(Beyond Pesticides, March 23, 2009) With the beginning of Spring, students from Washington, D.C.’s Bancroft Elementary School have joined First Lady Michelle Obama on the White House’s South Lawn to start an 1,100-square foot kitchen garden that will provide food for family meals, formal dinners and local D.C. soup kitchens. Over the coming months, the students, whose school has had a garden since 2001, along with the Obama family and the White House grounds crew, will help with the organic garden from planting to harvesting. Many hope that this move is more than symbolic, that it will transcend to better agricultural and pesticide-reform policies, invigorate homeowners to convert some of their own lawns to an organic garden, and educate the consumers on the importance of eating healthy locally-grown organic food. The garden will contain 55 different vegetables, as well as berries, herbs and two beehives. According to the New York Times, the White House has spent $200 for organic seeds, mulch and dirt for the raised garden plot beds that will be “fertilized with White House compost, crab meal from the Chesapeake Bay, lime and green sand. Ladybugs and praying mantises will help control harmful bugs.” “I’m thrilled for the […]

(Beyond Pesticides, March 12, 2009) An updated database on pesticide residues on chemically-produced food released by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) supports one of the important benefits of eating organically produced and processed food –a safer diet. At the same time, consumers choosing organic food support production practices that: (i) ensure cleaner air and water; (ii) improve soil health and sustainability; (iii) reduce escalating global warming; (iv) protect bees and other pollinators; and, (v) create safer workplaces for those who grow and harvest food. When organic foods are not easily accessible due to cost or availability, Beyond Pesticides recommends that consumers buy organically produced commodities for those foods they eat most often (e.g. children’s juice) and for those foods that contain the greatest amount of pesticides. EWG’s recently released 5th edition Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides is a tool to help individuals avoid produce containing the highest amount of pesticides. However, research indicates that regulators know much less than they should and do not collect residue data on most of pesticides’ toxic breakdown products (metabolites), inert ingredients, and contaminants. Additionally, pesticides that are untested by EPA for certain health effects of concern (e.g. endocrine disruption, behavioral impacts) may be dismissed as […]

(Beyond Pesticides, March 10, 2009) First Lady Michelle Obama told the White House chef that she wants the kitchen to go organic. According to National Public Radio, then-First Lady Hillary Clinton asked the White House chef to begin serving organic food when she lived in the White House in the 1990’s. Then, First Lady Laura Bush changed the priority to fresh, local food during her tenure. But Michelle Obama wants it both ways: fresh, local, organic food for the President, their daughters and White House dinner parties. “I really got caught up in what they want to do so that at the last minute, I had to change my whole perspective,” White House food and beverage manager Daniel Shanks, told U.S. News and World Report. “They talked to us about their vision. They are really excited about being able to show to the world that there’s a better way in a positive, healthy manner. We need to eat better. We need to take care of the land.” Ms. Obama explained the importance of organic food in her household while appearing on the television show, “The View” in 2008. Diets filled with healthier food produced by free synthetic, pesticides and fertilizers […]

(Beyond Pesticides, March 9, 2009) In the waning days of the 2009 legislative session, the Virginia General Assembly unanimously passed a weakened school Integrated Pest Management (IPM) bill that creates a statewide, voluntary school pest management program. While the law will increase public awareness of the antiquated practice of routine pesticide applications at school facilities, it does not mandate a change in practices. The legislation provides information to school districts on IPM that “minimizes the use of pesticides and the risk to human health and the environment associated with pesticide applications.” Beyond Pesticides advocates pesticide use reduction and elimination strategies and only the use of “least-toxic” pesticides as a last resort. Experience shows that school pest management must emphasize pest prevention and management strategies that exclude pests from the school facility through habitat modification, entry way closures, structural repairs, sanitation practices, natural organic management of playing fields and landscapes, other non-chemical, mechanical and biological methods, and the use of the least-toxic pesticides only as a last resort. School is a place where children need a healthy body and a clear head in order to learn. Children are especially sensitive to pesticide exposures as they take in more pesticides relative to […]

