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Letter from FruitGuys founder and CEO Chris Mittelstaedt
Welcome to our page on the Light Brown Apple Moth – an agriculturial pest that has caused a great deal of controversy in California. After much consideration, we feel strongly that the California Department of Food and Agriculturial’s (CDFA) plans to spray over urban populations to “eradicate” this pest are unrealistic, misguided and potentially hazardous to the human populations who live in these regions. In developing this page, we have attempted to develop our opinions around data and the concerns that have remained unaddressed to date. We have chosen to become informed about the issue and become active.
In general we feel there is insufficient data as to what the true outcomes of this spray would be upon the human population and therefore feel that avoiding potential harm to humans and the local ecology trumps any potential benefit of a spray program over the moth. In addition, we see wide disagreement over the potential damage the moth could cause as well as evidence that countries that currently have the moth are not experiencing the blanket destruction that has been predicted for California by the CDFA. Evidence also suggests that truly eradicating the moth is unrealistic and efforts should instead be focused on controlling the pest with more sustainable means.
We have developed a list of questions and answers that have guided our decisions. We hope to stop the spray and find ways to encourage more sustainable methods of pest control. We will continue to update you on this issue and if you would like to voice your concern and ask CDFA not to spray you can sign and forward a petition here.
Please feel free to contact us if you have information or questions.
Take care and be well.
Sincerely,
Chris Mittelstaedt
Founder and CEO, The FruitGuys
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