NEW PERSPECTIVES ON PESTICIDES
A Statewide Conference on Pesticide Issues in Texas
Rice University, Rice Student Center
September 10 and 11, 1999
Houston, Texas
and
ORGANIC PRODUCTS FAIR
Friday evening, September 10th, 6:00-9:00 p.m.
Houston Arboretum and Nature Center, 4501 Woodway
(near Memorial Park and Loop 610)
Sponsored by:
Texas Pesticide Information Network
(Texas Center for Policy Studies, Consumers Union and
Texas Clean Water Fund)
and
Texans for Alternatives to Pesticides
CONFERENCE AGENDA
The Texas Pesticide Information Network (the Texas Center for Policy Studies, Consumers Union and Texas Clean Water Fund), along with a new Houston organization, Texans for Alternatives to Pesticides, held a statewide conference: New Perspectives on Pesticides, in Houston, Texas, September 10th and 11th, 1999. The event began with an Organic Products Fair, Friday evening, September 10th, at the lovely Houston Arboretum and Nature Center. The Fair featured a wide variety of booths and exhibits of organic products for the home and garden; literature on pesticides and alternatives to pesticides; and special activities for the kids. Howard Garrett, entertaining radio show host and most recently author of the fabulous book, Texas Organic Gardening, gave a short talk at 7:30 p.m.
The Conference was held on Saturday at the Rice Student Center at Rice University. The Conference featured a keynote speech by Dr. Michael Hansen of Consumers Union (the publisher of Consumer Reports). Dr. Hansen is a leading U.S. expert on pesticides and their alternatives. He has authored and co-authored many publications, including Pest Management at the Crossroads, a 1996 Consumers Union report on how to reduce pesticide use in agriculture and Pest Control for Home and Garden, a book on how to reduce or eliminate pesticides in household pest management. He is active with a wide variety of national organizations concerned about pesticides and biotechnology, as well as working in his local community to reduce pesticide use.
8:30 to 9:00 a.m. Welcome and Purposes of Conference: Mary Kelly, Texas Center for Policy Studies and Victoria Albright, Texans for Alternatives to Pesticides
9:00 to 9:45 a.m. Keynote: New Perspectives on Pesticides: Dr. Michael Hansen, Consumer Policy Institute, Consumers Union (Introduction by Reggie James, Director, Southwest Regional Office of Consumers Union)
9:45 to 10:00 a.m. Break
10:00 a.m. to noon Concurrent Workshops on Issues and Solutions-These workshops will be designed to provide an overview of the issues and then involve the participants in a discussion of solutions to the problems identified. Reports from each workshop will be presented during the concluding session of the conference.
Pesticide Use in Schools: Parents' Bill of Rights Presenters will include Kim Phillips, Environment Committee Chair, Texas Parent-Teacher Association; Reggie James, Consumers Union; and Sandy Schubert, Los Angeles. Moderator: Victoria Albright
Options for Reducing Local Governments' Use of Pesticides Presenters will include Gregg Small, Pesticide Watch, San Francisco,CA; Laura Haight, Albany, New York. Moderator: Rochella Cooper, TAP
Protecting Drinking Water Sources from Pesticide Contamination: Presenters will include Sparky Anderson, Texas Clean Water Fund and J. Bruce Moring, U.S. Geological Survey, National Water Quality Assessment Program. Moderator: Mary Kelly, Texas Center for Policy Studies
Responding to Incidents of Pesticide Mis-Use: Presenters will include Mary Ann Smith, University of Texas School of Public Health, Murray Walton, Texas Structural Pest Control Board and Rachel Rosales, Texas Department of Health. Moderator: Rick Lowerre, Henry, Lowerre, Johnson & Frederick.
Noon to 1:15 p.m. Lunch (sack lunches will be provided)
1:15 to 3:15 p.m. Concurrent Workshops on Issues and Solutions, continued
The Effects of Pesticides on Fish and Wildlife Resources: Presenters will include Mike Hastings, FISH (Fishermen Interested in Saving Habitat); Brandt Mannchen, Forestry Subcommittee Chair, Houston Sierra Club; and Dr. Susan Kegley, Californians for Pesticide Reform. Moderator: Sparky Anderson, Texas Clean Water Fund.
Pesticides and Food: Presenters will include Michael Hansen Consumers Union; Dr. Lovell Jones, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and Nelly Rocha, U.S. EPA. Moderator: Reggie James, Consumers Union
Reducing Pesticide Use In Agriculture: Presenters will include LaRhea Pepper, Texas Organic Cotton Producers; Peggy Sechrist, Sechrist Ranch and Homestead Healthy Foods and Bob Randall, Director, Urban Harvest. Moderator: Rick Lowerre, Henry, Lowerre, Johnson & Frederick.
