News & Public Affairs

Agent orange corn?

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Tags: Monsanto, GMO, food, Roundup, pesticides

Rebecca Spector with Center For Food safety talks about efforts by Monsanto to get approval of a genetically modified corn that would be able to tolerate 2,4D-an agent in Agent Orange. The USDA, who has the authority to approve Monsanto's new seed, will be giving a decision soon . The EPA is taking opinions whether 2,4 D can safely be used in this way. Public comment is open until June 22-but Rachel said that opinions are still open and welcome. Since the introduction of Monsanto's Roun...

Florida has no reporting requirements for controversial pesticide methyl iodide listen

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Tags: methyl iodide, Arysta Lifescience, pesticides, agriculture, farmworkers, public health, EPA

Methyl iodide is a controversial pesticide that has been approved for use in agricultural fields in Florida and California despite vocal opposition linking it to cancer and other ailments. Today is the last day the Environmental Protection Agency will take public comment on use of the chemical. But finding out where and how much methyl iodide is being used in Florida is a difficult task.

The EPA's public comment period on methyl iodide comes at the request of EarthJustice, a law firm wor...

Environmental groups want more protections from pesticides listen

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Tags: Linda Saul-Sena, Tampa City Council, pesticides, EarthJustice, EPA

According to the Tampa Tribune, Tampa City Council member Linda Saul-Sena wants the city to ban a type of pesticide. Saul-Sena wants Tampa to forbid the use of Curfew, made by Dow AgroScience, which is used to kill tiny worms on the lawns of city parks and golf courses. The pesticide, which contains the chemical 1,3-dichloropropene, has been banned in some northern states and in Miami-Dade County because it might contaminate drinking water.

In other pesticide news, a coalition of nonprof...