Strawberries are big business. Really big business. Since everyone loves strawberries, a billion-dollar industry has developed in order to meet the demand of consumers in America and around the world. California leads the world in strawberry production, but Florida, North Carolina, and other locations produce many tons of harvested berries annually.
But, humans aren’t the only entities that love strawberries. Bugs, slugs, and fungi love to feast upon the nutrient-rich fruits and plants. The more fruits are destroyed, the less the hard-working farmers can sell to salivating consumers. To increase the harvest, therefore, most strawberry producers have developed techniques and practices that allow for maximum yield and minimum loss. The widespread use of fumigants and pesticides has become mainstream.