Reducing Pesticide Use in the Home and Garden: Presenters will include Howard Garrett, organic gardening expert; Mark Bowen, Living Art Landscapes; and Sue Pitman, Health and Environment Solutions, Inc. Moderator: John Ferguson, Nature's Way.
3:15 to 3:30 p.m. Break
3:30 to 5:00 p.m. Closing Session: Reports from Workshops; Future Activities on Texas Pesticide Issues; Feedback on Conference
CONFERENCE SPEAKERS
Michael Hansen, Consumer Policy Institute, Consumers Union: Dr. Hansen is a leading expert on pesticides and their alternatives. He has authored and co-authored many publications, including Pest Management at the Crossroads, a 1996 Consumers Union report on how to reduce pesticide use in agriculture, and Pest Control for the Home and Garden, a book on how to reduce or eliminate pesticides in household pesticide management. He is active with a wide variety of national organizations concerned about pesticides and biotechnology, as well as working in his local community to reduce pesticide use. Dr. Hansen has a Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Michigan.
Reggie James, Director, Southwest Regional Office of Consumers Union: Mr. James has been Director of CU's regional office since 1996. Prior to becoming Director, he worked as a staff attorney for CU, directing legislative and regulatory advocacy projects related to consumer rights, environmental health and safety, legal representation for low-income consumers and other issues. He has worked on several pesticide issues, including promotion of integrated pest management legislation for Texas schools and the boll weevil eradication program problems. Mr. James has a law degree from the University of Texas.
Kim Phillips, Environmental Chairman for Texas Parent Teacher Association: Ms. Phillips teaches environmental workshops for the 3,000 PTAs in Texas. She has been active in environmental health issues since the City of Waco permitted a landfill next door to her son's elementary school while she was a local PTA president. Ms. Phillips has been inducted into the Environmental Hall of Fame and was one of six individuals in the U.S. to receive a Center for Health, Environment & Justice award in 1997 from Lois Gibb's group, CCHW. She received these awards for her environmental work with PTAs across the U.S. Ms. Phillips has a B.S. in Health Education from Louisiana Tech University.
Sandy Schubert, Los Angeles Safe Schools Coalition: Ms. Schubert is a member of the Los Angeles Unified School District Pest Management Team and Los Angeles Safe Schools Coalition. She represents the PMT as a community member, providing guidance and input on pest management decisions under the Los Angeles District's new IPM policy. In her professional life, Ms. Schubert is an Environmental Program Analyst with the City of Santa Monica's Environmental Programs Division where she oversees the City's Toxic Use Reduction Program, focussing on environmentally-preferable cleaning products, fleet maintenance and IPM. Prior to working with the City, Ms. Schubert worked with non-profits, other organizations and municipalities on a variety of environmental and public health issues, providing legal and policy expertise as a consultant and as a Project Director.
Gregg Small, Pesticide Watch, San Francisco, California: Mr. Small has been the Executive Director of Pesticide Watch for the past four years. He sites on the Executive Committee of Californians for Pesticide Reform and is President of the Board of Directors of Beyond Pesticides/National Coalition Against the Misuse of Pesticides (NCAMP). Mr. Small is also author of two organizing manuals for community activists working to reduce pesticide use in schools and parks. Previously, he worked for three years with Green Corps, a national training program for environmental organizers. While there, he served in a variety of roles, including Vermont field organizer; Washington, D.C.-based lead organizer and Organizing Director for Green Corps' Restore the Bay project. Mr. Small graduated from Dickinson College in 1992.
Laura Haight, New York Public Interest Research Group, Albany, New York: Ms. Haight is a Senior Environmental Associate with the New York Public Interest Research Group in Albany, where she directs NYPIRG's pesticide right-to-know and reduction project. NYPIRG is New York's largest environmental and consumer advocacy organization, with more than 80,000 members and 20 offices around the state. Ms. Haight earned her undergraduate degree at Harvard University and has more than fifteen years of experience working for nonprofit environmental advocacy groups in New York State.
Mary Ann Smith, University of Texas School of Public Health: Dr. Smith is an assistant professor of environmental sciences at the University of Texas Houston School of Public Health, a position she has held since 1991. From 1996 to 1999 she served on the National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine, Committee on Environmental Justice. She has particular expertise in pesticides and conducts research on various pesticide exposure issues. Dr. Smith received a Ph.D. in Pharmacology from the University of Texas and worked at the National Cancer Institute and Smith, Kline & French Labs before coming to the School of Public Health.
