Cooperative Extension Service
P.O. Box 391,
Little Rock, AR 72203
Telephone: (501) 671-2000 Fax: 671-2251

University of Arkansas, Division of Agriculture and USDA Cooperating

ARKANSAS PESTICIDE NEWS EDITORS

Robert Frans and Diana Horton, Department of Agronomy, Fayetteville and Ples Spradley, Coop. Extension Service, Little Rock

Volume 4, June, 1994

How Are We Doing?

This will be the fourth issue of Arkansas Pesticide News since we "re-started" in late 1993. In that issue, we said that we wanted to keep you, the reader, up-to-date on pesticide issues, such as registrations, cancellations, and other issues. The three of us are heavily involved with these issues for the Division of Agriculture of the University of Arkansas. Frans is the Arkansas State Liaison Representative for the Pesticide Impact Assessment Program (PIAP), which coordinates the nations' state experiment station and extension activities with agencies of USDA and EPA. Spradley coordinates pesticide assessment and other activites concerning pesticides for the Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service. Horton is responsible for drawing together items of interest for this newsletter, and for keeping up with other activities relating to PIAP. There is a regional flavor to our work - we meet annually with like representatives from the Southern states and Puerto Rico to report on our activities and to discuss issues of a regional nature. Our next meeting will be in July in Roanoke, Virginia.

So -- how are we doing? We would like to hear from any of you concerning the newsletter. We hope we are providing you with a useful synopsis of pesticide news - the "good, the bad, and the ugly." Above all, we will try to be factual and timely. We are aiming for an issue approximately every two months. If you see room for improvement, or would like to provide us with sources of information we might not have, please let us know - our addresses are on the masthead.

Bob Frans
Ples Spradley
Diana Horton

News From All Over

No Yield Boost From Methanol

Spraying crops with methanol wood alcohol did not boost yields in ARS scientists' preliminary field and greenhouse tests. No yield effects were seen by scientists who ran tests in 1993 at 14 locations mostly in the West and South on cotton, wheat, and a dozen other crops. John Radin, USDA-ARS National Program Staff, Beltsville, Maryland; (301)504-6233.

Why Save Our Endangered Species?

Scientists estimate that between 5 million and 30 million species are living on the earth, only a fraction of which have been identified. They present several reasons for an all-out effort to prevent extinction of these species.


Medicinal
According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, at least 25% of all prescriptions written annually in the U.S. contain chemicals discovered in plants and animals.
Penicillin was developed from a fungus.
Taxol is taken from the bark of the Pacific yew tree.
The heart medicine digitalis is derived from the purple foxglove.

Agricultural
Thousands of plant species constitute a giant reservoir of genetic material. Scientists could plumb these to develop new crops, improve the quality of existing crops, or build in resistance to insects, diseases, and other adversaries.

Ecological
Individual species form an ecosystem that purifies air and water as well as provides food. A decline in population of a species is a warning that environmental quality is deteriorating.

Aesthetic
Species and their ecosystems form the foundation for a massive industry that includes tourism, recreation, sightseeing, hunting, and fishing.

Arkansas Treefrogs Spread Weed Disease

In southern Arkansas, green treefrogs has been found to efficiently disperse the causal agent of anthracnose of northern jointvetch, a weed troublesome in rice. Until research was started by X.B. Yang and D.O. TeBeest in the Department of Plant Pathology at the University of Arkansas, no one had noticed the value of the small amphibians.

The particular species studied is Hyla cinerea Schneider, which is distributed from Louisiana to southern Illinois and commonly observed in rice and soybean fields in Mississippi River Delta states.

Chlorinated Pesticides May Pose Cancer Risk

Dr. Leon Bradlow of the Strang Cornell Cancer Research Laboratory, said his study into the effects of chlorinated pesticides suggested a risk promoting metabolic shift. "Our data shows a wide variety of pesticides have an effect on estrogen metabolism in a direction increasing cancer risk." Kenneth Setchell said that isoflavins present in soy products could benefit women by increasing the time between menstrual cycles, thus lowering estrogen production. But the question of soy's benefit is not so clear cut, as isoflavin has both estrogenic properties and anti-estrogenic behavior, said Setchell. David Feldman, Stanford University School of Medicine, offered a look at estrogens in unexpected places, such as plastic containers. "Polycarbonate or related plastics in consumer applications, although unlikely to be hazardous, may require closer scrutiny, " said Feldman. "Does (estrogen) metabolize or accumulate? We just don't know."

