Phasing Out Registered Pesticide Uses as an Alternative to Total Bans: A Case Study of Methyl Bromide

The short-term effect of pesticide bans generally is less efficient production, with higher consumer prices. The higher commodity prices provide windfall profits to producers of affected crops who did not need the banned pesticide, while those producers who were previous users of the banned pesticide may gain or lose, depending on price elasticities of demand and supply. Increased imports may dampen consumer prices and reduce previous gains made by some producers. A crop-by-crop phase-out, based on economic effects in place of an immediate ban on all affected crops, could reduce the adverse effects on consumers, producers, and the balance of trade, while still achieving many of the human health and environmental benefits of an immediate total ban of all pesticide uses on all crops. The soil fumigant, methyl bromide, is used to demonstrate the phase-out strategy.