Strawberry Crop threatened by Pollution Rules

Jessika Ziglar/02-29-08 10:50am/Pollution

According to Edgar Terry, a farmer in Ventura Co. California, the biggest threat to his strawberry crop is the Clean Air Act. The Southern Californian county's farmers are expected to cut the use of pesticides that contribute to smog by as much as half.

It began in 1994 when the state negotiated with the EPA and agreed to the Clean Air Act in order to reduce emissions of organic volatile chemicals (like methyl bromide). Environmental watch groups sued California, claiming that not all areas were abiding by the new rules. Now Ventura County faces the toughest pesticide regulations ever imposed by the state. Unlike in the past when farmers could use some fumigants, but not others, starting in May, they will have to limit the use of ALL major fumigants.

The farmer's of Ventura County have few other options for crops, since the land is expensive and strawberries are the only crop that is profitable enough to make sense. Last year, the 12,000 acres produced $323 million worth of the berry. The new regulations would reduce production and could drive the prices of strawberries up in grocery stores.

The farmer's are appealing the decision. "We don't feel like that's right," said Hector Gutierrez, who farms about 120 acres. "If we continue to be able to farm and continue to seek new alternatives, as time goes on we're only going to get better at reducing emissions."

This story reflects the problems of regulating pollution: it often hurts the small industries and farmer's the most. But which is most important? It's hard to weigh the well-being of individuals against the environment.

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