to be effective and attainable using best practices that help guarantee a successful laboratory operation. The most effective data management systems are part of best practices for pesticide research since they boost research productivity. A wide range of pesticide testing processes for our environment and goods will help guarantee the security of human health and our most important agricultural resources. This efficiency can ensure that laboratories are keeping compliance with these laws.

LabLynx LIMS software solution for agriculture laboratories

To increase the efficiency of an agriculture lab’s operation, a laboratory information management system (LIMS) can assist in keeping things organized, securely managed, and readily traceable. A quality LIMS not only ensures consistency in pesticide testing workflows, but it also guarantees that reportable outcomes are accurate, auditable, and securely delivered to the necessary stakeholders.

LabLynx ELab LIMS for Agriculture is adaptable, scalable, and equipped to handle whatever comes next in order to meet the challenges of a pesticide testing laboratory. The lab may swiftly add and adjust additional testing workflows, standards, and limits using our easily-configurable platform. By automating sample management and incorporating instrumentation, ELab LIMS will eliminate time-wasting manual processes. Additionally, your lab can become more responsive, productive, and compliant with domestic and international requirements for agriculture testing.