http://www.environmentmaine.org/reports/environmental-health/reduce-pesticide-exposure-reports http://www.environmentmaine.org/reports/environmental-health/reduce-pesticide-exposure-reports/made-in-the-u_s_a_-power-plants-and-mercury-pollution-across-the-country Power plants are the largest industrial http://www.environmentmaine.org/reports/environmental-health/reduce-pesticide-exposure-reports/made-in-the-u_s_a_-power-plants-and-mercury-pollution-across-the-country Mon, 13 Aug 2007 10:59:12 -0500 http://www.environmentmaine.org/reports/environmental-health/reduce-pesticide-exposure-reports/catching-the-toxic-drift-how-pesticides-used-in-the-blueberry-industry-threaten-our-communities-our-water-and-the-environment The Blueberry Industry In Maine: Dominated by Agri-Corporations The wild low-bush blueberry is native to the northern climate of Maine and southeastern Canada. Native Americans encouraged wild blueberry growth long before European settlers arrived to what is now Maine. Today it is one of the state’s most important agricultural crops. Maine is the largest producer of wild blueberries in the world, growing 60,000 acres of the crop. Twenty-five percent of all the blueberries grown in North America are grown in Maine. While over 500 different growers produce blueberries commercially, 35 percent of these growers own less than 10 acres, 45 percent own 11-50 acres, 20 percent own 100 to 300 acres, and less than 1 percent of all growers maintain over 5000 acres. This 1 percent constitutes about half Maine’s blueberry production annually. Many smaller farms contract their blueberry production with these larger processors. Typical contracts fall into several types of arrangements: some individuals and cooperatives grow their berries independently of the processor and then sell them directly to the processor; others simply provide the land necessary for cultivation, allowing processors to manage their fields while receiving compensation through a negotiated field price. Blueberries and the Toxic Pesticide Threat Pesticides are toxic substancesdeliberately added to our environment to kill living things. This includes substances that kill weeds (herbicides), insects (insecticides), and fungus (fungicides). Although blueberries in Maine grow wild, as their economic importance has increased, agricorporations have come to rely on toxic pesticides to increase production. Large-scale blueberry monoculture requires significant pest control measures to protect the commodity. The Maine Board of Pesticides Control (BPC) found that the blueberry industry used the following 15 trade-name pesticides (active ingredient in parenthesis): • Benlate (Benomyl)—fungicide • (Captan)—fungicide • (Diazinon ag)—insecticide • Elevate (Fenhexamid)—fungicide • Funginex (Triforine)—fungicide • Gramoxone (Paraquat)—herbicide [restricted use pesticide in Maine] • Guthion (Azinphos-methyl)—insecticide [restricted use pesticide in Maine] • Imidan (Phosmet)—insecticide • Orbit (Propiconazole)—fungicide • Poast (Sethoxydim)—herbicide • Roundup (Glyphosate)—herbicide • Select (Clethodim)—herbicide • Sencor (Metribuzin)—herbicide • Thiodan (Endosulfan)—insecticide [restricted use pesticide in Maine] • Velpar (Hexazinone)—herbicide [restricted use pesticide in Maine] In addition to these fifteen pesticides, the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, which acts as a resource for agriculture, recommends eleven additional pesticides as potential solutions to insects, weeds and diseases. Of the nine fungicides recommended for use on blueberry crops: • 67% (six) are possible carcinogens according to the EPA. • 44% (four) cause reproductive or developmental effects or are endocrine disruptors. • 33% (three) are moderately to highly toxic through acute exposures. Of the ten insecticides recommended for use on blueberry crops: • 33% (three) are possible carcinogens according to the EPA. • 40% (four) cause reproductive or developmental effects or are endocrine disruptors. • 60% (six) are moderately to highly toxic through acute exposures. Of the seven herbicides recommended for use on blueberry crops: • One (14%) is a known carcinogen according to the EPA. • One (14%) causes reproductive or developmental effects. • 29% (two) are moderately to highly toxic through acute exposures. Of the 26 active ingredients for use by the blueberry industry: • 62% (sixteen) are moderately to very highly toxic to aquatic life. • 65% (seventeen) cause chronic problems in aquatic life. Missing the Target: the Problem of Toxic Drift Drift is the movement of pesticides in the air away from the area where they are applied. Pesticide drift can cause many problems for both humans and the environment. Since 2002, at least ten toxic drift complaints have been reported to the BPC. These reports include complaints of applicators spraying in extremely windy conditions, organic blueberry fields being contaminated by pesticide drift, and residents being hit directly by spray. These reports signify that people not only expressing concerns for their health, but also fear that pesticide drift is contaminating their property. Since 1999, the BPC has worked to monitor residues from blueberry pesticide drift in the Narraguagus and Pleasant River watersheds near large blueberry production fields. Their most recent report tested for the presence of two aerially applied blueberry pesticides, phosmet and propiconazole as they were applied by the two largest growers in the state, Cherryfield Foods and Jasper Wyman and Son. The report shows that of the eight sampling sites used in 2003, three detected phosmet either on drift cards, in water samples, or both. According to this report, drift was discovered as far away as 1500 feet from the nearest application site. Comparatively, in 2001, drift was detected 270-1500 feet away; and in 2000, up to 5100 feet from application site. Pesticide Leaching and Water Quality Concerns When growers apply pesticides to blueberry fields, some may seep down through the soil and into groundwater stores. Pesticides then run the risk of appearing in drinking water supplies or contaminating rivers and streams fed by underground springs. The herbicide hexazinone is known to commonly leach into water supplies and has shown up in the groundwater near commercial blueberry fields as well as in rivers and streams. Recommendations Dangerous public health and environmental consequences have become part and parcel of toxic pesticide use. The ultimate solution is to use nontoxic ways of growing blueberries and other crops. Until agriculture moves to non-toxic method, the following state policies http://www.environmentmaine.org/reports/environmental-health/reduce-pesticide-exposure-reports/catching-the-toxic-drift-how-pesticides-used-in-the-blueberry-industry-threaten-our-communities-our-water-and-the-environment Fri, 10 Aug 2007 13:39:19 -0500