Farming puts valley at risk of disease

The Oct. 15 article on coccidioidomycosis, or valley fever, was right on regarding the escalation of this dangerous disease. Thank you for shining a light on this severe illness. As a retired orthopedic surgeon, I can tell you that it is not something that you would want to catch. Besides affecting joints and tendons, it can be life-threatening.

Farmers don't want to hear this but one of the major causes of valley fever is the dirt thrown into the air during almond and walnut harvest. The spores of this fungus reside in the dirt and are released for us to breathe.

Years ago, I went to the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District headquarters to complain about this air contamination and was told I had no chance to change the way the nuts were harvested because the Farm Bureau was too powerful in California politics and it would cost farmers too much to change.

My suggestion was to gather the nuts on a canvas apron under each tree and lift them into a bin. Nut farmers make more money today than any other farm crop. You'd think they would want to exercise their caution to the contamination of the air that they breathe as well as us. And you'd think the air board would want to control this contamination.

MILTON C. DAVID, M.D.

Modesto