East Hillsborough residents say pesticides from nearby farms are making them sick

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Joanna Magrath, Cynthia Ballard and Mary Zentkovich photo by Rob Lorei

Today on Midpoint, we talk with a group of women from the Dover and Thonotosassa area in Hillsborough county, who claim pesticides sprayed over nearby farms have been making them and their families sick. Over the last few years Joanna Magrath, Mary Zentkovich and Cynthia Ballard and their families have been experience respiratory issues,nausea,  headaches, chronic health problems which they link to pesticide use on agricultural fields near their homes. One of the pesticides found to be used is Paladin, a foul-smelling pesticide often used on strawberry farms that can cause mouth and throat irritation and breathing issues in people that are exposed to it at high levels. Magrath, Zentkovich and Ballard have formed a group called the  Dover Community Action Group to combat the use of agricultural pesticides near their neighborhood.

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