Can anyone summarize what this chemical is, why and how it is used, and what the risks might be to farmers and consumers from its use? I feel like I walked into the middle of a conversation.
Thanks, -- Typed with Swype. Who knows what I meant to say? On April 28, 2014 4:03:51 AM EDT, "Con.Traas" <con.tr...@ul.ie> wrote: >Hello Evan and everybody, > >Coming from my perspective, where we are now having to cope without DPA >for storing Bramley (culinary) apples, I must say that is it proving >tricky, but we are managing, through use of 1-MCP combined with more >complex (and expensive and risky) storage regimes. So I would say it is >technically possible to keep apples without DPA or ethoxyquin, which we >also can’t use, but ironically it mitigates against the smaller grower, >and in favour of the larger ones (big ag?) who can afford the higher >tech gear. > >It is ironic that scaring people about pesticide residues on fresh >foods (especially fruits) actually causes people to eat more processed >foods (as though their ingredients do not also get pesticide >treatments), as the studies linking better health with fruit >consumption are studies conducted with conventionally grown fruits with >their pesticide residues (if they are not residue free). In other >words, the benefits of eating fruits and vegetables are there in black >and white, even if those fruits and vegetables have residues. It is far >less healthy to switch to a candy bar from an apple, even if that apple >has some residue (so long as that is below permitted levels). However, >this is not a message we can send out, so we are left grappling when >emails like this from EWG are circulated. > >The joke of what EWG seems to be doing is producing a dirty dozen or >clean fifteen list is that those lists say nothing at all about the >risk of a pesticide residue on the particular apple in your fruit-bowl. >You could be eating a residue-free fruit from among the “dirty dozen”, >or one covered in pesticide from among the “clean fifteen”. > >Despite the differences in regulations between Europe and the US (and I >favour in general the less permissive, more cautious European >standards, despite having to work within their restrictions), our >agriculture here is constantly increasing in scale, and resembles more >and more what would be our stereotyped image of US industrial >agriculture. That is because the regulations have more in common than >what separates them, and farming is becoming more and more like a >business, and less like a passion. > >I am personally not a fan of industrial agriculture, although I employ >mostly similar methods. However, motivation is a key factor, and for >me, the motivation is not profit maximisation. For the industrial model >is about profit before all else, and that is not a suitable way for the >World to produce its food. > >However, as long as Joe public takes the attitude that 7% of their >disposable income is what they will spend on food (that is the Irish >%), then agriculture will continue to become more industrial, as for me >that is not a percentage that can support the production of produce and >foods that consumers might feel more comfortable buying, and might be >able to have more confidence in. > >So, instead of sending 45 bucks to Ken Cook, I would suggest that Joe >public either sends it to a principled (and hopefully small-scale) >farmer someplace near them, or better still, buys a few fruit trees or >invests in a few packets of seeds, and grows their own pesticide-free >produce. > >Con Traas >European (Irish) Apple Grower >T: @theapplefarmer > >From: apple-crop-boun...@virtualorchard.net >[mailto:apple-crop-boun...@virtualorchard.net] On Behalf Of Evan B. >Milburn >Sent: 28 April 2014 02:32 >To: Apple-Crop >Subject: Re: [apple-crop] apples and chemicals > >This was sent to me from a friend of mine by the name of George. It was >send to him from one of his co-workers. > Evan Milburn > www.milburnorchards.com<http://www.milburnorchards.com> > > >Hey Evan what’s this all about? > > > > >Hi George, >Thought you might want to send this to your buddy, Mr. Milburn. >Dawn > > > > > >Reserve your 2014 Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce bag tag and >get a sneak peek of this year's guide! >[EWG >Logo]<http://action.ewg.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=5r2YvGNi7PfOCCjuGLCaqB6LrHTgr0Yo> >[Donate today. Help EWG stand up against Big Ag's attacks and we'll >send you a sneak peek of our 2014 Shoppers Guide to say thank >you]<http://action.ewg.