[Pollinator] Fwd: New Study: Vital soil organisms harmed by pesticides

[Laurie Adams]

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Klein, Kendra <KKlein at foe.org>
Date: Tue, May 4, 2021 at 8:19 AM
Subject: New Study: Vital soil organisms harmed by pesticides
To: Klein, Kendra <KKlein at foe.org>


Dear friends,



We’re excited to announce a new peer-reviewed study
<https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2021.643847/abstract>
on pesticides and soil health co-authored by researchers at Friends of the
Earth, Center for Biological Diversity and University of Maryland and
published in *Frontiers in Environmental Science*.



This is the first comprehensive review of the impacts of pesticides on soil
invertebrates. It shows that pesticides widely used in agriculture pose a
grave threat to organisms that are critical to healthy soil, biodiversity,
and soil carbon sequestration.



*We found*

   - In 71% of cases studied, pesticides kill or harm soil invertebrates
   including earthworms, ants, beetles and ground nesting bees.
   - Negative effects across all studied pesticide classes, showing that as
   a set of chemical poisons, pesticides pose a clear hazard to soil life and
   are incompatible with healthy soil ecosystems.



*Please help us spread the word! *

Thank you so much for helping to get the word out! We’re excited that the
study was covered in The Guardian <https://bit.ly/3uvmrAp> this morning.
Here are sample tweets, and there are more in the *social media toolkit.*
<https://docs.google.com/document/d/1t2eR7tCAWYAiEus0caP9yn7G7_xpotzJMcu1OFyN0wU/edit?usp=sharing>

   - NEW STUDY: In 71% of cases, pesticides kill or harm soil
   invertebrates. Pesticides threaten soil organisms that are critical for
   carbon sequestration — a key climate solution. #SaveTheSoil
   https://bit.ly/3uvmrAp
   - NEW STUDY: Soil health depends on eliminating toxic pesticides. First
   comprehensive review finds that pesticides kill or harm soil invertebrates
   like earthworms, beetles and ground nesting bees in 71% of cases studied.
   #SavetheSoil https://bit.ly/3uvmrAp



*Why the Findings Matter*

*Climate solutions in agriculture must include reduction of toxic
pesticides*

As the idea of regenerative agriculture and using soil as a carbon sink to
help fight climate change is gaining momentum around the world, these
findings shine a light on why it’s so critical to ensure that reducing or
eliminating use of toxic pesticides is part of the conversation and
resulting policies.



*The EPA must include harm to soil organisms in pesticide risk assessment*

In the U.S., soil organisms are not accounted for in the EPA risk
assessment process for pesticides. What’s more, the EPA gravely
underestimates risk to soil organisms by using a species that spends its
entire life above ground as a proxy – the European honey bee.



*Pesticide corporations are trying to greenwash pesticides to be in line
with soil health*

Syngenta, Bayer
<https://foe-us.medium.com/following-10-billion-roundup-settlement-bayer-uses-climate-program-as-front-to-lock-in-control-e18ab12edbf1>
and CropLife have all been trying to paint pesticides as part of the
solution to healthy soils. These findings shatter that notion and
demonstrate that reducing or eliminating use of toxic pesticides is
critical to soil health.



*Pesticides are a major driver of insect declines*

These findings provide yet more solid evidence that pesticides are
contributing to widespread declines of insects. The study comes on the
heels of a recent study <https://science.sciencemag.org/content/372/6537/81>
 published in *Science* showing pesticide toxicity has more than doubled
for many invertebrates since 2005. Soils are one of the most complex and
biodiverse ecosystems on earth, containing nearly a quarter of the planet’s
species. Soil health is critical to many ecosystem functions, including our
ability to feed ourselves and future generations.



   - FOE Press Release: New Study: Agricultural Pesticides Cause Widespread
   Harm to Soil Health, Threaten Biodiversity
   <https://foe.org/news/new-study-agricultural-pesticides-cause-widespread-harm-to-soil-health-threaten-biodiversity/>
   - Guardian article: Vital soil organisms being harmed by pesticides,
   study shows <https://bit.ly/3uvmrAp>
   - The study: Pesticides and Soil Invertebrates: A Hazard Assessment
   <https://bit.ly/3b1PwLY>
   - Infographics <https://bit.ly/3b1yVYC>
   - FOE webpage on study results <http://www.foe.org/soil-health>



Thank you,

Kendra



Kendra Klein, PhD

Senior Staff Scientist

 *Friends of the Earth U.S.*

2150 Allston Way, Ste. 360

Berkeley, CA 94704

510-900-3140 office

415-350-5957 cell
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