Rep. Velázquez Introduces a Bill to Ban All Neurotoxic Pesticides

Statement

Today, Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) introduced the Ban All Neurotoxic Organophosphate Pesticides from Our Food Act. This straightforward piece of legislation would prohibit the use of organophosphate pesticides in food. Organophosphates are human-made chemical substances that are used on crops and have been shown to pose health risks to farmworkers and can affect children's neurodevelopment and neurological function, including by exposure before birth.

"The science has been clear for decades: this type of pesticides is a dangerous neurological threat to farmworkers and our children," said Velázquez. "These pesticides during early life have been shown to lead to irreversible harm to the developing brain, which can result in long-term effects like attention disorders, autism, and reduced IQ. We can no longer sit back and wait to act, I'm proud to have introduced this legislation which will finally ban the use of this hazardous pesticides."

This legislations is cosponsored by: Reps. Alan Lowenthal, Lucille Roybal-Allard, Grace Meng, Raúl M. Grijalva, Jamaal Bowman, Yvette Clarke, Adriano Espaillat, and Jan Schakowsky.

"As the son of farm worker parents who have labored in California's agricultural fields for over 35 years, I urge the EPA to ensure the protection of farmworker families who are on the frontlines of exposure to harmful insecticides," said Eriberto Fernandez, Strategic Campaigns Coordinator, United Farm Worker Foundation. "Organophosphates have no place in our food. To advance environmental justice, the agency must ensure that its decisions leave no farmworker behind. To protect ALL farmworkers, the United States must ban ALL uses of this neurotoxic pesticide and we will continue to advocate to that end."

"We cannot allow any more farmworkers, especially farmworker women and their families, to be exposed to pesticides. The reproductive health of too many farmworker women have been harmed," said Mily Trevino-Sauceda, Executive Director of Alianza Nacional de Campesinas. "Many have suffered complications during pregnancy. Too many children of farmworkers have been born with birth defects."

"Farmworker families across the country are struggling to raise children with learning disabilities, ADHD and other neurodevelopmental problems due largely to their chronic exposure to agricultural organophosphate pesticides. With lack of access to necessary resources, these families struggle every day to make a living and provide for their families," said Jeannie Economos, Pesticide Safety and Environmental Health Program Coordinator, Farmworker Association of Florida. "Not only is this an incredible injustice to the men and women whose work feeds America, it is tragic for their children's futures. Our communities suffer. Banning OP pesticides is a public health and justice issue."

"Farmworkers cannot achieve humane working conditions without the removal of poisonous pesticides; this country is completely dependent on farmworkers to provide food for our dinner tables," said CEO of farmworker Justice Ron Estrada. "Keeping them safe and healthy at work -- as well as treating them with respect as we do all other essential workers -- requires us to ban neurotoxic organophosphate pesticides."

"Farmworkers and their families have faced heavy exposure to organophosphate pesticides for far too long. Use of these dangerous pesticides must be ended," said Anne Katten, Pesticide and Work Health and Safety Specialist, CRLA Foundation.

"Production of food for our tables should not put at risk the neurodevelopment of children nor poison farmworkers. EPA must now side with public health, not corporate profit, and ban organophosphates," said Mark Magaña, President & CEO of GreenLatinos.

"Latino and Latina workers and their families have long suffered disproportionately from the impact of organophosphate pesticides because of their line of work or proximity to fields in which these toxic nerve agents are used. We must ensure that this structural injustice that is poisoning our communities is eradicated," said Jose Vargas, National President of the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement.

"Farmworkers and their children, the health professionals who serve them, and others all agree, we cannot regulate away these hazards. OPs must be banned," said Margaret Reeves, Pesticide Action Network.

"We need to stop neurotoxic pesticides from tainting the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the fruits and vegetables we eat," said Penny Richards from the Learning Disabilities Association of Illinois, who was exposed to pesticides while pregnant and now her adult son has learning disabilities. "Given the science, organophosphates have no place in food."

This bill is also endorsed by the following organizations: Earthjustice, GreenLatinos, Alianza Nacional de Campesinas, California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation, Center for Food Safety, Natural Resources Defense Council, Coming Clean, Farmworker Association of Florida, Farmworker Justice, Migrant Clinicians Network, National Farm Worker Ministry, Pesticide Action Network North America, Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste (PCUN), United Farm Workers, UFW Foundation, League of United Latin American Citizens, Farmworker Self-Help.

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