How does pesticide reduction affect labour time and profitability? A crop production case study

National and international agendas are focusing on reducing pesticides due to their detrimental effects on flora, fauna, and human health, which has led to the introduction of agri-environmental programmes aimed at reducing the risk of pesticides. Pesticide reduction in agriculture can have an impact on labour time requirements and profitability. We used winter wheat, sugar beet, and potatoes as examples to analyse the changes in profitability and working time requirements, including management tasks. For the calculations, we used five different production schemes for each crop: reference; (A) reduction of herbicides; (B) reduction of growth regulators, fungicides, and insecticides; combination of schemes (A) and (B); and organic production. The working time requirements for fieldwork and farm management work were modelled for each scheme and crop. The respective partial costs and benefits of the schemes were calculated for each crop. Based on the model assumptions, scheme (B) appears favourable in terms of working time requirements, and profitability of winter wheat and sugar beet. Scheme (A) offers synergies between the same parameters for potato production. Economic analysis shows that crop production with reduced pesticide use may even experience an increase in financial viability if the yield is not severely jeopardised, and farmers can be compensated through premiums and direct payments. Our results can support policy-making, since the labour time requirement and profitability of pesticide-reduced crop production can affect the success of voluntary agri-environmental programmes for the reduction of the risks from pesticide use in agriculture. Profitability and working time requirements for fieldwork and management work for winter wheat, sugar beet and potatoes produced under five different production schemes. • Reducing pesticides in crop production can lead to changes in working time requirement and profitability. • Four pesticide-reduced production schemes were analysed regarding working time requirement and profitability. • The complete fieldwork and management work were modelled for winter wheat, sugar beet and potatoes. • For sugar beet and winter wheat, reducing insecticides, fungicides and growth regulators seems beneficial. • For potatoes, reducing herbicides and organic production seem beneficial, if direct payments are considered.