Pesticides and You News from Beyond Pesticides: Protecting Health and the Environment with Science, Policy & Action Volume 34, Number 1 Spring 2014 No Longer a BIG Mystery Recent scientific research confirms the role of pesticides in pollinator decline Also in this issue: Up Next: 2,4-D Farm Bill 2014: Sustainability Not a Big Winner When Politics Trumps Science and Health Suffers Letter from Washington Challenges and a Breath of Fresh Air There continues to grow a confluence of issues that threaten long- up by Congress to have independent authority over the allowed term sustainability of the planet, with domesticated and wild bees substances in organic systems, with recognition that environmental, and beneficial organisms in decline, and environmentally-induced farm, and consumer interests cannot be ignored in the decision diseases threatening people’s health. While Beyond Pesticides making process. This, too, is on the chopping block, as USDA seeks emphasizes the strategies for advancing ecological approaches that to control the NOSB process of review, workplans, and ability to rebuild and renew the environment, as an organization we believe issue advice on key issues related to organic integrity. Don’t forget it is critical to understand the science and politics that allow toxic that the process USDA is seeking to overturn removed an antibiotic pesticide dependency to continue to cause harm, unnecessarily. from organic apple and pear production, took synthetic ancillary nutrients out of organic soy infant formula, set a moratorium on A Confluence of Challenges nanotechnology in organic products and packaging, and more is This issue of Pesticides and You was written as a number of challenges now threatened. On March 14, we launched our Save Our Organic began to come into focus. Understanding these challenges will help campaign to call for a moratorium on the USDA policies that us to recognize the urgency with which we must approach solutions undermine the transparent organic standard setting process. Please in our communities and through the political process. Over the last go to www.beyondpesticides.org/SaveOurOrganic to make your several months, we have seen: (i) Congress overturn an important voice heard. health-based decision by EPA to take sulfuryl fluoride out of our food supply after the National Academy of Sciences and the Centers for New Farmworker Protection Proposed Disease Control and Prevention found that the hazards from water EPA announced in February proposed revisions to its 20-year old exposure alone are too high; (ii) USDA propose allowing genetically farmworker protection standard, which has been criticized as woefully engineered 2,4-D-tolerant crops on the market despite data from inadequate in protecting the health of agricultural workers. The new its own scientists that find this will significantly increase use of standards will increase training, improve notification of pesticide an herbicide that contains a dioxin contaminant linked to cancer, application, and increase the minimum age requirement for children endocrine disrupting, reproductive, and neurological effects; and (iii) to work around pesticides. An omission in this new EPA proposal, Congress reject an amendment in the Farm Bill that would have taken which was requested in a 2011 petition by farmworker organizations, some relatively small steps to advance interagency coordination and is medical monitoring of agricultural workers and handlers who research to protect pollinators with a greater sense of priority, at the regularly handle Toxicity Category I and II organophosphate and same time that the science linking a decline in pollinator health is n-methyl carbamate pesticides. This was specifically highlighted in filling the pages of scientific journals. the petition because of its importance to worker safety. EPA does not believe that the anticipated benefits of a monitoring program I am reminded when issues like this come together that we have would justify the costs to handlers and employers. Another request within reach alternatives that can undo the kinds of problems by farmworker advocates that is not included in these new revisions being reported in this issue. Clearly, complacency and deference is the provision of contact information on legal representation to officials does not work. We can’t sit back and wait for federal or as a part of worker and handler training, should the worker need state governments to protect health and the environment. We can, legal redress. Agricultural justice is an essential component of a however, take steps within our own homes, in the marketplace, and sustainable food production system. through local governments to effect change now. Those following the decades of work at Beyond Pesticides know that the