Tom Udall: “this May, a spray of pesticide from a nearby orchard drifted over to a field, exposing nearly 50 farmworkers in…”

“this May, a spray of pesticide from a nearby orchard drifted over to a field, exposing nearly 50 farmworkers in California. They soon became sick with nausea and vomiting. Several were hospitalized. The workers described it as a living nightmare. The chemical they were exposed to is called chlorpyrifos, a neurotoxic pesticide related to sarin gas. It has been in use since it was developed by Dow Chemical over 50 years ago. Today, it is most often used on fruits and nuts, including strawberries, citrus, apples, and pecans from my home State of New Mexico. It is also used on grains and vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower. A few years ago, Bonnie Wirtz also experienced the effects of chlorpyrifos. Bonnie is a farmer in Minnesota. She was exposed when spray drift came into her home through the air-conditioner. Her heart started racing, almost to the point of cardiac arrest, and she couldn't breathe. At the hospital, her nurse practitioner told her she wasn't surprised. She had seen others with similar reactions. About 10 years ago, Claudia Angulo--a farmworker in California's San Joaquin Valley--was exposed to chlorpyrifos when she was pregnant. Claudia worked sorting oranges, apples, broccoli, and other produce treated with the chemical. When her son Isaac was born with a mental disability and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, she suspected the pesticides she was exposed to. A few years ago, European scientists tested some of Isaac's hair.…”