Rob Faux, Iowa farmer and PAN Communications Associate, was invited by Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian Melinda Hemmelgarn to join in a conversation about diversified farms and the role chemical-intensive agriculture plays in limiting alternative crop production. In addition to his work at PAN, Faux owns and operates the Genuine Faux Farm near Tripoli, Iowa, where he produces a wide variety of certified organic produce for his community. The problem: drift from the application of pesticides, including the herbicide dicamba, threatens his ability to farm, and limit his community’s access to health-promoting foods.
If I suspect there is drift. . . I have to destroy the crop because I am interested in my customer’s health. [One of my biggest concerns] with chemical drift and off-target applications is about the safety of human beings. If we can’t manage to keep chemicals on target and control where they go during and after application, we should stop using them altogether.
You can listen to the entire conversation here:
