6. Which of the following results is LEAST compatible with the goal expressed in the third sentence of Passage 2 ('The paramount concern must be to increase crop yields in environmentally sensitive ways that protect human health and the soil and water that are agriculture's very foundation')?
Answer: C
A rural community shows an increased rate of disease after local farmers adopt chemical-intensive techniques.
Increased rates of disease in a rural community due to the adoption of chemical-intensive techniques directly contradict the goal of increasing crop yields in ways that protect human health. This outcome highlights the negative health implications of relying heavily on agrochemicals, which is contrary to the expressed concern for protecting human health and the environment.
A) An international ban on the use of agrochemicals drives several multinational corporations out of business
While this scenario may have economic implications, it does not directly impact the goal of increasing crop yields in an environmentally sensitive manner. The ban could potentially lead to the development of alternative farming methods that align more closely with sustainability goals, making it somewhat compatible with the stated concern.
B) A species of bird becomes extinct after forests in which these birds nested are cleared to create farmland
This result is incompatible with the goal because the extinction of a species due to habitat loss is detrimental to biodiversity and environmental stability. Such an outcome indicates a failure to protect the ecological foundations that agriculture relies upon, thus directly opposing the stated priorities.
C) A rural community shows an increased rate of disease after local farmers adopt chemical-intensive techniques
The increase in disease among the community underscores a significant health risk associated with chemical-intensive farming practices. This directly contradicts the goal of protecting human health while increasing agricultural productivity, making it the least compatible result with the expressed concern.
D) Government subsidies to farmers encourage overproduction of certain crops to the detriment of others
This scenario may lead to unsustainable practices and affect crop diversity, but it does not necessarily result in direct harm to human health. While overproduction can have negative environmental impacts, it does not align as directly against the health-focused goal as the increase in disease does.
Conclusion
The result of a rural community experiencing increased disease rates due to chemical-intensive farming is least compatible with the goal of environmentally sensitive agricultural practices that protect human health. In contrast, the other options, while potentially problematic, do not directly undermine the health aspect as severely as this one does. Thus, the emphasis on human health makes option C the most incompatible with the stated aim.