Argentinian Farmers paying the price for US Biotechnology
The increasing demand for biotechnology in the USA is pushing the production of soy, cotton and corn in 3rd world countries with devastating consequences. The agrochemicals (pesticides) used can't be sprayed legally within 500m of homes, yet a lot of these plantations occur within 30m of homes along Argentina's farm belt.
Birth defects and cancer rates have exploded in poor rural communities with Dr. Medardo Avila Vazquez (paediatrician) commenting:
"We've gone from a pretty healthy population to one with a high rate of cancer, birth defects, and illnesses seldom seen before."
All soy and almost all corn, wheat and cotton in Argentina is genetically modified, but weeds and insects are becoming increasingly resistant to pesticides used. The result is that farmers have increased their use of chemicals from 34 million litres in 1990 to more than 317 million litres today! That is about 2kg of concentrate per acre which is more than 2x what US farmers use. On top of this they are also adding more toxic poisons such as 2,4,D (used in Agent Orange) to combat increased resistance.
The EPA's response? In May 2013 they just increased the allowable glyphosphate residues (from Monsanto's Roundup) in food. Problem solved.
Argentina also follow US agricultural practices of the 'no-till' method which means they spray their crops after planting (due to GM resistance). Original farming methods had farmers spray the topsoil, wait for the pesticides to dissipate, then plant.
In Entre Rios 18 schools are regularly exposed to sprayers closer than 50m from the schools
In Santa Fe students fainted when pesticides drifted into classrooms
Among 65,000 people in Santa Fe cancer rates were 2-4x higher than the national average
'New' illnesses such as thyroid disorders and respiratory illnesses are seen within 10 years of industrial farming practices in Santa Fe
In Chaco birth defects have quadrupled
In Avia Terai 31% had a family member with or who have had cancer
Doctors increasingly are calling for broader, longer-term and more independent research, saying governments should make the industry prove that the accumulated agricultural burden isn't making people sick.
"That's why we do epidemiological studies for heart disease and smoking and all kinds of things," said Doug Gurian-Sherman, a former EPA regulator now with the Union of Concerned Scientists. "If you have the weight of evidence pointing to serious health problems, you don't wait until there's absolute proof in order to do something."
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Argentines link health problems to pesticides













