Parents protest to stop moth sprayings

  By Sue Thompson

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- At least 100 people protested outside San Francisco City Hall to keep pressure on the state to stop aerial spraying of the apple moth.

San Francisco families join with a state senator to stage an unusual protest. They're trying to keep pressure on the state to stop aerial spraying to fight the brown apple moth.

About 100 moms and kids protested at the steps in San Francisco City Hall on Monday morning for what they call a "play-in protest." It is kind of like a big play date, but they were there for a purpose and to call attention and demand a permanent halt to the spraying of the light brown apple moth.

The protest comes just days after Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger made a move to delay spraying until August for more testing.

The moms are saying that the governor's move is a temporary delay. Monday's protests are part of a movement to stop the state from spraying a synthetic pheromone across the Bay Area and on their children.

The pheromone is supposed to confuse the apple moth and stop it from mating.

Farmers claim the spraying is critical in order to stop a potential outbreak of apple moth infestation, but those against it say more scientific testing needs to be done to prove whether the pheromone is safe for humans.

"Starting August 17, you'll be told at 8:00 p.m. stay inside with your doors and your windows locked. The airplanes will be flying at 100 feet crisscrossing about out beautiful cities, spraying an unknown toxin into us. This will be our life, and then the next morning we'll be told to wash off they toys that our children play with, but we can't watch the dirt, the sand at the park. We can't watch everything that children will be touching," said Nina Gold from Plant not Spray.

Just last week in Santa Cruz, a judge ordered a halt to the spraying of the apple moth in air until there is more environmental testing done.

Senator Carole Migden was also at the protests in San Francisco, and she has a resolution along with other lawmakers in order to try to stop the spraying for at least until more scientific proof can be given.

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