New Report: U.S. Food Retail Sector Faces $219 Billion Risk From Pesticides

Washington, D.C. — A new report commissioned by Friends of the Earth and carried out by Netherlands-based research group Profundo finds that the U.S. food retail sector’s use of pesticides on just four crops could result in $219 billion in financial, climate, and biodiversity risks between now and 2050. The report was released alongside Friends of the Earth’s 2024 annual retailer scorecard. The scorecard finds that companies have not done nearly enough to reduce their use of toxic pesticides while also highlighting industry leadership — Whole Foods [NASDAQ: AMZN], Kroger [NYSE: KR], and Meijer have released meaningful pesticide policies in the past year. 

Given the vulnerability of food production to environmental disruption and likely further deregulation under the incoming Trump administration, these climate and biodiversity risks are significant not only for the companies themselves, but for Americans’ food security. As pesticide use kills off pollinators and devastates soil health, and climate change’s extreme droughts and floods harm farmland, growing crops may become more and more expensive — making it more and more difficult for Americans to afford basic foods. Without government action, the responsibility lies with companies to protect their own bottom lines and the U.S. food supply.