[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.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

Groups and Legislators Celebrate Success but Some Urge Caution that Schwarzenegger Administration has Other Plans

By Frank D. Russo

Yesterday, the California Department of Food and Agriculture(CDFA) reversed its previous decision to spray an untested pesticide over 9 highly urbanized coastal counties in an attempt to control the Light Brown Apple Moth (LBAM). Citizens groups and legislators celebrated this victory, but some urged caution, warning that aerial spraying will continue in parts of the state, as well as other controversial measures involving pesticides.

The CDFA reversal came after court suits blocked spraying in central California counties, legislation was making its way to the governor’s desk, and a public outcry which resulted in 29 cities and 3 counties passed resolutions against the spraying. Additional lawsuits were planned.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Paulina Borsook

The spirit of Clausewitz ("war is a continuation of politics with other means") has been ever-present since the Bush Administration declared war against blue state-California in 2007.

How has this war been faring, the one where the combined powers of the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) and the CDFA (California Department of Food and Agriculture) intend to engage in the fury of aerial bombardment and the terror of ground assault on people, economy, and environment of the San Francisco and Monterey Bay areas? A war which may extend to the entire state?

This is the extermination campaign against the LBAM (Light Brown Apple Moth), a total war the USDA says it will carry on regardless the will of the people, scientific testimony, state rulings, or anything else having anything to do with rational courses of action. All this against a bug that poses a threat only in the realm of ideas and not in the realm of actual harms. Sounds vaguely familiar, doesn't it, like a few other wars (in Iraq; on some drugs) carried out by the Bush Administration?

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By A.G. Kawamura
Secretary
California Department of Food and Agriculture

I'd like to clarify a few points made in today's commentary concerning my department's plan to eradicate a ravenous pest from California. For more than a year now, in dozens of sessions and settings, I have met - in an open, transparent manner - with citizens and local officials about the moth eradication plans of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the California Department of Food and Agriculture. And I remain committed to conducting this eradication program openly. Working with sound science and within the legislative process, we have established a system to protect California from invasive pests, diseases and other threats to our agriculture, environment and habitat. I look forward to working with legislators and constituents to continually improve this system.

California is no stranger to protests and political demonstrations, and we should all embrace such activities as vital to our public discourse. However, we should all collectively draw the line when misinformation is spread and causes unwarranted fear. Unfortunately, I feel that has happened in response to the campaign to eradicate the pest known as the light brown apple moth.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By John Russo
Farmer and Beekeeper
Carmel Valley

On May 13th in Monterey County, a new independent lawsuit challenged the state of emergency imposed by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) for the Light-brown Apple Moth (LBAM) eradication program. It legally declared that conditions of an emergency had not been met. It further requires an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) prior to resuming the program in Monterey County. This lawsuit follows on the heels of a similar suit in Santa Cruz County and is a second blow to the CDFA’s poorly-planned and poorly-executed program.

This is a major victory for all of us concerned about the program. Buoyed by the success of the legal process, StopTheSpray.org announces our legislative strategy to permanently halt the CDFA use of pesticides over human populations to eradicate (LBAM).

The Light-brown Apple Moth (LBAM) was officially discovered in California in 2007 although it may have been in residence in the state for up to 30 years. The CDFA declared an administrative emergency, established quarantine zones and launched a multi-million dollar eradication program. The eradication program, which includes residential and urban areas, is at least in part motivated by international trade issues.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Traci Sheehan
Executive Director
Planning and Conservation League

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Robert Lieber, RN
Mayor
City of Albany

California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Secretary Kawamura’s recent emergency declaration enabling the Light Brown Apple Moth (LBAM) aerial pesticide spraying of the Bay Area relies on blatant misrepresentations of the truth, fear-mongering and outright lies. The spray program he defends imperils California’s families, children, pets, and the environment, based on no real science and no solid facts.

The real facts are simple. CDFA sprayed Monterey and Santa Cruz counties, and at least 643 people got sick. They reported their illnesses although the State made no infrastructure available. The State only accepted health complaints on offical EPA forms signed by a physician, but physicians were not trained to assess the toxic exposure associated with the spray. Anyone without insurance or access to a physician could not “officially” report health problems. Secretary Kawamura’s assertion that there were no adverse reactions to the spray is an outrageous bureaucratic determination, not a true health assessment.