In the... (Associated Press) 
 
 In this Sept. 25, 2013, photo, cattle are corralled near the town of Berabevu, in Santa Fe province, Argentina. As Argentine ranchers turn to higher-profit soybeans, formerly grass-fed cattle are fattened... (Associated Press) 
 
 In this Sept. 23, 2013, photo, empty pesticide containers ready for recycling are collected inside an enclosure by the farming business association in Gualeguaychu, in Entre Rios province, Argentina.... (Associated Press) 
 
 In this Sept. 24, 2013 photo, students play soccer during recess at a rural school near Concepcion del Uruguay, Entre Rios province, Argentina. Teachers say the farm that abuts their school yard has been... (Associated Press) 
 
 In this March 29, 2013, photo, former farmworker Fabian Tomasi, 47, shows the condition of his emaciated body as he stands inside his home in Basavilbaso, in Entre Rios province, Argentina. A government study there found alarming levels of agrochemical contamination in the soil and drinking water, and 80 percent of the children surveyed carried traces of pesticide in their blood. The Associated Press documented dozens of cases around the country where poisons are applied in ways unanticipated by regulatory science or specifically banned by existing law. OUT OF CONTROL: 
 
 Pesticides applied in windy conditions drift into buildings and contaminate drinking water; farmworkers mix poisons without supervision, in populated areas and with no protective gear; people store water in used pesticide containers that are resold rather than destroyed. DECLINING HEALTH: 
 
 Cancer rates in provincial towns surrounded by soy farming are 2 to 4 times higher than the national average. Rates of birth defects in another province quadrupled since 1996, when Argentines adopted America's "no-till" farming method using genetically modified seeds and companion pesticides. Overall, Argentine farmers apply an estimated 4.3 pounds of agrochemical concentrate per acre, more than twice what U.S. farmers use, according to an AP analysis of government and pesticide industry data.  The agrochemicals that have powered a global commodities boom have been ruled safe if used properly by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and many other regulators. Despite soaring complaints, Argentina's federal government has never cited a single agrochemical user since then for failing to follow national spraying regulations. A presidential commission was formed to study the health impacts of these violations, but it hasn't met in three years. Doctors say people are getting sick.
– Argentina is the third-largest soybean producer in the world, and also grows a lot of cotton and corn. Nearly all of it is now genetically modified, since Monsanto convinced farmers to switch to its seeds and chemicals in 1996. But the agrochemicals the country's farmers use to keep up with demand, and fight off resistant pests could be making the country seriously sick, an investigation by the AP has found. In some areas where the chemicals are used, birth defects and cancer rates have spiked up to four times the national average. Though the chemicals are said to be safe when used properly, the people handling them often have no training or the right protective equipment. "I prepared millions of liters of poison without any kind of protection, no gloves, masks or special clothing," says one farmer, now near-death due to a neurological disorder. "I didn't know anything. I only learned later what it did to me, after contacting scientists." Argentine farmers use twice as much pesticide per acre as US farmers, and often spray close to homes, despite bans on doing so. A study in one area found high levels of agrochemical contamination in the soil and drinking water, and 80% of the local kids had traces of pesticides in their blood. Of course, it's nearly impossible to prove a link between the chemicals and individual's diseases, but doctors are calling on the government to open an investigation. Click to read the full report here or just the main finding here.