Thought the sustainable ag forum might be an interesting place to post
this -- found on the direct marketing group, where it had been forwarded
from usda.
------- Forwarded Message Follows -------
From: opa@attmail.com (Public Affairs)
Subject: USDA-AGAM> AgNews 1/11 a.m. edition
To: Multiple recipients of the list <usda-agam@reeusda.gov>
Perhaps we can all support research and strategies to reduce
pesticide
use so those on high horses will have fewer steeds to ride.
On Tue, 5 Sep 1995, Marvin P. Pritts wrote:
> Some of you may be interested in what happened in Connecticut two
weeks ago.
> A routine inspection of a blueberry farm by the Dept. of Ag. detected
0.3
> ppm residue of Mesurol on blueberries. Word got out to the new
ambitious
> Commisioner of Consumer Protection that illegal residues were
detected on a
> blueberry farm. He then held a press conference denouncing the
farmer and
> telling people to dump out their blueberries from that farm so their
kids
> wouldn't be poisoned.
>
> A few days later, 3 more blueberry farms were found to have
Mesurol residues
> on the fruit. All 4 farms were closed down, fruit was recalled from
> supermarkets, and growers were forced to give rebates to
customers. This
> has triggered the FDA to get involved throughout the New England
states.
>
> One farmer I spoke with told me their credibility was ruined with
> customers, and they did not think they could survive in farming
anymore.
> All of this was the result of one application of a chemical with an
expired
> label. Although just a few years ago Mesurol was used up to a
tolerance of
> 10 ppm, customers assumed that Mesurol was "banned" because
of health
> issues, not because of the cost of reregistration.
>
> It's just not worth it to apply an unregistered product, regardless of
how
> easy it is to rationalize. The wrong person in a powerful position
can
> cause endless grief if it is found that something illegal has been
used.
>
Ruth A. Diaz
USDA/CSREES/CTDE
Network Analyst
Washington, DC
phone 202/720-4343
fax 202/690-0289
HENRY "JH" BAHN
National Program Leader
Rural, Economic, & Social Development
Cooperative State Research, Education, & Extension Service
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Washington, DC, USA 20250
(202) 720-4387 tel.
(202) 690-2522 fax
hbahn@reeusda.gov Internet