About 50 people gathered in Watsonville’s Civic Center on Monday to protest plans by the by the California Department of Food and Agriculture to eradicate the light brown apple moth (Epiphyas postvittana) from California.
About 50 people gathered in Watsonville’s Civic Center on Monday to protest plans by the by the California Department of Food and Agriculture to eradicate the light brown apple moth (Epiphyas postvittana) from California. The species, which is native to Australia is considered a threat to local agriculture and forests, especially in Santa Cruz County, where most of the 100,000 moths have been found in California. The U.S. has already placed restrictions on agricultural imports from Canada and Mexico, its NAFTA partners, because those countries don’t consider the moth a hazard, and has engaged in a vigorous campaign to eliminate the moth along the California coast. The first reported agriculture damage caused by the moth was to a patch of organic blackberries outside of Watsonville.
Farmers and botanists alike argued that there are no proven adverse effects from the moth, while local residents have complained frequently that the insecticide spray used to kill the moths has caused a variety of ailments, including breathing difficulties, rashes, and eye irritation.
Two authors of the report attended the meeting but did not respond to comments. Read more at the Mercury News.