Murray Walton, Investigator, Texas Structural Pest Control Board: Since January 1998, Mr. Walton has been employed as an Investigator with the Texas Structural Pest Control Board. He is a Certified Wildlife Biologist, licensed pesticide applicator, and author or co-author of over 20 publications on wildlife and pest control related issues. Prior to joining the SPCB, Mr. Walton worked for CTN Educational Services, a pesticide applicator training company. He also worked for the Texas Department of Agriculture for seven years, heading the predator management program with additional duties in pesticide applicator training and certification. Mr. Walton has also worked as regional representative for the Wildlife Management Institute and the National Audubon Society, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife. He as a B.S. degree in Wildlife Biology from Colorado State University and an M.S. in Game Management from Louisiana State University.
Rachel Rosales, Program Coordinator, Texas Department of Health: Ms. Rosales currently serves as an Epidemiologist and Program Coordinator for the Texas Department of Health's Pesticide Exposure Surveillance Program. She conducts epidemiological research and active follow-up on human pesticide exposures that occur throughout the state of Texas. In responding to and investigating human pesticide exposures, Ms. Rosales has had the opportunity to collaborate and develop significant reporting relationships with numerous agencies statewide, including the Structural Pest Control Board, the Texas Department of Agriculture, the Texas Poison Center Networks and the Texas Workers' Compensation Commission. Information gathered in this research is used to identify human populations at risk, understand and prevent exposures to pesticides and encourage actions to protect and promote the health of the people of Texas.
Dwayne ("Sparky" Anderson, Texas Clean Water Fund and Texas Clean Water Action: Mr. Anderson is State Program Director for Texas Clean Water Action. He is an experienced organizer who has worked with Texas communities on environmental problems since 1989. A graduate of Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Mr. Anderson has coordinated successful campaigns to win water quality protection in San Antonio; organized BAIT (Better Aquatics in Texas), a coalition of anglers and conservationists working for water quality protection; and spearheaded TCWA's work stopping legislative and regulatory efforts to lower water quality standards in East Texas.
J. Bruce Moring, Biologist, National Water Quality Assessment Program, U.S. Geological Survey: Since 1992, Dr. Moring has been with the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water Quality Assessment Program and the Texas District of the U.S.G.S. Prior to joining USGS, he was a research associate at the University of North Texas' Water Research Field Station. Dr. Moring received his Ph.D. in biology from the University of North Texas.
Susan Kegley, Staff Scientist, Pesticide Action Network: Dr. Kegley is a Staff Scientist and Program Coordinator for the Pesticide Action Network. Her present work is in collaboration with Californians for Pesticide Reform (CPR), a coalition of over 130 organizations whose goals are to reduce California's reliance on toxic pesticides, promote sustainable pest control methods and protect the public's right to know about pesticide use. She works with a variety of community groups and agency staff, providing information and technical expertise on pesticide-related issues. She uses available pesticide use and toxicology databases to evaluate trends in pesticide use in California, documenting the effects of pesticides on people, fish and wildlife, water and air quality. Dr. Kegley is the lead author of the PAN/CPR report Disrupting the Balance: Ecological Effects of Pesticides in California and is presently preparing a report entitled Trends in Pesticide Use in California, 1991-1998, to be released in January 2000. She received her Ph.D. in Organic and Inorganic Chemistry from the University of North Carolina and has done Postdoctoral research at Colorado State University and the University of California, Berkeley. She has also been a university professor and lecturer.
Brandt Mannchen, Houston Regional Group, Sierra Club: Mr. Mannchen has been Forestry Chair for the Houston Sierra Club since 1995. He has been active in environmental issues since 1976. Mr. Mannchen has a B.S. in Environmental Science form Sam Houston State University and an M.S. from the University of Houston Clear Lake. He currently works for the Houston Bureau of Air Quality Control, but is representing only Sierra Club at this conference.
Beth Hayden, National Organics Program, U.S. Department of Agriculture: Ms. Hayden is an Agricultural Marketing Specialist with USDA's National Organics Program. She has served on that staff for five years and has worked for USDA for 10 years. As an Organic Program staff member, she has done extensive research and writing for the proposed national organic standards. She also works with other USDA agencies on international trade issues and, before joining the Organics Program, she worked with USDA's School Lunch Program. Ms. Hayden received a Masters Degree in English from Idaho State University and prior to joining USDA she was a conventional farmer, livestock and milk producer in southern Idaho.
Lovell Jones, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center: Dr. Jones is presently a professor in the Departments of Gynecologic Oncology and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. Since 1988, he has served as the Director of Experimental Gynecology/Endocrinology. He serves and has served on several Boards and Commissions, many of which are devoted to minority health and environmental health issues. He presently also serves on the EPA's Scientific Advisory Board. Dr. Jones has devoted extensive personal and professional time to the subject of minorities and cancer. He has conducted extensive research into the relationship between hormones, diet and endocrine responsive tumors and his present work involves determining the mechanism by which natural and environmental estrogenic agents may initiate cancers in hormonally responsive tissue. In 1996, he was selected as the recipient of the UTMD Anderson Faculty Achievement Award for his work in the area of cancer prevention. Dr. Jones received his doctorate from the University of California at Berkeley and conducted post-doctoral work at the Reproductive Endocrinology Center at the University of California San Francisco, where he was also an instructor.
