This is from the Associated Press today:
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- The government has failed to protect the children of
farmworkers from the harmful effects of pesticides, according to a lawsuit filed
Tuesday by farmworkers, environmentalists and public health advocates.
The suit alleges that the Environmental Protection Agency has ignored
scientific evidence that children who grow up near farms face increased health risks
from exposure to hazardous pesticides from air, soil, water, food and clothing.
In the United States, more than 1 million children of farmworkers live near
farms, including more than 300,000 children younger than 6 years old who are
especially vulnerable to pesticide exposure, the suit says. Plaintiffs included
the Pesticide Action Network, United Farm Workers of America and Natural
Resources Defense Council.
The plaintiffs filed suit because the EPA allegedly failed to respond to
their 1998 petition to recognize the special needs of farmworkers' children when
setting pesticide tolerance levels, as required by the 1996 federal Food
Quality Protection Act.
"The EPA has turned a blind eye to this problem, which has left another
generation of our children at risk," said Michael Wall, an attorney for the Natural
Resources Defense Council.
In a statement, the EPA said it believed its "decisions are protective of
children's health and fully meet the toughest scientific and legal standards
under the Food Quality Protection Act."
Mary Ann
Yeah. They are rapidly becoming just another arm of the monsanto
octopus. Same for the usda. Some organization even made it illegal
for beef farmers to test their own cattle for mad cow. My response
would be, It is my cow on my farm, I will give it whatever test I
choose unless you want to support me in prison for life. Confiscate
my herd, maybe there cooked carcassas because I would burn them all
before I let you have them.
