Since Rachel Carson’s exposé on harmful pesticides in the 1960s, the use of these contaminants has multiplied. In a neoliberal system of agriculture, corporate agriculture dominates the cultivation and production of most foods available for purchase and consumption. With profit being the primary goal, environmental and human concerns are not priorities. This article discusses the consequences of pesticide use, both for the environment and for migrant farm workers who cultivate most crops in the United States. Social work concerns are discussed in relation to social and environmental justice, and alternative approaches are considered that are consistent with ecological social work principles. © 2016 Taylor & Francis.

Pesticides Ecological social work Environmental justice migrant farm workers

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