Pesticide and Toxic Chemicals New, Vol. 22, No. 12, January 19, 1994.

The Pesticide Reduction Agenda

A "Broad Food Safety Initiative" (this description courtesy of the Agricultural Council of America, or ACA) is being proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency, the Food and Drug Administration, and the USDA. The initiative as envisioned will reduce the use of pesticides and promote sustainable agriculture. It involves a comprehensive pesticide reform plan, based more strongly on health, as opposed to yields, using the negligible risk tolerance standard for pesticides in processed foods. Changes proposed in the pesticide registration process would allow greater flexibility in getting safer pesticides to the market. Other changes would alleviate lengthy review processes when health concerns are raised. The Administration's proposal sets a target of developing and implementing IPM programs for 75% of total crop acreage by the 21st Century.

Regarding the initiative, EPA's Administrator, Carol Browner, USDA's Deputy Secretary Richard Rominger, and FDA's Commissioner Dr. David Kessler, say, "We want to strengthen existing statutory authorities governing pesticides. Second, we pledge to upgrade the science related to pesticides and food safety especially as it applies to the protection of children. Third, we are reorienting our efforts to focus on preventing problems at the source, through appropriate reduction of pesticide use." They propose that any new statute establishing tolerances should look at the likelihood of multiple exposures. For example, EPA would look at exposure to a pesticide on lawns, in homes, in drinking water, and in other foods.

Under the new proposal, EPA would be required to complete review, within seven years of enactment, of all existing tolerances to be sure that they meet the safety standard. "The burden is on the tolerance sponsor to show that the statutory standard is met." If EPA determines the burden has not been met, the tolerances would expire and complementary FIFRA cancellations would be triggered without further analysis or proceedings. EPA plans to speed approval of pesticides it considers safer than those currently marketed. Promoting IPM (integrated pest management) is another aspect of this package. The administrators support a provision authorizing the establishment of several pilot ecosystem based reduced-use programs tailored to specific regions and involving growers, homeowners, government officials, industry and others.
AG Consultant, January 1994.

WPS Implementation Date to be Postponed from 4/15/94 to 1/1/95

Compliance with certain parts of the Worker Protection Standard (WPS) has been postponed from April 15, 1994 until January 1, 1995. The extension of the compliance dates affects the so-called generic provisions of the standard which include training, emergency assistance, information at a central location, and decontamination sites. WPS-related items that appear on the label such as personal protective clothing, restricted-entry intervals (REIs) and the requirement on some labels to post treated fields must be followed when products with such statements on the label are used.

The legislation also exempts the crop advisor from the rule and it permits irrigation workers whose feet, lower legs, hands and arms are exposed to treated plants or soil to have unlimited time in treated area during an REI. They must, however, wait 4 hours after application or until ventilation criteria specified by the label have been met, and they must be provided and wear protective gloves and footwear and coveralls during the REI. Currently, the rule permits irrigation workers or any other early entry worker who enters a treated field during an REI and who has contact with treated soil and plants to work only one hour out of 24. These exemptions for crop advisors and irrigation workers expire on January 1, 1995.
Chemically Speaking, March, 1994.

High Percentages of Commodities Contain Pesticide Residues, USDA Says

At least one detectable pesticide was found in nearly 89% of the apples, 85% of the peaches, 81% or the celery, and 71% of the potatoes tested under the U.S. Agricultural Department's Pesticide Data Program (PDP), USDA officials said last week.

Also, nearly 70% of the grapes, almost 60% of the green beans, more than 57% of the carrots and oranges, and almost 46% of the grapefruit had at least one detectable residue. The lowest percentages of residues were found in bananas (37.1%), lettuce (35.6%), and broccoli (35.3%).

Residues of 49 different pesticides were found in 61.2% of the fruits and vegetables tested. The levels generally were "substantially below" tolerance levels.

DDT and its metabolites also were detected despite a 22-year-old ban.