(Beyond Pesticides, February 13, 2009) The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF) has ended its organic certification program, which was established in 2000, two years before federal organic standards. The state’s effort to save itself an unknown amount in its budget will force organic farmers to pay significantly more for out-of-state certification. Larry Lewis, UDAF spokesman, said there was not enough time after Governor Jon Huntsman called for spending cuts to determine how to run the program profitably. As of January 29, UDAF’s website carried a message from Clair Allen, director of UDAF’s Plant Industry department, saying, “The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food’s Organic Certification Program is in a state of flux at this time. Its future is dependent on action by the Utah Legislature as they consider which programs to continue funding during out economic downturn. Please do not download or send in documents relating to our Organic Certification Program until the issue is resolved. We expect to have this issue resolved by the end of the 2009 Legislative Session.” Since the shuttering of the program, organic farmers have had to pay up to 10 times as much for private certification, often from California. UDAF typically charged […]

(Beyond Pesticides, February 2, 2009) As part of the Township of Bernards, New Jersey’s new Pesticide Management System Resolution that designates pesticide-free zones and requires adoption of an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program for all its municipal grounds, the mayor and town council are also asking its citizens to adopt such measures on their own property. The resolution preface states, “[S]cientific studies associate exposure to pesticides with asthma, cancer, development and learning disabilities, nerve an immune system damage, liver or kidney damage, reproductive impairment, birth defects and disruption of the endocrine system, and ”¦ infants, children, pregnant women, the elderly and people with compromised immune systems and chemical sensitivities are especially vulnerable to pesticide effects and exposure, and ”¦ lawn pesticides and synthetic fertilizers are harmful to pests, wildlife, soil microbiology, plants, and natural ecosystems and can run off into streams, lakes and drinking water sources ”¦” Pesticide-free zones include playgrounds, picnic grounds and pavilion/rest areas, and the area 50 feet around each of these sites, as well as dog park/runs, pool areas and ball fields. Pesticide-free zones also include all waterways and a 300 foot buffer around any stream bank, pond, lake or natural wetland. According to the township’s […]

Beyond Pesticides will hold its 27th National Pesticide Forum, Bridge to an Organic Future: Opportunities for health and the environment, April 3-4, 2009 in Carrboro, NC (next to Chapel Hill and the University of North Carolina). This national environmental conference will include sessions on Pesticides and public health; Organic agriculture; Domestic fair trade; Organic lawns and landscapes; Healthy schools and daycare; Water contamination; and much more. Register online or call 202-543-5450 to register by phone. This national environmental conference, co-convened by Toxic Free North Carolina, is an important opportunity for community people nationwide to get together, share the latest information, meet with scientists and policy makers, and discuss local, statewide and national strategies on pest issues, pesticides, public health and the environment. As the home of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and recently named “America’s Foodiest Small Town,” the location is just the right place for participants to discuss fair, organic food and the impact of pesticides on public health. Keynote speakers for the conference include: Just added! Baldemar Velásquez, president of the Farm Labor Organizing Committee (FLOC), was raised as a migrant farmworker. Since his childhood, he has worked in the fields and orchards of many […]

Transforming Government’s Approach to Regulating Pesticides to Protect Public Health and the Environment is a document drafted by Beyond Pesticides and Pesticide Action Network North America that captures grassroots pesticide priorities for the Obama Administration. While we have already submitted these priorities to the Obama transition team, we ask for your support and suggestions because we will continue to use this document as we begin to work with the new administration. To sign on to the document, follow the link above and include your name, organization/company affiliation (if any), city and state in the comment field. The document identifies what the Obama administration can/should take on under existing authority/statutory responsibility, with a specific focus on the first 100 days. Most of the comments in our document focus on pending regulatory actions and pending petitions before the government, either because of ongoing chemical reviews, pending rulemaking, or petitions. While we incorporate big picture thinking, we are focused on specific actions that the relevant agencies could take now. We plan to meet and communicate with the Obama administration to put these suggested actions in place. Issues covered in the document include, but are not limited to: Promoting organic agriculture; Protecting sensitive species; […]

