> Environmental and Health Concerns > Herbicides and Pesticides

Chemical Bedfellows
by author Elmer Laird

Here in Saskatchewan, often referred to as the breadbasket of the world, we have a unique situation. Obviously the wrong type of political leadership is in government.

Dwane Lingenfelter is deputy premier and minister of agriculture of Saskatchewan. Louise Simmard is chief executive officer of the Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations. Lingenfelter and Simmard are husband and wife. They share the same home and the same family and no doubt sleep in the same bed–most married couples do. However, when they go out the door of their home every morning their unity of purpose ends. Lingenfelter heads for his office to promote the chemical agriculture that has polluted our Saskatchewan air, water and food with toxic agricultural chemicals for 50 years. Simmard heads for her office to attempt to salvage our national Medicare program. It is true that the Saskatchewan program is Ms Simmard’s main concern, but it will likely survive without the national Medicare program.

Unfortunately, Lingenfelter and Simmard symbolize what 45-50,000 Saskatchewan chemical farmers and a large number of chemical marketers and distributors are doing all spring, summer and fall. The husband goes out to chemical farm or distribute toxic farm chemicals and the wife’s priority is the health of children and families.

Farmers in Government

David Orchard, certified organic farmer from Borden, Saskatchewan, ran for leadership of the Progressive Conservative party against Joe Clark a couple of years ago. His goal was to become prime minister. That is still his intent.

"There is little doubt that herbicides and pesticides are causing a lot of the illnesses we have today," Orchard said in a recent interview.

"The agricultural chemicals were developed for wartime purposes, designed to destroy the enemy with dangerous toxins. After the war they were adapted to so-called peacetime agriculture purposes. However, there has been a major coverup of the toxic effects of these chemicals on people, livestock, wildlife and the environment: 2,4-D for example kills weeds by accelerating the growth rate of the plant, which exceeds the plant’s (weed’s) ability to draw nutrients and moisture from the soil to maintain life. Therefore, the plant dies. Other organo-phosphate chemicals cause lumps or tumors to grow on plants like cancer and many other human illnesses."

Orchard added, "All living things including humans have basically similar DNA. What affects plants will affect the metabolism of human beings as well.

"The hostility of World War II presumably ended August 6, 1945 on VJ Day. However, as long as we use toxic agricultural chemicals on farms and gardens to produce food, the side effects of the war will continue."

If we continue down the road we are on, we are an endangered species. Ligenfelter wants to be premier, Orchard wants to be prime minister. Which of the two will achieve his goal? It’s up to you to decide.

Elmer Laird is a certified organic farmer in Davidon, SK. He is also president of the Back to the Farm Research Foundation.

Source: alive #213, July 2000