AMERICAN LABOUR CALIFORNIA:

HAVE A HEART: SUPPORT THE UFW IN CALLING FOR A BAN ON METHYL IODIDE;


This Valentine's Day give a gift to farm workers and rural residents in California and ask that the toxic fungicide be banned in the state of California. Here's the article from the United Farm Workers (UFW).

◘◘◘◘◘◘◘◘◘◘◘◘◘◘◘◘◘◘◘◘
CA appoints new director of pesticide regulations
Urge Gov. Brown and Dir. Leahy to take action on methyl iodide now
BREAKING NEWS: Governor Brown has just appointed Brian Leahy as the new Director of California’s Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR). California is now poised to reverse the decision to permit the use of the cancer-causing pesticide, methyl iodide.

For over a year, Gov. Brown has not taken action on methyl iodide, saying that the decision must rest with the incoming head of DPR. That person, Brian Leahy, is now in place. Please join us in calling for immediate action on methyl iodide.

More than 85% of the country’s strawberries are grown in California so actions here will have national implications. It may give the EPA a new opportunity to re-evaluate this chemical that has no safe place in agriculture.

Methyl iodide is a known carcinogen that could cause spontaneous miscarriages and contaminate groundwater. Injecting it as a gas into the soil presents unacceptable risks to farm workers, nearby rural communities, pregnant women and children. Clearly, this toxic chemical is dangerous and should be banned.

The UFW is joining with a coalition of environmental groups to send a petition to Director Leahy telling him to prioritize banning of methyl iodide. Sign the petition today!

* If possible, please add a paragraph personalizing your comment.
************************
The Letter
Please go to this link to send the following letter to Californian Governor Jerry Brown and his director of pesticide regulation.
***********************
Dear Governor Brown and Director Leahy,

I am writing to urge you to take action on methyl iodide in the new year. In March, Gov. Brown said he would take a “fresh look” at the chemical slated for use on California’s strawberry fields, and since then, the case against cancer-causing pesticide has only gotten stronger.

Scientists have said time and time again that methyl iodide causes cancer, poses extremely high risks to farmworkers and pregnant women, and has the potential to contaminate our scarce groundwater resources. And based upon recent court findings, it’s clear that the Schwarzenegger Administration ignored that body of science in its zeal to approve the chemical.

We are hopeful that Director Leahy has the right farming and government experience needed to pull methyl iodide off the market.

We trust that that you have had enough time to “look” at methyl iodide. In looking you would have seen that the chemical doesn’t belong in California – not near farmworkers, rural children or any community.

Sincerely,

AMERICAN LABOUR CALIFORNIA:

HELP KEEP METHYL IODIDE OUT OF CALIFORNIA FIELDS:

The following appeal to help keep methyl iodide out of agricultural use in California comes from the United Farm Workers.

MIMIMIMIMIMIMI
Take Action to Keep Methyl Iodide Out of California Fields

Comment period expires in a week on June 29th

California is on the verge of approving a dangerous carcinogenic gas for use on strawberry fields and other food crops. Methyl Iodide is so toxic that scientists in labs use only small amounts and wear special protective equipment. In fact it’s so reliably carcinogenic that it’s used to induce cancer in the lab. It’s a fumigant so there is a constant threat of it drifting to farm workers and rural communities.

Yet the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) is on the verge of approving its use in the fields. They are doing this despite their Independent California Scientific Review Committee (SRC) issuing a final report (PDF), which found (PDF) that "any anticipated scenario for the agricultural…use of this agent would…have a significant adverse impact on the public health."

Last Thursday a Sacramento hearing was convened by the California Senate Food and Agriculture Committee, where members of the panel testified. Dr. John Froines of UCLA who chaired the committee, said, "This is, without question, one of the most toxic chemicals on earth." DPR does not seem to be listening to the scientists they hired.

Please help. If Methyl Iodide use is approved, this toxic poison can be released directly into California’s air. We have to stop this. The DPR is accepting public comments on its proposal through June 28. Please take the time to send an e-mail to the DPR immediately and ask them not to release this toxin into our environment.

There is little to debate about Methyl Iodide’s toxicity. It is a known neurotoxin, disrupts thyroid function, damages developing fetuses, and has caused lung tumors in laboratory animals. California already classifies it as a human carcinogen. Fumigating fields with the gas, even with the strictest regulations, would no doubt still result in unacceptable exposures to farm workers and nearby communities.

We have one last chance to stop Methyl Iodide from being used in our fields. Please submit your comment today and tell DPR that we don’t want to be exposed to this poison.

