Letter from Steve Tvedten of Get Set, Inc. to Jim Mitchel of the California Dept. of Agriculture regarding his comments to Larry Wilkie of the Fontana Unified School District.

Questions have been asked of the California Department of Pesticide Control since Fontana Unified School District declined to consider a pesticide free IPM program because of the Department of Agriculture's opinion about only utilizing registered pesticides to eliminate pests. The California Department of Pesticide Regulation has remained silent and not responded to these issues: :

Jim Mitchel
California Dept. of Agriculture
777 E. Rialto Ave.
San Bernardino, CA 92408

Dear Mr. Mitchel

Mr. Larry Wilkie of Fontana Unified School District has told Linda Pascarella that it is your opinion that anything used to control any pest in California must be a "registered" pesticide whether it is Comet®, soap, talcum powder or whatever. If that is really true there is no real IPM possible in the State of California.

San Francisco has banned the use of "registered" pesticides in its schools and parks; does the California Department of Agriculture consider this an illegal activity?

More than a thousand flies and 2,000 maggots a week can be produced in one dirty garbage can. Does the California Department of Agriculture really demand that only "registered" pesticide poisons be used to control flies and do you really consider cleaning the garbage can an illegal activity? Is it really illegal to control flies in California with fans, air curtains, screens, plastic strips, cotton balls, plans, herbs, fragrances, beads, lighting traps and charges, vaccum cleaners and/or rinse-and-vacs, pressure sprayers, homemade fly traps and fly swatters, improved sanitation, source reduction, removal of infested materials, changing the conditions conducive to infestation, increased manure and garbage collection and/or burial, caulking, sealing and other methods of exclusion, natural enemies, e.g. fly parasites, wasps, toads, birds, bats, lizards, dragonflies, etc. homemade fly paper, tight lids, manual removal with a tissue, cleaning drains, scalding water, dehumidifiers, tied plastic bags, improved housekeeping, allowing plan soils to dry out, using attractants like vinegar, repellent oils, soapy water, etc.?

We have safely removed all pests, inside and outside, in over 350 schools without using any volatile, synthetic pesticide poisons and for the first time these schools have no pests. "Registered", volatile, synthetic pesticide poisons have never controlled pests, but they have poisoned and destroyed and/or killed a lot of non-target organisms like beneficials, wildlife, livestock and people. Are you really saying that in California IPM means to "Include Pesticides Monthly"? Is it really on "legal" to "control" pests in California with dangerous, "registered", volatile pesticide poisons that do not work for contaminate? I am currently in the process of writing several books, including one with Dr. Doris Rapp, on safe alternatives ot dangerous, volatile synthetic pesticide poisons and do not want to misquote you.

Sincerely,
 

Stephen L. Tvedten

pc: L. Wilkie, L. Pascarella, K. Ogwaro