"A “people’s tribunal” urged California’s attorney general to investigate state and county pesticide regulators for severe violations that place disproportionate harm from agricultural chemicals on farmworkers and their families."

"WATSONVILLE, Calif.—A broad coalition of pesticide-reform groups representing California farmworkers and their families called on the state attorney general to investigate systematic civil rights violations last week at a press briefing in Watsonville, a strawberry-growing stronghold about 90 miles south of San Francisco.

“The state of California uses more harmful pesticides than any other and allows farmworker communities like this one in Watsonville to be exposed to highly hazardous pesticides that can permanently damage brains, lungs and even cause cancer,” said Yanely Martinez, an organizer with Californians for Pesticide Reform.

“We need to end the secrecy surrounding pesticides and the environmentally racist policies,”  said Martinez, who was flanked by dozens of community members holding colorful signs, painted by local high school students, echoing that message."

Liza Gross reports for Inside Climate News February 20, 2024. [2]