Brasil things

I was watching TV the other day and saw a news story about the presence of chemical residues in some foods. A recurring issue, seen many times before and without developing a consistent solution. Then I started to mentally rewrite this story inside out, as if everything had happened perfectly.

Let's imagine: a farmer observes the presence of predatory insects in his field, such as voracious caterpillars, or some disease in the plants. He then speaks to an agronomist – from the cooperative, rural extension or his employee – and asks for a diagnosis of the situation. If the infestation is small, without relevant economic or qualitative damage, nothing is done; if it is more serious, the agronomist will prescribe treatment with a specific defensive product.

This product, to be available on the market, must have undergone a few years of research, probably comprehensive tests and then been registered and authorized, based on a broad toxicological dossier, as required by the Brazilian government's health surveillance authority. .

The farmer will then purchase the product from a reseller or cooperative, with the respective prescription, as the law that regulates the use of pesticides prescribes. To apply it, you will have to follow the instructions in the recipe and also read the leaflet, checking all the precautions you must take.

When using the product, the farmer and his team follow management techniques and rules established by agronomy schools and the user manuals of manufacturers of this type of product. In fact, these people must wear appropriate clothing for the job - called EPI (Personal Protective Equipment) - to avoid the risk of exposure during application.

After that, treatment will continue or not, depending on the degree of severity or recurrence of the disease or infestation. But there is a moment when everything stops: this is when the plantation reaches the grace period, before harvest. At this stage, treatments are suspended to avoid residues in food, beyond the levels defined as safe for humans, by Brazilian health surveillance legislation.

An important detail in all of this: there are laws, regulations, management practices, control standards, procedures and safety protocols, so that all of this happens satisfactorily and within the expected compliance. In other words: so that food reaches the market with the expected quality and healthiness.

Why then doesn't this happen sometimes and we see a situation like the one on the TV news? Where is the hole? Which links in the chain were broken, whether due to failure, lack of training or fraud? The interesting thing is that if the phytosanitary control system worked in full, apparently this would be the best for everyone involved, from the farmer to the consumer. Why then does this not always happen?

If plants didn't need support to thrive and survive, of course it would be better. I myself, who need half a dozen medicines every single day, know this well. But as productive environments are hostile and stressful for plants, we still cannot escape this, at least considering the scale of food production required today.

Options outside the health protection of plantations may be valid in theory, but they still lack extensive economic viability. And the power of science has not yet created new equations for this challenge. Therefore, while this does not happen, we have a phytosanitary management technology developed within established technical-scientific standards, which enables and guarantees the sanitary safety of food coming from the field.

It's all in the simulated script above. He exists. It has already shown that it works and produces results, here in Brazil and in other countries with modern agriculture. The most eloquent proof is the global food production figures and the nutritional and health evolution of populations. But it needs to work always and everywhere. Or do we also need a “car wash” in this matter?

It is necessary to work with objective and scientific data to know where problems actually occur. Without knowing exactly where you are, you cannot leave the place. There is a need for transparency, information, accurate diagnosis, correction, controls and even punishment if applicable. The tools exist. Otherwise, sometimes the table may surprise us and become a news headline. Unfortunately for everyone.