Although the pesticide companies have said they are moving to a no pesticide level, AMS Administrator Lon Hatamiya said more than 60 pesticides were detected last year in approximately 7,700 samples.
Pesticide & Toxic Chemical News, April 20, 1994.

Pesticide Container Design Standards Do Not Need Changes, EPA Told

Pesticide container design standards do not need to be changed, the Texas Farm Bureau said in comments on the container management and disposal proposal. Also, Monsanto, Drexel Chemical Company and FMC Corp. have asked EPA to extend the comment deadline on the proposal for 60 days, from May 12 to July 11.

The specific comments from the Texas Farm Bureau included a recommendation not to set field residue removal enforcement standards because they "would be impractical to develop and impossible to administer." The Bureau's comments concluded:

"In regard to the finding that the cost of its proposed rule would adversely affect small for-hire aerial applicators, and that this cost could be avoided by working from smaller, nonbulk containers, we believe that everything that can be done by EPA to provide alternatives to those applicators should be done in order to insulate those applicators from the adverse effects of the rule. In regard to the cost to end users of the rule, we believe that between $6 and $9.9 million is not an unreasonable amount of money. However, we strongly urge EPA to keep the cost to the end user as low as possible."

Pesticide & Toxic Chemical News, April 13, 1994.

Benlate Contaminated with  Sulfonylurea; Florida Charges DuPont

DuPont has been charged with selling an adulterated and misbranded pesticide: Benlate 50 DF contaminated with sulfonylurea, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services said last week.

Bob Crawford, the department's commissioner, said that department scientists had confirmed the presence of dibutyl urea (DBU), a breakdown product of Benlate that poses immediate toxic effects to plants. Sulfonylurea and DBU may be only two of the toxic contaminant or byproducts of Benlate DF.

The Department said that sulfonylurea herbicides are "100 times more toxic to plants than any herbicide prior to 1982."

This investigation had the cooperation and assistance of EPA.

NIOSH, meanwhile, has found the benomyl metabolite MBC in soil, and in urine of surveyed nursery workers. NIOSH found the metabolite in soil at one of the study control sites where Benlate had not been used since 1985. MBC was also found in the soil of an investigation site where Benlate had not been used since 1991.
Pesticide & Toxic Chemical News, April 20, 1994.

Agricultural Chemical News April 15, 1994

OXYDEMETON-METHYL -- Miles -- EPA has received a request from the manufacturer to voluntarily cancel their registration for all their products containing this active ingredient. (FR Vol. 59, 3-11-94)

TEMIK 15G (aldicarb) -- Rhone Poulenc -- Added to their label the control of nematodes on cotton.

FACET 50 WP (quinclorac) -- Label changes for usage on rice include the addition of Storm and blazer as a tank mix. It can also be tank mixed with glyphosate for no-till and reduced tillage rice production.

KARMEX DF (diuron) -- DuPont -- Due to the high cost of re-registration, the company is expected to delete the usage on oats and bermudagrass from their label.

WHIP 360 (fenoxaprop-ethyl) -- Agr Evo -- Added to their label the tank mix with Reflex 2LC.

Farmworker Rule Implementation Delay Specifics Noted by EPA

The impact of the farmworker rule implementation delay bill signed by President Clinton last week was explained by EPA, which noted in a summary that the following are not effective until Jan. 1, 1995.

An EPA communication to employees said that the new delay law provides optional personal protective equipment (PPE) require- ments for some irrigation workers in 1994 and excludes crop advisors from coverage until Jan. 1, 1995.

The agency emphasized that in 1994, compliance with worker protection labeling is required. These requirements include PPE and restricted-entry interval (REI). EPA repeated that April 21, 1994, is the deadline for label changes and that products with new labels are moving into the channels of trade. According to the agency:

"Between now and Oct. 23, 1995, products with both old and new labels will be available for sale. After Oct. 23, 1995, pesticide dealers cannot sell or distribute products without the WPS (worker protection standard) label. Whatever label, old or new, is on the product you use, you must follow the instructions on that label. When products with old and new labels are combined, follow the more restrictive worker protection requirements." The agency said, "during 1994, there are no time limitations to non-hand labor early entry. Starting Jan. 1, 1995, early-entry work under this exception is limited to short-term tasks and usually not allowed to exceed one hour per worker each day."
It stated:

