Thank you for addressing this issue. Although apples are not in the report, this report will certainly reinforce the concern that family's feel the need to go organic in general. It will be important for commodity groups to get out there in the media and put this in perspective. The organic production will not meet the needs of the general population at this point.
Deborah I. Breth Cornell Cooperative Extension - Lake Ontario Fruit Program Team Leader and IPM Specialist in Tree Fruit and Berries 12690 Rt. 31 Albion, NY 14411 phone: 585.798.4265 x 36 mobile: 585.747.6039 fax: 585.798.5191 email: d...@cornell.edu LOF website<http://www.fruit.cornell.edu/lof> From: apple-crop@virtualorchard.net [mailto:apple-c...@virtualorchard.net] On Behalf Of Nancy Foster Sent: Monday, May 17, 2010 7:31 PM To: Apple-Crop Subject: RE: Apple-Crop: organophosphates Since today's ADHD-Organophosphate story was mentioned on Apple Crop/Virtual Orchard this morning, I wanted to share some information about it. As you may have seen in the news clip below, the new study claims that exposure to certain organophosphate pesticides-specifically found on frozen blueberries, fresh strawberries and celery-appears to boost the chances that children will be diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. To read more about what is being reported in the popular press go to the following link: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/37156010/ns/health-kids_and_parenting/#ixzz0oDafw65a. The study is published in the journal Pediatrics. The study has been picked up by over 400 national and local media outlets, including the national morning news shows. For those interested, USApple analyzed the study and found: Apples or apple products are not mentioned in the study's full report or any popular press articles. No data in the study directly links cause and effect, just an association. The study itself says "prospective studies are needed to establish whether this association is causal." Research methods used were questionable - one-time urine sample and telephone interview. * A single urinalysis which detected OP metabolites was used to determine correlation with long-term disorder (ADHD). * The study's subjects - children - were determined to have ADHD based on telephone interviews with caregivers, not a doctor's diagnosis or extensive medical check. The researchers did not consider the children's overall diet or other possible sources of exposure to OP's. Information on the use of pesticides in this study does not reflect the significant decline in OP use over the past decade. If exposure to OP pesticides were significant in effecting the diagnosis of ADHD, then there would be a corresponding drop in ADHD diagnosis. Nancy Nancy Foster U.S. Apple Association (703) 442-8850 www.usapple.org<http://www.usapple.org> From: apple-crop@virtualorchard.net [mailto:apple-c...@virtualorchard.net] On Behalf Of Mark Longstroth Sent: Monday, May 17, 2010 9:02 AM To: 'Apple-Crop' Subject: RE: Apple-Crop: organophosphates Yes, I saw it this morning on NBC Today show. http://today.msnbc.msn.com/ It was the lead story at both 7 and 8 AM http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/37156010/ns/health-kids_and_parenting/ My thought was that is the end of the OPs ******************************* Mark Longstroth MSUE Fruit Educator http://www.canr.msu.edu/vanburen/disthort.htm From: apple-crop@virtualorchard.net [mailto:apple-c...@virtualorchard.net] On Behalf Of David Doud Sent: Monday, May 17, 2010 7:44 AM To: Apple-Crop Subject: Apple-Crop: organophosphates monday morning reading - it's going to be a long fall talking to people about this.... "Led by Maryse Bouchard in Montreal, researchers based at the University of Montreal and Harvard University examined the potential relationship between ADHD and exposure to certain toxic pesticides called organophosphates...." http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1989564,00.html?xid=rss-topstories&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+time%2Ftopstories+%28TIME%3A+Top+Stories%29&utm_content=Google+Reader David Doud grower - Indiana ______________________________________________________________________ This email has been scanned by the MessageLabs Email Security System. For more information please visit http://www.messagelabs.com/email ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ This email has been scanned by the MessageLabs Email Security System. For more information please visit http://www.messagelabs.com/email ______________________________________________________________________
