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Re: off topic, but important (fwd)



http://sunSITE.unc.edu/london   InterGarden   
london@sunSITE.unc.edu   llondon@bellsouth.net

On Sun, 31 May 1998, David Kendra wrote:

> I've noted in numerous posts in this and other newsgroups,  we are more at risk
> from natural chemicals that plants, animals and microbes normally produce to
> protect themselves than we are from synthetic chemicals.  Individuals in the
> organic farming and sustainable agriculture movements refuse to acknowledge this
> arguement (which is supported by volumes of peer-reviewed data) because they will
> be able to claim they were ignorant of the potential problems when the health
> risks of their products and methods of agriculture are finally brought to light.
> No one wants to eat unhealthy food.  Activists within these movements play on
> these fears in order to advance their own causes, often without any factual data
> to support their claims. Maybe if their products went through as intense as
> screening process as used to register synthetic chemicals then I bet many of these
> rediculous claims would disappear.  How many mycotoxins routinely found in
> organically grown produce also endocrine disruptors?

This is, simply put, an unnecessary distraction {usually} intended to 
divert the energy of these activists you refer to. Most people are already
aware of the risks from naturally-occuring toxins in the food they eat and 
are capable of harvesting/shopping/cooking/storing/eating in an informed
and wise way. This is controllable. Pollution from man-made chemicals on
crops/harvested products is difficult or impossible to avoid as it is
invasive, disruptive and persistant.

My advice to you is to pick one side of the debate and stick with it
instead of taking both sides, mugwump-style. I doubt you'll gain a 
micromillimeter of ground in this forum with your pro-pesticide
propaganda. We all know what pesticides can do to natural systems;
naturally-occuring toxins are...natural and can be easily dealt with.

LL


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