Pesticides & Public Health Working Group
In mid 2020, a diverse group of stakeholders gathered for the virtual Pesticides & Public Health Working Group Series, the purpose of which is to develop a shared understanding of public health issues related to pesticide use, and to work collaboratively to reduce their application in Iowa. The Pesticides and Public Health Working Group was first formed through the work of Farming for Public Health to try to connect disparate fields – from public health faculty and weed scientists, to water researchers and physicians – to come together to address excessive pesticide application and use in Iowa.
Meeting Recordings
OVERARCHING GOALS
- Reduced statewide pesticide application, prioritizing eliminating the pesticides with the worst health and environmental consequences and increased support for alternative agriculture & land care strategies.
- An Iowa with an increased diversity of agriculture that supports farmers to adopt more conservation practices, organic production, integrated pest management, diverse crop production for local food distribution, and an overall reduction of pesticide application both for home, municipal & agriculture. Iowa farmers will become leaders in practices that reverse climate change.
- Information provided to the public is about pesticide use, water quality, progress in climate change-friendly agriculture practices, and are much more transparent available to the public.