(Beyond Pesticides, January 21, 2009) Without federal legislation mandating schools adopt safer pest management strategies, around 75% of U.S. schools continue to use hazardous pesticides. As a result, a diverse group of school pest management stakeholders have developed a new document, Pest Management Strategic Plan for IPM in Schools, that they hope will help reinvigorate the adoption of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs, aiming for full implementation in all U.S. schools by 2015. The school IPM PSMP document is an in-depth look at the current status of school IPM, specific pest management strategies for schools to use, and actions and timelines for a coordinated effort to getting all schools adopt an IPM program. The strategic plan hinges on garnering leaders in school administration, school health, parents, teachers, custodians, food service staff, state agricultural extension staff, regulators, architects, IPM professionals and other interested individuals to help increase awareness and generate a commitment to school IPM. A group of more than 30 professionals, including Beyond Pesticides staff, have been involved in the development process for the school IPM PSMP, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) IPM Program, the four USDA Regional IPM Centers, and the US Environmental Protection Agency […]

(Beyond Pesticides, January 12, 2009) Propelled by state legislation prohibiting pesticides use on school grounds that has yet to go into effect, Branford, Connecticut is a model for others around the country in managing town playing fields, parks and public lawns without using pesticides. The town’s Parks and Recreation Department’s remarkable success in implementing an organic land management approach has resulted in healthier turf and lower maintenance costs. Later this month the town is expected to pass a resolution to ensure their commitment to the organic turf program. Alex Palluzzi, Jr., director of the Branford Parks and Recreation Department, says he once was “on the other side” but now is motivated by the results he sees with organic and wants to get others to do the same. The town’s organic program took off when a two-acre park was donated to the town and Mr. Palluzzi and his team began a pilot project converting the field to organic. Its success proved to Mr. Palluzzi that organic land management works. Now, all twenty-four of the town’s fields are maintained with organic practices. “We have not used pesticides in years,” says Mr. Palluzzi. Instead, the town relies on properly aerating the soil, overseeding, […]

(Beyond Pesticides, January 7, 2009) To best feed the world, a growing number of researchers, development experts, farming groups and environmentalists are calling for new emphasis on sustainable agricultural practices that make a sharp break from current policies. A recently released Rodale Institute research paper, titled “The Organic Green Revolution” and reviewing replicated research, shows that the latest scientific approaches in organic agriculture offer affordable, immediately usable, and universally accessible ways to improve yields and access to nutritional food in developing countries. A recent report cited in the paper from the UN Environmental Programme (UNEP) notes that not only can organic agriculture feed the world but it may be the only way we can solve the growing problem of hunger in developing countries. UNEP states that its extensive study “challenges the popular myth that organic agriculture cannot increase agricultural productivity.” In an analysis of 114 farming projects in 24 African countries, UNEP reports that organic or near-organic practices result in a yield increase of more than 100 percent. An Organic Green Revolution, using integrated farming practices such as cover crops, organic no-till and composting, not only substantially improves yields but it also protects and restores soil and environmental health. “Yield […]

(Beyond Pesticides, January 6, 2009) According to a new study published December 10, 2008 in the online edition of Environmental Health Perspectives, climate change is likely to increase human exposure to agricultural contaminants, including pesticides. Risks of many pathogens, particulate and particle-associated contaminants could increase significantly. The study, “Impacts of Climate Change on Indirect Human Exposure to Pathogens and Chemicals from Agriculture,” examines pathogens and chemicals in the environment and their fate and transport. The researchers determined the potential implication of climate change on chemical and pathogen inputs in agricultural systems and explored the effects of climate change on environmental transport and fate of different contaminants. These data were combined to assess the implications of climate change in terms of indirect human exposure to pathogens and chemicals in agricultural systems. The study concludes that climate change will result in an increase in risks of pathogens and chemicals from agriculture to human health. It will fuel increased use of pesticides and biocides as farming practices intensify. Increased use will lead to increased exposure through food air and water, as well as increased occupational exposure for farmworkers. Extreme weather events will mobilize contaminants from soils and fecal matter, potentially increasing their bioavailability. […]

