Study Links Pesticide Exposure to Childhood Central Nervous System Tumors
07 April
Health + Wellness
A helicopter sprays pesticide on a crop field in California. Jeff Foott / Photodisc / Getty Images
A new study adds to the evidence that pesticides harm children's health.
<p>The study, published in <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0013935121003728#tbl1" target="_blank">Environmental Research</a> last week, found that children were more likely to develop central nervous system (CNS) tumors if their mothers had lived within 2.5 miles of land where pesticides were being sprayed when they were born.</p><p>"This study is the first, to our knowledge, to estimate effects for a large number of specific pesticides in relation to CNS tumor subtypes," Julia Heck, a study coauthor and the associate dean for research at the University of North Texas College of Health and Public Service said, as <a href="https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/study-cites-childhood-tumor-risk-for-pesticide-exposure-during-pregnancy/2565696/https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/study-cites-childhood-tumor-risk-for-pesticide-exposure-during-pregnancy/2565696/" target="_blank">NBC Los Angeles reported</a>.</p>
<p>The research looked at the California Cancer Registry to identify cases of certain <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/cancer" target="_self">cancers</a> in children under six years old, the study explained. They focused on mothers who lived in rural areas and gave birth between 1998 and 2011 to identify 667 cases of childhood central nervous system tumors and 123,158 controls. They then compared these cases to data from the California Department of Pesticide Regulation's (CDPR) Pesticide Use Reporting (PUR) system to identify whether <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/chemicals" target="_self">chemicals</a> classed as possible carcinogens by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had been sprayed within 2.5 miles of the mothers' homes at birth.</p><p>One important implication of the study is that the mothers did not have to be directly working in <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/agriculture" target="_self">agriculture</a> in order for their children to face dangerous exposure.</p>
<p>"California's agricultural work force numbers more than 800,000, according to <a href="https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fescholarship.org%2Fuc%2Fitem%2F3qt5n6t1&data=04%7C01%7CJulia.Heck%40unt.edu%7C32414441535d41f7a65308d8f555248e%7C70de199207c6480fa318a1afcba03983%7C0%7C1%7C637529093332138948%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C2000&sdata=I5wDhhneyBfHkqdcbywIIjYwK9qTwbOfasnrC4aVa7M%3D&reserved=0" target="_blank">state estimates</a>," Dr. Christina Lombardi, study co-author and epidemiologist with the Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, told <a href="https://beyondpesticides.org/dailynewsblog/2021/04/living-within-2-5-miles-of-chemical-farming-increases-risk-of-childhood-brain-tumors/" target="_blank">Beyond Pesticides</a>. "In addition to the negative health effects of pesticides on workers there are large numbers of pregnant women and young children living adjacent to treated fields who may experience detrimental health effects as well."</p><p>This risk is exacerbated by the fact that farmland and residential land is not always clearly delineated in the state.</p><p>"This transition from farmland to residential neighborhoods is abrupt across California, and, of course, constantly changing as farmland is developed," study co-author Myles Cockburn of the University of Southern California told Beyond Pesticides.</p>
<p>The researchers found that some of the chemicals they studied increased tumor risk as much as 2.5 times. Overall, exposure to the pesticides chlorthalonil, bromacil, thiophanate-methyl, triforine, kresoxim-methyl, propiconazole, dimethoate and linuron all increased tumor risk.</p><p>This is far from the first study to show that pesticide exposure is a danger to pregnant mothers and children. In fact, researchers have been studying the link between pesticides and childhood cancer since the 1970s, according to NBC Los Angeles.</p><p>The report authors called for government action to better protect mothers and children.</p><p>"Policy interventions to reduce pesticide exposure in individuals residing near agricultural fields should be considered to protect the health of children," coauthor and UCLA's Fielding School of Public Health epidemiology professor Beate Ritz told NBC Los Angeles.</p>
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Protester shows dead bees that died by pesticides during a protest prior to the shareholders meeting of German chemicals and pharmaceuticals conglomerate Bayer AG on April 26, 2019 in Bonn, Germany. Maja Hitij / Getty Images
By Andrea Germanos
Despite lower applied amounts of pesticides in U.S. agriculture, their toxicity to non-target species including honeybees more than doubled in a decade, according to a new study.
<p>The findings by a team of researchers from Germany's University Koblenz-Landau were published Friday in the journal <a href="https://science.sciencemag.org/content/372/6537/81" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Science</em></a>.</p><p>"We have taken a large body of pesticide use data from the U.S. and have expressed changes of amounts applied in agriculture over time as changes in total applied pesticide toxicity," <a href="https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-04/uok-iap032521.php" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">explained</a> lead author Ralf Schulz, professor for environmental sciences in Landau, in a statement.</p>
<p>"This provides a new view on the potential consequences that pesticide use in agriculture has on biodiversity and ecosystems," he said.</p><p>The researchers looked at changes in the use of 381 pesticides from 1992 to 2016 and analyzed toxicity impacts on eight non-target species groups, drawing data from the U.S. Geological Survey and Environmental Protection Agency. They used the EPA's threshold values to determine "total applied pesticide toxicity."</p><p>Lower amounts of pesticides have been applied, which brought decreased impacts on vertebrates, the scientists noted. But the same can't be said for non-target species including aquatic invertebrates like crustaceans and pollinators like bees, who faced a doubling in toxicity between 2005 and 2015 — a shift the authors put on increases in the use of pesticides called pyrethroids and neonicotinoids.</p><p>Also troubling is that an increase in herbicide toxicity has been on the rise as well, the scientists said, with the biggest impact seen on terrestrial plants. The study pointed to increased toxicity in the widely cultivated genetically modified crops in the U.S. of corn and soybean.</p><p>Schulz said the findings "challenge the claims of decreasing environmental impact of chemical pesticides in both conventional and GM crops and call for action to reduce the pesticide toxicity applied in agriculture worldwide."</p><p>The study was released amid continued concerns, both nationally and international, about wide-ranging adverse ecological impacts of neonicotinoids, or neonics, as they're sometimes called, especially amid a <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/06/09/save-insects-save-farmers-save-ourselves-new-global-report-calls-end-industrial" target="_blank">global decline</a> in insect numbers that <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/02/10/save-insects-save-ourselves-researchers-sound-alarm-bugpocalypse" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">threatens</a> humanity's future.</p><p>As Philip Donkersley, a senior research associate in entomology at Lancaster University, <a href="https://theconversation.com/a-common-soil-pesticide-cut-wild-bee-reproduction-by-89-heres-why-scientists-are-worried-155985" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">wrote</a> this month at <em>The Conversation</em>:</p><blockquote>Since their introduction in the late 1980s, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-012-0863-x" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">robust scientific evidence</a> has emerged to suggest these chemicals impair <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/srep16508" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">learning and memory</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.12689" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">foraging behavior</a>, and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-016-1669-z" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">pollination</a> in bees. The E.U. <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/food/plant/pesticides/approval_active_substances/approval_renewal/neonicotinoids_en" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">banned</a> neonicotinoids in 2019, and while the U.K. government <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/nov/09/the-evidence-points-in-one-direction-we-must-ban-neonicotinoids" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">pledged</a> to follow suit, it <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/neonicotinoid-product-as-seed-treatment-for-sugar-beet-emergency-authorisation-application/statement-on-the-decision-to-issue-with-strict-conditions-emergency-authorisation-to-use-a-product-containing-a-neonicotinoid-to-treat-sugar-beet" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">granted a special exemption</a> for sugar beet farmers to use the neonicotinoid thiamethoxam in January 2021. Thankfully, it <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/mar/03/bee-killing-pesticide-now-will-not-be-used-on-uk-sugar-beet-fields" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">wasn't used</a>.<br><br>Because honeybees don't spend much time on the ground, environmental risk assessments for neonicotinoids often <a href="https://academic.oup.com/ee/article/48/1/22/5216970" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">neglect</a> to consider how exposure to these chemicals in the soil affects all pollinators. But in a landmark study published in <em><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-83341-7" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Nature</a></em>, researchers have shown how neonicotinoids affect bees not just by accumulating in the plants pollinators visit, but in the ground where most wild bees build their nests.</blockquote><p>Evidence suggests neonics' impacts go well beyond bees, including possibly to <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/widely-used-insecticides-may-be-a-threat-to-mammals-too" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">mammals like deer </a>who inadvertently consume them.</p><p>As <em>Civil Eats</em> <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/04/02/%20https://civileats.com/2021/02/02/beyond-bees-neonics-damage-ecosystems-and-a-push-for-policy-change-is-coming/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">reported</a> last month, the concerns are prompting continued demands for U.S. regulators to take action to curb or ban use of neonics.</p><p>Daniel Raichel, a staff attorney at the Natural Resources Defense Council, told the outlet: "It's a bee issue for sure, but really, it's an ecosystem issue. It's an everything issue."</p><p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/04/02/despite-declining-us-pesticide-use-toxicity-bees-doubled-decade-study" target="_blank">Common Dreams</a>. </em></p>
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Delta-8 THC is a cannabis product that has become a bestseller over the past few months, as many consumers find they can legally purchase it from CBD retailers. Its proponents say that Delta-8 THC will give you a nice little buzz, minus some of the more intense feelings (including paranoia) that are sometimes associated with marijuana.
