• Farm workers who apply pesticides and herbicides have disproportionately higher rates of some cancers (7)

•  A study conducted by Consumer Reports in 1999 found very low levels of pesticides in some organic food samples, much less than in their conventional counterparts (2)

•  The pesticides detected in organically grown products are natural, environmentally friendly chemicals (6)

•  A study conducted by 20/20 in 2000 did not report any pesticide residues on their organically grown turnip samples (1)

                                                                                Insecticidal Activity

                                                                       I.   Camphene* II.  Nicotine*
                                                                       III. Anabasine* IV. Rotenone*
 
 

*Other natural pesticides: Pyrethrum flower powder, tobacco dust, cayenne pepper powder . . .

• The Consumer Union of the United States analyzed data collected by the USDA’s pesticide data program

• A toxicity index (TI) was determined by weighing the amount of pesticide present, the frequency of its detection, and the relative toxicity of the detected pesticide  US EPA Pesticides and Food:  What the Pesticide Residue Limits are on Food

• All reported pesticides are below the federal safety concentration guidelines

• Of the sixteen pesticides detected, three are probable human  carcinogens, five are possible human carcinogens, eight are  neurotoxins, five are endocrine disruptors, and five are categorized as oral toxicity 1 chemicals, the most toxic designation (8)

•  Children receive higher doses of pesticides than any other age group

•  Children are especially susceptible to pesticides which cause cancer  and nervous system damage

•  Children may be exposed to greater than the U.S. government’s official estimate of the “safe” daily intake of certain pesticides

•  Their internal organs are still developing and maturing; hence, their increased risk of getting cancer (8)

(5)

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References