Toxic harvest: Island farmwomen, health and pesticide use
LE3 .A278 2011
2011
Abramson, Zelda
Acadia University
Bachelor of Arts
Honours
Sociology
The purpose of this study was to reveal how island farmwomen view the relationships between human health and pesticides and whether or not this issue warrants actions. I conducted qualitative research, where I interviewed three farmwomen from Prince Edward Island. This thesis captures the intricate relationship between economic survival and health. While there was a small recognition of the links between pesticides and health, it demonstrates how large-scale farming emphasizes the importance of profit maximization, which in turn creates pressure to heavily use pesticides in order to create high volumes of food. Furthermore, consumer demand for perfect produce further reinforces the use of pesticides. One suggestion for change, was educating consumers in order to change the market demand, ultimately making room for a transition to smaller organic farms. Overall while women had minor concerns for health, economic security was of highest importance.
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https://scholar.acadiau.ca/islandora/object/theses:834
