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Because all fields should be organic

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Please join us as we take on our biggest MISSION yet. We are working with communities across America to make all fields ORGANIC by stopping the use of harmful pesticides on playing fields. Our goal is to help communities across America take the necessary steps to convert to organic field maintenance and empower families everywhere by providing tools and resources to make change locally and in your own backyard.

why

At Stonyfield Organic we’ve cared about the organic fields where our cows graze and the fields where our fruits and veggies grow for over 35 years. Today we extend that commitment to new fields, the playing fields. Over 26 million kids play sports on fields* and 65% of fields are sprayed with harmful pesticides**. It’s time for a change!

We are taking on our biggest mission yet - to help to make all playing fields organic and free from harmful pesticides. We will be helping communities and families across America take the necessary steps to manage fields and our own backyards organically and free from the use of harmful pesticides.

https://www.stonyfield.com:443/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Stonylook_ProblemWithPesticides_41618-01.jpg

Because the air you breathe and the fields you play in are just as important as the food you eat

In a recent survey†, we found that while the majority of American parents (69%) are looking to lessen exposure to pesticides in food, nearly the same number of parents (67%) do not consider sports fields, playgrounds and parks to be of concern. Yet most of the playing fields and parks kids play on are treated with a chemical cocktail of herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides. Many of the commonly used chemicals are either proven or likely endocrine disruptors, which can interfere with the development of children’s immune, reproductive, and metabolic systems. Today, 68% of US parents are more likely to buy a product labelled organic, their primary reason being to avoid pesticides, but we believe food is just one part of the preventative health equation - and we want to help families and communities avoid toxic chemicals in their food and beyond.

  1. Glyphosate is deemed a potential carcinogen according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, a subdivision of the World Health Organization
  2. Pochettino AA, Bongiovanni B, Duffard RO, Evangelista de Duffard AM. 2011 Mar 3.

*2015 SIFA Trends
**Potential Health Effects Related To Pesticide Use on Athletic Fields. R Gilden-E Friedmann-B Sattler-K Squibb-K McPhaul - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22512421
†Stonyfield and Lindberg International surveyed 1,000 adults age 18 and older, comprised of 500 parents with children living at home, in January 2018.

Join The Movement

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.” - Margaret Mead

Please join us in celebrating and supporting the towns across America who have already begun to take steps to reduce the use of harmful pesticides on the playing fields in their community.

Don't see your town listed? Let us know what steps you have taken to remove harmful pesticides from your playing field and get your field featured on the map. Click here to add your town to the map!

apply for a Donation

We are making progress with communities across America to make all fields ORGANIC by stopping the use of harmful pesticides on playing fields, but we can’t do it without you. To help grow the movement, we’re announcing two donation programs for 2018: Community and Grassroots. Learn more about these donations and how you can apply by clicking the link below!

meet Our Experts

We've teamed up with experts in the...field...to help us make our commitment a reality. Each one of these hand-picked team players believes in healthy soil, healthy people and the hope for a future without harmful pesticides or chemicals. Meet our A Team here!

Chip Osborne

“Chip” Osborne, Jr., President of Osborne Organics, LLC, and Founder of the Organic Landscape Association has over 17 years experience in creating safe, sustainable and healthy athletic fields and landscapes through natural turf management.

Philip Landrigan

Philip J. Landrigan, MD, MSc

Landrigan is the Professor of Biology and Director of the Global Public Health Program at Boston College and Professor Emeritus of Preventive Medicine and Pediatrics in the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. For four decades, Prof. Landrigan has been a thought leader in environmental medicine. His early studies of lead poisoning demonstrated that lead is toxic to children even at very low levels and contributed to the US government’s decision to remove lead from paint and gasoline, actions that reduced population mean blood lead levels in the USA by more than 90%. A landmark study he led in the early 1990’s at the National Academy of Sciences defined children’s unique susceptibilities to pesticides and other toxic chemicals and catalyzed fundamental revamping of US pesticide policy.

Non Toxic Neighborhoods

Five parents in southern California, concerned about the ubiquitous use of pesticides and their children’s health, worked with their elected officials to have the City of Irvine adopt a historic organic-first landscaping policy in 2016, and Non Toxic Irvine (NTI) was born. NTI received an endorsement of support from Dr. Jane Goodall for their work. In 2018, Non Toxic Neighborhoods was created to expand their efforts nationally to help cities and school districts transition to organic landscaping policies. NTN can help your school district and city too! NTN provides their proven and replicable methods, step by step Playbook and offers a NTN Toolkit so you can get started today!

Beyond Pesticides

Beyond Pesticides is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., which works with allies in protecting public health and the environment to lead the transition to a world free of toxic pesticides.

Non-Toxic Neighborhoods

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Non-Toxic Neighborhoods

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pesticides & playing fields in the news

Pesticide Studies Won E.P.A.’s Trust, Until Trump’s Team Scorned ‘Secret Science’
Backed by agrochemical companies, the current administration and Congress are moving to curb the role of human health studies in regulation. Read more.

Article: New York Times; Photo: Carlos Chavarría for The New York Times
Bayer's Monsanto faces 8,000 lawsuits on glyphosate
The number of U.S. lawsuits brought against Bayer’s (BAYGn.DE) newly acquired Monsanto has jumped to about 8,000, as the German drugmaker braces for years of legal wrangling over alleged cancer risks of glyphosate-based weedkillers. Read more.

Article: Reuters; Photo: REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo
Novato halts glyphosate use, joining Marin trend
The city of Novato has joined other Marin cities and local governments in eliminating the use of glyphosate, the key ingredient in the Roundup brand weed killer that puts users at a heightened risk of cancer. Read more.

Article: Marin Independent Journal; Photo: Alan Dep/Marin Independent Journal
Canada to phase out crop chemicals linked to bee deaths
The Canadian government said on Wednesday it would move to restrict use of two types of crop chemicals that have been linked to deaths of aquatic insects and bees, in a victory for environmentalists and the latest setback for companies that sell the pesticides. Read more.

Article: Reuters; Photo: REUTERS/Dave Stobbe
Jury orders Monsanto to pay nearly $290M in Roundup trial
The Canadian government said on Wednesday it would move to restrict use of two types of crop chemicals that have been linked to deaths of aquatic insects and bees, in a victory for environmentalists and the latest setback for companies that sell the pesticides. Read more.

Article: NBCNEWS; Photo: Josh Edelson / Pool via Reuters file

Blog

Join The #PlayFree Movement as Concerns Mount Over Glyphosate
Organic pioneer announces first 10 of 35 communities across the country teaming up with the brand to convert outdoor fields and parks to organic management. Read more.
Our Biggest Mission YET Just Got BIGGER
This back to school season, we will be taking this mission one step further - by increasing our original financial commitment of $500,000 to help communities start grassroots (no pun intended - well maybe a little bit) efforts to create change. Read more.
Stonyfield Organic Takes Its Good- For –The- Planet Mission To New Pastures; Advocates To Remove Toxins Where Children Play
New survey reveals parents’ knowledge of pesticides in community parks and playing fields lags significantly to food awareness. Read more.

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"We want to ensure that every kid in America is protected from harmful chemicals and toxins. It starts with food, but we believe all children should play free as well– free from worry, free from harmful chemicals, and free from toxic persistent pesticides." - Gary Hirshberg, Co-founder and Chief Organic Optimist