Stop the Dangerous Pesticide Methyl Iodide for use on Strawberries & Fruit orchards

Methyl iodide is a chemical so toxic that it's used in lab settings to grow cancer cells. The substance also reportedly causes late-term miscarriages and groundwater contamination. Yet despite these known (and frightening!) risks, an onslaught of public outcry, and opposition from reputable scientists including six Nobel Laureates, California's Department of Pesticide Regulation (CDPR) recently registered methyl iodide as a pesticide "safe" for use on the state's strawberry fields. Perhaps CDPR needs a lesson on what the word "safe" means.

Environmental groups are fighting back. Yesterday, on Governor Jerry Brown's first day in office, a coalition of farmworkers and environmental health organizations announced that they were filing a lawsuit challenging the state's approval of methyl iodide. Earthjustice and California Rural Legal Assistance filed the lawsuit on behalf of the Pesticide Action Network of North America, United Farm Workers of America, Californians for Pesticide Reform, Pesticide Watch Educational Fund, Worksafe, Communities and Children Advocates Against Pesticide Poisoning, and farmworkers Jose Hidalgo Ramon and Zeferino Estrada. The groups allege that the decision to register the pesticide not only violates a number of state environmental laws, but that the CDPR acted illegally in declaring an "emergency" situation in order to rush the registration of methyl iodide.

Understanding just how out of line the CDPR was requires a little bit of back story. First, virtually no one wanted CDPR to register methyl iodide. The scientific community was vehemently opposed to its use, as were Californians and a coalition of environmental and public health groups. Still, the maker of methyl iodide, Arysta LifeScience, lobbied hard for its approval, luring Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and the head of CDPR to the dark side. So CDPR approved methyl iodide for registration in early December of 2010. That's offense number one.

After CDPR approved methyl iodide, the decision should have undergone a public comment period before the pesticide earned official registration. However, CDPR declared the pesticide's registration to be an "emergency" situation, bypassing the public comment period and rushing it into official registration on December 20, 2010. That's offense number two.

While caving to corporate pressure and shadily declaring an "emergency" situation are bad enough, what's worse is how CDPR ignored a mountain of evidence highlighting methyl iodide's dangerous nature. Methyl iodide is listed as a "chemical known to cause cancer" under California's Proposition 65, and its use is linked to late-term miscarriages. Breathing in the substance can cause slurred speech, vomiting, and kidney damage, while direct contact with the chemical can burn one's skin. Yet the CDPR wants to let farmers spray methyl iodide all over the state's 38,000 acres of strawberry fields, as well as on tomatoes, peppers, nurseries, orchards, and vineyards. "I honestly think that this chemical will cause disease and illness," Dr. John Froines, head of the state's own scientific review committee, said in a press release. "And so does everyone else on the committee."

While spraying methyl iodide, a fumigant, on the state's strawberry fields poses huge health implications for residents living nearby, those most seriously impacted by the use of this toxin are farmworkers. "Farmworkers are on the front lines of methul iodide use and will suffer the most tragic consequences," Erik Nicholson, National Vice President of the United Farm Workers, said in a press release. "If this decision is allowed to stand, strawberries may very well become the new poster child for giving farmworkers cancer and late term miscarriages."

While Gov. Schwarzenegger didn't stand up to corporate pressure, environmental groups are hoping the Gov. Brown will do the right thing. The coalition is asking Gov. Brown to immediately reverse the CDPR's decision to register methyl iodide and implement a program that helps strawberry farmers use non-toxic pest control measures.

Along with the announcement of the lawsuit, the coalition delivered a list of signatures from 52,000 people opposed to the use of methyl iodide in California. More than 15,000 of these signatures came from Change.org members. So let's keep the pressure on now that Gov. Brown is in office.

WWW.FRANKTORTORICI.COM

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[rebirth028]

@chuckyskeys

Thank you very much for ur post! My thoughts and prayers go out to you and your family. If there is anything that I can do to help raise more awareness on this issue please email me and let me know. God Bless You!

[JonIsGangstar]

Banana

[pagalimommy]

@chuckyskeys sorry to hear what happened to your grndchildren after using lethal pioson...yes i know the consequances of the usage of these carcigenics since Arnold was in the office.He okayed it..Like you i'm a nonbeliever of FDA = they are fox running the hen house..google dirty doz and clean 15,frenken and mutant food. baby formula, expensive and deadly.."look at the site about ''white mischief'' codex elementarius''its all in the freedom of the act imformation...

[chuckyskeys]

I was and still am a farmer who sprayed extremely toxic and lethal poisions on food products that were allowed to be used by the powers that be. These poisons caused cancer to develop on my grandfathers hands,arms and face. Do not eat any fda approved foods eat only green house grown produce and food products. They do lie to the public.