News Digest for  'agriculture' 

They’re beautiful, but are they safe?

By the time the roses reach your local store, they will have been sprayed, rinsed and dipped in a battery of potentially lethal chemicals. Colombia is the world's second-largest cut-flower producer and the industry provides an important alternative to growing coca. The tropical climate is a haven for pests. So growers apply pesticides and fungicides, some of which have been linked to elevated rates of cancer and neurological disorders and other problems.

Colombia News Digest Valentine Roses Often Doused With Toxic Chemicals (Associated Press)
Posted: 02/20/07 18:17 by Shannon