Delta-8 THC is being marketed as a legal option for consumers who either don't live in a state with legal cannabis, or are a little apprehensive about how traditional psychoactive THC products will affect them. But is it all it's cracked up to be? Let's take a closer look, exploring what Delta-8 THC is, how it differs from other THC products, and whether it's actually legal for use.
<h2>What is Delta-8 THC?</h2><p>To better understand <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/27/health/marijuana-hemp-delta-8-thc.html" target="_blank">Delta-8 THC</a>, it helps to cover some basics about THC and cannabis.</p><p>Cannabis plants come chock full of different <a href="https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/cannabis-marijuana-and-cannabinoids-what-you-need-to-know" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>cannabinoids</em></a>. These are naturally-occuring chemical compounds that bind with receptors throughout your body. They can offer a wide range of mental, emotional, and physical effects; indeed, the healing and therapeutic properties marijuana or <a data-linked-post="2648563694" href="https://www.ecowatch.com/strongest-cbd-oil-2648563694.html" target="_blank">CBD products</a> offer can be attributed to cannabinoids.</p><p>One of the most common cannabinoids is what's known as Delta-9 THC. Simply put, this is the part of marijuana that gets you "high." It's worth noting that Delta-9 THC remains illegal in many states, except for in the most minute doses, and is still illegal at the federal level. CBD products are made with trace amounts of THC, ensuring that consumers can enjoy positive health effects in a perfectly legal way, without the risk of getting high.</p><p>On a chemical level, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/27/health/marijuana-hemp-delta-8-thc.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Delta-8 THC</a> is not too different from Delta-9 THC; the distinction comes down to just a few molecules. But those molecules make a big practical impact: Delta-8 THC will give you a buzz, but the psychoactive effects are considerably milder than with Delta-9 THC.</p><p>More specifically, many cannabis enthusiasts report that Delta-8 THC helps them feel good but also leaves them relatively clear-headed; and, it doesn't produce the anxiety or jitteriness that often characterize a Delta-9 THC high.</p><p>Additionally, because of the way the law is written regarding Delta-9 THC, some CBD companies now sell Delta-8 THC products in places where traditional cannabis is still illegal.</p><h2>What's the Difference Between Delta-9 THC and Delta-8 THC?</h2><p>Here are the primary differences to note between Delta-9 and Delta-8 THC:</p><ul class="ee-ul"><li>Delta-9 THC is the primary psychoactive ingredient found in marijuana. In other words, it's the part that gets you high.</li><li>Though some states have found workarounds, Delta-9 THC is still illegal under federal law.</li><li>Delta-8 THC is also found in the cannabis plant, though it's not quite as powerful or as well-known. </li><li>Delta-8 THC is milder in its psychoactive effects. And, it's not <em>technically </em>illegal under current law.</li></ul><p>These are just a few of the key distinctions to keep in mind. Delta-8 THC is popular among consumers who want a smoother high, and don't want to violate federal law.</p><h2>Is Delta-8 THC Legal?</h2><p>We noted that Delta-8 THC is not <em>technically </em>illegal. Here, we need to get into some of the nuanced legal considerations that surround this substance.</p><p>First of all, there are plenty of cannabis companies that actively promote Delta-8 THC as a legal way to get high. Again, that's technically true, but is still a point of debate for some.</p><p>For one thing, it's not explicitly listed as an illegal substance. While federal laws, and some state laws, specifically ban Delta-9 THC, Delta-8 THC is never mentioned. More to the point, though, many proponents will cite the<a href="https://www.usda.gov/farmbill" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> 2018 Farm Bill</a>. This law legalized several industrial hemp products on a national level, including CBD.</p><p>The Farm Bill also includes some fairly nuanced positions regarding THC. In summary, the law says that hemp and cannabis-derived products are legal so long as they contain less than 0.3 percent Delta-9 THC.</p><p>With that said, some lawyers contend that Delta-8's heyday may soon come to an end. That's because the Farm Bill clears it only so long as it's derived directly from hemp; most of the Delta-8 THC products sold today aren't made from hemp, but rather from synthetically-altered CBD.</p><p>Some of these issues are a little fuzzy, and <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/delta-8-thc-legal-weed-explained-1113859/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">the legal future of Delta-8 THC</a> remains a little uncertain. For now, though, many experts would argue that it is legal to purchase.</p><h2>What Kinds of Delta-8 THC Products Are Available?</h2><p><em>Each product featured here has been independently selected by the writer. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.</em></p><p>If you're looking to try Delta-8 THC products, you'll certainly find plenty of different products. Dispensaries and legal cannabis stores currently have a trove of products that use this cannabinoid. Some examples include:</p><ul class="ee-ul"><li>Vape cartridges, tinctures, and capsules.</li><li>Beverages made with Delta-8 THC, including some seltzers.</li><li>Edibles, including Delta-8 THC gummy bears, chocolate bars, and more.</li></ul><p>The cannabis industry has really been running with Delta-8 THC, finding creative ways to bring it to market. And chances are, even more products will be springing up in the weeks and months to come. </p><p>It's very important to note that you should only purchase Delta-8 THC products from reputable brands and established cannabis retailers. We do not recommend purchasing any products that contain Delta-8 THC from gas stations or vape shops. If you are looking for a reputable place to explore these products, here are a few brands that we trust and recommend:</p>
<h2>What are the Pros and Cons of Delta-8 THC?</h2><p>As you consider whether Delta-8 THC is worth your time, it may be helpful to weigh the pros against the cons.</p><p><strong>Pros</strong></p><p>Let's start with some of the positives:</p><ul class="ee-ul"><li>Delta-8 THC does have psychoactive effects, but it's a milder effect than with traditional Delta-9 THC.</li><li>Delta-8 THC is currently legal and widely accessible in multiple states.</li><li>There are a wide number of products that use Delta-8 THC.</li></ul><p><strong>Cons</strong></p><p>Now, a few of the downsides.</p><ul class="ee-ul"><li>Delta-8 THC isn't quite as commonplace as other cannabis products, including CBD, and some of the options on the market are expensive.</li><li>While this substance is technically legal, there are plenty of uncertainties over its legal future. It's something you want to keep in mind.</li><li>As a relatively new product, Delta-8 THC products are not regulated by the FDA and there is not independent testing in place to verify that it is safe or pure.</li></ul><p>As with any cannabis product, Delta-8 THC has its pros and cons. As you seek the cannabis product that's best for you, it's largely a matter of personal preference.</p><p>Also note that smoking, vaping, or otherwise imbibing any kind of cannabis-related product can carry some medical risks and negative health consequences. If you have any specific concerns, we recommend consulting with your doctor before you try any Delta-8 THC product.</p><p><em><strong>Josh Hurst </strong></em><em>is a journalist, critic, and essayist. He lives in Knoxville, TN, with his wife and three sons. He covers natural health, nutrition, supplements, and clean energy. His writing has appeared in Health, Shape, and Remedy Review.</em></p>
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<p>The <a href="https://www.botanyfarms.com/product/delta-10-thc-vape-cartridge/?aff=14" target="_blank">Botany Farms Delta-10 THC Vape Cartridge</a> actually contains both Delta-10 and Delta-8 THC.This is designed to provide the desired effects of Delta-8 THC but without the drowsiness. They also offer a vape cartridge with a 1:1 concentration of <a href="https://www.botanyfarms.com/product/delta-10-delta-8-thc-vape-cartridge/?aff=14" target="_blank">Delta-8 THC</a> and Delta-10 THC. Note that while vape products can be used to aid in smoking cessation, we do not recommend vaping or smoking because of the negative health effects they can cause.</p>
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A farm worker sprays pesticides on lemon groves in Spain. Worledit / iStock / Getty Images Plus
About one third of the world's agricultural land is at high risk from pesticide pollution, a new study has found.
