04/17/2026
Did you know Toxic Free NC started out as “PestEd,” short for the Pesticide Education Project of the Agricultural Resource Center?
Our story began in the early 1980s when aerially sprayed herbicides poisoned the rural community of Gorgas, NC, causing illness, groundwater contamination, and vast farmland destruction. This sparked a mobilization effort that was eventually successful in establishing safer buffer zones and protections from aerial drift. In 1986, the organization was co-founded by Allen Spalt and Erick Umstead, along with Gorgas community organizers Billie Rogers (1933-2021) and Jane Sharp Macrae (1917-2012), who served on the founding board of directors.
As we celebrate 40 years of fighting pesticide pollution since 1986, we’ve been digging through our archives, reflecting on how much has changed in four decades, and how much has stayed the same. We are still up against a mighty chemical lobby and companies that prioritize profit over community health. And we are still inspired by the power of community to fight for a healthier future for North Carolina. We hope you will join us on May 16 in Raleigh at the Wetland Creek Wildlife Center to celebrate this history and our shared vision for a toxic-free North Carolina.
RSVP at the link in our bio.
