Pesticide Action Network North America 116 New Montgomery, #810, San Francisco, CA 94105; Tel: 415.541.9140; Fax: 415.541.9253; panna@panna.org From the Pesticide Action Network web site For 15 years, the Pesticide Action Network has campaigned to replace pesticide use with ecologically sound alternatives. As one of five Regional Centers worldwide, PAN North America links individuals, researchers, farmers, opinion leaders, businesses and public interest organizations in Canada, Mexico and the U.S. with over 400 consumer, labor, health, environment and agriculture groups in more than 60 countries. This network, now including over 120 affiliated groups in North America, challenges both local and international proliferation of pesticides, defends basic rights to health and environmental quality, promotes practical solutions and works toward a just and viable society. In just twelve months, visitors from the following countries used our San Francisco information center and consulted with staff on pesticides, alternatives and joint campaigns: Australia, Botswana, Brazil, Canada, Cuba, Cyprus, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Georgia, Germany, Honduras, Hungary, India, Israel, Japan, Korea, Lithuania, Malaysia, Mexico, Namibia , Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Russia, Senegal, South Africa, Spain, Swaziland, Thailand, Uganda, Ukraine, United Kingdom. Methyl Bromide Campaigns Methyl bromide, an acutely-toxic, ozone-depleting fumigant, emblemizes the global need to replace destructive pesticides with safer approaches. PAN has been one of the leaders in local, national and international coalitions using the dangers of methyl bromide to focus public demand for solutions. In December 1995, we helped promote the first international agreement to phase out a pesticide, when Parties to the Montreal Protocol agreed to a schedule for eliminating methyl bromide. In California, we helped generate a public outcry over extending the use of methyl bromide while industry completes long-overdue reports on its health effects. In 1997, while we keep up pressure to ban methyl bromide, PAN and other California groups are broadening the campaign to eliminate use of the worst pesticides across the state. We've formed a statewide coalition to educate the public on environmental health and promote alternative agriculture and urban pest control, setting an example of approaches that will work anywhere. Children and Pesticides In 1996, our quarterly journal, the Global Pesticide Campaigner, included articles on endocrine disruption, breast cancer, infertility and children's health risks. The journal reaches over 100 countries, and we are translating some of these articles and distributing them to local activists and partner groups who have little access to the latest research on health impacts of pesticides. Clean Cotton Campaign Cotton uses 25% of the world's insecticides and 10% of total pesticides, and its post-harvest processing is highly polluting. In 1996, PAN joined cotton farmers, clothing designers, manufacturers, retailers and public interest groups collaborating to promote clean cotton production. As consumer demand for organic cotton grows, and companies adopt cleaner approaches, there will be a dramatic reduction in pesticide use, demonstrating the viability of healthier systems for growing and manufacturing this key fiber and food crop. We are working on organic label standards, connecting growers with buyers and promoting transition plans with companies willing to lead the change.Every year we answer queries from over 1,200 people across North America and around the world. Every week, 4,000-6,000 people read PAN's news briefs and download resource pointers from our Web page, online gopher sites and email list server. Pesticide Information Coalition In 1996, PAN North America formed an alliance with the Northwest Center for Alternatives to Pesticides in Eugene, Oregon and Washington Toxics Coalition in Seattle to coordinate public education, link systems and make our specialized libraries and data sets more accessible. Together, we provide one of the largest and most useful non-industry sources of free or low-cost information on pesticides, guidance toward alternatives and referral to specialized experts around the world. Building Coalitions around the World We draw our strength from collaboration. Every PAN project is a joint effort of two or more non-governmental organizations (NGOs), advancing socially and ecologically sound alternatives by linking the people most directly affected with the best resources for change. In the past year, we provided financial and technical support, and helped assemble teams to lobby international institutions meeting in Austria, Costa Rica, Italy, the Philippines and the U.S. Together we are fighting to stop the production, marketing, trade and use of chemical poisons and advocating for genuine food security through sustainable agriculture. We're coordinating a coalition of immigrant rights and farm labor groups to educate communities most at risk and to promote non-chemical alternatives to methyl bromide on farms in California and Florida. We co-published a book of studies by PAN groups in nine countries promoting citizen right-to-know, pesticide use reduction and increased public participation in reforming pesticide regulations throughout Latin America. PAN joined 1500 NGO activists at the World Food Summit in Rome in November to demand socially just, ecologically-sound programs as opposed to the "New Green Revolution" being promoted by multilateral development institutions and transnational agrichemical companies. Though the assembled heads of state failed to sign a formal agreement, PAN built new links with partners around the world working toward genuine food security. In December 1995, we assembled a team of NGOs in Vienna from Canada, Chile, Colombia, Israel, Kenya, Malaysia and the U.S. to pressure delegates from over 100 countries to adopt a global phaseout agreement on the ozone-depleting pesticide methyl bromide through the Montreal Protocol. On November 8, PAN, Environmental Defense Fund and Consumer Policy Institute presented a letter signed by over 100 NGOs to the President of the World Bank, demanding effective policies promoting least-toxic, ecological pest management. In August, PAN Regional Coordinators convened in Cuba to plan global meetings in May 1997 to study and publicize Cuba's national conversion to low-input biointensive food production. We're helping raise funds for the new PAN Afrique Regional Center in Senegal which is building a regional sustainable agriculture network. We were one of only six NGOs who lobbied for global elimination of persistent organic pollutants-including nine of PAN's "Dirty Dozen Pesticides"-at a UN Environment Programme meeting of industry and governments in Manila in June. Because our team's testimony was based on both scientific analysis and field experience, we had a large impact on the decision to proceed toward a ban. In 1997, in partnership with European agencies, PANNA and local groups will conduct workshops on alternatives to methyl bromide for farmers in Kenya and Colombia; participants will compare results and examine non-chemical production systems.