MIMIMIMIMIMIMI
THE LETTER:
Please go to this link to send the following letter to the California Department of Pesticide Regulation.
MIMIMIMIMIMIMI

I am deeply concerned with the pending approval of Methyl Iodide for use on strawberries and other food crops in California. Methyl Iodide is a known human carcinogen, as well as a neurotoxin and disruptor of thyroid function. It can be especially damaging during fetal development, and it has no business being used as a fumigant in the open atmosphere.

I understand that the DPR has recently completed a study of the chemical. Scientists on the external panel that reviewed the DPR's findings on methyl iodide stated that agricultural use would ,"result in exposures to a large number of the public and thus would have a significant adverse impact on public health." I don’t understand how you can release this dangerous toxin into Californias’s environment, with these findings.

Even the strictest regulations on application will surely not prevent exposure of workers and nearby communities to this hazardous chemical.

Please do not go ahead with your proposed approval of methyl iodide. I ask the DPR to take responsibility and immediately withdraw the recommendation to approve its agricultural use. The public health of all Californians demands no less.

AMERICAN LABOUR-CALIFORNIA:

DON'T FAST TRACK METHYL IODIDE:

The following appeal is for solidarity with California farmworkers who may be exposed to the potentially dangerous fumigant methyl iodide if the California authorities "fast track" its approval. The appeal is from the United Farm Workers.

ALALALALALALAL

TAKE ACTION: Chemical industry urges CA governor to ignore science:
We've written to you before about methyl iodide. Thousands of UFW supporters have written to California authorities and begged them to do the right thing and refuse approval of this deadly, mutagenic compound.

This highly toxic new pesticide is currently being given a comprehensive review by the Department of Pesticide Regulations and the agency's registration decision is pending advice from a panel of scientists convened specifically to review this chemical.

However, according to inside sources, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is being pressured by corporate interests to fast-track registration of this toxic pesticide--despite serious concerns from the state's own scientists at the Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR).
"Methyl iodide is so toxic that scientists working with it in the laboratory take extreme precautions when handling it, using a ventilation hood, gloves, and special equipment for transferring it so it does not escape to the air," notes Dr. Susan Kegley. "This degree of protection is not possible in an agricultural setting where the pesticide would be applied at rates of 175 pounds per acre in the open air. Buffer zones of 400 feet for a 40-acre fumigation would still result in a dose of methyl iodide to neighbors that is 375 times higher than DPR believes is acceptable. For workers, the numbers are much worse, with exposures estimated at 3,000 times higher than DPR's acceptable dose for some tasks."

Methyl iodide's manufacturer, Arysta, withdrew its New York application for registration after state officials raised concerns about groundwater contamination and potential exposure for workers, bystanders and nearby residents--especially children, pregnant women and the elderly.

Now the industry is asking California's governor to order DPR to fast track the registration of this deadly fumigant. This is not acceptable. Please take action and tell the Governor to keep methyl iodide of California's fields.

http://www.ufwaction.org/ct/YpzuCuF1wBaN/takeaction

ALALALALALALAL

THE LETTER:

Please go to THIS LINK to send the following letter to California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

ALALALALALALAL

Dear Governor Schwarzenegger,
I am writing to urge you to allow science and public process to take their due course in the review of methyl iodide, a dangerous new fumigant pesticide.

California's Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) is currently weighing the public health risks associated with registering methyl iodide as a soil fumigant in California. DPR's plans include convening an independent Scientific Review Panel -- a critical step to ensure scientific integrity of the decision.

Methyl iodide is a known carcinogen and prone to drift. It has no appropriate place as a new chemical in California agriculture--one of the largest agricultural states in the U.S.
Bush's USEPA registered this chemical last year despite serious concerns from environmentalists, farm workers, rural residents and a group of over 50 eminent scientists, including five Nobel Laureates. These scientists expressed profound concern for the health of people living near methyl iodide application sites--especially pregnant women, farm workers, children and the elderly.

However, this is no excuse for California to bow to the pressure of agribusiness and introduce a new pesticide to our environment. There is overwhelming evidence of potential harm from exposure to this pesticide--a chemical so toxic that scientists take precautions to use methyl iodide in a ventilation hood in very small quantities. In contrast, if registered as a soil fumigant, methyl iodide would be applied in agricultural fields at rates up to 175 pounds per acre. Since fumigants spread as a gas, they drift from the application site, poisoning neighboring residents and farm workers in nearby fields.

California needs to follow the example of New York where Methyl iodide's manufacturer, Arysta, withdrew its application for registration after state officials raised concerns about groundwater contamination and potential exposure for workers, bystanders and nearby residents--especially children, pregnant women and the elderly.

Methyl iodide is a clear threat to public health, could contaminate groundwater, and is not needed to build a secure, viable and healthy agricultural economy in California. We strongly urge you to not fast-track the registration of methyl iodide. Instead allow DPR's process that incorporates independent scientific review and public input to proceed as planned.
Thank you.