Pesticide sought by Calif. growers

Source Fresno Bee

A highly potent chemical capable of clearing farmland of pests, disease and weeds is attracting fierce opposition from environmental groups and some scientists in California -- even as growers look to it as a crucial replacement for a banned fumigant. The makers of methyl iodide have asked the California Department of Pesticide Regulation for permission to use the powerful chemical in the lucrative California market. The state is a leading producer of fresh fruits and vegetables, and growers here use a lot of fumigant. Access to the state's market could be a boon to Tokyo-based Arysta LifeScience Corp., producers of methyl iodide. But standing firmly in their way are environmentalists and scientists who say the fumigant -- a known carcinogen -- is highly toxic and poses a serious health threat.