<p>The research, published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41561-021-00712-5" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Nature Geoscience</a> Monday, looked at the use and spread of 92 active pesticide ingredients in 168 countries. They considered an area at risk if the concentration of a <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/chemicals" target="_self">chemical</a> exceeded the limit at which it would have no effect, and at high risk if that concentration exceeded the limit by a factor of 1,000.</p>
<p>"Our study has revealed 64 percent of the world's arable land is at risk of pesticide pollution," University of Sydney Research Associate and the study's lead author, Dr Fiona Tang said in a <a href="https://www.sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/news/2021/03/30/two-thirds-of-farmland-at-risk-of-pesticide-pollution.html" target="_blank">University of Sydney press release</a>. "This is important because the wider scientific literature has found that pesticide pollution can have adverse impacts on human health and the environment."<br></p>
<p>Further, a total of 31 percent of land was at high risk, the study authors wrote.</p><p>Pesticides, herbicides and fungicides are widely used to boost productivity in <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/farming" target="_self">farming</a>, the press release noted. However, they have unintended consequences for human and environmental health. They can enter bodies of water through runoff or by entering the groundwater, contaminating <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/drinking-water" target="_self">drinking water</a>. Pesticides like <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/chlorpyrifos" target="_self">chlorpyrifos</a> have been shown to harm the cognitive development of children, while <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/organic-pesticides-health-foe-2617140140.html" target="_self">others</a> have been linked to <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/cancer" target="_self">cancer</a>. They also pose a threat to <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/wildlife" target="_self">wildlife</a> such as <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/pesticides-bees-genes-altered-2631023137.html" target="_self">bees</a> and <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/neonicotinoid-pesticides-birds-2518407784.html" target="_self">birds</a>.</p><p>These threats are why the research is important, Tang told AFP.</p><p>"It is significant because the potential pollution is widespread and some regions at risk also bear high <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/biodiversity" target="_self">biodiversity</a> and suffer from water scarcity," <a href="https://phys.org/news/2021-03-global-farmland-high-pesticide-pollution.html" target="_blank">she said in an AFP article published by Phys.org</a>.</p>
<p>Specifically, 34 percent of the high risk areas were in regions with high biodiversity while five percent were in water-scarce areas, the study found. Nineteen percent of the high risk areas were in low or middle income countries.</p><p>Regionally, Asia had the most high-risk land, with China, Japan, Malaysia and the Philippines especially impacted, the press release said. In Europe, almost 62 percent of agricultural land was at high risk, AFP reported. This was largely due to high concentrations in Russia, Ukraine and Spain.</p><p>The researchers looked at 59 herbicides, 21 insecticides and 19 fungicides and based their calculations on application rate data from the U.S. Geological Survey and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization. They then used a model to estimate how much of the pesticides would remain in the soil, atmosphere, groundwater and surface water.</p>
<p>The researchers pointed out that pesticide use is only expected to increase in the future because of the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/climate-change/" target="_self">climate crisis</a> and population growth.</p><p>"In a warmer climate, as the global population grows, the use of pesticides is expected to increase to combat the possible rise in pest invasions and to feed more people," coauthor and University of Sydney associate professor Federico Maggi said in the press release.</p><p>However, the researchers advised a different path.</p><p>"We urgently recommend that a global strategy is established to transition towards sustainable agriculture and sustainable living with low pesticide inputs and reduced food loss and food waste to achieve responsible production and consumption in an acceptable, profitable system," they wrote.</p>
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Bell peppers were added to the EWG's 20201 "Dirty Dozen" list. Michelet-密是力 (talk)
Are you worried about getting a serving of pesticides with your produce?
<p>The Environmental Working Group (EWG) <a href="https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">released</a> on Wednesday its annual "Dirty Dozen" and "Clean Fifteen" lists of the most and least pesticide-heavy conventional <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/fruits" target="_self">fruits</a> and <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/vegetables" target="_self">vegetables</a> in the U.S.</p><p>"It's a really great resource," Jane Houlihan, the national director of science and health for Healthy Babies Bright Futures, who was not involved with its compilation, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/17/health/dirty-dozen-foods-2021-wellness/index.html" target="_blank">told CNN</a>. "By nature pesticides are toxic, and doing what you can to reduce exposures is a really good idea to protect your family's health."</p>
<p>The EWG's annual lists are based on testing data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The USDA firsts washes, peels or scrubs the produce then tests it for pesticide residue. Almost 70 percent of the non-organic fresh produce sold in the U.S. contains pesticide residue, the EWG <a href="https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary.php" target="_blank">said in its report</a>.</p><p>But still, some <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/food/" target="_self">foods</a> are more contaminated than others. Strawberries and spinach topped the list as <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/dirty-dozen-pesticides-2019-2632340587.html" target="_self">repeat offenders</a>. However, there were some notable new additions, EWG toxicologist Thomas Galligan told <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/03/17/pesticides-these-fruits-and-vegetables-put-them-dirty-dozen-list/4707708001/" target="_blank">USA Today</a>.</p><ol><li>Collard and mustard greens joined kale in the No. 3 slot. These vegetables were most commonly contaminated with DCPA, which the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/epa">U.S. Environmental Protection Agency</a> (EPA) says is a possible carcinogen.</li><li>Bell and hot peppers were added to the list, in the No. 10 slot. The USDA found a total of 115 pesticides on different peppers.</li></ol>
<p>In addition, the EWG drew attention to the prevalence of a fungicide called Imazalil on nearly 90 percent of citrus samples tested by the EWG in 2020 and more than 95 percent of tangerines tested by the USDA in 2019. Imazalil can alter hormone levels and is classified by the EPA as a likely human carcinogen. The fruits tested positive for the fungicide despite being peeled, CNN noted.</p><p>"I have said repeatedly that that fruits and vegetables with rinds that you don't eat are less problematic," Dr. Leonardo Trasande, chief of environmental pediatrics at NYU Langone, who was not involved with the study, told CNN. "I'm quite frankly surprised and concerned that you can see fungicides penetrate to that level."</p>
<p>Pesticides are especially dangerous for children, and have been linked to childhood cancers, cognitive impairment and behavioral problems, as the American Academy of Pediatrics noted in 2012. One pesticide found on Dirty Dozen items apples, peppers, oranges, grapes and cherries is <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/chlorpyrifos" target="_self">chlorpyrifos</a>, CNN noted. This pesticide, which the Trump administration refused to ban, has been found to harm the development of children's brains. The Biden administration is now reviewing this decision.</p><p>While Trasande and Houlihan praised the list as a resource for health-conscious parents, industry groups criticized it for frightening shoppers away from healthy food.</p><p>"Scaring Americans away from eating foods that are a safe and vital part of our diet is a disservice to <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/public-health" target="_self">public health</a>," Chris Novak, the president and CEO of pesticide trade group CropLife America, said in a statement reported by CNN. "The benefits of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables outweigh any possible risks from exposure to pesticide residues."</p>
<p>The EWG agrees that getting enough fruits and vegetables is essential.</p><p>"The most important thing is that everyone should be eating lots of fruits and vegetables," Galligan told USA Today. "We do recommend you try to reduce your pesticide exposure. Choose organic whenever possible."</p><p>However, he acknowledged that not everyone could access or afford organic produce. That's where the Clean Fifteen comes in. Almost 70 percent of the samples tested from items on this list turned up no pesticide residues at all, the EWG said, while only eight percent of samples turned up two or more pesticides.</p>
<p>The full 2021 lists are given below.</p><p>The Dirty Dozen:</p><ol><li>Strawberries</li><li>Spinach</li><li>Kale, collard and mustard greens</li><li>Nectarines</li><li>Apples</li><li>Grapes</li><li>Cherries</li><li>Peaches</li><li>Pears</li><li>Bell and hot peppers</li><li>Celery</li><li>Tomatoes</li></ol><p>The Clean Fifteen:</p><ol></ol><ol><li>Avocados</li><li>Sweet corn</li><li>Pineapple</li><li>Onions</li><li>Papaya</li><li>Sweet peas (frozen)</li><li>Eggplant</li><li>Asparagus</li><li>Broccoli</li><li>Cabbage</li><li>Kiwi</li><li>Cauliflower</li><li>Mushrooms</li><li>Honeydew melon</li><li>Cantaloupes</li></ol>
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A 2017 study indicated that honeybees could be among the insects harmed by new RNAi pesticides. Claudio Cavalensi / Getty Images
By Kendra Klein
Biden's election has boosted hopes that scientific integrity will be restored in the federal government. To make good on that promise, the administration will need to take action to safeguard against the risks of an entirely new type of pesticide, one developed by genetic engineers rather than chemists.
