KCBA - Monterey, Salinas, Santa Cruz - News Weather-Moss Landing Residents Weigh In On a Possible New Pesticide

Moss Landing Residents Weigh In On a Possible New Pesticide

Moss Landing, Calif-  Methyl bromide has been commonly used as a fumigant for strawberry crops. But a United Nations' regulation calls for the end of its use by 2010. Now some people living in moss landing are asking Governor Schwarzenegger to take action against its possible replacement.

According to the advocacy group Pesticide Watch and Marilyn Lynds a Moss Landing Community Activist the governor could single handedly increase cancer, miscarriages and thyroid disease in California if he signs off on the use of methyl iodide a new fumigant pesticide. 

"Public agencies and government are getting pressure from lobbyist for pesticide companies to go ahead and register methyl iodide with out any restriction" says Lynds.

The group claims methyl iodide would primarily be used on strawberries. California Strawberry Growers produce about 60% of the nation's crop in coastal parts of the state from San Diego to Watsonville and one hundred feet in front of Angie Steinbruner's home in moss landing.

"I feel let down by the system. It's not working for us anymore everyone is going green and we're getting bombed with lethal pesticides" says Steinbruner.

But according to the USDA methyl iodide is less likely to interfere with the ozone layer unlike methyl bromide that lingers for a year or two. Through their research they did find that methyl iodide is considered toxic to animals but find that the chemical is a logical replacement for methyl bromide.

That still doesn't sit well with some in Moss Landing.

"These particular pesticides fumigants are designed to kill everything they come in contact with. They're not disconcerting if it is a child or a nematode or a sea otter or algae, they're killing everything" says Marilyn Lynds.

Central Coast News contacted local strawberry farmers who declined to comment.