(Beyond Pesticides, December 10, 2008) Most families don’t realize that they might be bringing more than holiday cheer into their homes this Christmas season. Families celebrating this holiday season with the time-honored tradition of a Christmas tree can choose to go green and avoid the toxic chemicals that are typically used to grow it. Beyond Pesticides recently launched a Christmas Trees and Pesticides web page to help inform consumers this holiday season. Of the pesticides that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has registered for use on Christmas trees, most are linked to one or more adverse effects, including cancer, hormonal disruption, neurotoxicity, organ damage, reproductive/birth defects, asthma, environmental effects and more. Their use results in exposure to workers, wildlife, and waterways. Beyond Pesticides has compiled a list of 25 pesticides commonly used or recommended for use by state agricultural extension services, including: 2,4-D, bifenthrin, chlorpyrifos, diazinon, esfenvalerate, glyphosate, simazine and more. Oregon, North Carolina, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Washington, New York, and Virginia are the nation’s top Christmas tree producing states, and together account for more than half of the trees grown in the U.S. The Cooperative Extension Service of North Carolina reports that glyphosate -a pesticide linked to increased risk […]

(Beyond Pesticides, November 13, 2008) The Canadian Cancer Society is holding a conference to look at the possibility of advocating for stricter farm pesticide laws. The Cancer Society has been a vocal advocate for the cosmetic pesticide restrictions that have passed in the provinces of Ontario and Quebec as well as many municipalities, but it has not yet taken a stance on the much larger use of agricultural pesticides. Health Canada, the Canadian entity responsible for pesticide regulation insists, as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency does in the U.S., that registered pesticides do not pose a substantive health risk when used as directed, but mounting scientific evidence shows otherwise. Many of the same chemicals that Canadian provinces have banned for cosmetic use, such as the herbicide 2,4-D, are used in much higher volumes in agriculture than on lawns. Since the Cancer Society is a strong voice in favor of the cosmetic pesticide bans because of the dangers of pesticides, it is logical that they would also be concerned about agricultural pesticide use. In other words, “It’s very hard to argue that the cosmetic use of pesticides poses a public-health risk, including cancer risk, and not examine what is going on […]

(Beyond Pesticides, October 31, 2008) Pittsgrove, New Jersey Township adopted a pesticide-free park resolution at its October 28th meeting. As a result, Deer Pen Park, which includes picnic areas and a playground, will be managed using Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and without harmful pesticides. “We are excited about this because we are the first in the county to take part,” said Mayor Peter Voros. “We hope that others follow because this is a great project.” Two township volunteers proposed the policy last summer, presenting information on pesticides an alternatives at a committee meeting. They and a local environmental group collaborated to create the adopted resolution. “Pittsgrove now has a written Integrated Pest Management policy which means that least-toxic methods are used, only when needed,” said Committeewoman Linda DuBois. The IPM policy targets toxic pesticides for elimination, as many have been linked to health risks like asthma, learning disabilities, and birth defects. “We especially want to protect children because they are closer to pesticide applications on the ground and they are still developing and absorb more pesticides than adults,” said Jane Nogaki, program coordinator for the New Jersey Environmental Federation. (for more information on children and pesticides, see Beyond Pesticides’ fact […]

