New Report Documents Massive Pesticide Use In California
May 24, 1996
A new report shows that California agriculture used 185
million pounds of pesticides in 1993, representing 22% of
U.S. agricultural use, and indicating a 31% increase in
pesticide use from 1991 to 1993. These figures amount to
annual use of over six pounds of pesticides for each person
in the state.
"Pesticide Use in California: Strategies for Reducing
Environmental Health Impacts," published by the California
Policy Seminar, a joint program of the University of
California and state government, gives the first accessible
summary of pesticide use in California over time, by county,
by crop and by hazard posed. The report analyzes the state's
pesticide use data and calls for a statewide plan to reduce
pesticide use and eliminate the most hazardous chemicals.
According to the report, most of the state's pesticide use
occurs in only a few counties, with Fresno County topping the
list at 40 million pounds in 1993. Strawberries receive the
heaviest concentration of pesticides, with 234 pounds applied
per acre each year.
"This massive use of poisons can and should be reduced by
banning the most hazardous pesticides and reducing use of
others. Such programs are already in place in many other
advanced agricultural nations including Holland, Sweden, and
Denmark," noted Dr. James Liebman, staff scientist at
Pesticide Action Network North America and co-author of the
report.
The study also ranks pesticides by hazards to human health
and the environment. Some of the most hazardous pesticides
are applied to tens of thousands of acres each year and to a
wide variety of California crops, including almonds,
broccoli, carrots, cotton, grapes, lettuce, oranges and
strawberries.
Even as the study calls for implementation of a pro-active
policy to reduce pesticide use, the California Department of
Pesticide Regulation (DPR) is being targeted by the pesticide
industry for massive budget cuts and reductions in regulatory
authority. Legislation now before the state Senate (SB 1750)
and Assembly (AB 2264) would cut DPRUs budget by 20%, limit
its regulatory authority to protect public health, and
threaten the existence of programs aimed at reducing
pesticide use. "The proposed deregulation of pesticide
standards would take California 180 degrees in the wrong
direction," said Liebman. "The legislature should be
protecting public health and helping farmers to stop using
these poisons."
California Pesticide Use - 1993
Counties with | Crops with Heaviest | Crops with Heaviest
Heaviest | Total Pesticide Use | Intensity of
Pesticide Use | (millions of lbs.) | Pesticide Use
(millions of lbs.)| |(pounds per acre)
------------------|---------------------|--------------------
Fresno 40.4 | grapes 60.9 | strawberries 234
Kern 20.8 | almonds 14.7 | pears 170
Tulare 17.1 | cotton 14.6 | dates 158
San Joaquin 12.4 | tomatoes 13.9 | grapes 93
Madera 11.1 | oranges 8.5 | lemons 87
Merced 8.4 | sugar beets 7.7 | brussels sprouts 86
Monterey 8.2 | strawberries 5.9 | nectarines 83
Stanislaus 7.5 | peaches 4.5 | peaches 75
Imperial 6.2 | pears 4.1 | carrots 67
Kings 5.6 | lemons 4.0 | cherries 57
Sources: "Pesticide Use in California: Strategies for
Reducing Environmental Health Impacts," 1996. California
Policy Seminar.
Contact: PANNA.
To order a copy of "Pesticide Use in California: Strategies
for Reducing Environmental Health Impacts," contact
California Policy Seminar, 2020 Milvia Street, Suite 412,
Berkeley, CA 94704; phone (510) 642-5514; fax (510) 642-8793;
email ca.polsem@ucop.edu.
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