Leu André - The myths of safe pesticides

ADVANCE PRAISE FOR

THE MYTHS of SAFE PESTICIDES

Andr Leu breaks the chain of corporate misinformation on pesticides and unmasks the failure of chemical warfare against pests. As Leu points out, there are ecologically, economically, and socially viable alternatives to chemical agriculture.

Miguel A. Altieri, PhD, professor of agroecology, University of CaliforniaBerkeley

A must-read! All that you didnt know about pesticides will knock your socks off. But dont worry, Leus powerful, fast-moving account of our pesticide-planet will charge you up, not wipe you out. Never again feel tongue-tied when explaining why eating organic is more than worth it. Leus pulled it all together for us, brilliantly. Fascinating reading, solidly backed by science. Plus, what Leu knows firsthand, and proves here with evidence, is that we can feed ourselves wellall of uswithout pesticides horrific harms.

Frances Moore Lapp, author, Diet for a Small Planet, cofounder, Small Planet Institute

Piercing, commonsensical details that dissolve defective, manipulative science designed solely by the poisoners. Enjoy this empowerment and help stop criminal profits. If you do not know, you will not protect yourself or those you should.

Michael Potter, president, 44 years at Eden Foods

Andr Leu does a phenomenal job sharing over forty years of organic farming experience, and the issues surrounding pesticides. This book provides evidence from hundreds of published scientific studies that will likely cause anyone currently using pesticides to reconsider their approach and seriously question how they can be called safe. Highly recommended.

Dr. Joseph Mercola, founder, Mercola.com

As a staunch opponent of pesticides, I thought I knew the arguments. In this wonderful gift to the integrity food movement, Andr Leu gives even the faithful a quotable, understandable, captivating text to affirm and strengthen our arguments.

Joel Salatin, founder, Polyface Farms, author, featured in The Omnivores Dilemma and Food, Inc.

If you already understand your role in the ecosystem by carefully choosing your food, Andr Leu, in an engaging style, will deepen your passion. If you are new to looking at science that debunks the claims of agrochemical safety and judicious regulatory oversight, this book will have the hair standing up on the back of your neck.

Mark A. Kastel, codirector, senior farm policy analyst, The Cornucopia Institute

Read this book if you need to remember or learn why the transition to organic practices on a massive scale should be among our highest priorities. The Myths of Safe Pesticides lays the groundwork for arguing the urgent need to embrace organic management practices that eliminate reliance on pesticides and the resulting severe or uncertain adverse impacts on health and the environment.

Jay Feldman, executive director, Beyond Pesticides

Critics of organics claim there is no research, data, or evidence that toxic chemical landscaping and farming products present problems, or that organic systems work better. Andr Leu brilliantly details the well-documented evidence to the contrary in clear language that everyone can understandeven those people and institutions trying to protect the status quo.

Howard Garrett, author, The Organic Manual

Andr Leus prescient expos on the myth of pesticide safety hits the ball out of the park, corroborating what scientists like Rachel Carson and Theo Colborn have been forecasting for decades. The safe-when-used-as-directed mantra can no longer be justifiably embraced by the academic, scientific, or regulatory communities. Bravo, Mr. Leu, for laying it out in spades.

Jerry Brunetti, author, The Farm as Ecosystem

The Myths of Safe Pesticides

Copyright 2014, Andr Leu

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced without written permission except in cases of brief quotations embodied in articles and books.

Although the author and publisher have made every effort to ensure that the information in this book was correct at press time, the author and publisher do not assume and hereby disclaim any liability to any party for any loss, damage, or disruption caused by errors or omissions, whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause.

Acres U.S.A.

P.O. Box 301209

Austin, Texas 78703 U.S.A.

512-892-4400 fax 512-892-4448

Printed in the United States of America

Front cover photography boggy22/iStock/Thinkstock

Back cover photography Federico Rostagno/iStock/Thinkstock

Roundup and Roundup Ready crops are registered trademarks of the Monsanto corporation.

Publishers Cataloging-in-Publication

Leu, Andr, 1953

The myths of safe pesticides / Andr Leu. Austin, TX, ACRES U.S.A., 2014

xxiv, 142 pp., 23 cm.

Includes bibliographical references, index, tables, and illustrations

ISBN 978-1-60173-084-8 (print edition)

ISBN 978-1-60173-085-5 (ebook edition, epub)

ISBN 978-1-60173-086-2 (ebook edition, mobi)

1. PesticidesHealth aspects. 2. Pesticide residues in food. 3. Spraying and dusting residues in agriculture. 4. PesticidesEnvironmental aspects.

I. Leu, Andr, 1953 II. Title.

TD887.P45L48 2014 632.95042

To my wife, Julia, for supporting me for almost forty years in all my various endeavours, through tough times and good times. I could not have achieved them without you.

To my sons, Asha and Nick. The twenty years we had on our family farm together when you were growing up were some of the most wonderful in my life. I wish you the same joy with your families.

All my love,

Andr

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

My thanks to Dr. Nancy Swanson for all the graphs, the Rodale Institute and FiBL for the use of their photos, Dr. Elizabeth Guillete and Environmental Health Perspectives for the use of the Yaqui childrens drawings, and Dr. Sue Edwards for the data on Tigray, Ethiopia. I particularly want to acknowledge my editor, Amanda Irle, for the work she has done to turn the basic text into a book that reads well, and Fred Walters, my publisher, for all his support.

CONTENTS

Kerry Larsen, Newsport

Andr Leu is the president of the International Federation of Organic Agricultural Movements (IFOAM), the world umbrella body for the organic sector. IFOAM has about 800 member organizations in 120 countries. Its goal is the worldwide adoption of ecologically, socially, and economically sound systems based on the principles of organic agriculture.

Andr has over forty years of experience in all areas of organic agriculture, including growing, pest control, weed management, marketing, post-harvest, transport, grower organizations, developing new crops, and education in Australia and in many other countries. He has an extensive knowledge of farming and environmental systems across Asia, Europe, the Americas, and Africa from forty years of visiting and working in these countries.

He has written and been published extensively in magazines, newspapers, journals, websites, and other media on many areas of organic agriculture, including climate change, the environment, and the health benefits of organic agronomy.