A California non-profit organization has released a report claiming Salinas Valley growers are overusing pesticides. The study published by the Berkeley-based Center for Investigative Reporting says Monterey County uses double the state limit of the fumigant 1,3-Dichloropropene. According to the report, the chemicals are being applied near schools, including McKinnon Elementary, New Republic Elementary, and Gavilan New View Middle Schools. Central Coast researchers are currently looking to develop safer farming practices, including the use of soil alternatives.
