The industrialisation of agriculture has radically transformed the way most of our food is produced. By making large-scale production possible, it has led to more food being available at lower prices throughout the world. However, we are increasingly seeing the negative side of this chemically intensive system of food production. Today, 2,000 pesticides with 500 chemical substances are being used in Europe. However, data on how such substances affect soil quality is incomplete and fragmented, and fails to clearly reflect their overall impact on soil systems and human health.