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April 16, 2009
State investigating claims of pesticide exposure at an Immokalee farm
IMMOKALEE
— The state is investigating an Immokalee farm for its use of pesticide,
which may have hospitalized two pregnant female workers, one of whom
lost her baby.
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services spokesman
Terence McElroy said the agency was notified around 3 p.m. Tuesday by an
anonymous complaint of possible pesticide exposure at Johnson Plants,
2303 Johnson Road, Immokalee.
Adan Labra, an organzer for the Farmworker Association of Florida said
one woman, who was two months pregnant, lost her child over the weekend
after being exposed to pesticide at the nursery.
According to Labra, both women, whose names weren’t released, suffered
flu-like symptoms, headaches and nosebleeds. Other workers have also
complained about those symptoms, he said.
The second woman who was hospitalized, remained in
McElroy said the agency spoke with the Farmworker Association of
Florida. The state agency has not concluded that pesticide exposure
occurred as of Thursday, McElroy said.
“We are investigating this matter right now,” McElroy said.
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is still
waiting for field reports to come in from investigators who were looking
into what pesticides were used and how long workers were given after
their use before going back to work.
The state is investigating the chemicals that were used, documentation
on re-entry requirements and use of required protective equipment.
Results could take several days, officials said.
Farmworkers worked right after the pesticide was sprayed, Labra said in
Spanish.
“They had to enter because their boss would say if they didn’t go inside
to work inside the greenhouse they could go home and lose their jobs,”
Labra said in Spanish.
Workers didn’t get gloves, masks or any other type of protection, he
said.
Officials from Johnson Plants couldn’t be reached for comment on
Wednesday and Thursday.
McElroy said the women declined to talk to the department of
agriculture.
The department is also getting interviews with people on-site, including
farmworkers.
“We have to make sure that the workers put up a complaint to the Florida
Depart of Agriculture who is in charge of enforcing the law,” said
He said workers don’t understand their rights, they are afraid of the
employer and may be threatened by the employer.
“This is a common problem here in Immokalee,” Moreno said.
The state agency regulates pesticide use in Florida. The state has
specific rules and regulations regarding farmworkers, including
protective equipment and delays for re-entering a farm after the use of
pesticide.
McElroy said the department rarely gets pesticide exposure cases, with
about 2 to 3 per year.
Labra said he didn’t know if the women would file a lawsuit and wants
them to speak with state officials so that the company improves its
policy.
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