Battling Bugs: Danforth Center Founded Startup RNAissance Ag Offers Targeted, Sustainable Solutions in a Warming World

Insect pests impact every person on our planet: nearly 20% of crops are lost each year to insect damage, costing billions of dollars. To tackle the problem, farmers have turned to chemical pesticides, but these are expensive, dangerous, and diminishing in potency due to evolving insect resistance. They also typically kill beneficial insects (like pollinators) along with pests. The need for new pest management technology is urgent and widespread.