Pesticides exploits workers & the environment
In the produce section at the grocery store, shoppers put fruits and vegetables through a grueling sequence of tests before adding them to their baskets: they squeeze, smell and scrutinize. A woman studies half a dozen bunches of bananas before she settles on one that suits her. One man sifts through a pile of red potatoes looking for the ideal candidate for his dinner’s side dish. Customers leave produce with the slightest hint of a bruise untouched. Most shoppers gravitate toward the cheapest produce and away from the organic section that fills a fraction of the space the conventionally grown crops occupy. Despite what shoppers may or may not know about organic produce, they tend to pinch their pennies and breeze past the section.
The perpetual cycle of producing low-priced, spotless food requires farmers to use cheap labor and chemicals that are potentially damaging to the environment and farm workers, said Tim Terpstra, assistant farmer at Ralph’s Greenhouse organic farm in Mount Vernon. He said a lot of what farmers do to their crops is cosmetic, so consumers will buy their product. Terpstra said he believes this system exploits farmers, farm workers and consumers — profiting only the companies who produce the chemicals used in agriculture.
"The farmers aren’t benefiting, and the workers certainly aren’t," he said.
Each year, approximately 442,000 migrant and seasonal workers occupy farms in Washington state. An unknown percentage are illegal, or undocumented, workers.
Apples require the largest labor force in Washington. In 2005, approximately 184,000 farm laborers worked in the state apple industry.
In order to yield a profitable crop, apple growers apply chemicals throughout every stage of growth to ward off pests. According to the Environmental Protection Agency Web site, the EPA has a registery of more than 865 active ingredients as pesticides, which are then reformulated into thousands of products available to farmers. Food growers apply approximately 350 different pesticides to crops.
Azinphos-methyl is a chemical commonly found in pesticides applied to apples. According to the EPA, 33 percent of the total use of this chemical is applied to apples. Farmers apply it to kill insects such as codling moths, but pesticides can have inadvertent effects. The chemical enters the human body through inhalation, ingestion and contact with skin or eyes. Symptoms from exposure include dizziness, headache, nausea and labored breathing. Azinphos-methyl, a neurotoxin, inhibits the production of cholinesterase, an enzyme essential to the functioning of the central nervous system.
Dr. Gloria Coronado, an epidemiologist at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, studied the connection between certain farming tasks and pesticide residue in urine samples of workers and their children. Coronado and her colleagues tested urine samples from 24 agricultural communities and labor camps in Eastern Washington. Coronado said Azinphos-methyl was present in a large percentage of urine samples taken from the children of agricultural workers.
"Children have a unique exposure and susceptibility to pesticides," she said.
Coronado said parents unknowingly expose their families to chemicals through "take home pathways." Parents pick up their children at daycare or return home from a long day at work without first removing contaminated clothing. She said residues from the chemicals can cling to fabrics and carpet fibers, which is particularly dangerous for small children who spend a lot of time crawling and playing on the ground. Coronado said she and her colleagues found a direct correlation between pesticide exposure in parents and their children.
Farm workers often do not realize the danger of the chemicals they work with, said Aline Soundy, project coordinator at Community-to-Community Development.
"It’s not explained to them how serious it really is (to be exposed to chemicals)," she said.
Soundy said she has heard of instances where companies did not print instructions or warning labels in Spanish. She also said workers often choose not to wear gloves or protective clothing because they can be cumbersome and slow the pace of work.
Soundy said farm workers are reluctant to seek medical attention for their maladies, for fear of missing work or losing their jobs. Symptoms of pesticide exposure include coughs, skin rashes, burning sensation in the eyes and nausea. She said workers often feel powerless to do anything about their problems, especially if they are undocumented and are at risk of being deported. Soundy said she spoke with one farm worker who said he credited his symptoms to eating too many chili peppers. When she asked him if he really believed peppers were causing his health problems, he laughed nervously and replied, "No, of course not."
"Usually farm workers are very silent about it," Soundy said.
Azinphos-methyl can also wreak havoc on the environment. Farmers often use crop airplanes or ground sprayers to apply pesticides. According to the EPA, these application methods result in "spray drift," or the travel of chemicals to unintended sites. Azinphos-methyl has been responsible for killing aquatic organisms such as salmon when it travels from farms into rivers and lakes, according to the EPA. The chemical is also toxic to other unintended recipients including honeybees, birds, reptiles and small mammals.
John Belisle owns Bellewood Acres apple orchard in Lynden. He said his farm is the first in the Northwest to be certified "Salmon Safe," which means he only uses pesticides not known to be harmful to salmon. Belisle said he practices integrated pest management, a method that involves identifying and monitoring pest populations and understanding the balance between pests, crops and the environment. Belisle said he targets specific pests at certain times in their life cycles rather than indiscriminately spraying a cocktail of pesticides. He said he is also discerning about what types of chemicals he uses on his land.
"Everyday I look for something softer that I can use. Every day," he said.
Belisle said if he did not use any pesticides, he would run the risk of losing his crop and his livelihood.
Ralph’s Greenhouse, where Terpstra works, also uses safer methods of pest management to protect the environment and the people who work at the farm. Terpstra said crop rotation, hand weeding and composting are chemical free approaches used in organic farming. Another method for pest management that involves no chemicals is to plant a "trap crop," which insects flock to instead of profitable crops. Terpstra said even organic farms use pesticides as a last resort, but they use chemicals that are certified organic. He said he understands why conventional farmers rely on pesticides and other chemicals to ensure a successful season.
"You want to make a living farming? It’s hard enough as it is, try losing your crop," he said.
Terpstra said although buyers are beginning to put pressure on growers to use safer methods, consumers should also be less concerned with what their food looks like and more concerned with how it is grown. Soundy said encouraging farmers to use safer methods is one way consumers can help alleviate the problem. She said a resolution will only come when farmers, workers and consumers collaborate.
"I see a solution to that (problem) in working together," she said.