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Re: Strawberries in Florida



Can anyone tell me how much of this goes on in the Spanish production
system which is currently on all European supermarket shelves please?

>Strawberry production is not much different in Florida than in California.
>Major methyl bromide use, plastic mulch culture, intense fungicide use,
>larger overall pesticide use per acre than California.  (Strawberries have
>the largest pesticide use per acre in Claifornia)  Consumer level residue
>profile also dirty.
>
>Some figures on Florida strawberry pesticide use:
>97% of acres fumigated with methyl bromide.
>87% of acres treated with paraquat (herbicide)
>82% of acres treated with methomyl (carbamate insecticide)
>99% of acres treated with captan (fungicide: prob. human carcinogen)
>
>5,800 acres total:
>5,000 pounds of herbicides annually
>~50,000 pounds of insecticides
>350,000 pounds of fungicides
>1,100,000 of fumigants (methyl bromide)
>Source: USDA NASS Agricultural Chemical Usage: Vegetables, 1994 Summary.
>pub. 7/95
>
>There is no pesticide use reporting system in Florida so it is impossible
>to quantify or even estimate human exposure to these pesticides.  Most
>Florida berries are grown in a small area near Plant City, FL between Tampa
>and Orlando. See EWG's website for more info on strawberries
>(http://www.ewg.org): "A Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce" and
>methyl bromide reports.  Anyone want to write the Journal Constituion a
>letter or an Op-Ed?
>
>Happy Shortcake-
>Kert Davies
>
>***************************
>Lance Howard wrote:
>>Today's Atlanta Journal-Constitution published a story on strawberries,
>>featuring a Roy Parke from Plant City, FL.  The article claims that Florida
>>is the largest producer of strawberries in the US at this time of year
>>(although it states that overall, CA produces the most).  The article is in
>>the food section and presents strawberries as a wonderful, delicious,
>>wholesome food.
>>
>>A while ago there was much discussion on this list about California
>>strawberries, the heavy use of methyl bromide and its exposure to farm
>>workers, residents of Watsonville, and other horror stories.
>>
>>Does anyone know if commercial strawberry production in FL is essentially
>>different than in CA?
>>
>>Thanks.
>>
>>
>>Lance F. Howard
>>Department of History and Geography
>>Clemson University, Clemson SC 29634
>>(864)656-5359 (office)
>>(864)656-1015 (fax)
>><lanceh@clemson.edu>
>
>*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*
>Kert Davies
>ENVIRONMENTAL WORKING GROUP
>1718 Connecticut Ave. NW, Suite 600
>Washington, D.C.  20009
>e-mail:  kert@ewg.org
>EWG web page:  http://www.ewg.org
>202-667-6982  fax 202-232-2592
>Any opinions expressed are mine and not my employer's.
>*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*

Kathy Marsh, Tobersool, Balbriggan, Co Dublin, Ireland
Phone and Fax 0353 1 841 3681
kmarsh@iol.ie

Eat local, act global