Organic Consumers Association Reminds Us of What is at Stake With Chemicals Like Chlorpyrifos

In November 2015, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finally took steps to ban chlorpyrifos, an agricultural pesticide known to be especially harmful to people having regular, consistent contact, as well as to people who are especially vulnerable, like children.

Yet, according to the OCA, just 20 days after Trump’s EPA Chief, Scott Pruitt, met with the CEO of Dow Chemical, the administration—intent on prioritizing corporate profits over public health—reversed the 2015 ban on chlorpyrifos. 

This past August, 60 members of Congress, led by Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) and Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.), sent a letter to Pruitt asking how the EPA plans to protect Americans from harmful pesticides. The letter noted how EPA scientists had previously concluded that the agency should ban chlorpyrifos, due to “significant evidence of the harmful effects it has on farmworkers and young children.”

From the letter:

Research shows that prenatal exposures to chlorpyrifos are associated with reduced IQ, loss of working memory, attention disorders and delayed motor development.

“Chlorpyrifos, an organophosphate pesticide, is classified as a neurotoxin. In addition to potentially causing reduced IQ, loss of working memory, attention disorders and delayed motor development, chlorpyrifos has been linked to autism, dyslexia and other brain-related injuries in millions of children.” – OCA

TAKE ACTION: Tell the EPA: Don’t Let Dow Chemical Poison our Kids!

The best way for consumers to reduce their exposure to pesticides is to buy from a trusted local producer and/or look for the USDA organic seal. Sure, there are a few bad actors in the organic industry who game the system—but it’s a system, and a set of standards, worth protecting.

The organic labels sold on Amazon are made by LabelValue.com, which also sells them online.

What do you say we give these companies a call, or drop them a note, to ask them to either implement a verification process for buying organic labels—or stop selling them?

Call LabelValue.com 1-800 750-7764

Call Amazon customer service 1-866-216-1072

Contact Amazon using their guided customer service process:

1. Sign into your Amazon account and click Help on the right menu.

2. Click Contact Us.

3. Enter the details of your problem.

4. Choose from Email, Phone, or Chat as a method of resolving your issue.

5. Based on your choice, click Send Email, Call Me Now, or Start Chat to deal with a customer service representative.

Keep the Soil in Organics

October 22nd was the NYC rally to #keepthesoilinorganics, followed by yesterday’s  Jacksonville rally in Florida. Many of the protestors are organic farmers and public health advocates who would tell you that the foundation of organic agriculture is caring for the soil, and furthermore, that “the foundation of all human existence is maintaining a healthy soil community.”

We don’t have a problem with hydroponics, and think it is a great alternative to industrial agriculture, but it should have it’s own label, like “Grown Hydroponically”. It is not the same as organic! Please sign your name here, to the petition aiming to take back what ground has been lost in the political movement to certify Hydroponics as Organic. Are you still not convinced that we need to #keepthesoilinorganics?? Check out this video here wherein two luminaries of the Organic Movement talk about why the Soil is the basic foundation and most important aspect of ‘organic’. 

While Clovis Investigation is Hot, Now is the Time to Apply Pressure to Agriculture Committee