"Irrigation workers who will contact treated surfaces must wear the early-entry PPE specified on the label. However, until Jan. 1, 1995, when there is contact with pesticides only to feet, lower legs, hands and arms, coveralls plus chemical-resistant gloves and chemical-resistant footwear may be substituted for the early-entry PPE specified on the label. This provision for substitute PPE will no longer be in effect after Jan. 1, 1995".
"Starting Jan. 1, 1995, early entry for non-hand labor tasks -- including irrigation work -- would be limited to one hour per person each day if the entry would result in contact with pesticide residues. The agency currently is reviewing the requirements and time limitations for early-entry irrigation work to identify situations and practices where flexibility may be allowed after 1994".
"Crop advisors are not covered by the WPS until Jan. 1, 1995. The agency is currently reviewing the requirements for crop advisors, and may allow some flexibility after Jan. 1, 1995."

Handlers and workers already trained will not have to be retrained under the new delay law, EPA said, noting, however, that retraining is required every five years. Under compliance and non-compliance headings, EPA said:
"In general, states are responsible for ensuring compliance and enforcement of the WPS. In 1994, inspection programs will focus on making sure that products have new WPS labels, and on the investigation of complaints and other high-risk situations. EPA, the states, and others will continue their efforts to help you understand the WPS requirements and comply with them. "If violations occur, states may take action under state pesticide law or refer the case to EPA. In general, if the violation is minor, you may be warned the first time. You also will be provided with guidance on how to comply. For more serious violations or repeated violations, you may be fined or have other action taken against you."

An agency official noted last week that irrigation workers were likely to be handled under the exception process being used for cut flowers and ferns. California has filed a draft state equivalency request covering display of/request for application information, greenhouse ventilation beyond WPS, but not the posting sign, he said.
Pesticide & Toxic Chemical News, April 13, 1994.

Produce Group Blasts EPA's Latest Delaney Clause Policy

A produce industry group last week blasted EPA's latest Delaney clause policy halting action on about 60 registration and tolerance actions for pesticides which "induce cancer" in man or animal. Specifically, the notice published in the April 6 Federal Register stated:

"EPA will temporarily stop all review and processing work related to establishing a registration and/or tolerance(s) for any chemical/crop combination in which:
(1) either the chemical has been found to induce cancer in man or animal or the chemical has shown evidence of carcino- genicity in animals or humans; and
(2) the pesticide residue in or on a raw agricultural commodity concentrates when the commodity is processed or EPA otherwise determines that a food additive regulation is needed for the use. This will include any work on registrations under FIFRA Section 3, experimental use permits under FIFRA Section 5, associated tolerances under Section 408 of the FFDCA (Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act), as well as food additive regulation under Section 409 of the FFDCA."

United Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Association's John Aguirre, Vice President, Government Affairs, charged that "this action is the result of an overly broad interpretation of the Delaney clause and will delay or prevent the introduction of many new and safe chemicals needed by our industry. This decision will exacerbate the minor crop problem and unnecessarily limit the ability of growers to provide an abundant supply of safe, fresh produce at reasonable prices."
He concluded:

"EPA's recent announcement drives the Delaney issue dead center into FIFRA, where it doesn't belong. If the agency is concerned over the prudent use of their resources, they should start by addressing the petition put forth by United and the National Food Processors Association (NFPA)."

The policy also covers Section 24(c) state registrations. EPA's policy suggested that petitioners separate tolerances affected and not affected by the Delaney clause.

The policy, effective April 6, stated,
"Devoting substantial resources to petitions raising Delaney clause issues will delay action on the more routine actions. This is especially the case where EPA has not yet resolved the important policy issues relating to the inter- relationship of Section 409 food additive regulations and Section 408 tolerances and FIFRA registrations, because actions taken today might have to be revised if EPA policies are altered. EPA will reexamine this policy once it has resolved the policy issues raised by the NFPA petition."

EPA said that it has "determined that as many as 50 existing food additive regulations for pesticides may meet the induce-cancer standard and will concentrate its resources on revoking those affected regulations."

Pesticide & Toxic Chemical News, April 13, 1994.

