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Fri, 20 Oct 2006 16:19:45 -0400 |
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On Wed, 18 Oct 2006 11:13:17 -0400, Bill Truesdell
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>Organophosphates would be the key culprit on farms. They were a
staple
>pesticide for years until exactly this problem was discovered. They
are
>no longer allowed but are still around as exceptions.
Organophosphates are still very much used in apple and berry
production. California has implemented tighter controls and
nationwide there are attempts to make them illegal but they are very
much available and heavily used.
Most verisons are not even on the restricted useage list so any person
can purchase and use them.
Bill you mentioned organic apples and spraying, excpept in drier
climates like Washington, organic apples give about a 35% pack out
rate compared to 80% or higher in conventional apple growing.
As much as some "granolas" would like to claim and think otherwise
organic apple growing is hardly economically feasible in most of the
USA.
I grow apples and feel that the general public needs to understand
that in apple production there is a continuum with no spray on one end
and heavy over use on the other. IPM works and can put a grower on
the no spray side of the mid point of the continuum.
The choice of pesticide and useage rate can vary considerbaly . I have
found I can use 1/3 of the package application rate if timed well
through the use of insect traps and have good results.
I have had my apples tested by FDA lab and they could not detect any
level of the pesticide or fungicide that I used.
I reject the notion that farm chemicals are all bad and unsafe. I've
stated this before on this list I have 20 hives on the edge of my orchard
year around and have not had one single problem.
I had more trouble with aerial spraying of peas and alfalfa and my
bees passing through the drift. .
I find it interesting that many people have such strong opinions about
something they have only read about.
Even some of the materials ok for organic certification still can cause
a problem if the spray cloud is inhaled and if concentrated amounts
find their way into a well or body of water.
It realy is incumbent on the grower to be resopnsible and well
informed. I beleive that there is a massive lack of education in the
minds of the consumer and growers about chemical useage.
I'm a firm beleiver in better living through chemistry, since if we are
going to move towards safer ag chems it will come from the chemistry
lab not from the Cheech & Chong crowd who want everything "natural"
and appear sometimes to have no technical knowledge of how to
move away from chems other then "no spray".
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