Tell McDonald's: No more toxic 'taters!

Details: Published on Thursday, 20 February 2014 11:00; Written by editor

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Support safe potato fields & healthy communities

Join rural Minnesota communities in urging McDonald's to keep its promise and grow safe, sustainable potatoes that don't put their families in harm's way.

Dear PAOV,

More than four years after publicly promising to reduce the pesticides used on its potatoes, the McDonald's corporation has done little. Communities that live near large-scale potato production — like those in Northern Minnesota — are still routinely exposed to health-harming pesticide drift.

These rural communities are fed up. Today, they are calling on McDonald's to keep its word. Will you join them?

Tell McDonald's to keep its word » Sign the petition supporting the "Toxic Taters" coalition effort to pressure McDonald's to make change. This Minnesota coalition of small farmers, White Earth tribal members and parents is urging the company to keep its word and reduce the amount of harmful pesticides used to make their fries.

For years, members of the Toxic Taters coalition have worked to protect their children, farms and environment from pesticides drifting from nearby potato fields. Data show that these chemicals are in the air, with 64% of air samples collected by community partners containing fungicides. The most frequently-detected chemical, chlorothalonil, is classified by EPA as "highly toxic" when inhaled and a "probable" carcinogen.

As one of the largest buyers of potatoes in the world, McDonald's can change what happens in Minnesota and in potato fields across the country. Simply put, McDonald's has both the power and responsibility to demand their producers grow potatoes in safer ways.

Stand with rural communities » Sign the petition and send a message to McDonald's that the public expects them to keep their promise. Urge McDonald's to demand safe, sustainable potatoes that don't put rural communities in harm's way.

Thank you for speaking up and spreading the word!

Pesticide Action Network North America 1611 Telegraph Ave. Suite 1200, Oakland, CA 94612 USA
Phone: 510.788.9020 Email:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Web:www.panna.org
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