<p>These pesticides will broadcast "gene silencing" agents across our farm fields — resulting in an open-air genetic engineering experiment. Among the concerns that scientists have raised are threats to bees and other beneficial insects essential to food production. Others have called out potential impacts on human health, including for some of our most essential frontline workers — farmworkers — and rural communities.</p><p>Farmers across the U.S. could soon fill their pesticide spray tanks with a substance known as interfering RNA (RNAi). (RNA is a molecule similar to DNA.) Insects that are exposed to it — either by eating crops sprayed with the substance or by landing on a crop and absorbing it through their bodies — would be genetically modified right there in the field. The pesticide would trigger a process inside the insects' cells to switch off or "silence" genes that are essential for survival — like those needed to make new, healthy cells — thus killing them.</p><p>At least one product has <a href="http://news.agropages.com/News/NewsDetail---36154.htm#:~:text=BioDirect%2C%20based%20on%20dsRNA%2C%20was,active%20ingredient%20in%20the%20industry." target="_blank">already been submitted</a> to the Environmental Protection Agency for approval. But unless Biden's administration takes action, companies will be able to commercialize these new RNAi pesticides without submitting meaningful health or environmental risk assessments.</p><p>The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's pesticide rules were written fifty years ago, long before regulators could imagine a class of pesticides that could genetically modify living organisms. Perhaps most concerning is that once gene-silencing agents are released into the environment, there's no clean-up process when things go awry. Evidence shows that RNAi-related genetic <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412019306038#:~:text=Use%20may%20cause%20unintended%20adverse%20effects%2C%20including%20release%20of%20viruses.&text=Its%20use%20should%20be%20regulated." target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">modifications could be passed on</a> for up to 80 generations in some cases.</p><p>What could go wrong? Quite a bit, according to scientific research summarized in a <a href="https://foe.org/resources/gene-silencing-pesticides-risks-and-concerns/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">report</a> from Friends of the Earth.</p>
<h2>RNAi and the "Insect Apocalypse"</h2><p>There is little reason to believe that this novel technology would be able to target only the "bad" insects and not the plethora of insects that are vital to farming, like pollinators. Bayer and other companies developing RNAi pesticides assert that they can target specific insects. But the genetic story of an ecosystem is one of interconnection — independent researchers warn that thousands of insect species have genetic sequences that are matching or similar enough that they could be unintentionally modified in a way that results in their death.</p><p>A 2017 study indicating that <a href="https://peerj.com/articles/4131/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">honeybees could be harmed</a> by RNAi pesticides raises a red flag since we rely on pollinators for one in three bites of food we eat. Insects form the basis of the food webs that sustain all life on the planet. We are already in the midst of what scientists call an "insect apocalypse" — forty percent of insect species face extinction in coming decades. This is a loss so severe that it could cause a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/feb/10/plummeting-insect-numbers-threaten-collapse-of-nature" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">"catastrophic collapse of nature's ecosystems"</a> according to leading researchers.</p>
<h2>Health Concerns</h2><p>It's not just insects that may be harmed. While there are gaping holes in the research about potential human health impacts, what we do know raises concerns. Research indicates that naturally occurring RNAi that we consume in our food <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/cr2011158?source=post_page---------------------------" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">could regulate genes</a> in our bodies. This suggests that synthetic RNAi could affect our gene expression, causing unforeseen problems. And <a href="https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/82843545.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">medical research</a> investigating therapeutic uses of RNAi has been hampered because some participants in clinical trials have experienced adverse immune reactions in their bodies.</p><h2> Entrenching a Failed Paradigm</h2><p>The pesticide industry is pitching RNAi pesticides as a solution to a problem the industry itself created: weed and pest resistance. As Rachel Carson warned in <em>Silent Spring</em>, her groundbreaking book about pesticides in the 1960s, our "relentless war" on insect life will inevitably fail because nature "fights back." Indeed, over 540 species of insects and over 360 types of weeds have <a href="https://cropwatch.unl.edu/weed-and-insect-resistance-growing-problem" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">evolved to resist the deadly effects</a> of commonly used pesticides. Despite drastic and costly increases in pesticide use, some analyses show that farmers are <a href="http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/library/10/1/l_101_02.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">losing more of their crops to pests today</a> than they did in the 1940s.</p><p>It is foolish to continue down this same path and expect a different outcome. Research already shows the <a href="https://d-nb.info/1163793787/34" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">potential for pests to develop resistance</a> to RNAi pesticides.</p><p>But pesticide giants like Bayer and Syngenta need new products to sell. A significant portion of their <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/feb/20/firms-making-billions-from-highly-hazardous-pesticides-analysis-finds" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">income is tied</a> to pesticides that pose <a href="https://foe.org/neonicotinoids-glyphosate/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">serious hazards </a>to health and the environment. And as the scientific evidence mounts, the industry is facing increasing regulatory, legal, and market pressures.</p><p>Not only could RNAi pesticides provide a lucrative new suite of products, companies appear to be using them to extend their ownership over nature in an unprecedented way. Manufacturers are filing patents that claim property rights to the organisms exposed to RNAi pesticides as well as to their progeny.</p>
<h2>Farming With Nature — a True Solution</h2><p>The science <a href="https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=21306#:~:text=OHCHR%20%7C%20Pesticides%20are%20%E2%80%9Cglobal%20human,UN%20experts%20urging%20new%20treaty&text=GENEVA%20(7%20March%202017)%20%E2%80%93,move%20towards%20sustainable%20agricultural%20practices." target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">shows</a> clearly that pesticide-intensive agriculture is a disastrous dead end. Decades of data point to the same conclusion: we must rapidly shift to<a href="http://www.fao.org/3/ca5602en/ca5602en.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> ecological farming</a> methods in order to continue to produce food for generations to come.</p><p>Ecological farming offers a true solution to pest management with additional benefits. Practices like cover cropping, composting, and rotating crops build healthy soils that strengthen plants' defenses against pests and fungi while disrupting pest cycles and fostering biodiversity. These same methods, which underpin the success of organic farming, are also the lynchpins of regenerative agriculture, the idea that farmland can serve as a carbon sink.</p><h2>Follow the Science</h2><p>Biden has already signaled that he is likely to shy away from making the bold changes we need by <a href="https://www.motherjones.com/food/2020/12/biden-vilsack-usda-agriculture-shirley-sherrod/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">appointing Tom Vilsack</a> as head of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).</p><p>But as he rebuilds the scientific backbone of the federal government, advocates hope that he will take steps to update our decades-old pesticide regulations, such as those outlined in this <a href="https://www.tomudall.senate.gov/news/press-releases/udall-neguse-introduce-landmark-pesticide-reform-to-protect-children-farmworkers-and-consumers-from-toxic-pesticides" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">recently introduced bill</a>. In addition, specific criteria need to be added to ensure a science-based approach to regulating RNAi pesticides. Risk assessments of this novel technology should include genome analyses of beneficial organisms in the regions where they will be sprayed to see if bees and other critical species could be harmed, assessments of the hereditary impacts across generations of organisms, evaluations of how long the pesticides will remain active in ecosystems, and rigorous toxicity analysis to understand potential impacts on human health.</p><p>If Biden's EPA does not take these measures, we will soon embark on an open-air genetic experiment, the consequences of which may be felt for generations to come.</p>
<p class=""><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://foodtank.com/news/2021/03/new-pesticides-will-modify-insect-genes-what-could-go-wrong/" target="_blank">Food Tank.</a></em></p>
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Producing avocado and almond crops is having a detrimental effect on bees. Molly Aaker / Getty Images
At first glance, you wouldn't think avocados and almonds could harm bees; but a closer look at how these popular crops are produced reveals their potentially detrimental effect on pollinators.
