Pesticides Halted

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Story Published: Jul 7, 2008 at 5:20 PM MST

Story Updated: Nov 20, 2008 at 10:48 PM MST

By Jennifer McGraw

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The issue at large is between organic farm growers and their neighbors.
If the farms are sprayed with pesticides the vegetables will not be considered organic and if they don't spray, they may be more susceptible to west Nile.

Bob Sims: "What's more important? The vegetables or whatever they are getting out of there, or someones health."

Neighbors say that the mosquitoes are worse than ever this year.

Michele Babneau: "It's horrible down here. We are right by the river. We have slues everywhere and some of us have little children."

Bingham County has been diligent with spraying pesticides, but in one neighborhood they have stopped all together due to local organic farms.

For those residents who live on 700 north street, It's a catch 22.

Jan Mecham: "I'm for organic, but sometimes you just have to do something else. I don't know what to say. I don't know how to make everyone happy in this mess."

If the pesticides are sprayed, the vegetables will no longer be considered organic, but if they don't spray, residents fear west Nile.

Bob Sims: "There has got to be some alternatives. We are prisoners to our house."

While the residents say they are sorry about their neighbors vegetables, they say the threat of west Nile is too important to protect.

Bob Sims: "I'm sorry about your gardens, I really am."

So what do they do?

Bingham county has devised a plan to try and accommodate everyone. They will map out the houses in the area and skip those homes who have registered organic farms. But the question is, will that be enough?

Jan Mecham: "There are two sides to this story. They spray down that side of the street it will spread either this way, or north across the river. Their vegetables are being contaminated."

Either way, the county hopes to protect all residents.

The county will be spraying in those areas by the end of this week.

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