Pesticide Risk Tool (pesticiderisk.org)

The Pesticide Risk Tool synthesizes actionable, science-based information on pesticides and associated risks and provides easy-to-access information to farmers, NGOs/standards certifiers, private food companies and other interested stakeholders. By making this information available, farmers can identify and reduce pesticide-related risks through informed selection of alternatives, certifiers can assess pesticide-related risks across a group of certified growers and track and communicate progress towards risk reduction objectives, e.g., reducing the number of potentially high risks to workers, pollinators, or other non-target organisms and food companies can identify the highest risks in their supply chains, set goals, and track and communicate progress towards reducing those risks. Collectively, by providing access to unbiased, science-based information, actors along the entire food supply chain can engage in efforts to reduce pesticide-related risks to the environment, workers and consumers. The Tool launched online and is available for use by individuals and companies. Ongoing activities include database updates, bug fixes and enhancements, interface updates to improve usability and meet the needs of various clients. IPM Institute continues to look for opportunities to expand the impacts of the Tool through partnerships with food companies, standards certifiers or NGOs that could benefit from using the tool to measure, track and report on progress in reducing pesticide-related risks. The Pesticide Risk Tool has been used by the Red Tomato Eco Apple program to document and communicate a 50% reduction in the average number of high risks per pesticide application since 2004 and a 35% reduction since 2010. Multiple major food retailers have use the Pesticide Risk Tool to analyze pesticide-related risks in their supply chains, and target the highest risks for reduction. Several sustainability certifications require their growers to use the Pesticide Risk Tool to analyze the risks associated with their pesticide use, leading to a greater awareness of risks that has led some growers to replace higher-risk products with lower-risk alternatives, extend restricted entry intervals to protect workers, or time applications to reduce risks to pollinators. One certifier uses the Pesticide Risk Tool to evaluate client's requests to use prohibited pesticides.