Recent discoveries by Professor Kirsten Benkendorff have raised alarm over pesticide levels. These harmful contaminants are found on many of the fresh berries sold in supermarkets all over New South Wales (NSW). One imported strawberry example even showed pesticide levels more than 90 times above the maximum residue limit allowed. The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) announced its decision to review the pesticide dimethoate. They’re particularly interested in its use on blueberry, raspberry, and blackberry.
The implications are frightening. Berry growing in NSW—particularly in the Nambucca Valley—is booming. Today this region is responsible for roughly 86 percent of Australia’s blueberry domestic supply worth around $390 million. The area has been flooded with new, and at times problematic, blueberry farms. Just in the past 10 years, at least 23 new agritourism operations have opened, attracting the notice—and sometimes the ire—of nearby municipalities and homeowners.
During Professor Benkendorff’s investigation, he found that some blueberry samples had dimethoate levels above what could pose serious health risks to children. A 20-kilogram child would exceed their daily safety limit after eating only half a dozen of these blueberries. At one lab, there was some variation, with blueberry samples going over the legal limits for dimethoate. That was still enough to present risks to the health of children and adults who could exceed the Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) by eating less than a regular 125g punnet.
The Review of Dimethoate Usage
These results have forced the APVMA to reconsider dimethoate’s use on all berries. Dimethoate was found to be the most commonly detected pesticide in non-compliant samples harvested by Professor Benkendorff. In her research, she stated:
“All of those samples had between four and 11 different types of pesticides.” – Kirsten Benkendorff
This large-scale cumulative pesticide exposure should give us serious pause regarding their potential cumulative public health effects. The current regime under which pesticides are used and approved in Australia is now under the spotlight. For one, they’re based on data that’s more than 30 years old. This outdated and misleading information has been used to cast doubt on the adequacy of today’s safety limits.
A/Prof Benkendorff said she hoped her results would prompt real action to improve pesticide management practices in the industry. She wants to make sure that the new and stricter guidelines do a better job of safeguarding consumers.
The Impacts on Local Communities
The Nambucca Valley has seen rapid development in the berry farming sector, with minimal regulatory hurdles for setting up new farms. Site residents have recently raised their own alarm bells about the environmental and public health effects of this agricultural prosperity. Raewyn Mackey, a local resident, has been active at raising awareness around the problems with their pesticide spraying practices. She noted:
“But I’ve never seen the use of chemicals as often as we see it here.” – Raewyn Mackey
Mackey has been documenting these spray drift incidents and reporting them to her state Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) for the past two years. The EPA has countered by sending out hundreds of warning letters to businesses violating the ban. This scenario is a case study of the urgent need for a stronger, more preventative regulatory scheme that would limit the use of destructive pesticides.
Nonetheless, Professor Benkendorff’s research draws a clear connection between these practices and public health concerns. It underscores the importance of engaging with the community in crafting agricultural policy decisions.
The Broader Regulatory Landscape
Australia’s approval and usage system for pesticides requires a complicated dance between federal and state agencies. Yet this complexity has led to patchwork regulations and enforcement, making it easy for violators to evade consequences. As blueberry farms continue to grow at alarming rates, concerns have been raised over the lack of oversight and accountability embedded within this system.
At present, there are no registered products containing thiometon for use in Australia. There are still worries over deregistered chemicals that could still be present in minimal amounts. Professor Benkendorff remarked:
“I was quite alarmed in the first instance. It does raise questions about how and why that’s getting in.” – Kirsten Benkendorff
The issues related to chemical use are indicative of the larger hurdles facing the industry at large. Rachel Mackenzie, an industry representative, highlighted the necessity for a science-based approach to chemical management:
“A robust science-based system around chemical use is so vital to our industry because it’s really important that consumers trust our product.” – Rachel Mackenzie
As this ongoing saga should make obvious by now, we need tougher scrutiny. Updated research is key to protecting public safety and restoring consumer trust in food products.
