Global consortium introduces a tool to compare environmental impact of pesticides for specialty crops.
The EIPC Consortium has officially launched a new global initiative, it says is aimed at improving pest management decisions in agriculture using science-based methods.
The consortium is developing the Environmental Impact Pesticide Calculator, known as EIPC, to help compare the environmental and human health impact of different crop protection options.
The initiative is hosted by the Minor Use Foundation and focuses on solving challenges faced by specialty and minor crops. These crops often have fewer crop protection tools available, even though they are important for food systems and farm diversity. The EIPC aims to support growers and decision-makers by providing better information to guide sustainable choices.
European initiatives often make their way to North America, so specialty crop groups may want to keep an eye on the initiative.
The consortium brings together experts from different fields. Financial guidance is led by Hans-Peter Dohr of ICA KG, business development is supported by Klaus Kunz of Ephrin GmbH, and scientific leadership is provided by Professor Peter Fantke of substitute ApS. This collaboration reflects a public-interest approach focused on transparency and scientific integrity.
“Reducing pesticide use by amount applied alone is an incomplete and often misleading metric — a smaller quantity of one chemistry can have a far greater modeled toxicological impact than a larger quantity of another,” said Anna Gore, Executive Director of the Minor Use Foundation, which serves as the consortium’s coordinating body.
“The EIPC will give decision-makers a science-based way to compare options — not replace the regulatory determinations that establish whether a product is safe to use,” said Gore.
The EIPC is designed to measure impact, not just the amount of pesticide used. Experts highlight that reducing pesticide volume alone can be misleading. In some cases, a smaller quantity of chemicals may cause more harm than a larger amount of another product. The tool will allow users to compare different pest management options based on their modeled environmental and health impacts.
It is important to note that the EIPC is not a risk assessment tool. Risk assessments are conducted by regulatory authorities to determine product safety. Instead, the EIPC helps compare relative impacts so that sustainability decisions are based on science rather than assumptions.
The tool combines established scientific models such as USEtox® and PestLCI. These models are used to estimate potential effects on human health and freshwater ecosystems. By making this science accessible, the EIPC supports better decisions across agriculture.