Harvesting Roses: A Thorny Issue

When we behold tender rosebuds or catch a whiff of their heady scents, we might well marvel at nature's creations. But are those flawless, long-stemmed beauties really all that natural? Heavy pesticide applications--an average of 6.3 times per month--are needed to combat the fungal and insect attackers of roses, according to Roses, Inc., a trade organization representing growers. Roses, Inc., maintains that 28 chemicals, including captan, diazinon, endosulfan, and chlorpyrifos (Dursban™), are essential to rose production. A number of these chemicals are considered possible carcinogens or have been shown to be toxic to wildlife and/or humans. EPA-regulated Worker Protection Standards, which are enforced by state agencies, prohibit agricultural workers from entering areas treated with these pesticides from 4 to 72 hours or more following application. But, in response to a petition from Roses, Inc., the EPA recently extended an exemption of this regulation for domestic rose growers.

Patty Claris, director of Californians Against Toxics, says that Roses Inc., cited the need to continue harvesting roses by hand during post-treatment periods to maintain economic viability in a highly competitive world market. Many cut flowers are imported from Latin America, where highly-toxic pesticides such as methyl parathion and paraquat, which are banned or severely restricted in a number of countries, continue to be used without adequate worker protection. In the Dominican Republic, for example, flower workers stand in a muddy ooze contaminated with pesticide run-off while cutting and packaging flowers for export to the U.S., according to Chuck Barrett, a U.S. representative of CONFENACA, a federation of Dominican peasant groups fighting for workers' rights. In Colombia, the second-largest cut-flower-producing country, many workers are given defective protective equipment, or none at all, Christian Aid reported in 1994.

What can you do? Look for locally- and organically-grown flowers at farmers' markets. Try dried flowers for year-round enjoyment. Or, grow and dry your own. For organic flowers by mail, try Diamond Organics for seasonal bouquets from California, 888/674-2642; or to order online from Organic Bouquet, visit www.organicbouquet.com.