Tell Driscoll’s to Stop Poisoning Babies!

After California banned chlorpyrifos, the state's use of organophosphate pesticides decreased everywhere except in the Central Coast region where Driscoll's grows its strawberries. In Driscoll's Monterey County, use went up 26 percent and exposure is nearly unavoidable.

Monterey County has the highest proportion of pregnant women (50 percent) living within 1 km of organophosphate pesticide use. Living within 1–1.25 km of organophosphate pesticide applications during pregnancy is linked to autism spectrum disorder, reduced IQ in children, and altered brain activity in adolescents.

This is so distressing to the citizens of Watsonville, California, where Driscoll's is headquartered, that two people went on hunger strike, demanding that Driscoll's transition its farms near schools to organic, but Driscoll's wouldn't even publicly acknowledged their protest.

TAKE ACTION: Tell Driscoll’s to stop poisoning the babies of California's Central Coast!

Organophosphate pesticides are literally chemical weapons. They're nerve agents, first developed by Bayer's Gerhard Schrader for the Nazis in World War II.

Just like the nerve agents of old, organophosphate pesticides inhibit the neurotransmitter acetylcholinesterase, resulting in muscle spasms, confusion, dizziness, loss of consciousness, seizures, abdominal cramps, vomiting, diarrhea, cessation of breathing, paralysis, and death.

Early life exposure to organophosphate pesticides is linked to reduced IQ, ADHD, autism, changes to brain morphology, and cerebral palsy, with the strongest associations found with exposures during pregnancy. Living within 1–1.25 km of organophosphate pesticide applications during pregnancy is linked to autism spectrum disorder, reduced IQ in children, and altered brain activity in adolescents.

Pesticide exposure via air and dust has been tracked at distances up to 4 km.

Autism spectrum disorder is linked to living within 2 km of chlorpyrifos, diazinon, and malathion applications during pregnancy.

Cerebral palsy is linked to living within 2 km of dimethoate applications during pregnancy.

Reduced IQ is linked to living within 1 km of acephate and oxydemeton-methyl applications during pregnancy.

In Monterey County, where Driscoll's grows its strawberries, living within 1 km of organophosphate pesticide use during pregnancy was associated with lower IQ in children, with each increase in total pesticide use near the home associated with a 2-point decrease in IQ at age 7.

TAKE ACTION: Tell Driscoll’s to stop poisoning the babies of California's Central Coast!

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*SAMPLE TEXT TO DRISCOLL'S*

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I am writing with concerns about what I have learned about Driscoll’s business practices.

First of all, Driscoll's is moving in the wrong direction with its increased use of organophosphorus pesticides. After California banned chlorpyrifos, the state's use of organophosphoris pesticides decreased everywhere except in the Central Coast region where you grow your strawberries. In Monterey County, where many of your strawberry farms are located, use went up 26 percent and exposure is nearly unavoidable.

Citizens of Watsonville, California, where you are is headquartered went on hunger strike demanding that you transition your farms near schools to organic, but you wouldn't even publicly acknowledge the protest. You say you're followng the law, but pesticide exposure via air and dust has been tracked at distances up to 4 km.

Please stop poisoning babies!

Autism spectrum disorder is linked to living within 2 km of chlorpyrifos, diazinon, and malathion applications during pregnancy.

Cerebral palsy is linked to living within 2 km of dimethoate applications during pregnancy.

Reduced IQ is linked to living within 1 km of acephate and oxydemeton-methyl applications during pregnancy.

In Monterey County, where you grow your strawberries, living within 1 km of organophosphate pesticide use during pregnancy is associated with lower IQ in children, with each increase in total pesticide use near the home causing a 2-point decrease in IQ at age 7.

No more Driscoll’s berries for me!

[Your Name]

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