In Praise of Probiotics for Crops.
Probiotics are good for us. They are good bacteria that balance out our systems and help build our immune systems. Apparently, they are good for plants as well. Probiotics for crops may start an agricultural revolution, one that reduces our need for chemical fertilizers and pesticides on a scale way beyond organic farming.
I read about this encouraging news in an NPR article called “Mighty Farming Microbes: Companies Harness Bacteria to Give Crops a Boost.” Agricultural microbials (bacteria and fungi found in soil) have been used to create nature’s pesticides in organic farming for awhile. But agri microbials are having a moment. A moment sponsored by Big Chemical.
The probiotics-for-crops market is expected to be almost $5 billion by 2019. I suspect Bayer, Monsanto and DuPont are entering the market for profits rather than good samaritanism. But who cares. Big ag embracing microbe-produced pesticides means less toxic food.
Let’s hope farmers take their probiotics … to the fields.
