Achieving a Pesticide-Free Pajaro Valley

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On November 14, 2021, The Campaign for Organic & Regenerative Agriculture (CORA) hosted a conversation around ending pesticide use in Pajaro Valley.

During this event, participants learned about the use and real impacts of toxic pesticides on our community, farmworkers, and environment. They also explored ways to phase out pesticides and to convert more Pajaro Valley farmland to organic and regenerative farming.'

If you missed this event, we got you covered, here is the recording and the presentations for your viewing.

JOIN OUR CAMPAIGN TO WIN A PESTICIDE-FREE PAJARO VALLEY

CORA is a grassroots organization of concerned residents from the Pajaro Valley and the Monterey Bay region dedicated to achieving an environmentally and socially just agricultural system.

Sign the petition asking Santa Cruz County Supervisors, Assembly member Stone, Assembly member Rivas, Senator Laird, Senator Caballero to transition of Pajaro Valley agriculture away from toxic pesticides to organic and regenerative farming.

Slideshows used in video above

The event featured the following speakers:

  • Dr. Ann Lopez, Center for Farmworker Families
    Dr. Ann López is the Executive Director of Center for Farmworker Families. She is an emerita professor and taught courses in biology, environmental science, ecology and botany in the biology department at San José City College for many years. She has a Ph.D. from UCSC in Environmental Studies where she studied the impact of the North American Free Trade Agreement on the farms of west central Mexico. Her book entitled The Farmworkers’ Journey summarizes the results, arguments and conclusions of her research and was published by UC Press.

  • Javier Zamora, JSM Organics
    Javier was born and raised in Michoacan, Mexico. His father was a farmer, and Javier started farming in Mexico at eleven years old. Javier came to the United States in his twenties, eventually travelling to the Central Coast and deciding to return to farming. Javier worked for a fresh cut flower grower in the area before establishing his own organic farm on two acres in 2012. Since then, he has expanded his operation to 40 acres that are certified organic by California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF). JSM Organic Farms specializes in strawberries, heirloom tomatoes, summer squash, peppers and cut flowers. JSM Organic Farms has the capacity to grow 300 varieties of flowers including both annuals and perennials. Javier grows South African native plants such as proteas, leucospermum, and safari sunsets as well as flowers like ranunculus, tulips, lilies, lavender, calendula, heather, and boronia. JSM Organic Farms sells its products to farmers’ markets, retail stores, and a couple of wholesalers.

  • UCSC Professor Joji Muramoto
    Professor Joji Morimoto’s research focuses on developing sustainable fertility and soil-borne disease management strategies in organic (and conventional) strawberries and vegetables in California. Research projects include optimizing anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD) as an alternative to fumigations in strawberries and Brussels’ sprouts, developing N fertility management strategies for organic strawberries and organic vegetables, and strengthening the organic research network in the central coastal California. I am also interested in building an agroecological research network in the east Asian region.

  • Dr. John E. Silva
    Originally from Providence R.I., John moved to CA in 1983 to pursue his medical residency through UCSF. He finished his medical residency at the county hospital in Santa Rosa, CA, then moved to Salinas where he has practiced since 1987. Besides practicing and serving the farmworker communities in Monterey County, Dr. Silva has served on the Community Advisory Board of two NIH studies, including the landmark CHAMACOS study. This 20 year study has investigated the long term effects of organophosphate insecticide exposure on the mothers and children of Salinas.