Nelly Rocha, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region VI: Ms. Rocha is an experienced environmental attorney and currently serves as Senior Policy Advisor in the Office of Region Administrator Gregg Cooke. Previous to serving in this position she worked in various capacities at Region VI of EPA including Deputy Branch Chief in the Compliance Assurance and Enforcement Division and as Director of the El Paso EPA office for Texas/Mexico border affairs. She received her law degree from the University of Denver College of Law and has a B.S. degree in Political Science from Southern Methodist University.
LaRhea Pepper, Texas Organic Cotton Marketing Cooperative: Ms. Pepper is the third generation to operate, along with her husband, Terry, the family organic cotton farm in West Texas. She has spent the last few years developing markets for organic cotton, as well as developing specific value-added products made from organically grown cotton. She is a founding member and current Executive Officer for the Texas Organic Cotton Marketing Cooperative and the President of Cotton Plus, the marketing representative for TOCMC. Ms. Pepper is a graduate of Abilene Christian University and has been active in many school, community and church functions.
Peggy Sechrist, Homestead Healthy Foods: Ms. Sechrist is co-manager of the Sechrist Ranch, the first certified organic ranch in Texas (producing organic beef, chicken and eggs). She is co-owner and general partner of Homestead Healthy Foods, a marketing company selling certified organic been and eggs, and operating an organic food retail store in Fredericksburg, Texas. Ms. Sechrist is current a Board member of the American Pastured Poultry Producers Assn. and a member of the Texas Department of Agriculture Advisory Committee for Organic Livestock Standards. She was formerly the director of Holistic Resource Management of Texas and worked at the Texas Department of Agriculture as a Research Analyst in the Sustainable Agriculture Office under Commissioner Jim Hightower.
Bob Randall, Urban Harvest: Since 1994, Dr. Randall has been Executive Director of Urban Harvest, Inc., the 10th largest community gardening program in North America. He is a professional anthropologist with more than 30 years researching, publishing on and working on issues related to wise horticulture, food production, ecosystems, hunger and education. He is the author of Year Round Vegetables, Fruits and Flowers for Metro Houston-A Natural Approach to Using Ecology and co-author of How to Grow Tomatoes in Greater Houston-The Community Gardening Experience. During his career, Dr. Randall has taught at 3 universities, published several articles and served as the community gardens coordinator for the Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston (1987-1994). He received his Ph. D. from the University of California Berkeley.
J. Howard Garrett, "The Dirt Doctor": Dr. Garrett is a landscape architect by training, with extensive experience in landscape contracting, greenhouse growing, golf course planning and maintenance and organic product development. He currently hosts a radio gardening show called The Natural Way on WBAP in Dallas and writes a weekly column for the Dallas Morning News on organic gardening. He ahs taught organic gardening at Southern Methodist University in the continuing education department, and lectures and continues to consult extensively on organics, horticulture and agriculture. Dr. Garrett is author or co-author of several books, including: Plants of the Metroplex, Howard Garrett's Texas Organic Gardening, J. Howard Garrett's Organic Manual, Plants for Texas, Texas Organic Vegetable Gardening and Edible Landscaping and The Texas Bug Book.
Mark Bowen, Living Art Landscapes: Mr. Bowen has been co-owner of Living Art Landscapes since 1987. He is the President of the Board of Directors of Urban Harvest, and an advisory Board member for the Texas Wildlife Rehabilitation Coalition, Texans for Alternatives to Pesticides and the Legacy Land Trust. He is the author of Habitat Gardening for Houston and Southeast Texas and an organizer and presenter of the Spring Gardening Lecture Series at Rice University. Mr. Bowen was a Vice President for Environmental Affairs for the Houston Audubon Society and a Founding Board Member of Eco-Fair Texas.
Sue Pitman, The Vanguard: Ms. Pitman is currently director of The Vanguard, a non-profit organization dedicated to preventing and coping with chemical injury. She has been an active participant in the pesticide safety movement for two decades, motivated by her own family's struggle with chemical sensitivity. Her non-toxic, termite-proof home in the Texas Hill Country has been featured in the press worldwide. She has been a leader in Texas in promoting state-wide requirements for pesticide applicator training in Integrated Pest Management, pesticide posting and notification, less-toxic pest control in schools and public bodies of water and guidelines for allowable advertising pest control services as "organic" or "environmentally sound". She is a board member of the Texas Center for Policy Studies and SMART (Sensible Management of Aquatic Resources Team).