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Hoes to Herbicides: Economics of Evolving Weed Management in the United States

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  • Swinton, Scott
  • Van Deynze, Braeden

Abstract

Weed control is the most labor-demanding aspect of row-crop agriculture in the absence of herbicides. The past century has seen weed management in the United States evolve from horse-drawn cultivators to broad-spectrum herbicides on herbicide-tolerant crops. Three waves of technological change have driven the evolution. Current weed control technologies are Mechanical (for organic products), Chemical (when herbicide resistant weeds require multiple herbicides for effective weed control), and Genetic + Chemical (herbicide-tolerant crop). Cost analysis for a representative Midwestern farm shows that these three systems have decreasing requirements in both capital and labor.

Suggested Citation

  • Swinton, Scott & Van Deynze, Braeden, "undated". "Hoes to Herbicides: Economics of Evolving Weed Management in the United States," 2016 Annual Meeting, July 31-August 2, Boston, Massachusetts 235804, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:aaea16:235804
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.235804
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    Cited by:

    1. Wen-Tien Tsai, 2020. "Status of herbicide use, regulatory management and case study of paraquat in Taiwan," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 22(3), pages 2673-2683, March.
    2. Böcker, Thomas & Möhring, Niklas & Finger, Robert, 2019. "Herbicide free agriculture? A bio-economic modelling application to Swiss wheat production," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 173(C), pages 378-392.
    3. Reardon, Thomas & Echeverria, Ruben & Berdegué, Julio & Minten, Bart & Liverpool-Tasie, Saweda & Tschirley, David & Zilberman, David, 2019. "Rapid transformation of food systems in developing regions: Highlighting the role of agricultural research & innovations," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 172(C), pages 47-59.
    4. Harun Alptekin & Abdullah Ozkan & Ramazan Gurbuz & Muhittin Kulak, 2023. "Management of Weeds in Maize by Sequential or Individual Applications of Pre- and Post-Emergence Herbicides," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-18, February.
    5. Steven Haggblade & Bart Minten & Carl Pray & Thomas Reardon & David Zilberman, 2017. "The Herbicide Revolution in Developing Countries: Patterns, Causes, and Implications," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 29(3), pages 533-559, July.
    6. Singerman, Ariel & Lence, Sergio H., 2025. "Common Ground: Framing and the Potential to Mitigate Herbicide Resistance Using Collective Action," 2025 AAEA & WAEA Joint Annual Meeting, July 27-29, 2025, Denver, CO 360698, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    7. Alessandro Bonanno & Valentina C. Materia & Thomas Venus & Justus Wesseler, 2018. "Erratum to: The Plant Protection Products (PPP) Sector in the European Union: A Special View on Herbicides," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 30(2), pages 343-343, April.
    8. Niklas Möhring & Martina Bozzola & Stefan Hirsch & Robert Finger, 2020. "Are pesticides risk decreasing? The relevance of pesticide indicator choice in empirical analysis," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 51(3), pages 429-444, May.
    9. Braeden Van Deynze & Scott M. Swinton & David A. Hennessy, 2022. "Are glyphosate‐resistant weeds a threat to conservation agriculture? Evidence from tillage practices in soybeans," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 104(2), pages 645-672, March.
    10. Ervin, David E. & Breshears, Elise H. & Frisvold, George B. & Hurley, Terrance & Dentzman, Katherine E. & Gunsolus, Jeffrey L. & Jussaume, Raymond A. & Owen, Micheal D.K. & Norsworthy, Jason K. & Al M, 2019. "Farmer Attitudes Toward Cooperative Approaches to Herbicide Resistance Management: A Common Pool Ecosystem Service Challenge," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 157(C), pages 237-245.

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    JEL classification:

    • Q12 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Micro Analysis of Farm Firms, Farm Households, and Farm Input Markets

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