Pesticide Action Network North America (PANNA)

Description

Despite overwhelming evidence that pesticides are hazardous to consumers' and workers' health and the environment, as well as counterproductive over the long term, they continue to be aggressively promoted by multinational chemical companies attempting to maintain and expand their markets. Liberalized trade arrangements are likely to exacerbate these trends. At the same time, many global pesticide producers are moving their production facilities to Southern countries, while others use emerging biotechnologies to perpetuate agricultural systems based on high chemical inputs. These companies attempt to stifle democratic discussion of safe alternatives, and attempt to block emerging local, national and international initiatives to foster and promote least toxic alternatives.

PAN North America responds by organizing, coordinating and participating in worldwide action campaigns to eliminate pesticide dependency and promoting ecologically and socially sound alternative practices and systems. Because stopping domestic production and export of these toxic products, while essential, is not enough, we work closely with worldwide coalitions and with NGOs, especially in Africa, Asia and Latin America, who are pushing their own governments and societies to limit the use of pesticides and turn to more socially and ecologically sound alternatives. We investigate and provide information on the dangers of existing pesticides and on the existence and viability of alternatives. We work with international development institutions and domestic regulatory agencies to stop the production, marketing and international distribution of poisons and to promote sustainable agriculture. Our role in providing information and technical support in communications, fundraising and organizational development to partners and coalitions as well as in providing on-line communications help and technical support to North America affiliates helps forge a global NGO force to stop the production of these poisons wherever they are made and distributed.