The Proposal
Successful, conscious change starts with the four key elements of a good plan: an aggressive but realizable goal; a solid strategy; a simple way to measure progress; and adequate funding.
The goal
Set a pesticide and fertilizer reduction target of 10% by the year 2010 and 20% by the year 2020. This sort of target has been used around the world to successfully focus minds and achieve results.
The strategy
Establish and support efforts to reduce pesticide and fertilizer use. A committee of farmers and other knowledgeable parties will guide these efforts and ensure that funds are well-spent and focused on the most promising and cost-effective options. Some possibilities include refunding the organic certification fees paid by organic farmers; creating a competitive grants program to fund participatory on-farm research and demonstration projects; providing loans or other support to farmers who are coverting to organic or adopting other environmentally friendly practices; and funding the Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources at WSU. For details, see the expenditure section of Policy options.
Measuring progress
Create a pesticide use reporting system to track progress towards the 10% and 20% reduction targets. Since knowledge is power, a pesticide use reporting system (like the one in place in California and the one being implemented in Oregon) would also drive other accomplishments. For example, it would give farmers and scientists information that could help reduce pesticide use. And a pesticide use reporting system would provide the general public with crucial right-to-know information about when and where pesticides are used.
The funds
To fund it all, close all or part of the pesticide and fertilizer sales tax loophole. Closing this loophole—extending the sales tax to pesticides and fertilizers, just like any other product—would generate up to $50 million per year. For details, see the revenue section of Policy options.