Hello Evan and everybody, Coming from my perspective, where we are now having to cope without DPA for storing Bramley (culinary) apples, I must say that is it proving tricky, but we are managing, through use of 1-MCP combined with more complex (and expensive and risky) storage regimes. So I would say it is technically possible to keep apples without DPA or ethoxyquin, which we also can’t use, but ironically it mitigates against the smaller grower, and in favour of the larger ones (big ag?) who can afford the higher tech gear.
It is ironic that scaring people about pesticide residues on fresh foods (especially fruits) actually causes people to eat more processed foods (as though their ingredients do not also get pesticide treatments), as the studies linking better health with fruit consumption are studies conducted with conventionally grown fruits with their pesticide residues (if they are not residue free). In other words, the benefits of eating fruits and vegetables are there in black and white, even if those fruits and vegetables have residues. It is far less healthy to switch to a candy bar from an apple, even if that apple has some residue (so long as that is below permitted levels). However, this is not a message we can send out, so we are left grappling when emails like this from EWG are circulated. The joke of what EWG seems to be doing is producing a dirty dozen or clean fifteen list is that those lists say nothing at all about the risk of a pesticide residue on the particular apple in your fruit-bowl. You could be eating a residue-free fruit from among the “dirty dozen”, or one covered in pesticide from among the “clean fifteen”. Despite the differences in regulations between Europe and the US (and I favour in general the less permissive, more cautious European standards, despite having to work within their restrictions), our agriculture here is constantly increasing in scale, and resembles more and more what would be our stereotyped image of US industrial agriculture. That is because the regulations have more in common than what separates them, and farming is becoming more and more like a business, and less like a passion. I am personally not a fan of industrial agriculture, although I employ mostly similar methods. However, motivation is a key factor, and for me, the motivation is not profit maximisation. For the industrial model is about profit before all else, and that is not a suitable way for the World to produce its food. However, as long as Joe public takes the attitude that 7% of their disposable income is what they will spend on food (that is the Irish %), then agriculture will continue to become more industrial, as for me that is not a percentage that can support the production of produce and foods that consumers might feel more comfortable buying, and might be able to have more confidence in. So, instead of sending 45 bucks to Ken Cook, I would suggest that Joe public either sends it to a principled (and hopefully small-scale) farmer someplace near them, or better still, buys a few fruit trees or invests in a few packets of seeds, and grows their own pesticide-free produce. Con Traas European (Irish) Apple Grower T: @theapplefarmer From: apple-crop-boun...@virtualorchard.net [mailto:apple-crop-boun...@virtualorchard.net] On Behalf Of Evan B. Milburn Sent: 28 April 2014 02:32 To: Apple-Crop Subject: Re: [apple-crop] apples and chemicals This was sent to me from a friend of mine by the name of George. It was send to him from one of his co-workers. Evan Milburn www.milburnorchards.com<http://www.milburnorchards.com> Hey Evan what’s this all about? Hi George, Thought you might want to send this to your buddy, Mr. Milburn. Dawn Reserve your 2014 Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce bag tag and get a sneak peek of this year's guide! [EWG Logo]<http://action.ewg.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=5r2YvGNi7PfOCCjuGLCaqB6LrHTgr0Yo> [Donate today. Help EWG stand up against Big Ag's attacks and we'll send you a sneak peek of our 2014 Shoppers Guide to say thank you]<http://action.ewg.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=5caNRqnNvAQTKKdAymouQh6LrHTgr0Yo> Dear Dawn, Is that apple slathered with a chemical banned in Europe? Earlier this week, EWG told you about apples and diphenylamine (DPA). This chemical used to help preserve stored apples is banned in Europe because of safety concerns, yet it’s widely used on conventionally grown apples in the United States. Not surprisingly, the pro-pesticide Alliance for Food and Farming isn’t too happy about this. As the public relations arm of big, industrial agriculture, this group has already responded to our report with the nonsensical claim that EWG is trying to scare consumers into not eating apples. You know as well as I do that nothing could be further from the truth. The Alliance is just looking to obscure the facts about the food we’re eating at the expense of you, the consumer. Big Ag is on the warpath, but what it doesn’t realize is that EWG has an army of supporters like you behind us – ready to help us stand up against its attacks. You’ve been there for us before, and right now we need your help again to fight back – will you donate today to help us ensure that we all know what pesticides and other chemicals turn up on our fruits and vegetables? Give $25, $45 or more today so EWG can fend off Big Ag’s attacks and we’ll give you a sneak peek at our Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce before it comes out next week to thank you. <http://action.ewg.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=a13NJQw0LXyRljJxf5199R6LrHTgr0Yo> If it were up to Big Ag, we’d all be kept in the dark about what’s in our food – even when it has the potential to cause cancer and disrupt the endocrine system. That’s why EWG’s work is so important. We do the research and then translate it into practical, easy-to-use tools such as our Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce that make safer grocery shopping a breeze. EWG believes that we should all be eating fruits, vegetables and the healthiest food possible. We also believe that you have the right to know what pesticide and chemical residues are on that food. Big conventional chemical agriculture is ready to do whatever it takes to smear the research you count on and to limit your access to information about your food. Can we count on you to stand up to these misleading and underhanded attacks? Donate $25, $45 or more right now to help us fight back against Big Ag and be the first in line to get a look at our 2014 Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen lists. <http://action.ewg.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=DVc5KnsNJmTI8SQ5rwEByB6LrHTgr0Yo> Thanks for being a part of the EWG community. [https://donate.ewg.org/images/ewg_sig.gif] Ken Cook President, Environmental Working Group Contribute <http://action.ewg.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=FOBx2o5DQoIGaQGCeyKmAh6LrHTgr0Yo> Follow us on [Facebook]<http://action.ewg.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=a13NJQw0LXzZSJ/KWeRnSB6LrHTgr0Yo>[Twitter]<http://action.ewg.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=5r2YvGNi7PfsfWoIzeslvR6LrHTgr0Yo>[YouTube]<http://action.ewg.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=Uxgou3gtU9lP8Orco1ymPx6LrHTgr0Yo>[Pinterest]<http://action.ewg.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=m9WmQe75A%2BDhRp76OFzyRh6LrHTgr0Yo> UNSUBSCRIBE<http://action.ewg.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=ANAud97xivKMOley9VN8Yh6LrHTgr0Yo> | CHANGE OPTIONS<http://action.ewg.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=hSfCAwGMp04uOF4rM1hqIh6LrHTgr0Yo> Remember to add e...@ewg.org<mailto:e...@ewg.org> to your contact list. The Environmental Working Group is a non-profit, non-partisan research organization dedicated to using the power of information to protect public health and the environment. 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