PESTICIDE USE

Truth in Pesticide Use

The first day I walked into my Master Gardner's class I was in my usual work uniform that definitely labeled me as a Pesticide Operator. Two women actually got up and moved away from me as if I was wearing an SS Nazi uniform.

Those same two woman asked the County Extension Office Administrator if the fruit they bought from Argentina in Albertsons might have any pesticides on it. We both broke out laughing and couldn't stop for ten minutes. The ignorance and prejudice toward pesticide amazed us. As a U.S. Licensed applicator I am under extreme regulations that Argentina has no care about and very little enforcement.

Those same women will grab a household cleaner and spray it all over their counter feeling it is "safe", but if I spray a tree with Horticulture Oil they believe that is a terrible pesticide. Now the truth...the warning label on the household cleaner is far more severe than anything I was spraying and the Horticulture Oil is actually Organic Labeled but I still have to record every ounce I spray with the government and held to spot inspections at any time.

As an Arborist I had an account ask me to do a survey of the damage happening to their trees which had a high PH level of reclaimed sewer water being used on them. A person in the neighborhood actually sent me emails threatening to ruin my business with false claims if I did not blame the issue on a product called Round-up. He felt completely justified in his extortion he stated because I was one of those people who "used chemicals" and they all had to be stopped.

So...although I am against abuse of chemicals. Which I do believe is happening. I have had to live through the other insanity of ignorance and prejudice from that ignorance.

We need to have REAL education. Not from a chemical company or a fanatical anti-chemical group. That is why I quote Universities. Not that it's full proof because often chemical companies fund universities so you have to do your background on that too. But we will dig down into Pesticide Use and our lives.