Need to Know: What Pesticides Are in Our Food
Consumers tell the U.S. Department of Agriculture they want unbiased 2010 pesticide data released.
From the Environmental Working Group
February 23, 2012
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Strawberries have been shown to have one of the highest levels of pesticide residue.
PHOTO: ANDRZEJ TOKARSKI/FOTOLIA.COM
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For the last two years, the pesticide lobby, especially a front group called the Alliance for Food and Farming, has waged a multi-front campaign to get the USDA to repackage its pesticide data with industry talking points that downplay risks and consumers' concerns. And they attacked Environmental Working Group's "Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce" in the bargain.
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We expect to see USDA's 2010 pesticide data soon and fully expect that the agency has not caved to industry pressure. Giving you the information you need is too important. Your tax dollars paid for the government's pesticide tests. So please stand with EWG today to make sure the USDA tells us the whole truth about pesticides in our food.
Click here to tell the USDA not to cave to industry's pressure - you want to know what you're eating.
Last year, we launched an investigation into the Alliance for Food and Farming and its efforts to influence the USDA. We learned that:
The Alliance for Food and Farming - which represents the interests of conventional agriculture producers and pesticide companies - received a $180,000 grant from USDA in 2010 to slam "Environmental Working Group's 'dirty dozen' report," and to denounce "[c]laims by activist groups about unsafe levels of pesticides."
One top USDA official even wrote a letter endorsing the use of federal tax dollars to attack EWG. When EWG supporters like you called USDA out for funding the project with your tax money, internal documents obtained by EWG show that some USDA officials tried to do damage control, discussing whether they could rescind the grant or tone down disclosures about the project.
