Gilroy
– People who spend their weekends gardening might have more in
common with farmers than they thought, and the shared bond comes in
the form of pesky little bugs – and the measures taken to wave them
goodbye.
While pesticides sometimes get a bad wrap for their impacts on
health and the environment, they’re a necessary tool to help
produce healthy crops, said Santa Clara County’s Agricultural
Commissioner Greg Van Wassenhove.
Gilroy – People who spend their weekends gardening might have more in common with farmers than they thought, and the shared bond comes in the form of pesky little bugs – and the measures taken to wave them goodbye.
While pesticides sometimes get a bad wrap for their impacts on health and the environment, they’re a necessary tool to help produce healthy crops, said Santa Clara County’s Agricultural Commissioner Greg Van Wassenhove.
“We only use pesticides when we absolutely need to,” he said. “And they’re a valuable tool for farmers.”
Agricultural pesticide use in California is tightly regulated by a comprehensive, statewide system of laws out of the state’s Department of Pesticide Regulation.
A system of checks and balances among the state, the county and farmers helps ensure pesticides are being used efficiently and safely. Field inspectors hold regular spot checks to check farmers’ pesticide application, storage, signage and disposal. Failure to comply can result in penalties ranging from written notice of violation to fines to legal action, and the county reports all findings to the state.
California farmers use a system called Integrated Pest Management, or IPM, to help manage harmful insects. IPM incorporates a combination of mechanical, biological and chemical controls that help farmers evaluate what pesticides are best suited for what crops and insects. Each pesticide goes through a federal review and two subsequent state reviews, which analyze the chemical’s state and environmental impacts. California is the only state to perform two state reviews.
One facet of IPM involves beneficial insects that prey on crop-damaging insects.
Beneficial insects work especially well when trying to target a specific harmful insect because each insect has a specific enemy, said Deputy Agricultural Commissioner Kevin O’Day. Jeannie Lopez, office manager of Uesugi Farms, said strict regulations of pesticide are becoming more necessary with residential development so close to farms.
Solis Winery’s Dave Vann said in spite of the safety precautions public perception of pesticides is still sometimes skewed.
“It’s a double-edged sword. People tend to think pesticides can be harmful, but they help reduce blemishes on produce that people might not want to see in the grocery store,” he said. “They’re probably more beneficial than most people realize.”
