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A number of area farmers cited in onion probe



Workers move down a row of onions in this autumn, 2006 photo near Ontario Wednesday, the Oregon Department of Agriculture delivered civil penalties to 19 onion growers in Malheur County in the wake of an investigation regarding the use of a restricted pesticide.
ONTARIO - Nineteen separate onion producers in Malheur County have been assessed civil penalties totaling $112,480 in connection with the misuse of the restricted pesticide Furadan on onions during the 2006 growing season, according to an announcement issued Wednesday by the Oregon Department of Agriculture.

The penalties stem from an investigation and extensive sampling performed by the Oregon Department of Agriculture’s Pesticides Division and Laboratory Services, ODA Director of Communications Bruce Pokarney said in a press release.

Individual penalties ranged from nearly $16,000 to just under $600 for a number of growers in the Ontario, Nyssa, Adrian, Vale and Weiser area.

“They have 10 days after they received the notice to appeal,” Pokarney said.

Furadan is one trade name for a chemical called carbofuran which is used to control insect pests on a variety of vegetable and field crops, but is not labeled for use on onions.

Despite the violations, no onions containing carbofuran residue entered the human food chain, Pokarney said.

“In our interviews a number of producers clearly admitted they used (Furadan) and knew the product was not labeled (for onions),” Dale Mitchell, ODA pesticide division manager, said. The view of some of the growers was that the chemical was more effective in controlling pests than other products, Mitchell said.

The ODA delivered penalties to:

— Van Schulthies, Nyssa, $15,984.

— B & B Custom Sprayer, Nyssa, $15,984.

— Bret Nielsen, Adrian, $15,984.

— Larry Kitamura, Ontario, $15,318.

— Craig Froerer, Nyssa, $10,693.

— Herb Haun, Weiser, $6,327.

— Jerry Mizuta, Ontario, $5,624.

— Craig Crawford, Ontario, $5,032.

— Randy Smith, Ontario, $4,218.

— Greg Panike, Ontario, $3,330.

— Paul Kesler, Nyssa, $3,330.

— Ken Laubacher, Ontario, $2,362.

— Kip Cindell, Adrian, $2,220.

— Scott Cruickshank, Ontario, $2,109.

— Michael McGourty, Brogan, $666.

— Gene Bair, Nyssa, $629.

— Dan Fulleton, Vale, $555.

The civil penalties were based on the number of the fields where Furadan was applied, Mitchell said. “Each was a separate distinct act,” he said.

The Idaho Department of Agriculture conducted its own separate investigation, and issued its own citations, but did not specify the penalties.

The notice of violations from the Idaho Department of Agriculture were issued to Froerer, Nyssa, and Cindell, Adrian, as well as Craig Weber, Alan and Leonard Weber, Parma; Gish, Grant and Tyler Amano, Weiser; Ernest Chandler, Weiser and Rick Michael, Weiser.

Documents from the Idaho Department of Agriculture, received through an Argus Observer public records request, showed that some of cited growers either denied applying Furadan to onions or said the chemical had gotten mixed with an approved chemical.

Under the Idaho Department of Agriculture’s program, the penalties were to be decided either at administrative hearings or at settlement meetings. Growers receiving the notices of violations had 14 days to respond.

Extensive market assurance testing was conducted by ODA and other laboratories last fall on onions in the valley with the encouragement and support of the onion grower and shipper associations in the region.

Results from that testing showed no detectable levels of carbofuran in the onion bulbs cleared for the market place.

“We looked at everybody’s onions in the county to move the product to market,” Pokarney said.

The onion growers were very cooperative in assisting in developing protocols for getting them tested, Mitchell said.

“The active component (in carbofuran) is carbamate,” Mitchell said, about carbofuran. “The Environmental Protection Agency is actively decertifying (carbamate pesticides) because of environmental risks.”

No additional carbamate products are being labeled or certified, he said.

Another sanction will be that onion crops for 2007 planted by the cited producers will all have to be tested before they can be marketed.

“(Their) planted onions will be embargoed until they are free of carbofuran,” Pokarney said.




