Pesticide incidents in the San Joaquin Valley is a topic covering the justice and health issues of people living in the San Joaquin Valley resulting from the use of pesticides in the region. Pesticide use in the San Joaquin Valley began in the 1880s when certain insects were known to be causing harm in the region, much of whose economy is still based on the successful agriculture and farming of many different kinds of crops. Pesticide illnesses were reported sporadically during that time frame but were not focused as a major issue until the post-World War II agricultural boom in the late 1940s when pesticide poisonings became more widely publicized. Though Rachel Carson's Silent Spring and the use of chemicals in weapons during the Vietnam War led the federal government to pass restrictions on pesticide use, residents, primarily of low income, have struggled with the health impacts of pesticide use due to persistent over-spraying by agriculture companies working for profit.
Background Since California became a state in 1850, the production of agriculture has been a key part of the economy and appeal, especially in the Central Valley. Farms were established in the area because of its temperate climate with warmer elements for its latitude and advertisements showing the supposed quality of produce grown in this climate. However, insects harming growing crops became a problem as early as the 1880s. Pesticides were introduced in the San Joaquin Valley around this time and by 1900 were regulated by a state agency, the Department of Agriculture. This department published incidents of pesticide poisonings and accidents as a record of occupational health in the workplace fields. At the time, health was viewed through the germ theory of disease, rather than focusing on the environment, and pesticide poisonings were not seen as a major issue. In the late 1940s, however, a population boom after World War II demanded more agriculture, and California was growing more crops such as grapes which required more pesticides. By 1963, more than 16,000 different kinds of pesticide had been registered in the state. Reports of pesticide poisonings like a 1949 incident in the city of Marysville became more common. Silent Spring by Rachel Carson, published in 1962, prompted the public to question the safety of pesticides, but major incidents of poisonings like 1963 and 1967 northern San Joaquin Valley peach farmers had continued. Awareness about the dangers of pesticides led to the formation of the United Farm Workers in 1964. Federal hearings on pesticide safety began in 1969 and safety laws began to be passed in the 1970s as well as the Delaney Amendment which prohibited carcinogens in food supply. This coincided with the shift of health concerns to focus on the local environment. The effects of pesticides continue to be a problem for many people living in California's San Joaquin Valley.
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