Masks Not Needed for Methyl Bromide

* I’m writing concerning the article “Pesticide Ban Sows Frustration Among Farmers,” March 18. Let me begin by stating that I am involved with the strawberry industry in Ventura County and the methyl bromide issue will have direct financial impact on me. I’m not sure if the impact will be positive or negative in the long run, and I don’t think anyone else really knows. The only thing sure is that without methyl bromide strawberries are just one of the many crops that are going to cost more to grow and therefore purchase.

The article was relatively unbiased and I have no great objection to the article other than it needed more in-depth research--as does the whole subject. I do have a problem with the inflammatory caption under the picture accompanying the article. The caption being: “Strawberry pickers like Estrella Gomez wear masks to avoid breathing in the toxic pesticide methyl bromide. . . .”

This caption is untrue and inflammatory. This picker was wearing this face mask to keep the sun, wind and dust off her face as many other pickers do. If methyl bromide was present, this picker, the plants and the insects would all be dead. Methyl bromide is lighter than air and rises. Therefore, if any were present it would rapidly rise and be gone, which is why it is a problem for the ozone.

JOHN A. FERRO

Santa Paula