EU use increased from 402,229 tonnes in 2010 to 449,038 tonnes in 2022, a 12% rise despite tighter regulations. The SoildiverAgro project, led by scientists from the University of Vigo, analysed 614 pesticides in 188 wheat fields across eight European countries. The study found pesticide residues in 99% of conventionally farmed wheat plots and, more alarmingly, in many organic fields. Of the 35 different compounds found in organic soil samples, only one (Spinosad) is approved for organic farming. Researchers highlight that long-lasting pesticides can drift between fields and persist through years of crop rotation, making it difficult to eliminate contamination.