Although chemical pesticides for farming uses are becoming more popular for safeguarding crops and improving productivity, they are also becoming feared for their potentially dangerous residues and harmful effects on the ecosystem.
According to the November 19 edition of the Seattle Times, Washington state farmers must restrict the use of three popular pesticides in order to protect salmon. A new law forbids any of these pesticides from being used within 500 feet of streams that carry salmon.
Chlorpyrifos, one of the pesticides, is often used on golf courses and malathion, another pesticide, is used to kill mosquitoes. Because of these restrictions, farmers will have a harder time saving their crops from pests like codling moths and cherry fruit flies. If pests turn up in farmers' fields, they risk having their shipments blocked. Though these pest concerns will be reviewed again, it is uncertain whether the law will be revised.
Consumers may positively benefit from this law because it will limit the amount of pesticides in their food and help the salmon. They may also experience negative consequences like more expensive produce if farmers' crops are ruined.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008408557_pesticide19m.html
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