<p>Turns out, bee labor is required to produce most avocados and almonds in the U.S. <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/honeybees" target="_self">Honeybees</a> pollinate most fruits and vegetables in the country, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/voraciously/wp/2018/10/17/sorry-vegans-if-you-dont-eat-honey-avocados-might-be-off-limits-too/" target="_blank">The Washington Post</a> reported. With native bee populations in sharp decline, there aren't enough of them to complete the job naturally or efficiently, The Post added.</p><p>Enter migratory beekeeping. Farmers truck beehives full of European honeybees across the country and into their fields so that the insects can pollinate crops during important fertile periods, The Post reported. Without this practice, farmers would lose about one-third of their crops, including broccoli, blueberries, cherries, apples, melons and lettuce, according to The Post.</p><p>The practice is so widespread that Tracy Reiman, a representative for <a href="https://www.peta.org/" target="_blank">PETA</a>, said, "Average shoppers can't avoid produce that involves migratory beekeeping, any more than they can avoid driving on asphalt," <a href="https://www.veganlifemag.com/vegan-myths-avocados-arent-vegan/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Vegan Life</a> reported.</p><p>In 2013, <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/migratory-beekeeping-mind-boggling-math/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Scientific American</a> estimated that California's booming almond industry used 31 to 80 billion migrant honeybees a year in order to achieve maximum pollination during almond trees' two-week bloom. California produces up to 80 percent of all the world's almonds, Scientific American noted, and could not achieve such scale without migratory beekeeping.</p>
<img
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Migratory beekeeping involves trucking millions of bees across the U.S. to pollinate different crops, including avocados and almonds. Timothy Paule II / Pexels / CC0
<p>According to <a href="https://www.fromthegrapevine.com/israeli-kitchen/beekeeping-how-to-keep-bees" target="_blank">From the Grapevine</a>, American avocados also fully depend on bees' pollination to produce fruit, so farmers have turned to migratory beekeeping as well to fill the void left by wild populations.</p><p>U.S. farmers have become reliant upon the practice, but migratory beekeeping has been called exploitative and harmful to bees. <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/10/health/avocado-almond-vegan-partner/index.html" target="_blank">CNN</a> reported that commercial beekeeping may injure or kill bees and that transporting them to pollinate crops appears to negatively affect their health and lifespan. Because the honeybees are forced to gather pollen and nectar from a single, monoculture crop — the one they've been brought in to pollinate — they are deprived of their normal diet, which is more diverse and nourishing as it's comprised of a variety of pollens and nectars, Scientific American reported.</p><p>Scientific American added how getting shuttled from crop to crop and field to field across the country boomerangs the bees between feast and famine, especially once the blooms they were brought in to fertilize end.</p><p>Plus, the artificial mass influx of bees guarantees spreading viruses, mites and fungi between the insects as they collide in midair and crawl over each other in their hives, Scientific American reported. According to CNN, some researchers argue that this explains why so many bees die each winter, and even why entire hives suddenly die off in a phenomenon called colony collapse disorder.</p><p>Adding pesticides to the picture, bees don't stand a chance. Many countries still use <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/neonicotinoids" target="_self">neonicotinoid</a> pesticides (neonics), which are believed to kill bees. In Jan. 2021, the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/bees-pesticide-uk-2649874911.html" target="_self">U.K. faced backlash after approving the emergency use</a> of the toxin on sugar beets, despite pledging not to increase its usage in the wake of Brexit. Although restricted, this family of pesticides is still the most widely used in the U.S., and <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/neonic-pesticides-food-supply-2650056933.html">scientists warn that neonics' continued prevalence</a> could be catastrophic for food supplies, honeybee populations and mass die-offs of native species. Neonics are a primary cause behind the massive honeybee and native bee losses each year, researchers and environmentalists argue.</p><p>In Columbia, mass bee deaths are being blamed directly on avocado farms, <a href="https://phys.org/news/2021-02-colombia-apiarists-avocado-bees.html#:~:text=It%20is%20used%20to%20control,from%20nearby%20passion%20fruit%20orchards." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Phys.org</a> reported. Avocado exports from Columbia skyrocketed from 1.7 tons in 2014 to 44.5 tons in 2019, and in 2021, Colombia became Europe's largest avocado supplier, Phys.org added. This boom has resulted in the increased use of neonic insecticide fipronil. <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/europe-france-bees-pesticides-2648176911.html" target="_self">Banned in Europe</a> and restricted in the U.S. and China, fipronil is still used in Colombia to grow avocados and citrus for export. This has been bad for neighboring bees, which become contaminated as they buzz through pesticide-treated plantations looking for food.</p><p>"They bring this poison to the hive and kill everyone else," Abdon Salazar, a Columbian beekeeper, lamented to Phys.org after losing 800 hives and 80 million bees in the last two years.</p>
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Avocado and almond crops depend on bees for proper pollination. FRANK MERIÑO / Pexels / CC0
<p>Salazar and other Columbian beekeepers described "scooping up piles of dead bees" year after year since the avocado and citrus booms began, according to Phys.org. Many have opted to salvage what partial colonies survive and move away from agricultural areas.</p><p>The future of pollinators and the crops they help create is uncertain. According to the United Nations, nearly half of insect pollinators, particularly bees and butterflies, risk global extinction, Phys.org reported. Their decline already has cascading consequences for the economy and beyond. Roughly 1.4 billion jobs and three-quarters of all crops around the world depend on bees and other pollinators for free fertilization services worth billions of dollars, Phys.org noted. Losing wild and native bees could <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/wild-bees-crop-shortage-2646849232.html" target="_self">trigger food security issues</a>.</p><p>Salazar, the beekeeper, warned Phys.org, "The bee is a bioindicator. If bees are dying, what other insects beneficial to the environment... are dying?"</p>
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woman holding water sprayer
Photo by Trung Thanh on Unsplash
Dealing with pest infestations in your home can be stressful. While there are plenty of exterminators that can use toxic chemicals to rid you of your problem, sometimes you want a less harmful solution. Luckily, there are some DIY, eco-friendly methods and natural products that can effectively keep pests out of your home. Below, we're discussing some easy-to-use, natural pest control options for the most common household pests.
Bed Bugs
<p>Bed bugs are among the most prevalent pests to infest homes, and they're among the most stressful for homeowners to manage.</p><p>Luckily, there's a simple DIY solution you can use to kill bed bugs in their tracks. Sprinkle baking soda around the areas you believe to be infected, including around the base of your beds and couches, especially near the legs.</p><p>When bed bugs inevitably try to traverse the powder, the baking soda will naturally dry them out and can kill them before they get to you to feed. Let the powder sit for about a week before vacuuming it up and disposing of the dead bed bugs.</p><p>Pro tip: baking soda is effective against cockroaches as well!</p>Termites
<p>Termites feed on wood and often burrow into the framing of your home to feed, gradually causing damage and potentially compromising the structural stability of your house.</p><p>Many pest control companies use bait stations with potentially harmful chemicals to kill termites, but you can often get a successful treatment using vinegar and lemon juice. The acidity will either deter termites or kill those that are exposed to it.</p><p>Simply mix a cup of white vinegar with the juice from four lemons, and place the mixture in a spray bottle. Apply the solution to areas where you see termite damage or believe the insects may enter your home. Reapply regularly to ensure thorough treatment.</p>Rodents
<p>Whether you live in a rural setting, or an urban sprawl like New York City, mice, rats, and other rodents have an uncanny ability to find a way into your home. However, many of us still feel bad about using poison or rodent traps to kill or capture them. Thankfully, there's a much simpler method for keeping rodents out that won't cause them any harm.</p><p>Mice and rats naturally stay away from certain scents, and peppermint is one of the odors they detest the most. Soak some cotton balls in peppermint oil and place them around your home where you believe the rodents are entering. The smell can help keep them at bay and may make them decide to relocate entirely.</p><p>If you have a major infestation you can't solve on your own, don't hesitate to look for <a href="https://www.peststrategies.com/exterminators/new-york/new-york-city/" target="_blank">eco-friendly pest control companies in cities like New York</a> that use non-toxic solutions and integrated pest management. Their treatments often have better results than homemade repellants while remaining safe for the environment.</p>Ants
<p>It's never pleasant to find ants in your home, and keeping them outside where they belong is often straightforward, even without harmful insecticides.</p><p>Ants leave scent trails to help others locate food sources. Aside from eliminating potential attractions in your home like garbage, crumbs, or unsealed food, destroying the scent trail is an excellent way to ruin their chance of finding a meal in your house.</p><p>The acidity and pungent odor of lemon juice can wipe out a scent trail. Spraying some around areas where you notice ants entering your home can help deter them altogether.</p>Mosquitoes
<p>Mosquitoes are just about the only thing that can ruin a beautiful, sunny day in your yard. Most pest management companies can spray pesticides to keep them at bay, but these can be harmful to you, your family, and other beneficial insects on your property.</p><p>Luckily, there's an eco-friendly solution that can keep mosquitoes away for weeks on end. Mix about two cups of mint-flavored mouthwash, three cups of Epsom salt, and three cans of stale, non-alcoholic beer (yes, really!). Spray the solution around your yard, avoiding only flowers.</p><p>The zero-toxicity repellent can deter mosquitoes entirely, leaving you to enjoy the outdoors in peace.</p>
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Emails Reveal: U.S. Officials Sided With Agrochemical Giant Bayer to Overturn Mexico's Glyphosate Ban
17 February
Politics
Protesters in Mexico City on May 19, 2018 call for Monsanto to get out of Mexican agriculture. Jesus Alvarado / dpa via Getty Images
By Kenny Stancil
While Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has given farmers in the country a 2024 deadline to stop using glyphosate, The Guardian reported Tuesday that agrochemical company Bayer, industry lobbyist CropLife America, and U.S. officials have been pressuring Mexico's government to drop its proposed ban on the carcinogenic pesticide.
