Vineyards Poison Birds

>
> Hello to those who care about the health & well being of our wild avian
> friends...I received the email below regarding a poisoning of hundreds
of
> birds up here in the so called \"wine country\". To those of you who are
not
> aware of the situation up here please take notice.
>
> Most of the grape growers in Sonoma County use large amounts of toxic
> pesticides (unnecessarily) to grow their crop. As a result our
environment,
> including local wildlife, is suffering greatly. Most local politicians
are
> reluctant to stand up against this multi-billion dollar industry and
> pressure them to change their \"farming\" (some call it \"extracting\" or
> \"mining\") practices.
>
> Please inform your fellow birders and friends to purchase organically
grown
> wines whenever possible (Frey,Fetzer\'s Bonterra,Topolos). Every action we
> take does make a difference.
>
> Sean Kallaway-birder, nature photographer & father
>
>
> >From: \"Lynn Hamilton\" <don-lynn [at] sonic.net>
> >To: \"townhall coalition\" <townhall [at] sonic.net>
> >Subject: Robins, blackbirds and other birds poisoned by neurotoxins
applied
> >to drip irrigation in Geyserville vineyard
> >Date: Sat, 25 Nov 2000 17:50:24 -0800
> >
> >To: EPA, National Marine Fisheries, THC Board of Directors, THC Toxics,
> >Water and Habitat Committees, Press list, Tim Tesconi Press Democrat,
Pat
> >Thurston KSRO, Channel 50, Audobon, Board of Supervisors attn. Mike
Reilly,
> >Assemblywoman Virginia Strom-Martin, State Senator Wes Chesboro, Gov.
Gray
> >Davis, Calif. Dept. of Water Quality, Calif. Dept.. Fish and Game, John
> >Westoby Sonoma County Ag. Commissioner
> >
> > From: Town Hall Coalition
> >Email: townhall [at] sonic.net
> >Phone: 707-874-9110
> >Address: PO Box 1005 Occidental, CA 95465
> >Contacts: Christina Newell and Lynn Hamilton
> >
> >Date: November 22, 2000
> >
> >Re: For Immediate Press Release
> >SILENT SPRING! Massive Bird Poisoning in vineyards owned by Klein Family
> >Vintners and managed by Vino Farms in Geyserville due to Neomatocide
> >(NemoCure) in drip irrigation.
> >
> >Town Hall Coalition has received a report that robins, blackbirds and
other
> >birds have been poisoned from NemoCure a nematiocide that has been
applied
> >to the waters in drip irrigation in vineyards owned by Klein Family
> >Vintners and managed by Vino Farms in Geyserville. This neurotoxin has
> >contaminated water through the drip irrigation. It was observed by the
> >foreman who alerted winemakers in nearby winery that every bird that
lands
> >in this area and drinks the water is being poisoned and dies.
Approximately
> >500 birds (estimated 125 pounds) have been killed. Observers from Water
> >Quality (Andy Baker), Fish and Game (Mauer) and Sonoma County
Agricultural
> >Commissioner\'s office (two men sent by Ag. Commissioner John Westoby)
> >observed birds that looked like they had nerve toxin poisoning. The
birds
> >quiver and shake and then lay dying on the ground in front of witnesses.
> >Representatives from Fish and Game took the dead birds, froze them and
sent
> >them for testing and analysis to Sacramento. Fish and Game is the lead
> >agency for this public and environmental health emergency. No water
samples
> >were taken. We request that Fish and Game notify Public Health and Water
> >Quality and insist that water samples be taken immediately to determine
the
> >toxicity of the water. Recent rains may have caused this poisoned water
to
> >run off into a fish spawning stream that drains into the Russian River
and
> >perhaps into surrounding wells for domestic drinking water. We request
that
> >Fish and Game, Water Quality, Public Health and John Westoby Sonoma
County
> >Ag. Commissioner issue a cease and desist order to prevent the vineyard
> >owners from using NemoCure or any other toxin in the drip irrigation
until
> >a full investigation is conducted. This situation must be carefully
> >monitored and tests must be conducted involving the dead birds or
animals
> >as well as soil and water samples to determine the extent of the
> >contamination. We request that an investigation be conducted to
determine
> >if the precautions listed on the label of NemoCure are sufficient to
> >protect water and wildlife and to determine if this product has been
tested
> >and approved by the EPA. We also request that the County Ag.
Commissioner
> >and Public Health officials issue emergency regulations for the
application
> >of this chemical. Fish and Game and Water Quality were called to this
sight
> >on a previous date (Nov. 7th). We would like a full report from these
> >agencies to determine why there has been further contamination and why
this
> >vineyard owner was allowed to continue using this toxic substance that
is
> >known to kill birds.
>
>