Thin Skins: What Pesticides Are in Your Veggies?

Just in case you’re tempted to go all “tsk-tsk” about the news that Chinese watermelons are exploding due to the over-application of pesticides --- only the latest in a string of food scandals from the Far East that enable Americans to feel some small advantage over the Chinese these days -- along comes an appeal to the U.S. Department of Agriculture that the agency pretty-please release its long-overdue annual report on the amounts of pesticide residue it detects in U.S. fruits and vegetables. 

The Environmental Working Group uses that data to produce its Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen reports, which have apparently gotten under the very skin thins of the U.S. agriculture industry. In April, 18 produce trade associations wrote Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack suggesting that its pesticide data program information was “being mischaracterized repeatedly by environmental activists and news media.” A USDA rep told the Washington Post that the report would come “shortly.” While you’re waiting the belated 2011 details, you can turn to EWG’s most recent advice here.

--Reed McManus