<p>The corporate and U.S.-backed attempt to coerce Mexico into maintaining its glyphosate imports past 2024 has unfolded, as journalist Carey Gillam detailed in the newspaper, "over the last 18 months, a period in which Bayer was negotiating an $11 billion settlement of legal claims brought by people in the U.S. who say they developed non-Hodgkin lymphoma due to exposure" to glyphosate-based products, such as Roundup.</p><p>Roundup, one of the world's mostly widely-used herbicides, was created by Monsanto which was acquired by Bayer in 2018.</p>
<p>According to The Guardian, which obtained internal documents via a Freedom of Information Act request by the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD), "The pressure on Mexico is <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-thailand-usa-trade-exclusive/exclusive-in-the-weeds-how-bayer-u-s-government-teamed-up-against-thailands-glyphosate-ban-idUSKBN268076" target="_blank">similar to actions</a> Bayer and chemical industry lobbyists took to kill a glyphosate ban planned by Thailand in 2019. Thailand officials had also cited concerns for public health in seeking to ban the weed killer, but reversed course after U.S. threats about trade disruption."</p><p>In addition to instructing Mexico's farmers to stop using glyphosate by 2024, the López Obrador administration on Dec. 31, 2020 issued a "<a href="https://www.dof.gob.mx/nota_detalle.php?codigo=5609365&fecha=31/12/2020" target="_blank">final decree</a>" calling for "a <a href="https://www.producer.com/markets/mexicos-gm-corn-ban-would-hit-u-s-hard/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">phase-out </a>of the planting and consumption of genetically engineered corn, which farmers often spray with glyphosate, a practice that often leaves residues of the pesticide in finished food products," the news outlet noted.</p><p>The Mexican government has <a href="https://www.dof.gob.mx/nota_detalle.php?codigo=5609365&fecha=31/12/2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">characterized </a>the restrictions as an effort to improve the nation's "food security and sovereignty" and to protect its wealth of biological as well as cultural diversity and farming communities.</p><p>Mexico's promotion of human and environmental health, however, "has triggered fear in the United States for the health of agricultural exports, especially Bayer's glyphosate products," Gillam wrote.</p>
<div id="342bb" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="e823fdf14f21c21a65641857c253e891"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1361671434934837257" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">But Mexico’s concern for the health of its citizens has triggered fear in the United States for the health of agric… https://t.co/d81tuhqYcl</div> — carey gillam (@carey gillam)<a href="https://twitter.com/careygillam/statuses/1361671434934837257">1613482743.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>Based on its analysis of government emails from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) and other U.S. agencies from 2019 and 2020, The Guardian explained how the U.S., frustrated by the positions that Mexico has taken, is trying to use the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) — the Trump-led free trade deal that Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/01/29/condemning-nafta-20-giveaway-fossil-fuel-industry-sanders-vows-immediately" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">dubbed </a>NAFTA 2.0 — to force Mexico to abandon its plans to ban glyphosate and phase out <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/gmo-genetically-modified-organism/">GMO</a> corn.</p><p>According to The Guardian, Mexico each year imports roughly $3 billion in corn from the U.S., where 90% of corn production relies on GMO seeds.</p><p>As the newspaper reported:</p><blockquote>One email makes a reference to staff within López Obrador's administration as "<a href="https://usrtk.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/January-2020-USTR-email-regarding-glyphosate-and-meeting-with-Mexicos-de-la-Mora.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">vocal anti-biotechnology activists,</a>" and another email states that Mexico's health agency (COFEPRIS) is "<a href="https://usrtk.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/January-2020-USTR-email-saying-Mexico-health-agency-is-big-time-problem.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">becoming a big time problem</a>."<br>Internal USTR communications lay out how the agrochemical industry is "pushing" for the US to "<a href="https://usrtk.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/February-2020-USTR-email-about-meeting-with-industry-and-push-to-fold-issue-into-USMCA-certification.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">fold this issue</a>" into the<a href="https://ustr.gov/trade-agreements/free-trade-agreements/united-states-mexico-canada-agreement" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA)</a> trade deal that went into effect 1 July. The records then show the USTR does exactly that, telling Mexico its actions on glyphosate and genetically engineered crops raise concerns "regarding compliance" with USMCA.<br>Citing discussions with CropLife, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) joined in the effort, discussing in <a href="https://usrtk.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/August-2020-EPA-email-with-USTR-re-using-USMCA.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">an inter-agency email</a> "how we could use USMCA to work through these issues."</blockquote>
<p>Nathan Donley, a biologist at CBD, told The Guardian that "we're seeing more and more how the pesticide industry uses the U.S. government to aggressively push its agenda on the international stage and quash any attempt by people in other countries to take control of their food supply."</p><p>Corporate executives in the agrochemical industry reportedly became alarmed about the López Obrador administration's position on pesticides in late 2019 when Mexican officials explained their decision to refuse imports of glyphosate from China by referring to the "precautionary principle."</p><p>Detailing a series of emails between U.S. government officials and industry executives, Gillam described how the latter told the former "that they feared restricting glyphosate would lead to limits on other pesticides and could set a precedent for other countries to do the same."</p>
<p>The emails also indicated worries that "Mexico may also reduce the levels of pesticide residues allowed in food," a development that industry executives warned would undermine U.S. exports of corn and soybeans to Mexico.</p><p>As Gillam wrote, CropLife president Chris Novak told U.S. officials that "'if Mexico extends the precautionary principle' to pesticide residue levels in food, '$20 billion in U.S. annual agricultural exports to Mexico will be jeopardized.'"</p><p>According to The Guardian, "It is unclear if the efforts to push Mexico to change its policy position are still underway within the new Biden administration."</p><p>The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP), a progressive think tank working to build fair and sustainable food, farm, and trade systems,<a href="https://twitter.com/IATP/status/1361715440301584385" target="_blank"> tweeted</a> Tuesday that the USTR has a choice.</p><p>"Will they continue the pattern of doing the bidding of global biotech/seed firms like Monsanto?" asked IATP. "Or, will the USTR respect other countries' rights to protect the environment and indigenous crops? Will they recalibrate U.S. trade policy to be more transparent?"</p><p>IATP, for its part, has <a href="https://www.iatp.org/documents/ustr-nominee-katherine-tai-must-recalibrate-us-trade-policy" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">recommended</a> that Katherine Tai, President Joe Biden's pick to lead the USTR office, "break with the corporate free trade model" supported by previous administrations from both major parties.</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/02/16/emails-reveal-us-officials-joined-agrochemical-giant-bayer-stop-mexicos-glyphosate" target="_blank">Common Dreams</a>.</em></p>From Your Site Articles
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The headquarters of the United States Environmental Protection Agency in Washington, DC on July 17, 2013. Matt McClain / The Washington Post via Getty Images
For the third time in three years, the U.S. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has ordered Amazon to stop selling illegal pesticides.
<p>The EPA's Seattle office <a href="https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-orders-amazon-halt-illegal-pesticides-sales" target="_blank">announced Tuesday</a> that it had presented the online retailer with a "stop sale" order targeting products that were unregistered and potentially dangerous or ineffective. Some of them made false or misleading claims that they offered protection against viruses.</p><p>"Unregistered pesticides in the e-commerce marketplace pose a significant and immediate health risk to consumers, children, pets, and others exposed to the products," Ed Kowalski, director of the Enforcement Compliance Assurance Division in EPA's Region 10 office in Seattle, said in the announcement.</p>
<p>The EPA sent the latest order to Amazon on Jan. 7, <a href="https://www.seattletimes.com/business/amazon/epa-again-orders-amazon-to-stop-selling-illegal-pesticides/" target="_blank">The Seattle Times reported</a>. The order added 70 products to a <a href="https://www.epa.gov/enforcement/stop-sale-use-or-removal-orders-issued-amazoncom-services-llc" target="_blank">June 2020 stop sale order</a> that targeted more than 30 products. The new products include items marketed to clean homes and pools, bracelets claiming to repel mosquitoes and several products promising to kill viruses, The Seattle Times reported.</p><p>"We have no idea what those products are made of," Chad Schulze, the EPA's pesticide enforcement lead in Seattle, told The Seattle Times. "And when you have people purchasing a product that says it will kill or control viruses in their personal space but it does not, that's a huge risk as well."</p>
<p>Since the stop sale order was issued in January, Amazon has removed the products from its website, a spokesperson for the company told The Seattle Times. However, the online sale of unregistered pesticides is an ongoing problem.</p><p>All pesticides sold in the U.S. are supposed to be registered with the EPA under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), the agency explained in its June stop sale order. The registration process allows the EPA to ensure all pesticides for sale are safe and do what they say they will do.</p>
<p>Between 2013 and 2018, the EPA claimed that Amazon violated FIFRA almost 4,000 times, The Seattle Times reported. Amazon reached a settlement with the agency over these violations and said it would take steps to reduce the number of illegal pesticides sold on its platforms. Since then, the problem has decreased, but it has not disappeared.</p><p>"Is [Amazon] perfect? Is it stopping everything we need them to stop?" Schulze asked in The Seattle Times. "No."</p><p>For example, one of the products targeted by the June order was labeled "Amazon's Choice," signaling the company's endorsement.</p>
<p>While Schulze said other e-commerce sites were worse, Amazon is the largest in the U.S. It has almost 300 million customers and offers more than 350 million products, according to the EPA.<br></p><p>Any pesticide or disinfectant that meets FIFRA requirements will have an EPA registration and establishment number, the agency said.</p><p>"The agency advises consumers who have purchased an unregistered pesticide product or a misbranded pesticidal device to safely dispose of it in accordance with local, state, and federal laws," the EPA advised. "This is especially important for consumers seeking to protect against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19."</p><p>Anyone looking for safe and effective protection against the new virus can look at the EPA's list of products <a href="https://cfpub.epa.gov/giwiz/disinfectants/index.cfm" target="_blank">here</a>.</p>
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Despite the COVID-19 pandemic and California businesses shutdown, the state's farmers continue to harvest, in this case, cilantro, as viewed along Santa Rosa Road in Santa Barbara County on June 13, 2020, near Lompoc, California. George Rose / Getty Images
By Iris Figueroa and Amy K. Liebman
COVID-19 is having disproportionate impacts on our nation's two million farmworkers, who as essential workers continue to toil in the fields despite numerous deadly outbreaks and no federal COVID-related workplace protections.
