Viewpoint: Manufacturing misinformation — How the Environmental Working Group spreads false facts about pesticide dangers

Growers in Ventura County apply a philosophy called Integrated Pest Management. Safety equipment and safe spraying is a major consideration. Credit: Shutterstock
Growers in Ventura County apply a philosophy called Integrated Pest Management. Safety equipment and safe spraying is a major consideration. Credit: Shutterstock

Ventura County farmers farm food, the Environmental Working Group farms clicks.

Unfortunately, the Ventura County Star has elevated misinformation about the important role of pesticide regulation in Ventura County and the extraordinary efforts undertaken by the County Ag Commissioner, farmers, and farmworkers to keep our community safe.

Follow the latest news and policy debates on sustainable agriculture, biomedicine, and other ‘disruptive’ innovations. Subscribe to our newsletter.

As The Star’s Feb. 6 article noted, “Ventura County growers applied more than 32 million pounds of pesticides to fields over six years” yet it failed to note that most of the mass applied is non-toxic.

The cited applications include horticultural oils, minerals, and organic pesticides which make up the bulk of the mass and are considered non-toxic to humans. No wonder EWG had to span six years of data to inflate rates for clicks.

This is an excerpt. Read the original post here.

Related Articles

Infographic: Global regulatory and health research agencies on whether glyphosate causes cancer

Infographic: Global regulatory and health research agencies on whether glyphosate causes cancer

Does glyphosate—the world's most heavily-used herbicide—pose serious harm to humans? Is it carcinogenic? Those issues are of both legal and ...

Most Popular

Picture1
Hiroshima at 81: America’s new nuclear bomb, a buried Iranian target, and a question no one wants to ask
ChatGPT-Image-Mar-10-2026-01_39_01-PM
Viewpoint—“Miracle molecule” debunked: Why acemannan supplements don’t work
ChatGPT-Image-Aug-4-2026-10_15_14-AM
Viewpoint—A hard look at the Fauci diaries: Do they change what we know about COVID’s origins?
png livestock cow cattle a
Consumer skepticism about gene-edited milk is neither fixed nor particularly high—and falls even more if it’s priced lower
ChatGPT-Image-Jul-31-2026-07_35_35-AM
Wikipedia has assembled an informative list of fake news websites from across the ideological spectrum
Screenshot-2026-07-31-at-10.52.03-AM
Love sweets and fatty foods? You can blame your genes, but there are ways to quell the obsessions
Screenshot-2026-08-03-at-2.25.49-PM
As measles vaccination rates collapse, scientists push for treatments long considered unnecessary
ChatGPT Image Jul 29, 2026, 09_08_15 AM 2
The retreat of environmental extremism: Why activist NGOs are losing favor
Screenshot-2026-08-03-at-2.15.16-PM
Viewpoint: Trump’s relaxed controls on supplying China with microchips could undermine U.S. AI dominance
ChatGPT Image Jul 29, 2026, 10_17_59 AM
Viewpoint: What does it mean when critics of conventional agriculture say many fruits and vegetables are “linked” to pesticide poisoning?
Screenshot-2026-07-17-at-1.34.59-PM
Poll: Vaccine hesitancy soars when patients distrust health providers and turn to social media
ChatGPT-Image-Aug-4-2026-09_31_50-AM-2
Viewpoint: Could the U.S. become dependent on China to develop critical new genetic and drug therapies?
ChatGPT-Image-Aug-4-2026-12_42_58-PM
Viewpoint: Fact-checking CNN interview with RFK, Jr. underscores the depth of his disinformation delusions
glp menu logo outlined

Get news on human & agricultural genetics and biotechnology delivered to your inbox.