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NOTHER VIEW Peach growers stumble on landmark decision
By Duke Lane
Jr. The 1999 Georgia peach crop is now history. While we didn't break any records, this season will go down as a landmark year. But this landmark won't be one that my fellow peach growers or I will remember with fondness. That's because this event could bring us one step closer to ending Georgia's proud heritage as the "Peach State." On Aug. 2, Carol Browner, administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, ordered peach growers in Georgia and the rest of the country to stop using an insecticide called methyl parathion. Despite almost a 30-year safety record of controlling damaging pests in our orchards, we're suddenly told methyl parathion poses a hazard to children. Ironically, Browner assured the public the same day that this year's crop is safe to eat even though it may have been sprayed with the insecticide. She also didn't ban imported fruit with residues of the product from entering the U.S. If it sounds like politics is involved here, you're right. Browner's announcement was a result of EPA action to implement the Food Quality Protection Act, landmark legislation that changes the way pesticides are registered in the United States. When it passed in 1996, FQPA promised tougher standards for protecting children, plus other new testing requirements. There's not a peach grower in Georgia or anywhere else who questions these goals. But extra protections aren't gained through playing politics but through application of the strictest, best science available. Peach growers lost the use of methyl parathion because of politics at its worst. Rather than base its decision on scientific information, EPA instead decided to meet an artificial deadline. Also driving the decision was political pressure from activist groups. As a result, fruit farmers and, ultimately, consumers came up on the losing end. What really bothers us is that EPA acted before evaluating all of the scientific studies conducted on the insecticides. The agency also hadn't finalized science policies intended to guide decisions under FQPA. Then came backroom pressure on insecticide makers: a threat of product cancellations, fear of activist-driven food scares and concerns about future agency actions against new products. In the end, manufacturers were forced to the bargaining table and given choices amounting to "take it or leave it." Where does this leave those of us committed to growing peaches in Georgia? Just as important, where does it leave consumers? With peaches that are no more safe for children or adults than we've always had. As peach growers, we expect our bill for crop protection to go up by $100,000 next year because alternative products are more expensive and less effective. We'll also see more pest-damaged fruit going into low-return juice outlets or simply dumped. Already we're hearing about farmers throwing in the towel and giving up on fruit altogether. Growing peaches in Georgia has always been a challenge, but until recently we've had the tools to produce the quality crops many consumers look forward to each season. Now, one of our most economical and effective tools is gone. Fortunately, Congress has offered a fix to the FQPA problem with legislation titled H.R. 1592, "The Regulatory Fairness and Openness Act of 1999." The Senate also introduced a companion bill, S. 1464. The bills ensure each product meets rigorous, scientific standards, after a full and fair review by EPA. If adopted, this legislation would not change the tougher pesticide standards or delay implementation of the FQPA. But it would ensure that decisions are based on sound science, not politics and inadequate data. While this new legislation won't help us out of our predicament, it should help farmers around the country preserve the few remaining tools we need to fight pests. Peach farmers in Georgia, as well as consumers, need to support this legislation. We need sound science - not political pressure - to guide pesticide policy under the FQPA. Duke Lane Jr. is president of Lane Packing Company in Fort Valley and president of the Georgia Peach Council.
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