The chemicals used to grow our food and maintain our parks and playgrounds are putting our health at risk.
The food we buy should be safe to eat, and our parks and playgrounds shouldn’t be filled with chemicals that put our health at risk, especially when those risks include cancer and developmental disorders. Choosing to buy organic, gardening without pesticides, and avoiding chemical fertilizers are all important, but only collective action will stop the use of these dangerous chemicals.
Roundup's main ingredient is a probable human carcinogen, yet it continues to be the most widely used herbicide in the world. The EPA must ban it, unless and until independent research proves it safe.
Rep. Blumenauer (OR) unveiled a new blueprint for the federal Farm Bill today. His bill, the Food & Farm Act, cuts wasteful agriculture subsidies that steer farmers toward harmful and unhealthy farming practices. Additionally, it deepens U.S. investments in proven conservation programs that help farmers switch to sustainable farming practices.
For more than a decade, Iowa State University has been testing the merits of a 4-crop rotation, such as planting corn, soy, oats, and alfalfa over the course of four years. The results? The ISU researchers have reduced their use of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers by about 90% while maintaining profits. That’s a staggering number, and even if farmers don’t push the limits as aggressively as ISU agronomists, we’re still talking about major reductions in chemicals. Moreover, we would expect correlating reductions in cancers, respiratory problems, reproductive system disorders, and more.
Vice President and Senior Director of State Offices, The Public Interest Network