Granular Carbofuran Use Notice Scheduled to Be Issued April 13

EPA's decision to allow use of granular carbofuran on rice but not on corn and sorghum is scheduled to be published in the Federal Register April 13. The agency will allow 90 days for comment. The notice said that the corn and sorghum uses were being denied because there was no new information or data filed that would substantially change the previous risk/benefit decision.

The rice use is being extended for two years because there are no alternatives to granular carbofuran, EPA said.

According to the EPA notice, "no production and sales by FMC will be allowed for use on rice during the 1996 growing season, however, if a FIFRA Section 3 registration for an alternative to control rice water weevil appears imminent at the end of the 1995 growing season."

Also, the notice said, "FMC may be required to implement label changes or other measures to reduce avian risk during the period of extension. These may include but are not limited to: endangered species bulletins; user education and stewardship programs, and scouting to determine infestation levels prior to application."
The notice continued

"The FWS (Fish and Wildlife Service) may issue a new Biological Opinion during the 90-day comment period for this notice. The opinion is the result of an ongoing consultation between EPA and FWS regarding the potential of carbofuran to adversely affect endangered species. The opinion or other comments from the FWS could influence EPA's decision on extending the use of granular carbofuran on rice."

The notice offers priority registration consideration to "safer" carbofuran alternatives on rice.
Pesticide & Toxic Chemical News, April 13, 1994.

Restricted Entry Intervals (REIs) by Monte P. Johnson

The period of time before anyone can enter an area treated with a pesticide is called a restricted-entry interval (REI). Previously, REIs may have had the generic statement "until sprays have dried or dusts have settled." This statement may no longer be allowed on agricultural pesticide labels. Instead, REIs will be based on acute toxicity, eye irritation or skin irritation effects of the active ingredients in the product. In general, this will be indicated by the signal words "DANGER/POISON, DANGER, WARNING or CAUTION." REIs for single active ingredient products will be as follows unless a product-specific REI is longer:


Toxicity Category I (Signal Word = Danger/Poison, Danger): 48 hours. If the active ingredient is an organophosphate used in an area of 25 inches or less annual rainfall (not including irrigation), the REI will be 72 hours. All pesticide products containing an organophosphate will indicate this on the label. 

Toxicity Category II (Signal Word = Warning): 24 hours.  Toxicity Category III (Signal Word = Caution): 12 hours.

If multiple active ingredients are in the pesticide product tank mix, the REI will be based on the active ingredient that requires the longest REI. NOTE: Fumigants will retain the current REI (hours, days or acceptable exposure level). Agrichemical and Environmental News, Washington State University, March, 1994.

Health-Effects Synergism Rare in Pesticide Mixtures, SOT Told

A poster by a group of researchers from Milan, Italy, presented at the annual meeting of the Society of Toxicology indicates that fears of synergistic effects from exposures to multiple pesticides may be overblown.

Corrado L. Galli from the Laboratory of Toxicology, University of Milan, said that there is no general rule for predicting the effect of a mixture, making testing necessary for each combination. One goal in conducting the study, he added, was to develop an in vitro system for the rapid testing of such mixtures.

Another poster, by J.D. Farmer, et al., of EPA's Health Effects Research Laboratory, Research Triangle Park, NC, presented a similar but much more limited conclusion based on a study of the effect of a mixture of carbaryl and triadimefon on rats. Carbaryl, it noted, had previously been shown to decrease the motor activity of rats, while triadimefon increased it. When the two were co-administered, the study stated, it was found that the carbaryl partially blocked the activity increases produced by triadimefon.

Sequential exposure to the pesticides showed that treatment of rats and mice with triadimefon three days before exposure to carbaryl attenuated the decrease in activity normally produced by the latter pesticide alone.

"These results," the poster concluded, "indicate dynamic interactions between pesticide exposures in their effects on neurobehavioral function."

Pesticide & Toxic Chemical News, March 23, 1994.

Organophosphates Deserve Own Risk/Benefit Evaluation, ACS Told

Organophosphates (OPs) differ in chemical, biological and toxicological properties and "deserve to be treated individually whenever risk/benefit decisions must be done," Gunther Voss, head of research and development for Ciba-Geigy's plant protection division in Basel, Switzerland, told an American Chemical Society (ACS) meeting last week in San Diego, CA.

