An organic industry advocate says it's no surprise that a new study has detected pesticides in stream beds on organic farms in the South Island.
Research by scientists at Otago University has shown pesticides were present in sediment in waterways on conventional, integrated and organic farms.
Because of the ability of some pesticides to drift in the air when they are sprayed, and their persistence in the environment, the scientists said it made little difference whether the farm was farmed conventionally or organically in terms of pesticide residues.
Organics Aotearoa New Zealand chairman Brendan Hoare said New Zealand is using more pesticides now than ever before.
