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market-farming - RE: [Market-farming] pesticide residues not dangerous to health??

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  • From: "Robert Hadad" <rhadad AT hsus.org>
  • To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: RE: [Market-farming] pesticide residues not dangerous to health??
  • Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2004 11:26:38 -0500

Most pesticides breakdown after a certain amount of time in sunlight. This is true. However, to make a statement that the breakdown substances are safe is completely wrong. The EPA only requires that the pesticides that are labeled for sale be tested for safety. Any breakdown substances and residues are not required to be tested and are not. Quite often, the breakdown residues are worse than the original chemical. Neither are the so called “inert” ingredients. These compounds are loosely defined as carriers. These can also be toxic and are not tested.

 

Another point. Pesticides are only tested singularly. This means that they are tested only when used on a target by themselves. When, over a course of a growing season, a grower sprays a pesticide for one, insect, then another pesticide for another insect, one or two different fungicides, and don’t forget herbicides, these are not tested in combination. Chemicals interact with each other and can form different compounds. These may or may not be as toxic but the science isn’t there to tell. The chemical companies do not have to test for any of this.

 

Periodically, the USDA (maybe with the EPA) releases a report for vegetables and fruit that list the number of chemical residues found on them. The samples are randomly taken from food markets around the country. They also test for levels of known pesticides (the brand name compounds not the break down compounds). The surveys had found that there can be 3, 4, 6,even 15 different compound residues found on the produce. Carrots and apples used to be the real loaded ones. Of the brand name compounds there were a percentage that had levels above the allowable amount. This is troubling because since the chemicals do breakdown, being able to detect quantities could mean that either excess levels were applied so that it built up layers or that the chemicals were applied right before harvest – before the allowable withdrawal time before harvest.

 

Back in the mid 1990’s I worked in a university lab while doing my graduate research. One of the scientists using the lab was doing experiments to see how multiple pesticide compounds applied to produce interacted. During that time, the lab received reports ordered from USDA that had the surveys I mentioned earlier. I have not looked for these surveys since 1999 but if I remember correctly, they were printed every year.

 

Hope this helps. I am an agronomist by training and have been involved in agriculture for 25 years.

 

Robert Hadad

 

-----Original Message-----
From: market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Nan Johnson
Sent: Monday, March 15, 2004 9:12 PM
To: marketfarming
Subject: [Market-farming] pesticide residues not dangerous to health??

 

Several of the scientists I work with (botanists and soil scientists)keep insisting that pesticide residues on foods are not a problem as far as human health is concerned (they are NOT addressing the environmental problems, just whether eating food that has had pesticide or fungicide exposure is harmful to our health).

 

They have several points:   1) IF (and they realize this is a big IF, especially with imported produce) the farmer observes the proper lead time for application before harvest, the pesticides are DESIGNED to break down in that amount of time, and residues, if any at all, are not harmful

 

2) Even if there are residues of the original chemical, not degraded or broken down, there are already toxic compounds in every vegetable (e.g. celery - people can have very allergic reactions to touching celery, even if grown organically,because of naturally occuring chemical compounds that are toxic to whatever degree to humans) so the human body can cope with toxins.

 

3) Fungicides, say on strawberries or grapes after harvest and washing, are also designed to break down and any remainders would not be especially harmful

 

4)  Other compounds, whatever, in our foods and spices as we prepare the food, also act to neutralize any toxic chemical residues from pesticides and fungicides.

 

I spent years training as an organic farmer, and can see where it is better for the air and soil and water, but I cannot refute these arguments about the safety to the human body of consuming conventional produce.  These scientists are only alarmed about produce that has been  improperly treated with pesticides (say in Chile, where workers are not given appropriate instructions, or whatever).

 

I have also spent alot of money buying organic grains, produce, legumes, etc.  I am always telling people that it is healthier to eat organic products, since we don't know the synergistic effect of all those different pesticide residues on our produce, e.g.   But maybe there aren't very many harmful residues - what is left is detectable but not necessarily harmful because of how the companies' design it?????

 

Any scientists on our list care to comment, or maybe just point me to scientific articles?????? 

This is weighing on my heavily (up till now, I hadn't worked with scientists!!!  only farmers!!)    Sorry for rambling.

 

thanks, nan at dancing goats farm

n. mississippi




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