Comment Blog - Note: All Comments Subject To Approval

No Dhimmi wrote on Aug 14, 2009 9:38 PM:

" Islam is a woman-hating, human-enslaving ideology that should NOT be taught in our public schools. It's obvious the Saudis and the rest of the Muslim fanatics who are trying to take over the world have bought off the State of Oregon. Expect lawsuits.

And this isn't "racist," because Islam is not a race, anymore than Communism or Nazism are races, both of which killed far fewer people than Islam.

Disgusting. "

anonymous wrote on Aug 10, 2009 2:19 AM:

" The girl was Latasha Rodriguez "

Cody W. Ables wrote on May 16, 2008 11:04 PM:

" May 16, 2008

Here is something that we should all read. This is a letter from an angry woman in New Jersey regarding the War in Iraq and all of the war’s negative publicity. Pay attention.

'Are we fighting a war on terror or aren't we? Was it or was it not started by Islamic people who brought it to our shores on September 11, 2001?

Were people from all over the world, mostly Americans, not brutally murdered that day, in downtown Manhattan, across the Potomac from our nation's capitol and in a field in Pennsylvania?

Did nearly three-thousand men, women and children die a horrible, burning or crushing death that day, or didn't they?

And I'm supposed to care that a copy of the Koran was 'desecrated' when an overworked American soldier kicked it or got it wet?...Well, I don't. I don't care at all.

I'll start caring when Osama bin Laden turns himself in and repents for incinerating all those innocent people on 9/11.

I'll care about the Koran when the fanatics in the Middle East start caring about the Holy Bible, the mere possession of which is a crime in Saudi Arabia .

I'll care when these thugs tell the world they are sorry for hacking off Nick Berg's head while Berg screamed through his gurgling slashed throat.

I'll care when the cowardly so-called 'insurgents' in Iraq come out and fight like men instead of disrespecting their own religion by hiding in mosques.

I'll care when the mindless zealots who blow themselves up in search of nirvana care about the innocent children within range of their suicide bombs.

I'll care when the American media stops pretending that their First Amendment liberties are somehow derived from international law instead of the United States Constitution's Bill of Rights.

In the meantime, when I hear a story about a brave marine roughing up an Iraqi terrorist to obtain information, know this: I don't care.

When I see a fuzzy photo of a pile of naked Iraqi prisoners who have been humiliated in what amounts to a college-hazing incident, rest assured: I don't care.

When I see a wounded terrorist get shot in the head when he is told not to move because he might be booby-trapped, you can take it to the bank: I don't care.

When I hear that a prisoner, who was issued a Koran and a prayer mat, and fed 'special' food that is paid for by my tax dollars, is complaining that his holy book is being 'mishandled,' you can absolutely believe in your heart of hearts: I don't care.

Sooner or later, it'll get to the people responsible for this ridiculous behavior!

If you don't agree, then by all means quit reading. Should you choose to do so, then please don't complain when more atrocities committed by radical Muslims happen here in our great Country! And may I add:

'Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. But, the Marines don't have that problem' -- Ronald Reagan

I have another quote that I would like to add

'If we ever forget that we're One Nation Under God, then we will be a nation gone under.' Also by.. Ronald Reagan

One last thought for the day:

In case we find ourselves starting to believe all the Anti-American sentiment and negativity, we should remember England 's Prime Minister Tony Blair's words during a recent interview. When asked by one of his Parliament members why he believes so much in America , he said: 'A simple way to take measure of a country is to look at how many want in.. And how many want out.'

Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you:
1. Jesus Christ
2. The American G. I.
Important for us all!!!!
One died for your soul, the other for your freedom.

MANY SEEM TO FORGET BOTH OF THEM. AMEN!’


I hope you take this woman’s viewpoint into consideration. It closely parallels my own. As I begin my journey in becoming a soldier of the greatest country in the world, hearing this woman’s words sets my heart at ease. It is warming to know that there are people in this great country who still care about those men and women who have no choice.


Cody W. Ables
U.S. Air Force Academy 2012
"


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