I wanted to pass this along per the Center for Food Safety. Post earth day but this issue is ever current. Please read.
150 million acres of crops covered in deadly pesticide coated seeds now blanket the U.S. – an area three times the size of California! These poisonous seeds cause mass die-offs of bee populations and threaten hundreds of endangered species. Just one tiny seed can fatally poison a bird. Despite this destruction, a government loophole has allowed pesticide giants like Monsanto to sell these toxic seeds with minimal regulation. And they’ve stopped at nothing to profit off this poison. Until now. After thousands of hours of work, our legal team is gearing up to file a lawsuit on behalf of pollinator protection groups and farmers to finally regulate pesticide-coated seeds. It’s a long road ahead, but our team is ready – and we need your help to win. In honor of Earth Day, can you chip in to help us win this exciting new case? **This legal battle is so important, a generous donor has stepped up to MATCH the funds we raise for Earth Day -- give now to make sure your gift will go TWICE as far!**
If you've saved payment information to your FastAction profile, your donation will go through as soon as you click on a link.
It’s hard to exaggerate the deadly impact these seeds have had on our planet. Neonicotinoids travel up a plant's circulatory system as it grows, into the leaves, pollen, and nectar. Then pollinators ingest the poison, impacting their central nervous systems and causing paralysis or even death. And that’s not even all of it – the vast majority of the pesticide coating comes off the seed after planting, contaminating our soil, wildflowers, and water! The widespread contamination of our waters is being compared to a second Silent Spring. Despite all this, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has never regulated pesticide coated seeds as pesticides under federal law. Companies like Monsanto have taken full advantage of this massive loophole: 95% of corn seeds in the U.S. now come coated with neonics! In 2017, CFS filed a groundbreaking legal action demanding that the EPA evaluate and regulate coated seeds as they would any other pesticide. The agency failed to respond. So we filed another lawsuit, giving EPA the choice between voluntarily closing this massive loophole, or facing the consequences in court. Last year, EPA opted not to take action, claiming that despite the widespread use and devastating impacts of coated seeds, they should continue to be exempted in the same category as treated wood or antimicrobial toothbrushes. So now we’ve taken them to court. Our legal team has worked tirelessly to represent pollinator protection groups and farmers whose livelihood has been destroyed by these deadly seeds, free of charge. We know we can win, but it’s a long road ahead. This Earth Day, please chip in to help – your gift will go twice as far!
If you've saved payment information to your FastAction profile, your donation will go through as soon as you click on a link.
Onwards, together,
Amy van Saun Senior Attorney Center for Food Safety
Comments