Quid decide
MIlC:bellsaid that by relaxing
call overly stnJ' !UlClIll
SWlldards for pesticide t�e
could reduce the number
of pesticides being used. .
e would create food safety
councils to bring the community
t r to provide education
saf� of our food chain,"
M1I:cbC�
berry aid the state
ould ve money by . .
in the development of or
produce rat tban 'spend
mo ey develop' g ne pes-
. ides.
�uc e�r·�·���
tive . edic . pcatiQdcs. It
would take a couple of uodred
years aDd billi of doUais to
research ay to mue pes-
t ticid safe"
Sandra Andre s, a food
safety speciali t ith the
Cooperative Exle io Service
at MSU" id she favor
Mitchell's ide beca e the
public is unaware of the J)9Sitivc
benefi of pe icides.
"I don't thin that pesticides
•
pose the -. that they are per
ceived to pose," Andrews said.
"The problc 0 food safety
are not inhere in the chemi
cals. If you eliminate pesticides,
yo 're . to have a decrease
in crop productio and in
crease in prices. .
Andrwes said the increase in
prices could indirectly lead to
n .. deficiencies beea
o t co waer may not be
Ie to afford. jo buy orpDic
prod�.
Wa.yae Wood, vice Dl'CtaacJelDl
of the MidUgall Farm B
. d that farmers are the
conceraed .bou the of pes
ticide and food safety.
HOW'CYCI', be said, the coonomy
of the farmer d the dCIIU..
for high quality forcesthc
farmer to pesticides .
"Pa'lODaIly, I feel comfort
ab with the use' of chemicals
because they are approYed by
the (U.S.) Food and Drug Ad
ministration and the ichipn
Department of Agriculture,"
,Wood said.
Wood said MitcheU" idea of
• forming a coalition bet een
consu r groups, environmen
tal groups d farmers would be
a good ay of rc oring public
confidencein the rcly of food,
.'
. ,