<p>COVID-19 has pulled back the veil on the strikingly poor workplace conditions of these essential workers, built by decades of insufficient farmworker health and safety policy, poor immigration policy, and limited health care access. As a consequence, <a href="https://thefern.org/2020/04/mapping-covid-19-in-meat-and-food-processing-plants/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">at least 86,900 food workers</a> have tested positive for COVID-19 – but with uneven data collection, exacerbated by businesses' lack of transparency over workplace outbreaks and workers' avoidance of testing due to fear of losing income, the figures we have are likely an underestimate.</p><p><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7556498/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">A new analysis</a> does note that each additional percentage point of farmworkers per overall population in a county was associated with 5.79 more deaths from COVID-19 – but did not contribute to more deaths per 100,000 residents. The researchers concluded, "farmworkers may face unique risks of COVID-19 beyond issues of language, insurance, or economics."</p><p>The Biden Administration must issue a federal standard to protect workers from COVID-19 that includes farmworkers. But beyond COVID-specific actions for farmworkers, the Biden Administration also needs to urgently address the underlying health and workplace conditions that pre-dated COVID.</p>
A Dangerous Regulatory Rollback
<p>One key way the Biden Administration can start to correct the course is by enforcing and safeguarding the Worker Protection Standard (WPS), the main federal regulation that protects workers from pesticide exposure. Pesticide exposure weakens the respiratory, immune, and nervous systems — exacerbating farmworkers' COVID-19 risks.</p><p>Unfortunately, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Trump Administration made various efforts to weaken or eliminate key provisions of the WPS, which had been revised and improved at the end of the Obama Administration. The WPS is an outlier in occupational health standards – because pesticides, although they are a workplace hazard, are regulated by the EPA, instead of by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which covers occupational health in every other industry. This is just one example of how farmworkers are exempted from basic protections afforded to other workers.</p><p><span></span>Many of the Trump Administration's efforts to weaken the WPS were thwarted by advocacy and litigation by environmental and farmworker groups. However, one of the Trump Administration's proposed rollbacks of the WPS remains: the gutting of the Application Exclusion Zone (AEZ), which required pesticide handlers to stop applying pesticides if someone is near the area being sprayed. If the final Trump AEZ rule goes into effect, farmworkers in neighboring fields, children in school playgrounds or in their backyards, and rural residents going about their day may be in close proximity to where pesticides are being sprayed, as long as they're not on the same property, without any requirement that the applicator suspend spraying. <a href="https://www.usgs.gov/centers/oki-water/science/pesticides?qt-science_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects" target="_blank">More than 1 billion pounds</a> of pesticides, designed to kill insects, weeds, and other pests, are applied to U.S. agricultural fields every year. In addition to acute poisonings, pesticides are also associated with <a href="https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-worker-safety/pesticide-poisoning-handbook-section-v-chronic-effects" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">long-term health harms</a> including various cancers, developmental and reproductive harm, and neurological damage, for both farmworkers and community members who are chronically exposed to pesticides.</p><p>In December 2020, Farmworker Justice and Earthjustice, acting on behalf of a coalition of groups including Migrant Clinicians Network, <a href="https://earthjustice.org/news/press/2020/groups-challenge-epas-move-to-gut-pesticide-spraying-safeguards?fbclid=IwAR3Od3YPk0BSdwxys27EQkc8PKOufVywlPX8g0i852iJ-PSBkqYPW4ZbB4g" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">sued the EPA to stop these changes</a>. An injunction is currently in place preventing the changes from being implemented as the case proceeds – but the Biden Administration has a responsibility to protect these workers, rather than rely on courts. And the issue of pesticide drift on nearby properties is just one of the many challenges that farmworkers face when it comes to pesticide exposure.</p>An Opportunity to Right Wrongs
<img class="rm-lazyloadable-image rm-shortcode" lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTYyOTExMS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1NjM2ODAzM30.szhrn2C7P9UtiBUNzlPOl4OPhcQdCAak_QA2ThsW0mQ/img.png?width=980" id="17a13" width="1250" height="732" data-rm-shortcode-id="d08e5f8471f1529c10c7931968d49c33" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />Pesticide spray in Utah. Pesticide exposure is associated with various cancers, developmental and reproductive harm, and neurological damage. Aqua Mechanical / Flickr
<p>These hard-working farmworkers, upon whom we all depend for the food we eat, deserve immediate and effective protections. The new Administration has a unique opportunity to take advantage of renewed public understanding of the exploitation of farmworkers, to provide long-overdue workplace protections to keep essential workers safe, and to transform our food systems to ensure healthy workplaces, neighborhoods, and the environment, by:</p><ul><li>Rejecting the Trump Administration's attempt to weaken the Application Exclusion Zone requirements;</li><li>Increasing the monitoring and enforcement of the WPS, including, but not limited to, provisions such as the minimum age of 18 for applying pesticides, adequate training for workers in a language that they understand, and worker access to information about pesticides being applied;</li><li>Requiring drift protections on pesticide labels for drift-prone pesticides, to better protect workers, bystanders, and communities;</li><li>Requiring that all pesticide label instructions be written in Spanish and/or other languages spoken by workers so they have the information they need to protect themselves and their families;</li><li>Banning highly toxic pesticides such as chlorpyrifos;</li><li>Using accurate scientific methods for determining pesticide risk, including taking into account farmworkers' potential long-term exposure, when making determinations about pesticide safety and the registration of pesticide products;</li><li>Including farmworkers and farmworker-serving organizations as key stakeholders at EPA, with a focus on environmental justice.</li></ul><p>These are just some of the essential steps the new administration can take to protect farmworkers from the extreme hazards of their workplaces. Much more needs to be done about the myriad factors that negatively impact farmworker health, like poverty, immigration status, language barriers, and fear of retaliation.</p><p>COVID-19 has shown that a strong public health system and a functional food system require basic health and human rights for all of our neighbors, especially those typically left out. The Biden Administration has a duty and an opportunity to improve our systems – and consequently improve our nation's health and well-being.</p><p><em>Amy K. Liebman is Director of Environmental and Occupational Health for </em><a href="http://www.migrantclinician.org/" target="_blank"><em>Migrant Clinicians Network</em></a><em>, a nonprofit focused on creating practical solutions at the intersection of vulnerability, migration, and health. </em></p><p><em>Iris Figueroa is the Director of Economic and Environmental Justice for </em><a href="http://www.farmworkerjustice.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Farmworker Justice</em></a><em>, a nonprofit that seeks to empower migrant and seasonal farmworkers to improve their living and working conditions, immigration status, health, occupational safety, and access to justice.</em></p><p><em>Reposted with permission from </em><em><a href="https://www.ehn.org/farmworkers-deserve-pesticide-protections-2650404972/" target="_blank">Environmental Health News</a>. </em></p>
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An American bumblebee pollinates a pink zinnia. Daniela Duncan / Moment / Getty Images
By Andrea Germanos
Warning that threats including the climate crisis and pesticides are pushing the American bumblebee toward extinction, two conservation groups on Monday urged the Biden administration to give federal protections to the native pollinator.