He criticized EPA's decision to treat cholinesterase inhibition as an "adverse effect," commenting, "an enzyme whose effect is not clear should not be used to penalize cholinesterase inhibitors."

Voss reviewed a number of steps taken to improve the benefit/risk ratio of various OPs, including changes in formulation, such as micro-encapsulation; use of water-soluble bags to reduce dermal exposure to solid insecticide formulations; timing of spraying to "diminish the effects of OPs on key beneficial insect species"; alternating or combining OPs with insecticides of other classes and different modes of action to reduce the risk of resistance development; and educating the farmers, especially in developing countries, on safer, more targeted application of OPs.
Pesticide & Toxic Chemical News, March 23, 1994.

Pesticide Use on Vegetables

"Pesticide use is widespread in vegetable production, according to new data from USDA's Pesticide Data Program, which found that growers use herbicides on 76% of acreage, insecticides on 78% and fungicides on 56%. The data show that herbicide use is highest for processing vegetables and lowest for melons. Nitrogen and phosphorus were applied to nearly all vegetable acreage (96% and 89%, respectively), while growth regulators and soil fumigants were used less extensively than other pesticides or fertilizers, with growers reporting application to 17% of vegetable acreage.

"John M. Love, an agricultural economist with USDA's Economic Research Service, explained that pesticide use varies depending on many factors, including the intended market for the crop. Processing tomato production uses more herbicides and fewer insecticides than fresh-market tomato production, he said. Also, methyl bromide is used on 61% of Florida's fresh-market tomato production, while none is used on California's processing tomato acreage. Stating that chemical pesticides have been an important input to production,' Love cautioned that estimates of the impact on vegetable yields from a substantial reduction in pesticide use are likely to contain a high degree of uncertainty. He called for more research in this area as policies to change vegetable production practices are debated.' Love stressed that the vegetable industry's future productivity hinges on continued access to chemical pest control or alternatives."
Pesticide & Toxic Chemical News, March 21, 1994.

Maintaining Personal Protective Equipment

"The new Worker Protection Standard has created a heightened sense of awareness for the need for personal protective equipment (PPE). Personal protective equipment represents a lifesaving as well as an economic investment, and as such, deserves a great deal of care."

"Clothing worn during pesticide use will carry traces of pesticide on it, regardless of the care taken by the applicator. Because of this potential, all clothing worn during pesticide use should be considered contaminated. Wash and dry off the gloves and remove pesticide contaminated clothing while still wearing the gloves. Keep and wash pesticide contaminated clothing separate from the family laundry. Wash pesticide contaminated clothing immediately after use; daily, if need be.

"Presoak or prerinse clothing prior to the wash. During the wash, use hot water and heavy-duty liquid detergent. Wash only a few items at a time, using the highest water levels and longest wash times. Don't throw those clothes in the dryer -- line-dry them in the sun. Sunlight helps break down many pesticide residues, as well as drying your clothes. After washing, run the empty washing machine through a complete cycle with detergent to avoid any possible cross-contamination with the family laundry. Discard any clothing that is soaked or heavily contaminated with pesticide.

"Liquid-proof PPE (coveralls, aprons, raincoats, gloves, hats and boots) should be rinsed after removal and washed with detergent and water. Check gloves for holes by filling them with water and squeezing. Check the sweatband in your hat to make sure it is clean. Wash boots inside and out after pesticide use and allow them to dry.

"Respirators should be washed with detergent and water and dried with a clean cloth. If the respirator is a cartridge-type respirator, remove and discard filters after each use. Store respirators in a clean, dark place away from all pesticides. A plastic ziplock bag works well to keep dust and fumes out of the cartridges.

"Personal protective equipment is now the law. Proper maintenance is only smart -- health- wise, and economically.
Pesticide Update, Pesticide Section, North Carolina Department of Agriculture 12(1), Winter 1994.

U.S. Food Supply Is Envy of World

Dr. Stan Schuman, a pediatrician and teacher at the Medical University at Charleston, and a liaison with the Clemson University Extension service in an Agromedicine program, is convinced that a balanced diet, including ample amount of fresh fruits and vegetables, is a primary reason for Americans' improved health. The average life span of U.S. citizens has improved steadily since the 1930s and rates of gastric, intestinal and stomach cancers, as well as birth defects, have declined significantly. Schuman says that the National Academy of Family Practitioners soundly endorsed the safety of the U.S. food supply. The Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Agriculture had made a call for more emphasis on integrated pest management programs, a philosophy that promotes judicious use of agricultural chemicals. But, it has been difficult for states to get funding for those programs.

