Since plants and animals evolve to adapt to their environment, vast doses of herbicides, pesticides, and antibiotics are useful only temporarily – the creatures we call “pests” simply outcompete the chemicals before long. Now there’s evidence that biotech crops engineered to withstand herbicides simply give rise to the use of MORE herbicides. According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, “the use of weed killers (herbicides) in the United States has increased dramatically—by 383 million pounds—over the first 13 years of commercial production of GE crops.” Gee, we knew someone would be happy with this news… maybe it’s the chemical companies.
Battery-Caged Eggs
Some state legislatures are stepping up to the plate to decrease the amount of pointless suffering caused in factory farms (CAFOs). According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, “California outlawed the amputation of dairy cows’ tails, and Michigan passed a law phasing out restrictive crates for veal calves and pregnant sows, and tiny “battery” cages for egg-laying chickens, used to pack many animals together in a small space. Arizona, California, Florida, Maine, Colorado, and Oregon had previously acted to ban crates and battery cages, which, along with tail docking, are unnecessary practices that serve only to make large, polluting CAFOs viable.”
Industrial Agriculture is as outdated as the Model T. You’ll probably read statements (including some by people who should know better) that millions of people would starve if it weren’t for pesticide, irrigation, and fertilizer-dependent agriculture. (Funny how they don’t care about hungry people until their industries are threatened). True, we can’t eliminate it all at once, but the world need small organic growers. One reason is that they restore soil fertility, rather than depleting it with chemicals. “Organic farming contributes to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions because it reduces the consumption of fossil fuels (notably those used in fertilizer manufacturing), and reduces emissions of CO2, methane and nitrous oxide. It also reduces vulnerability of soils to erosion, while at the same time increasing carbon stocks in the soil. Consequently, conversion to organic farming is believed to be a viable way of reducing GHG emissions.” Introduction to Organic Agriculture and Climate Change Conference, September 28-29, 2009, Sofia, Bulgaria
Did you know that 86,000 chemicals have been registered in the US? Try to guess how many of them have been tested by the EPA for safety. Well, you might hope all of them have been tested – but the actual answer is only 200, according to the Pesticide Action Network (panna.org). One of the commonest, bisphenol A (BPA) was not tested before being used in many products, including food containers. Corporations have been allowed to keep secret the names of risky chemicals if disclosure would reduce the company’s profit. This loophole has recently been closed. Not a moment too soon.
The Union of Concerned Scientists has a useful newsletter, Food and Environment Electronic Digest (FEED). The latest issue has a story about a giant corporation’s attempt to corner the market. Here’s the story from FEED: “An Associated Press (AP) investigation has detailed practices by seed giant Monsanto that allow it to control access to its seeds and stifle competition. For example, Monsanto licensing agreements bar independent biotechnology companies from breeding plants that include both genes from Monsanto and genes from any of its rivals. Since 95 percent of the soybeans and 80 percent of the corn grown in the United States are Monsanto products, these agreements hobble the improvement of competitors’ products and put Monsanto in a position to dominate the U.S. grain supply, which could pave the way for increases in food prices. Read more about the AP investigation. The Department of Justice is investigating Monsanto for anticompetitive practices.”
You’ve probably heard that bee colonies in the US have been collapsing, as the bees abandon their hives or die. This is serious, since bees pollinate (make fertile) the crops we depend on (not to mention bees’own rights). Many causes have been proposed, and perhaps many factors have played a role in this Colony Collapse Disorder. But some good news is reported today by Pesticide Action Network . A federal judge has banned the sale of the herbicide spirotetramat, whch was shown in studies (including some by its own manufacturers) to harm bees.This herbicide has already been banned by France, Germany, and Italy. Even little Slovenia beat us to the punch on this important action.
