Increase sought in regulation of farm pesticides

BOISE – Farmers hospitalized after pesticide exposure in an onion field near Caldwell will try to persuade lawmakers today to impose better regulations surrounding pesticide use.

The bill, being heard by the House Agriculture Affairs Committee, would require farmers to post notices at entrances to sprayed fields and tell workers about all pesticides in certain toxicity categories. Federal law requires farmers to do one or the other, but not both.

Organizers from the Idaho Community Action Network say the bill, sponsored by House Minority Leader Wendy Jaquet, D-Ketchum, and Rep. Tom Trail, R-Moscow, aims to simplify and improve on federal law relating to pesticide application in agriculture.

Twenty-two farmworkers near Caldwell were hospitalized in July after exposure to pesticides that caused vomiting and shortness of breath. Idaho Legal Aid Services attorney Erik Johnson said he has a client who is still sick from the exposure.

Following an investigation, the state Department of Agriculture fined Valley Air Service, pilot Frank Amen, the Marsing Agricultural Labor Sponsoring Committee and Arroway Farms a total of $40,000.

Last month the network released a report saying Idaho law doesn’t adequately protect farmworkers from pesticide exposure.

“We definitely hope the Legislature passes the bill. It’s not really adding more regulation, it’s making it much simpler and easier to understand,” said Leo Morales, a member of the network. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates there are between 10,000 and 20,000 physician-diagnosed pesticide injuries in the United States each year.