Sam Farr, representative of the 17th Congressional District of California, stated in a June 19th press release that, "aerial pheromone application over urban areas is off the table" in the effort to control the Light Brown Apple Moth (LBAM). The California Department of Food and Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that aerial pheromone application will no longer take place over urban areas and will be "limited to agricultural land and undeveloped regions as a tool of last result."

In a June 19th conference call with environmental and citizen groups, Secretary A. G. Kawamura confirmed that aerial spraying of pesticides is off the table in all urban areas. He went on to say that this includes all areas that are accessible by road: If there are roads, CDFA considers it an urban area. Audio

“The bottom line for eradicating this pest has always been safety,” Rep. Farr said. “The public was never convinced that spraying was safe or the only option, and the result has been protests, anger and a series of lawsuits. It’s vital that we don’t delay in our efforts to control this pest. CDFA was correct to recognize that aerial application was becoming a distraction. A shift in strategy is the right move.”

reader comments, "Farr is a politico, he is only trying to keep the program alive."

"The public was never convinced that spraying was safe"

"No mention of the fact that it was actually not safe. Only public perceptions matter."

Aerial Pesticide Spraying Over Cities Stopped | Statewide Grassroots Movement Victorious in Stopping the Spray | Vegan Reader | LBAMspray.com | StopTheSpray.org | Helping Our Peninsula's Environment