Systemic solutions for a sustainable future? (2)

On another occasion,
I went local vegetable farm (conventional) surveillance
with another senior colleague,
to check out for vegetables with certain type diseases.

When we were there,
we saw a plot of vegetables growing very well,
looking robust.
But, on top of vegetable leaves,
there were milky liquid (freshly sprayed pesticides).

My colleague commented:
"Geez, these veggies are ready to be harvested in the next two days
and they are still spraying!"

According to pesticide usage rules and regulations,
vegetables are not supposed to be sprayed with pesticides
within 14 days prior to harvesting.

While the relevant authority do impose fine on farmers who break the rules,
farmers usually take the risk of being fined,
as the financial impact of not spraying is bigger than the fine,
according to my colleague.

Because veggie pesticide testings are done randomly
(and relatively infrequent),
farmers sometimes do get away from being detected in pesticide abuse,
my colleague further explained.

The incidence reminded me that
there are always loop holes in implementation of regulatory systems.

We should be grateful that there is authority controling/monitoring
the usage of pesticides (otherwise it will be a disaster),
but if we the consumers opt for organic produce,
we will altogether eliminate all of those loop holes/risks
as well as unnecessary expenses/resources by the nation
to control and monitor abuse of chemicals...endlessly...



By good will,
Kee Yew

p/s: my colleague who has been doing vegetable/plant surveillance for 5 years, isn't a particularly health conscious person, but when she takes veggie nowadays, she can't help relating to those horrifying scenes in the farms. Gradually she is opening her mind to support organic produce/products.





{Learning Holistic Wellness for Wisdom and Compassion}