<p>"We're asking President [Joe] Biden to be the hero that steps up and saves the American bumblebee from extinction," <a href="https://biologicaldiversity.org/w/news/press-releases/endangered-species-act-protection-sought-american-bumblebee-2021-02-01/" target="_blank">said</a> Jess Tyler, an entomologist and staff scientist at the Center for Biological Diversity, in a statement. "It's unthinkable that we would carelessly allow this fuzzy, black-and-yellow beauty to disappear forever."</p><p>To stave off that scenario, Tyler's group joined the Bombus Pollinator Association of Law Students of Albany Law School in urging the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to list the American bumblebee as endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).</p><p>Keith Hirokawa, a professor of law at Albany Law School, called it "unfortunate that we're forced to call upon the Endangered Species Act to protect a species so fundamental to human and ecosystem health."</p>
<p><br>"It is our hope," said Hirokawa, "that the Biden administration grasps the gravity of this moment."</p><p>The groups' 72-page <a href="https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/species/invertebrates/pdfs/Center-et-al-2021-Petition-to-List-the-American-Bumble-bee.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">petition</a> [pdf] to the agency describes the gravity in clear terms, pointing in part to how the species — referring to the pollinators known as both <em>Bombus pensylvanicus</em> and<em> Bombus sonorous — </em>have gone from being once common and dominant to suffering a "devastating loss" of abundance. From the filing:</p><blockquote>Once the most commonly observed bumblebee in the United States, the American bumblebee has declined by 89% in relative abundance and continues to decline toward extinction due to the disastrous, synergistic impacts of threats including habitat loss, pesticides, disease, climate change, competition with honey bees, and loss of genetic diversity. In the last 20 years, the American bumblebee has vanished from at least eight states, mostly in the Northeast, and it is in precipitous decline in many more. For example, in New York it has suffered a catastrophic decline of 99% in relative abundance, and in Illinois it has disappeared from the northern part of the state and is down 74% since 2004. In sum, the American bumblebee has become very rare or possibly extripated [sic] from 16 states in the Northeast and Northwest; it has experienced declines of over 90% in the upper Midwest; and 19 other states in the Southeast and Midwest have seen declines of over 50%.</blockquote>
<p>Bolstering the groups' argument for ESA protections is international recognition of the American bumble's plight, with the petition citing as an example the IUCN's "vulnerable" <a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/21215172/21215281" target="_blank">classification</a>. Further, the groups add, "The American bumblebee has not been protected under any state endangered species statute."</p><p>Simply put, the species "urgently needs the protections that only ESA listing can provide. Without these necessary protections, the American bumblebee will continue to precipitously decline," the groups wrote.</p><p>According to the center's Tyler, while the situation for the bee is grim, there is hope.</p><p>"There's no question that human activities have pushed this bee toward extinction, so we have the ability to wake up, reverse course, and save it," said Tyler.</p><p>"But this late in the game," he added, "it's going to take the powerful tools provided only by the Endangered Species Act to get the job done. Anything short of that and we risk losing this iconic part of the American landscape forever."</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/02/01/biden-urged-be-hero-save-american-bumblebee-extinction" target="_blank">Common Dreams</a>.</em><br/></p>From Your Site Articles
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By Daniel Raichel
Industry would have us believe that pesticides help sustain food production — a necessary chemical trade-off for keeping harmful bugs at bay and ensuring we have enough to eat. But the data often tell a different story—particularly in the case of neonicotinoid pesticides, also known as neonics.
<p>Despite being the most widely used family of pesticides in the United States, research has shown that the largest uses of these neurotoxic chemicals do little to nothing to help crop yields or farmers' bottom lines.</p><p>If we look closer, it's easy to see why: The vast majority of neonics are applied as coatings on seeds for crops like corn, soybean, and wheat — where they are most often used indiscriminately, rather than in response to specific pest problems. For many conventional seed varieties, farmers have no choice but to buy neonics-treated seeds, thanks to the near monopolies enjoyed by agrochemical giants, which manufacture both the seeds and the pesticides.</p>
<p>The result? Tens to hundreds of millions of acres are needlessly sown with bee-toxic seeds. And while these wasteful practices may spell good news for the profit margins of chemical manufacturers — to the tune of more than <a href="https://www.pnas.org/content/117/37/22609#ref-3" target="_blank">$3 billion per year</a> — they are catastrophic news for the surrounding ecosystems.</p><p>That's because neonics are pervasive ecosystem contaminants. When coated on seeds, they're absorbed "systemically" as plants grow — up through the roots and into the nectar, pollen, and fruit itself — which then get eaten by other wildlife. What doesn't make it into the plant (usually more than 95 percent of the toxic seed coating) leaches out into the soil, where it can travel long distances, carried by rain and agricultural runoff into new soil, plants, and water supplies. Once in the ground, neonics are long-lived — building up in the soil over time and continuing to harm or kill bugs and other wildlife for years after application.</p><p>Unsurprisingly, our agricultural system is now <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0220029" target="_blank">48 times more harmful</a> to insect life than it was just two decades ago, with neonics accounting for more than 90 percent of that increase. That's why it's also no surprise that neonics have been recognized as a <a href="http://www.bulletinofinsectology.org/pdfarticles/vol67-2014-125-130lu.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">primary cause</a> of the massive losses of U.S. honey bee colonies every year — the unfortunate new normal. Neonics are also linked to mass die-offs of <a href="https://www.fws.gov/midwest/endangered/insects/rpbb/FAQsProposedListing.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">native bees</a>, <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2019/09/widely-used-pesticide-makes-birds-lose-weight/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">birds</a>, <a href="https://science.sciencemag.org/content/366/6465/620" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">fish</a>, and harm to other important insects and earthworms, which keep our soil healthy and nutrient-dense.</p>
<p>This contamination poses a clear ecological crisis but it's also a crisis for how we eat.</p><p>In <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2020.0922" target="_blank">a recent study out of Rutgers University</a>, researchers looked at seven different crops in 131 commercially managed fields across North America to see how many crops were "pollinator-limited" — i.e., crops whose yields would be higher were there more pollinators.</p><p>Distressingly, five out of every seven crops they analyzed were pollinator-limited — including favorites like apples, cherries, and blueberries. "Honeybee colonies are weaker than they used to be and wild bees are declining, probably by a lot," <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jul/29/bees-food-crops-shortage-study" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">said the paper's senior author, Rachael Winfree</a>. "Fewer bees, in turn, mean less food, and more pressure on struggling honeybee populations to replace pollination from native bees."</p><p>As Winfree notes, this reliance on a single species is risky, "setting us up for food security problems." Worse yet, the study shows the likely impact of neonics on our food supply isn't decades away; it's already happening right now.</p><p>For the present, industries can use stopgap solutions—like breeding and shipping out more honeybees to make up for lost colonies — but these strategies may ultimately fail if we don't address the source of the vast and wasteful neonic contamination.</p><p>Looking into the future, low yields may mean that some of our favorite foods become far pricier or unavailable entirely — an outcome with high human and economic costs.</p><p>In the United States, the production of crops that rely on pollination is valued at more than <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2020.0922" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">$50 billion annually</a>. Indeed, one in every three bites of food is reliant on pollinators. Food workers — an umbrella term for a behemoth industry that includes everyone from farm workers to restaurant cooks and servers to grocery store clerks — could experience increased job disruptions, too, should the markets for these foods become upended.</p><p>Recently, <a href="https://www.nrdc.org/sites/default/files/letter_from_new_york_chefs_on_neonics_01202021.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">a group of local New York chefs</a> — recognizing their reliance on bees and an abundant and diverse food supply to keep restaurants open, workers employed, and their food healthy and delicious—asked state legislators to rein in wasteful neonic use statewide.</p><p>Faced with rising food costs, more families may also struggle to put food on the table. Already, more than <a href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/food-security-in-the-us/key-statistics-graphics.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">10.5 percent of all U.S. families</a> — or more than 35 million Americans — experienced food insecurity at some point in 2019. During the COVID-19 crisis, that <a href="https://www.aamc.org/news-insights/54-million-people-america-face-food-insecurity-during-pandemic-it-could-have-dire-consequences-their" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">number has ballooned</a>. For those unsure where their next meal may come from, even moderate increases in food costs are felt acutely. Potentially significant changes to food costs or availability — particularly for our most nutrient-dense produce — would likely <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23946342/#affiliation-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">hit low-income families hardest</a>.</p><p>The stakes are high, but the solution is simple: We must rein in needless neonic use that threatens our food supply and contaminates our land and water on a vast scale.</p><p>In the same turn, we must also support <a href="https://www.nrdc.org/resources/regenerative-agriculture" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">regenerative agriculture</a> practices, which eliminate the need for synthetic pesticides like neonics. A more just and sustainable food system that protects workers, consumers, and the wild world also protects our food security — it's what we need and <a href="https://www.nrdc.org/experts/arohi-sharma/regenerative-agriculture-part-1-philosophy" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">it's within reach</a>.</p><p><em><a href="https://www.nrdc.org/experts/daniel-raichel" target="_blank">Daniel Raichel</a> is a staff attorney and a member of the Lands & Wildlife program, focusing on protecting our nation's bee populations from the ever-growing threats to their health and existence—in particular, the use of bee-toxic pesticides. Before joining the Wildlife team, Raichel was codirector of NRDC's Community Fracking Defense Project and an advocate for the cleanup of industrial pollution in the New York region. Prior to that, he was a member of the Columbia Environmental Law Clinic. Raichel holds a bachelor's degree in English from Cornell University and a J.D. from Columbia Law School. He works out of the Chicago office. </em></p>
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