Ours is a chemical world...

Ours is a chemical world...

Postby Oscar » Sat Aug 05, 2006 11:09 pm

August 5, 2006

Dear Editor,

Many of us in rural Manitoba and Saskatchewan will have noticed the unmistakable return of spray planes or "crop dusters" this summer, on their annual mission to eradicate the latest outbreak of one pest or the
other.

I understand in my area, near Roblin, the veritable fleet of noisy, yellow flying machines is spraying for a serious outbreak of "Bertha Army Worms," which attack canola crops.

The Pesticide Action Network of North America says at least two of the three chemical sprays being used in this campaign, Lorsban and Matador, are suspected of being "endocrine disruptors." According to "PANNA'S"
website, there's increasing evidence that some synthetic chemicals in our environment may interfere with our bodies complex and carefully regulated hormonal messenger system. That system controls, among
other things, maturation, growth, sexual development and the normal development of fetuses.

Trouble is, such chemical sprays often drift from the target fields and on to unintended areas.

It's been said that it would be ill-advised to walk into a canola field after it has been sprayed. But have you heard any media warnings in this regard? I haven't! (Which may not be surprising since our media is more involved with selling these products than in protecting the public from them!)

So just who is "minding the store," making sure that these spray operations are done properly and safely?

The local office of Manitoba agriculture says it has "no idea" what chemicals are being used!

I've already talked to two people who are concerned about the noise problem. They've been unable to get answers.

The depths to which our unsustainable system of industrialized agriculture have sunk are now truly remarkable.

We lay out buffets of single crops in huge fields or mono-crops, inviting hordes of pests to come along and munch to their hearts content. Smaller crops would be bound to limit the damage.

But that is no longer the way of the world. Ours is a chemical world, with no place to hide. As the spray planes drone overhead, larger and larger implements, quarter-million dollar combines and 500 horsepower
tractors remind farmers that they must "get big or get out."

Larry Powell
Roblin MB
Oscar
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