Have you heard of Paraquat? Probably not if you're not a commercial farmer but there's something you should know. Paraquat is a highly toxic chemical that is used on many commercial farms in Australia to control weeds.
It is so toxic that even a splash, if ingested, can be fatal. It has been strongly linked to Parkinson's Disease and has directly caused thousands of deaths worldwide.
Paraquat has been banned in Europe for more than a decade but is still allowed for commercial use in Australia. But they're reviewing it... slowly... since 1997 in fact. Pesticide regulation doesn't happen quickly in Australia.
WHY DOES THIS MATTER TO YOU? THE WEEDS ARE IN THE SOIL. THE CROPS GROW IN THAT SAME SOIL. THE PLANTS TAKE THEIR NUTRIENTS FROM THE SOIL. PESTICIDES IN THE SOIL GET INTO THE PLANT AND THE FRUIT.
And then you eat it.
There is a mountain of evidence to show the detrimental impact of toxic pesticides (Paraquat is just one of many) on our health, our babies' health, our ability to reproduce, the health of future generations in our families and of course, our planet.
What's more, weeds are smart. They are becoming increasingly resistant to paraquat and glyphosate. What is modern agriculture's solution to this dilemma? Increase the amount of pesticide used and introduce even more toxic ones 😢
Nature doesn't need to be "conquered". Organic/spray-free farming is about working with nature and finding natural, creative solutions to pests and plants that interfere with your crops. Like how our banana Farmer Tony allows his cows to graze among the trees and eat the weeds, or the way our berry farmers introduce lady bugs to eat the aphids, or the way our Farmer Kel uses netting to protect her leafy greens.
Considering that the price of organic/spray-free food continues to reduce with increased demand - which method of farming would you rather support? 👩🌾🍎🍌🥬🍍🍅🍄