organization has Takoma Park, MD Launches Model for Organic Lawns strategically advanced organic standards as the solution to pesticide Restricting turf and landscape pesticides in Takoma Park, Maryland is hazards, with careful attention to an ecological-based approach to a breath of fresh air among the challenges. To implement the City of agriculture and land management that respects nature, builds and Takoma Park ordinance passed last year, officials launched a webpage improves soil health, and removes toxic threats to air, water, and (www.takomapark.gov/safegrow) that provides key information on land. the law and organic practices. The information implements the Safe Grow Act, which prohibits hazardous pesticides listed on the webpage Reminder: Save Our Organic and provides the technical information on www.beyondpesticides.org/SaveOurOrganic practices and products to be successful. The The key to the growth of the organic sector has been the building webpage teaches residents to transition of public trust in an organic food label that is backed by a rigorous to organic practices, start a new lawn, and public decision making process that is protected from the kind of work with service providers. A great way to politicized decision making that often invades government standard welcome Spring! setting. As reported in the last issue ofPesticides and You, USDA has moved to dramatically change the public process and the authority Jay Feldman is executive director of Beyond of the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB), which was set Pesticides. Contents Pesticides and You © 2014 (ISSN 0896-7253) is published 4 times a year by Beyond Pes- ticides. Beyond Pesticides, founded in 1981 as the National Coalition Against the Misuse of Pesticides (NCAMP), is a voice for health and the environment, promoting protection from pesticides and safe alternatives; dona- tions are tax-deductible. National Headquarters: 701 E Street, SE Washington DC 20003 ph: 202-543-5450 fx: 202-543-4791 email: [email protected] website: www.beyondpesticides.org page 13 Articles in this newsletter may be repro- duced without Beyond Pesticides’ permis- sion unless otherwise noted. Please credit Beyond Pesticides for reproduced material. BEYOND PESTICIDES STAFF Jay Feldman, Executive Director Stephanie Davio, Program Director/Forum Coordinator Nichelle Harriott, Senior Staff Scientist 2 Mail Aimee Simpson, Policy Director and Staff Soil Contamination; Lousy Lice Attorney Drew Toher, Public Education Associate 4 Washington, DC Xoco Shinbrot, Program Associate Matt Wallach, IPM and Health Care Facility EPA Proposes Updated Farmworker Protection Standards to Mixed Reviews; Project Director Groups Sue EPA for Disclosure of Inert Ingredients on Labels; USDA Report Terry Shistar, PhD, Science Consultant Cites Concerns with GE Crops; Petition Seeks Nationwide Refuge Ban of GE Matt Porter, Research Associate Crops and Neonicotinoid Pesticides PESTICIDES AND YOU Jay Feldman, Publisher, Editor 6 Around the Country Stephanie Davio, Jay Feldman, Nichelle Proposal to Repeal Pesticide Requirements in New York Rejected; Lice Harriott, Matt Porter, Xoco Shinbrot, Aimee Resistant to Chemical Treatment; Community Passes Resolution Banning Simpson, Drew Toher, Contributors Stephanie Davio, Layout Neonicotinoids; Town Seeks Court Affirmation to Stop Private Pesticide Use Near Pond; Safe Grow Educational Website Launched in Takoma Park, MD BOARD OF DIRECTORS Routt Reigart, M.D., president, Medical 9 No Longer a Big Mystery University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC Recent scientific research confirms the role of pesticides in pollinator Lani Malmberg, vice-president, Ewe4ic Eco- logical Services, Cheyenne, WY decline Terry Shistar, PhD, secretary, Lawrence, KS Caroline Cox, treasurer, Center for 13 Next Up: 2,4-D Environmental Health, Oakland, CA Weed and insect resistance caused by genetically engineered crop failure Chip Osborne, at-large, Osborne Organics, Marblehead, MA treadmill Nelson Carrasquillo, The Farmworkers Support Committee (CATA), Glassboro, NJ 18 Farm Bill 2014: Sustainability Not a Big Winner Paula Dinerstein, Public Employees for En- Big steps for big ag as organic achieves small advances vironmental Responsibility, Washington, DC Lorna Donaldson, Donaldson Family Farm, Tiptonville, TN Jay Feldman, Beyond Pesticides, 21 When Politics Trumps Science and Health Suffers Washington, DC Congress in Farm Bill plows under EPA science-based decision to remove Warren Porter, PhD, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI hazardous pesticide from food production Brett Ramey, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA Robina Suwol, California Safe Schools, Van Nuys, CA Andrea Kidd Taylor, DrPH, Morgan State University, Baltimore,