(Beyond Pesticides, October 28, 2008) After eight years of intense scrutiny and criticism, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) published on October 23, 2008 a proposed change in the Federal Register to the federal organic regulations intended to address abuses by “factory farms,” which milk thousands of cows in an environment that many would not expect organic milk to be produced. “We are pleased that the USDA has finally addressed the concerns of the organic dairy community, ” said Mark Kastel, Senior Farm Policy Analyst at the non-profit Cornucopia Institute, “but it appears that the department has once again monkey wrenched this process by incorporating a number of red herrings — major policy proposals that have never been reviewed by the industry or the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB).” The USDA’s proposed rule clarifies requirements for organic livestock producers, principally dairy farmers, requiring their animals to graze on pasture and consume a significant percentage of their feed intake during the growing season. The new proposed regulations are intended to make the current rules more understandable for all dairy producers and organic certification agents. “While I appreciate the fact that the USDA has issued proposed rules to clarify pasture requirements, based […]

(Beyond Pesticides, October 15, 2008) Researchers have developed a potential new method of making plants significantly more resistant to pests. Scientists from Lancaster University (UK) have conducted early trials whose results have yielded promise to greatly reduce pesticide by first treating seeds with a chemical that is naturally produced by plants. This new method involves dipping seeds in jasmonic acid, a plant derived chemical that provides a natural defense against pests. When threatened by plant-eating insects, plants release jasmonic acid as a chemical signal to warn other parts of the plant to mobilize their pest defenses in order to make the plant difficult to digest. Jasmonic acid has long been used as a repellent for pests like mites, caterpillars and aphids when sprayed onto crops. Jasmonic acid however, also acts as a growth inhibitor and sprayed plants do not grow very well, but scientists at Lancaster University’s Environment Centre have found that plants grown from seeds first dipped in jasmonic acid are also more pest resistant without any loss of growth. The best results were on tomato plants, where attacks by red spider mites were reduced by 80%, aphid attack was reduced by 60% and caterpillar damage was down by […]

(Beyond Pesticides, October 14, 2008) Exposure to glyphosate or MCPA can more than double one’s risk of developing non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), according to a new epidemiological study published in the October issue of the International Journal of Cancer. The case-control study finds a 2.02 odds ratio (OR) for exposure (two times the chance of contracting the illness) to glyphosate, a 2.81 OR for exposure to MCPA, and a 1.72 OR for exposure to herbicides. According to EPA, glyphosate is the most commonly used pesticide in the U.S. with 103 to 113 million pounds used annually. MCPA is a phenoxyacetic acid pesticide, a family of pesticides that has previously been linked to cancer and includes 2,4-D and mecoprop (MCPP). NHL is a cancer of the immune system. There are several different types of NHL, which are differentiated by the type of immune cell that is cancerous, the characteristics of the cancerous cell, and different genetic mutations of the cancerous cells. Treatment for NHL varies depending on NHL type, patient age, and other existing medical conditions. The incidence of NHL has been increasing over the past several decades. The link between pesticides and cancer has long been a concern. While agriculture has […]

(Beyond Pesticides, October 2, 2008) Beyond Pesticides and the other members of the National Organic Coalition (NOC) recently sent a letter outlining their concerns over the development of “sustainable” agriculture labeling standards, which are currently under discussion and entering the first phase of draft standards-setting, overseen by the Leonardo Academy under the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) guidelines. The coalition, along with many other organic farming advocates, say they cannot support a “sustainable” label because of what appears the inevitability that it will be “less than organic,” thus reversing progress organic agriculture has made in recent decades and “effectively driving markets to lower standards” that do not protect human health and the environment. After a long fought battle by organic advocates to maintain organic integrity under a national standard, organic agriculture has emerged not only as the most stringent standard for ensuring environmental and human health, it has also gained widespread consumer acceptance in the market place. The NOC letter states: “With a sustainable standard, whether intentional or unintentional, consumers will undoubtedly be led to believe that, in supporting the standard, they are contributing to improved practices. In fact, they are slowing the growth of standards [organic] that are critical […]

