Community | May 17, 2011 | 3 comments

Administration Urged to Release New Pesticide Residue Data

source: http://www.ewg.org/release/ewg-top-scientists-urge-administration-release-new-pesticide-resi...

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CONTACT: EWG Public Affairs: 202.667.6982. ssciammacco@ewg.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 16, 2011

Washington, D.C. -- For roughly two decades, the US Department of Agriculture has tested various fruits and vegetables for pesticide residues, usually making its findings available to the public in January. More than four months into the year, results for USDA’s 2010 tests have yet to be released.

Scientists at the Environmental Working Group rely on that data to compile the EWG Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides, which ranks produce according to the amount of residues each type carries in the USDA tests.

EWG President Ken Cook and several of the nation’s top physicians and scientists wrote to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson and Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Margaret Hamburg urging them to no longer delay the release of the most recent test results. The letter also calls on the officials to bolster the government’s research into the adverse health effects of pesticides, particularly on children.

“We are writing to urge you to release the latest data on pesticide residues on fruits and vegetables frequently eaten by babies and children. These data, which the government normally releases by January each year, are overdue,” the group wrote. “Children are uniquely sensitive to harmful effects from pesticides. Yet they eat substantial quantities of certain fresh fruits and vegetables – apples, berries, peaches, for example – proven to contain multiple pesticide residues. We urge you to expand testing programs and share ample information with the public about pesticides in all produce, especially those that show up in children’s diets.”

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http://www.ewg.org/release/ewg-top-scientists-urge-administration-release-new-pe...
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EWG is a nonprofit research organization based in Washington, DC that uses the power of information to protect human health and the environment. http://www.ewg.org
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3 comments // Administration Urged to Release New Pesticide Residue Data

  • remyric
  • love_is_my_religion
    • +2
      love_is_my_religion  
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    • Your tax dollars shouldn't fund disinformation about pesticides in food!

      The Alliance for Food and Farming (AFF), a California-based pro-pesticide, big agriculture group, has gone on the attack. It makes the bizarre charge that Environmental Working Group's Shopper's Guide to Pesticides has influenced people to eat fewer vegetables. In fact, conventional produce consumption is flat -- but demand for organic fruits and vegetables is booming.

      We were shocked when the California Department of Food and Agriculture and U.S. Department of Agriculture handed $180,000 of your money to this front group -- specifically to counter "claims by activist groups about unsafe levels of pesticides."

      If you think financing attacks on non-profit food safety watchdog groups like EWG is an outrageous way to spend your tax dollars, the USDA needs to hear from you today.

      http://action.ewg.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=1906&utm_source=2011na...

    • 1 year ago
  • JanforGore
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