Environmentalist Hysteria Over Sugar Cane Burning is All Smoke

May 22, 2018

For years now, a big-ticket priority for the environmental left in Florida is to put an end to the annual practice of burning the excess leaves from sugar cane fields. The Sierra Club has even devoted a website to the cause, alleging health damage and environmental degradation from sugar cane burning with studies that, they fail to mention, are entirely unrelated to the practice.

For example, they claim “particle pollution” has been proven in EPA studies to lead to respiratory problems, but they fail to make the connection that sugar cane burning produces the same conditions identified in the study as being harmful. It is the equivalent of saying that since the sun can cause severe sunburn, anyone outside in the sun is in danger. This is the very definition of hysteria. And nonsense.

Despite Sierra Club’s accusations that concerned citizens are mobilizing to “stop the burn” to protect their health, the Palm Beach County Health Department (where a vast amount of the burning occurs) receives fewer than three complaints a year from residents in a county with a population of 1.4 million. And in that time, only 16 complaints were verified. Again, more hysteria, and more nonsense.

Some other relevant information from the Health Department that Sierra fails to mention:

— No medical studies exist showing an increase in visits to hospitals or health clinics due to the burning

— The Florida Forestry Service has permitted the burning for decades as the state has closely monitored air quality during this time, again showing no connection between the leaf burning and increased negative health among Florida residents

— Other nations that ban burning, such as Australia and New Zealand, are heavily subsidized and consumers in these countries pay a much higher rate for sugar

Sierra’s false campaign also fails to note the obvious, namely that farmers depend on clean air, water and soil for their livelihood, and above all else have a higher incentive to protect these assets than so-called environmental crusaders. Any other method to rid the stalks of excessive leaves would lead to added moisture in the soil, creating rot and increasing the problem of pests and insects that themselves pose a health risk.

The bottom line is that despite the hysteria, sugar farmers are engaging in the same practice of environmental stewardship they’ve been performing for decades, with no proven health risks to local residents. Meanwhile, they are keeping costs low for consumers.

Consumers and taxpayers should remember that despite this benign practice, Sierra and their friends want us all to pay more for sugar while exposing this important Florida industry to more risk, for absolutely no tangible benefit. Just another day at the office for the hysterical environmental left.