Brown Apple Moth spraying in CA put on hold

(04-24) 14:45 PDT SAN FRANCISCO -- The state's efforts to eradicate
the light brown apple moth was dealt a setback Thursday when a judge
ordered a halt to aerial spraying in Santa Cruz County until state
agriculture officials conduct a comprehensive review of the chemical
spray's environmental impact.

A short time later, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced separately
in Sacramento that plans to spray in 12 counties where the moth has
been found would be put on hold at least until Aug. 17 to allow for a
series of safety tests to be completed.

U.S. and state agriculture officials had planned aerial spraying in
Santa Cruz and Monterey counties in June and in every county in the
Bay Area starting in August in a campaign to eradicate the invasive
moth, which they say threatens more than 200 crops in the state worth
multimillions of dollars.

What effect Schwarzenegger's decision would have on plans to spray
the Bay Area remained unclear Thursday, but Department of Food and
Agriculture Secretary A.G. Kawamura said the ruling by Santa Cruz
County Superior Court Judge Paul Burdick "threatens the safety of our
agriculture, environment and economy" and said he would appeal it
immediately.

"The light brown apple moth is a serious threat not just to Santa
Cruz but to the entire state, and the method we are using is the
safest, most progressive eradication program available," Kawamura
said in a statement.

The spraying plan calls for the use of pesticides containing
synthetic insect pheromones and other ingredients. Critics questioned
whether the spray is safe after more than 600 people in Santa Cruz
and Monterey counties reported respiratory problems after spraying
there last autumn during the first phase of the campaign against the
moth
Brown Apple Moth spraying put on hold - GOOD NEWS