Farm groups rebuke agency participation in 'toxic tour'

By Ching Lee

Despite objections from farm groups, the California Department of Pesticide Regulation participated this past weekend in an event dubbed by organizers as a “toxic tour” of sites around Santa Maria impacted by pesticide exposure. 

Farm groups including the California Farm Bureau first caught wind of the event from a flyer distributed by the Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy, or CAUSE. The group’s logo, along with DPR’s, was on top of the promotional material, which featured an image depicting children running near a farm field. 

In a statement last Friday, DPR confirmed it was hosting the event with CAUSE, whose members include farmworkers. Calling the tour a “meeting,” DPR said it was organized by local high school students and that attendees were invited by CAUSE and the department. 

The farm coalition had urged DPR to withdraw its endorsement of the activist-driven agenda, saying its participation in the event “sends a troubling signal that regulatory enforcement can be influenced by external political forces,” according to their letter to DPR Director Julie Henderson. 

The coalition also included the county Farm Bureaus of Ventura, Monterey, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo, as well as the California Strawberry Commission, Ventura County Coalition of Labor Agriculture and Business, and Ventura County Agricultural Association. 

The letter called the message on the flyer “inflammatory,” as it insinuates that commercial farming areas are harmful and toxic. It went on to say that DPR’s collaboration with activist groups undermines “the core principles of impartial regulation.”

“Activist involvement transforms legitimate regulatory oversight into a witch hunt, whereby businesses complying with the law are unfairly targeted, harassed and surveilled by individuals with no legal standing or authority,” the coalition continued. 

Toxic tours historically have involved visits to superfund sites such as those polluted by hazardous waste, chemicals and other materials, not farm fields where food is grown. 

Chris Reardon, director of governmental affairs for the California Farm Bureau, said a major concern with the tour is that farm groups were not invited to provide their perspective. 

He noted that DPR has hosted bus tours to farm sites with environmental justice groups, but those events included the participation of farmers, agricultural commissioners and other similar stakeholders, who were there to address questions about what pesticides were used and how they were applied.  

“My response (to last week’s tour) was: Who’s going to answer questions objectively about what farmers are doing in those areas?” he said. “What troubled me the most is they didn’t get an accurate reflection of what occurs on those farms.”

Maureen McGuire, CEO of Farm Bureau of Ventura County, said she contacted CAUSE last week, identifying herself as associated with Farm Bureau and asked to join the tour. She was told the tour was full. 

“I asked if it was a public meeting because my understanding is that they can’t limit public meetings, and the CAUSE representative Wendy stated it was not a public meeting,” McGuire said. “I was confused because I thought the inclusion of the DPR logo would make it a public meeting.”

Ag Alert® reached out last week to Wendy Teodoro, the contact person on the flyer, but she declined to comment or provide details about the tour. 

Rick Tomlinson, president of the California Strawberry Commission, said he spoke with DPR’s Henderson last Friday, and the two “discussed the important role of DPR as the second largest scientific organization in the world that reviews and approves conditions to ensure that pesticides can be used safely.”

In its statement, DPR indicated the purpose of the event was “for community members to provide input to DPR and other agencies on their work and to share concerns about potential pesticide and other exposure.” The department also said the event served as “an opportunity to connect directly with one of the many communities we serve.”

Though she acknowledged the importance of DPR’s “public outreach and engagement with all perspectives,” California Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross said in a statement to Ag Alert that she found the use of the term “toxic” in labeling the tour “troubling given the heavy regulation of pest management tools in the state and the care with which these products are used throughout California agriculture.”

“California agricultural crop protection requirements are the most stringent in the country and are unique to our state as a leader in agriculture, health and environmental stewardship,” she said.

Ross characterized the tour as an opportunity for DPR to learn about community concerns and for it to share information about its roles and responsibilities in how pest management tools are registered, regulated and enforced.

DPR said it intended to communicate to tour participants how pest management is critical to the food supply and to the protection of public health and the environment. It said it also planned to tell attendees that DPR scientists evaluate pesticides before and after they are registered to identify and mitigate risks. In addition, the department said it was set to inform tour participants how DPR strictly enforces pesticide labels, laws and regulations, along with local agricultural commissioners, to ensure pesticide use compliance. 

(Ching Lee is an assistant editor of Ag Alert. She may be contacted at clee@cfbf.com.)