The state Health Department has zeroed in on the misuse of unapproved pesticides on Oahu basil farms and is working with other agencies to educate farmers, although officials say levels detected do not pose a health hazard to consumers.
The department said Friday it identified four farms from which fresh basil — a $5 million cash crop in Hawaii, with 80 percent to 90 percent exported — was found to have unapproved pesticide residue.
Methomyl, a restricted-use pesticide not approved for use on basil, was found April 11 on basil from Fat Law’s Farm during a random sampling of produce March 13 at a wholesale distributor.
The Health Department then took 10 samples April 23 from five wholesale distributors, originating from six farms.
Laboratory results April 26 showed that of the 10 samples taken, seven were tainted with pesticide residue. The seven, which came from four farms including Fat Law’s, had methomyl, dimethoate and carbaryl residue in violation of federal and state regulations.
The farms are S & Z Farm LLC, Green Produce LLC, Luo’s Plantation and Fat Law’s Farm. They were ordered to stop the sale and distribution of those crops.
DOH Deputy Director for Environmental Health Gary Gill said the department will continue an accelerated testing of basil for the immediate future since the magnitude of the problem is great, with 66 percent of the farms having basil that tested positive for unapproved pesticide use.
Inspectors visited the five distributors April 27 to ensure no basil from the four farms in violation was being sold.
Methomyl has restricted use, meaning only trained and certified workers may apply the pesticide, whereas the other two are OK for general use. But all three are not approved for use on basil.
There is no significant public health threat when consuming the basil; the pesticides quickly degrade with time from field to table, Health Department officials said.
The chemicals are approved by the Environmental Protection Agency for use on other crops. For example, methomyl is EPA-approved for use on watercress (6 parts per million), dimethoate on lettuce (2 ppm) and carbaryl on parsley (22 ppm).
Department of Agriculture Pesticide Branch Chief Tom Matsuda said the pesticide manufacturer must spend millions of dollars to run numerous scientific tests to determine health and environmental risks for EPA approval.
The manufacturer gets approval for major crops but might not be interested in testing for a minor crop, said Barry Brennan, a former pesticide coordinator.
The Health and Agriculture departments are working with the University of Hawaii, the farm bureau and the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration by educating farmers on proper pesticide use.
Fat Law’s Farm co-owner Frank Law said earlier that methomyl was used to kill pests on old basil slated to be cut down. But Matsuda said that, too, is unacceptable.
"If the crop is not on the label (for approved use), don’t use it," Matsuda said.
The state said Fat Law’s Farm plowed under three acres of basil in its Ewa fields. Its 27 acres in Kunia were embargoed April 20, but that was lifted May 9 on fields no longer containing pesticide residue.
Green Produce cut to stalk 9,000 pounds of basil in the field valued at $15,100, and more is scheduled.
S&Z uprooted and cut to stalk 8,000 pounds valued at $15,300. Luo’s Plantation cut down 5.5 acres.
Gill said the department did not instruct farmers on how to destroy the product.
