Lessons of the Light Brown Apple Moth for California

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Bill Magavern
Director
Sierra Club California

Last Thursday, the California Department of Food and Agriculture announced it won’t proceed with its plans for aerial spraying over urban areas to eradicate the light brown apple moth. Instead, the CDFA will use sterile moths to prevent the LBAM’s spread.
The state’s plans also appear to involve some aerial spraying in agricultural areas and some ground applications of registered pesticides.

This represents a big victory for the community activists who opposed the spraying, but we can’t consider the matter over just because the spraying was spiked. Moving forward, we can either learn from the way the state’s spraying plans fell apart – or make the same mistakes again when a similar specter looms.

There's a lot we can learn from the controversy that surrounded the proposed aerial spraying:

1. Aerial spraying should be a last resort. The release of sterile moths represents a creative, yet proven way to control pests.

2. Let’s follow our own environmental laws. The California Environmental Quality Act still represents our best tool to assess any type of environmental impact. It’s a tool to see how all populations will fare, and to help officials weigh all potential alternatives.

3. Say what’s sprayed. Many pesticide manufacturers claim they don’t have to disclose proprietary materials, but nondisclosure creates the worry that so-called “inert” ingredients can harm people, pets and water. Full disclosure of all ingredients just makes sense.