GROWER DECIDES NOT TO FUMIGATE.

Byline: Deborah Sullivan / Daily News Staff Writer

The same day that the Environmental Defense Council announced that a Ventura strawberry grower would not fumigate his field with methyl bromide, the Department of Pesticide Regulation said it would permit further fumigation at a Camarillo farm.

``We feel that this is a watershed event,'' said EDC Chief Counsel Marc Chytilo at a news conference Wednesday announcing the end of fumigation at Montalvo Ranch in Ventura.

Chytilo added that the halt of fumigation there could set precedents at strawberry farms throughout the state.

The grower's decision not to farm the land came after the Department of Pesticide Regulation reviewed his fumigation permit at the request of neighbors who feared the pesticide might harm their health.

Department Director James Wells upheld the permit Friday, but added additional restrictions, including extending the buffer between the fumigated area and property lines of nearby residences from 30 to 250 feet.

Chytilo said his organization was in the midst of negotiating with Montalvo Ranch owner Jesus Garcia for additional safety measures on Tuesday, when Garcia decided not to fumigate at all this year.

Garcia could not be reached for comment Wednesday. However, he had said Tuesday that the new restrictions were onerous to his business.

``Well, it's going to be a hardship,'' he said. ``We're going to lose maybe 20 percent of the ground (to the extended buffer zones.)''

Garcia's decision not to fumigate the field elated neighbors who believe they were sickened during pesticide application last year, but devastated workers who lost their jobs.

``I'm quite pleased,'' said Ardas Khalsa, 37, cradling his 5-month-old daughter. ``This is more of a result than I dreamed that we could get.''

But Augustin Saavedra, an employee at Montalvo Ranch, agonized about how his layoff from the farm would affect his own newborn child.

``I have a baby that was just born a month ago,'' he said in Spanish.

Saavedra said he owes $4,000 in medical expenses for the birth not covered by insurance, and has another 2-year-old to support.

``I have to pay for my home, I have to pay for food, and it's already the end of the month,'' he lamented.

Also Wednesday, the Department of Pesticide Regulation announced that it would permit further fumigation at Pleasant Valley Berry Farm in Camarillo.

Residents of Lamplighter Camarillo Mobile Home Park, which abuts the farm, had asked Wells to revoke the fumigation permit.

But Wells upheld the permit for fumigation on a 10-acre strip of the farm, and required tests to determine how much pesticide drifted off the treated area.

Test results released Tuesday indicated that the level during the first 24 hours of fumigation did not exceed 55 parts per billion - about one-quarter of the state's target level of 210 parts per billion.

Results released Wednesday showed that methyl bromide levels during the second 24 hours were even lower, peaking at 42 parts per billion at one spot near the field.

As a result, Wells decided to allow fumigation on an additional 40-acre portion of the field on the opposite side of the field from the mobile home park.

Wells stipulated that the fumigation must be 650 feet from residences, and said it could take place in three sections of 10 or 15 acres each, on three consecutive days.

``We believe the permit conditions are very protective of the residents,'' said spokeswoman Veda Federighi. ``And the commissioner is going to have personnel on site during the fumigations.''