Toby Hemenway, "Redesigning Civilization"

New studies link lowered IQ in children to pesticide exposure.

Three studies undertaken independently, but published simultaneously last month, show that prenatal exposure to organophosphate pesticides — sprayed on crops in the Salinas Valley and used in Harlem and the South Bronx to control cockroaches and other insects — can lower children’s IQ by an average of as much as 7 points. While this may not sound like a lot, it is more than enough to affect a child’s reading and math skills and cause behavioral problems with potentially long-lasting impacts, according to the studies.

Source - Yale Environment 360: From Fields to Inner City, Pesticides Affect Children IQ.