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Herbicide residue in fertilizer destroys British crops
The UK’s Pesticides Safety Directorate is warning gardeners across the UK against consuming vegetables that may have been grown in manure containing residue of a popular Dow chemical herbicide called aminopyralid. Many concerned small-plot farmers contacted the Royal Horticultural Society after noticing grossly deformed crops such as potatoes, beans, peas, carrots and salad vegetables.
The sources of contamination are most likely larger farms off-loading manure from animals that grazed on grasses treated with aminopyralid. This ingredient is also used in the US as a rangeland and pasture herbicide to control woody weeds such as thistle, nettle, and ragweed and is not licensed f or use on food crops. Even though farmers are further warned on the product’s label not to sell manure that could be contaminated with aminopyralid, there is no way of regulating its introduction into the food chain, as has happened in the UK. In fact, some of the farmers who sold the contaminated manure had purchased the aminopyralid-laced feed hay from other farms.
Dow's UK grassland marketing manager Colin Bowers confirmed that links have been established between their products and the malformed produce. “It is undoubtedly a problem,” he says. “And I have got full sympathy for everyone who is involved with this.”
Dow’s response is to step up marketing campaigns stressing the “correct” use of the product and reiterating that manure from aminopyralid treated feed should not be sold as fertilizer. As an additional measure, both Dow and the Royal Horticultural Society advise that soil contaminated by the aminopyralid-laced manure should not be replanted for at least a year.
Sue Ainsworth, 58, an education consultant, said her garden in Hale, Cheshire had been ravaged by the contaminated manure. “We first noticed with the potatoes. As they came through, they were deformed, all curled over and rotten underneath. But the worry is that the [zucchinis] also planted on the manure are fine - but are they safe to eat? This must have affected thousands of people. I am really worried about this product and really think it should be withdrawn.'
Bryn Pugh, a consultant with the National Society of Allotments and Leisure Gardeners, agrees. “It seems to be everywhere. From what I know, it is endemic throughout England and Wales. We will be pressing the government to ban this product,' he said.
At the time of this article, there have been no warnings to American gardeners, but hopefully this incident will suggest that broader testing of how chemicals affect all links in our food chain is badly needed.
The sources of contamination are most likely larger farms off-loading manure from animals that grazed on grasses treated with aminopyralid. This ingredient is also used in the US as a rangeland and pasture herbicide to control woody weeds such as thistle, nettle, and ragweed and is not licensed f or use on food crops. Even though farmers are further warned on the product’s label not to sell manure that could be contaminated with aminopyralid, there is no way of regulating its introduction into the food chain, as has happened in the UK. In fact, some of the farmers who sold the contaminated manure had purchased the aminopyralid-laced feed hay from other farms.
Dow's UK grassland marketing manager Colin Bowers confirmed that links have been established between their products and the malformed produce. “It is undoubtedly a problem,” he says. “And I have got full sympathy for everyone who is involved with this.”
Dow’s response is to step up marketing campaigns stressing the “correct” use of the product and reiterating that manure from aminopyralid treated feed should not be sold as fertilizer. As an additional measure, both Dow and the Royal Horticultural Society advise that soil contaminated by the aminopyralid-laced manure should not be replanted for at least a year.
Sue Ainsworth, 58, an education consultant, said her garden in Hale, Cheshire had been ravaged by the contaminated manure. “We first noticed with the potatoes. As they came through, they were deformed, all curled over and rotten underneath. But the worry is that the [zucchinis] also planted on the manure are fine - but are they safe to eat? This must have affected thousands of people. I am really worried about this product and really think it should be withdrawn.'
Bryn Pugh, a consultant with the National Society of Allotments and Leisure Gardeners, agrees. “It seems to be everywhere. From what I know, it is endemic throughout England and Wales. We will be pressing the government to ban this product,' he said.
At the time of this article, there have been no warnings to American gardeners, but hopefully this incident will suggest that broader testing of how chemicals affect all links in our food chain is badly needed.
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Respectfully, Stephen L. Tvedten - Marne, MI - 43.04N -85.81W (Elev. 696 ft)
MCS International Country Coordinator for the USA -
http://www.mcs-international.org/meet_team_steve.html and:
http://www.mcs-international.org/articles/article_steve_tvedten1.html
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http://www.mcs-international.org/articles/article_steve_tvedten1.html
Websites: http://www.thebestcontrol.com , http://www.getipm.com , http://www.perfectpesticide.com , http://www.theidealpesticide.com , http://www.learnipm.com , http://www.licergone.com , http://www.safesolutionsinc.com , http://www.stephentvedten.com/
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