Report on
Issues Related to the Aerial Eradication of Illicit Coca in Colombia
-Report Home Page
Released by the Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement
Affairs
September 2002
Response from Secretary of Agriculture to Secretary of
State, August 14, 2002
USDA
United States Department of Agriculture
Office of the Secretary
Washington, D.C. 20250
August 14, 2002
The Honorable Colin. L. Powell
Secretary of State
2201 C Street, NW.
Washington, D.C. 20520
Dear Secretary Powell:
Thank you for your letter of May 8, 2002, requesting that the Department
of Agriculture (USDA) advise you regarding the overall safety of the chemicals
used in the eradication of i11icit narcotic crops in Colombia. This request was
made pursuant to the Kenneth M. Ludden Foreign Operations, Export Financing,
and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2002, (Pub. L. No. 107-115).
As you are aware, personnel from USDA's Agricultural Research Service
(ARS) have provided technical advice to the Department of State regarding
environmentally safe narcotic eradication technologies since 1987. This
technical advice has primarily been directed to the Department of State's
narcotic control programs in Colombia. Pursuant to these eradication
activities, a large number of herbicides and adjuvants were screened under
laboratory and field conditions. It was determined that glyphosate, applied
aerially in a water-based solution, was effective in controlling both illicit
poppy and coca. Glyphosate is the most widely used herbicide in the world,
available through both commercial and retail distributors. Glyphosate poses
minimal health risks to humans and animals, is environmentally benign, and
degrades rapidly in soil and water. It is USDA's determination that the risks
involved with using glyphosate with commercially available adjuvants for
narcotics eradication are minimal. To our knowledge, the only herbicide used by
the Department of State for narcotics control is glyphosate.
In addition to providing technical advice regarding the safety of the
chemicals involved in the Department of State's eradication program, personnel
from ARS actively participate in the verification of both the safety and
efficacy of actual eradication efforts in Colombia. To date, no unreasonable
risk to non-target plant or animal species have been detected.
Should you wish further information on this subject, please do not
hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Ann M. Veneman
Secretary
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