The use of genetically modified crops appears to have reduced slightly the use of insecticides on cotton and corn, but increased greatly the use of herbicides on soybeans. The growth of organic farming, of course, reduces the use of fertilizers and pesticides on everything. Under its large, steady trends, world agriculture is changing. Depending on what you look at, you can perceive pending good news or impending disaster. The balance between food to eat and mouths to feed continues to be wildly different from place to place and very tenuous worldwide.
Small surprises can turn into big ones.