A major breakthrough in preventing certain birth defects, especially spina bifida and missing brain, includes adding folate (found in leafy vegetables) to the diets of pregnant women.

Schuman says no magic potion or formula exists to prevent cancer. But lifestyle apparently is a critical factor. According to Sir Richard Doll, a British scientist, two-thirds of all cancers in humans are preventable through a balanced diet, adequate exercise and avoiding alcohol and tobacco abuse. He emphasizes "abuse" rather than abstinence. The other one-third of human cancer is mostly a product of aging. Fruits and vegetables also reduce the chance for heart disease and promote longevity. The good news is that in only one of six human cancer patients is the disease fatal.
Food for Life, 1993. SACA, P.O. Box 686, Dawson, GA 31742.

Comments on the 1993 Arkansas Annual Report

Dennis D. Kopp from the USDA/Extension Service commented that our program has demonstrated strong working relationships with state and federal agencies on regulatory and pesticide issues. He also indicated that the PIAP program has developed and maintained cooperative relationships with the Water Quality, Sustainable Agriculture, the Endangered Species Protection Plan and the new Worker Protection Standards Plan. He added that through this program pesticide usage databases have been developed, updated and maintained, which address Pesticide Use Survey, Arkansas Rice Pesticide Use Survey, Sweet Potatoes, Cabbage, Green Beans, Cucumbers, Green Peppers, Squash, Spinach, Apples, Blueberries, Grapes, Peaches, Pecans, Strawberries, and Watermelons. A comprehensive pesticide usage database at the finger tips of State scientists will be a very useful resource for responding to numerous questions as well as for research uses.

Ples Spradley contributed to the National Pesticide Impact Assessment Program by providing the leadership for a National Assessment of Pest Management option for Rice Production.

Dennis encouraged to include one or more PIAP "Success Stories" in the Annual Report where the PIA program made a real difference to agriculture in the State.

Cancer Linked to Aging, Not Chemicals

Bruce Ames, a nationally prominent professor of biochemistry at the University of California at Berkeley, lectured on April 1 at Washington State University about the relation- ship between cancer, aging and the environ- ment.

According to Ames, cancer incidence is mostly related to age because each day, the DNA in each cell is damaged up to 10,000 times. Our cells have mechanisms to repair DNA damage, but these mechanisms are imperfect because a majority of our bodies' resources are devoted to reproduction and not to maintenance. Thus, the number of unrepaired and mutated DNA increases with time and is thought to contribute to the incidence of cancer and other age-related illness.

Synthetic pesticides, according to Ames, represent little cancer risk to humans. Plants, unlike animals, are immobile and do not have the ability to flee a threat to their survival. Therefore, plants are chemical factories that produce many natural pesticides that protect them from fungi, insects, and predators. Ames estimated that 99.99% of the total pesticides we ingest are natural and only 0.01% are synthetic. Thus, too much of our nation's resources are used in regulating pesticides and other synthetic chemicals relative to the risks they pose in causing cancer. The average daily intake of DDT, a banned insecticide that has saved millions of lives around the world by killing insect vectors that spread diseases such as malaria, has the same carcinogenic risk as drinking one can of beer (a substance containing natural carcinogens) every 8000 years.

Fruits and vegetables contain many chemicals that are effective in reducing risk of cancer to humans. For example, the chemicals that make carrots orange (carotenoids) are antioxidants and protect plants from excess energy the plant receives from the sunlight. Carotenoids, as antioxidants, reduce the amount of oxidation and damage to our DNA, thus protecting us from cancer. In a study in Japan, smokers who increased their dietary intake of vegetables reduced their risk of cancer by 50%.

The take home message from Bruce Ames' lecture -- if you want to reduce your risk of cancer, quit smoking, eat less fat and eat your five servings of fruits and vegetables everyday -- just like your mother told you!
Agrichemical and Environmental News, Washington State University, April 1994.