(Beyond Pesticides, October 1, 2008) Last week, a jury awarded $1 million in compensation to an organic farm in Santa Cruz, California, whose herbs were contaminated by pesticides. The jury found that organophosphate pesticides, used on vegetables on neighboring farms, drifted onto the organic farm, leaving the herbs in violation of organic standards. The organic farm, Jacobs Farm Del Cabo, filed a lawsuit against the pesticide application company Western Farm Service, Inc. in May 2007. The suit sought an order to stop Western Farm Service from spraying pesticides that contaminate crops at Wilder Ranch State Park, where Jacobs Farm leases 120 acres. Compensation for losses, in the sum of $1 million, which resulted from pesticide contamination, was also sought. The court ruled that pesticide applications by Western Farm Service resulted in trespass of the pesticides onto Jacobs Farm and were legally determined to be a nuisance depriving Jacobs Farm of the right to use and enjoy the land, caused by negligence on the part of Western Farm Services. The jury found that Jacobs Farm was damaged in the sum of $1 million and Judge Robert Atack ordered judgment in that amount against Western Farm Service. The organophosphates, chlorpyrifos, diazinon, and […]

(Beyond Pesticides, September 25, 2008) Pesticides used as lice treatments can not only have extremely harmful effects on children, they are also not as effective as non- chemical treatments such as utilizing directed hot air, according to researchers. Back-to-school season often coincides with lice outbreaks, and parents should be aware of the risks involved in using lice “shampoos” that contain pesticides and informed of the viability of non-toxic alternatives. Many of the recent headlines regarding lice in schools include reference to “super lice,” which are difficult to eliminate. These lice have developed resistance to the chemicals commonly used to treat them, such as lindane, malathion and permethrin, and therefore these treatments are increasingly ineffective. Insects frequently develop resistance to pesticides, a fact that emphasizes the importance of strategies both in agriculture and public health that focus on preventing pest outbreaks and dealing with outbreaks in ways that will not lead to resistance. One such method for eliminating head lice that will not lead to resistant strains of lice is the use of hot air, which desiccates the insects and eggs, thus killing them. Researchers testing six methods of hot air application found that hot air outperforms insecticidal shampoos in killing […]

(Beyond Pesticides, September 18, 2008) New research in the forthcoming issue of Biological Conservation reveals that roadsides maintained “conventionally” with the use of herbicides, non-native fast-growing grasses and frequent mowing support less native bee diversity and abundance than roadsides restored with native plants. Focus on the importance of native bees has increased in light of the recent honeybee crisis. Roadsides restored to native plants could serve as valuable protective corridors of native pollinators, which are threatened by pesticide use and habitat fragmentation. Jennifer Hopwood, PhD, the author of “The contribution of roadside grassland restorations to native bee conservation,” performed the research in Kansas, where a very small amount of unplowed prairie remains. The intensification and spread of agriculture has reduced the availability of suitable nesting sites, particularly for ground-nesting bees, and has limited food sources as a result of reduced floral diversity. Dr. Hopwood found more than twice the bee abundance in roadsides with native plants and increased bee diversity. The restored roadsides have 79 species of bees, whereas the conventionally managed roadsides only have 53. Roadsides in Kansas account for more than 650,000 acres of continuous corridors, which, if restored to native plants, could add significantly to viable bee […]

(Beyond Pesticides, September 16, 2008) Responding to grassroots pressure highlighting the impact of pests and pesticides on public health, the Boston Public Housing Authority (BHA) is promoting integrated pest management (IPM) through its Healthy Pest Free Housing Initiative Project (HPFHI) in the city’s public housing facilities. The program, which was launched after the Committee for Boston Public Housing, a tenant rights group, began looking into the connection between respiratory health, asthma and housing conditions in 1995, is now proving successful. “The project’s goal is to provide intensive in-home and community-based education designed to change individual and community practices regarding pest control and the use of pesticides,” explains John Kane, IPM coordinator and planner for the Boston Housing Authority (BHA). Mr. Kane says that there has been up to a 75 percent reduction in work orders dealing with pests and a huge increase in the quality of life for the residents. Over 1,000 BHA households in eight developments have received in-home and community-based support and education to encourage integrated pest management practices that focus on prevention and use “least toxic” pesticides only as a last resort. BHA hopes to make the project sustainable and expand their efforts into additional developments. “People […]