Let’s Talk About Glyphosate & Pesticide Drift

I live in Fresno, California right in the heart of bread basket of the West coast.  I can walk to Fresno State’s agricultural fields and regularly drive past their corn, cotton, and alfalfa on a regular basis.  There are beautiful orchards blooming in the springtime and large plots growing famous California raisins all around the neighborhood.

These are amenities that many might think I should appreciate more fully.  However, since I became aware of GMOs and the resulting increased pesticide use, I look around our town and cringe, wondering exactly how this could be adversely affecting my family every day.

Here are some enlightening facts about Fresno, California:

• As featured in a recent WebMD article, Fresno is one of the worst smog cities in the country, ranked #4 in the nation, “High traffic and heavy farming make ozone a big challenge in this city.  Nearly 1 in 3 children in Frenso has asthma.”
• Fresno also received a mention in an article presented by Scientific American, “Autism Clusters Found in California’s Major Cities,” By Marla Cone & Environmental Health News.  According to this article, “The ten clusters were located in Los Angeles County, the Laguna Beach/Mission Viejo area of Orange County, the La Jolla/Del Mar area of San Diego County, San Francisco, the Sunnyvale/Santa Clara are, the Redwood City area, and Fresno.”
• Additionally, the LA Times cited the percentage of children in my regional school districts (Clovis/Fresno Unified) as averaging 0.6% of all children with an Autism diagnosis.
• Finally, recent research this February 2013, entitled, “Air Pollutants Linked to Asthma-Related Epigenetic Changes,” suggests that, “In Fresno, not only do they have to deal with a lot of pollution, but the children have higher rates of asthma as well as allergic rhinitis and other allergies, including food allergies and atopic dermatitis, ” said Dr. Kari Nadeau.  “Compared with the usual rates of asthma (12%_ and allergies (30%) in California, the rates are 22% and up to 70% in Fresno,” she explained.”What we have the most unique data on is to be able to trace a molecular level change at the DNA level to a cell function change, which was then associated with a health outcome such as asthma,” said Dr. Nadeau, emphasizing that, “The changes in the DNA are not at the sequence level, but rather at the methylation level.”

Historically, the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) is charged with implementing restrictions and regulations concerning TACs (Toxic Air Contaminants) resulting from the Toxic Air Contaminant Act.  A paper titled, “Second Hand Pesticides:  Airborne Pesticide Drift in California,” points out that the state of California leads our country in overall use of pesticides.  More than 315 million pounds of these chemicals were sold in 2000.  I tried to find some more recent figures, however these are pretty scarce online.  What is clear is that the DPR seems to prefer changing the conditions of use to enable increased use of TAC-labeled pesticides with fewer restrictions – and this is a growing trend that began in 1995.

I’m sure you’ve guessed that I’ve already worried my poor head about which surrounding crops could be GMO – and most especially Roundup Ready.  Did you know that right now, the EPA is considering increasing the allowable levels of Glyphosate (Roundup) in our U.S. animal feed and food supply?!  Recent studies have proven that Glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, may be one of the worst toxins to be regularly exposed to – let alone consumed daily.  I don’t like to even consider the potential for drift occurring in our hometown, but it’s ever-present.

Don’t forget to tell the EPA no before July 1, 2013.

Learn more by reading these recent and condemning studies:

June 2013, Journal of Food & Chemical Toxicology, Highlights mention that Glyphosate initiates breast cancer cell growth.

April 2013, Entropy, Highlights conclude that this toxin induces systemic inflammation and may trigger G.I. disorders, heart disease, diabetes, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and more.

So, just like the FDA believes GMO foods are safe, the EPA believes that Glyphosate is safe.  However, if you really want a detailed explanation of just how unsafe and biased these beliefs are, spend some time reading this excellent article where Mike Adams breaks it down in simple terms.  The only reason why GM foods and Glyphosate are currently deemed safe is because the supportive research was completed and likely manipulated by biotech manufacturers – like Monsanto.  The increased allowances for Glyphosate residue on foods, edible oils, and animal feed is nearly 1 million times the confirmed amount needed for causing cancer!

Please take a few moments to learn more about the dangers of Glyphosate – whether consumed in the food we eat or breathed in from airborne pesticide drift – it’s definitely not an acceptable decision to increase the allowable levels!  Visit the EPA regulations page to include your comment.  Let the EPA know that we have had enough of this shoddy protection before their July 1st deadline!  It’s time to take a stand & restore the health of our nation.

Don’t forget to drop by the Moms Across America page for updates from Zen on her cross-country trip and to check out current parades planned across our nation on July 4th!

Have a wonderful night!

Muckraking Maven