We, the undersigned, reject the California Department of Food and Agriculture's program of mandatory spraying of pesticides in futile efforts to eradicate the Glassy-winged Sharpshooter. Under pressure from the conventional wine industry, a State of Emergency (which nullifies our civil rights) has been declared. $36 million (and counting) of State and Federal funds is allocated to be spent on this program. The nursery and wine industries are enjoying all sorts of funding as a result of this plan to spray Californians. Already, widespread spraying of organophosphates and carbamates has been done, including aerial spraying, in 7 California counties. Over 2600 homes have been sprayed. The rest of us are at risk of being exposed to these toxic substances too. The GWSS is being spread around the state on landscaping plants that are brought into nurseries and then sold to urban residents and to housing developers. THUS THE SPRAYING WILL OCCUR IN URBAN, RESIDENTIAL AREAS as well as rural areas, in a six-year plan of multiple repeat-sprayings.
-- Considering all the ongoing routine agricultural, public, and residential use of pesticides and herbicides, for the State to add more is unacceptable. --With more than 151 known host plants, the GWSS WILL be in every county since the CDFA has refused to do a quarantine from ìinfestedî counties. Pesticide drift is a well-documented consequence of pesticide spraying done by plane, tractor, backpack, or residential spray-truck with hose attachment. This madness must stop and no toxics must be used. Ag. Commissioners and biologists statewide have universally agreed that pesticides cannot eradicate the little bug, and organic farmers agree that this program would cause more Sharpshooters in the future as well as mite problems. CLEAN UP CONVENTIONAL AGRICULTURE AND DON'T EXPECT US TO ACCEPT YOUR NEUROTOXINS OR OTHER PESTICIDES. No spraying for the Glassy-winged Sharpshooter and Rescind the State of Emergency- restore our civil rights!