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,
.'
. ,