Federal Grade Standards for Fresh Produce: Linkages to Pesticide Use

Nicholas J. Powers and Richard G. Heifner

No 309690, Agricultural Information Bulletins from United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service

Abstract: Some have criticized Federal grading of fresh produce for setting unnecessarily high standards for external appearance. These standards allegedly encourage use of chemical pesticides by growers and packers. Federal grades play an important commercial role by helping buyers and sellers exchange information about produce quality, but grades do not convey information about pesticide use or its residues. Modifying standards or establishing a certification program (separate from grades) to include information about pesticides might help consumers signal their preferences to growers and packers for produce with fewer pesticide residues. Assessing the potential effects of such changes calls for research to measure: (1) relationships between pesticide use and product appearance, and (2) consumers' tradeoffs between product appearance and freedom from pesticides.

Keywords: Agricultural and Food Policy; Crop Production/Industries; Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety; Marketing (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 30
Date: 1993-08
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ags:uersab:309690

DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.309690

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