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=5caNRqnNvAQTKKdAymouQh6LrHTgr0Yo> > >Dear Dawn, >Is that apple slathered with a chemical banned in Europe? >Earlier this week, EWG told you about apples and diphenylamine (DPA). >This chemical used to help preserve stored apples is banned in Europe >because of safety concerns, yet it’s widely used on conventionally >grown apples in the United States. >Not surprisingly, the pro-pesticide Alliance for Food and Farming isn’t >too happy about this. As the public relations arm of big, industrial >agriculture, this group has already responded to our report with the >nonsensical claim that EWG is trying to scare consumers into not eating >apples. >You know as well as I do that nothing could be further from the truth. >The Alliance is just looking to obscure the facts about the food we’re >eating at the expense of you, the consumer. >Big Ag is on the warpath, but what it doesn’t realize is that EWG has >an army of supporters like you behind us – ready to help us stand up >against its attacks. You’ve been there for us before, and right now we >need your help again to fight back – will you donate today to help us >ensure that we all know what pesticides and other chemicals turn up on >our fruits and vegetables? >Give $25, $45 or more today so EWG can fend off Big Ag’s attacks and >we’ll give you a sneak peek at our Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in >Produce before it comes out next week to thank you. ><http://action.ewg.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=a13NJQw0LXyRljJxf5199R6LrHTgr0Yo> >If it were up to Big Ag, we’d all be kept in the dark about what’s in >our food – even when it has the potential to cause cancer and disrupt >the endocrine system. >That’s why EWG’s work is so important. We do the research and then >translate it into practical, easy-to-use tools such as our Shopper’s >Guide to Pesticides in Produce that make safer grocery shopping a >breeze. >EWG believes that we should all be eating fruits, vegetables and the >healthiest food possible. We also believe that you have the right to >know what pesticide and chemical residues are on that food. >Big conventional chemical agriculture is ready to do whatever it takes >to smear the research you count on and to limit your access to >information about your food. Can we count on you to stand up to these >misleading and underhanded attacks? >Donate $25, $45 or more right now to help us fight back against Big Ag >and be the first in line to get a look at our 2014 Dirty Dozen and >Clean Fifteen lists. ><http://action.ewg.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=DVc5KnsNJmTI8SQ5rwEByB6LrHTgr0Yo> >Thanks for being a part of the EWG community. >[https://donate.ewg.org/images/ewg_sig.gif] >Ken Cook >President, Environmental Working Group >Contribute ><http://action.ewg.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=FOBx2o5DQoIGaQGCeyKmAh6LrHTgr0Yo> >Follow us on >[Facebook]<http://action.ewg.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=a13NJQw0LXzZSJ/KWeRnSB6LrHTgr0Yo>[Twitter]<http://action.ewg.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=5r2YvGNi7PfsfWoIzeslvR6LrHTgr0Yo>[YouTube]<http://action.ewg.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=Uxgou3gtU9lP8Orco1ymPx6LrHTgr0Yo>[Pinterest]<http://action.ewg.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=m9WmQe75A%2BDhRp76OFzyRh6LrHTgr0Yo> >UNSUBSCRIBE<http://action.ewg.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=ANAud97xivKMOley9VN8Yh6LrHTgr0Yo> >| CHANGE >OPTIONS<http://action.ewg.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=hSfCAwGMp04uOF4rM1hqIh6LrHTgr0Yo> >Remember to add e...@ewg.org<mailto:e...@ewg.org> to your contact list. >The Environmental Working Group is a non-profit, non-partisan research >organization dedicated to using the power of information to protect >public health and the environment. The EWG Action Fund, a separate >sister organization of EWG, is a legislative advocacy organization that >promotes healthy and sustainable policies. >Contact >Us<http://action.ewg.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=DuOXsdkhq6rCVZq/b1jYbR6LrHTgr0Yo> >| Privacy >Policy<http://action.ewg.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=fZrDcqmWXM/87TFujJrnnR6LrHTgr0Yo> >| Copyright 2013, Environmental Working Group. All Rights Reserved. > > > >[http://static.avast.com/emails/avast-mail-stamp.png]<http://www.avast.com/> > >This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! >Antivirus<http://www.avast.com/> protection is active.
_______________________________________________ apple-crop mailing list apple-crop@virtualorchard.net http://virtualorchard.net/mailman/listinfo/apple-crop
