Roles of Agriculture, Politics in Medfly Issue

Our elected representatives’ silence regarding malathion spraying reveals how powerful the $16-billion agriculture lobby is. We are being held hostage--literally poisoned--because of this special-interest group.

Reports from Japan talk about eye damage and blindness from malathion; reports from Orange County citizens detail draining eyes and bleeding nasal passages.

The state Department of Agriculture discovers one pregnant Medfly in Orange County and they respond by dousing all pregnant women as well as women of childbearing age with malathion 10 times.

Spokesmen for the Department of Agriculture pooh-pooh the danger of the dosage sprayed, claiming it is “only” 2.8 ounces per acre. In fact, one teaspoon of ingested malathion is lethal to human beings.

What they spray is no garden variety. It is a technical grade, 96% of full strength, mixed with impurities that cause it to be four times more toxic.

The state Department of Agriculture claims that malathion poses no health risk. However, the Environmental Protection Agency has not declared malathion safe at any level. Research studies have linked malathion to cancer, birth defects, chromosomal breakage, and eye and nerve damage.

Do the agriculture lobby and certain elected representatives actually believe we will gobble up a policy that puts the profits from a pesticide-ridden tomato above the health of its citizens? Do they think we will just burn off steam in a protest rally and go back to hide in our houses, allowing ourselves to be used as guinea pigs? Do they think they have the judicial system so sewn up that they can taunt us to challenge them in court?

If they think that, I say all elected representatives who have lent a deaf ear to our anger and concern will have a surprise on election day. It is time for the “people’s lobby” to be heard.

MELISSA LEVINE

Orange