From mthom@igc.apc.org Fri Aug 27 22:49:34 1993 Date: 15 Mar 93 06:00 PST From: Michelle Thom Reply to: "Conference susag.news" To: "Recipients of conference susag.news" Subject: Sustainable Ag News - 3/12/93 Sustainable Agriculture News Bulletin March 12, 1993 ------------------------------------------------ News Summaries ------------------------------------------------ PESTICIDE USE DECLINING IN U.S., STUDY SAYS A report by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says that overall pesticide use in the U.S. has been declining over the past decade. While pesticide use doubled between the years 1964 and 1978, growth in pesticide use stopped in 1979 and has remained fairly stable ever since, according to the study. Dean Herzfeld, a pesticide applicator training specialist with the University of Minnesota Extension Service, said other factors may be involved in the decline. "Farmers and other pesticide users have increased their adoption of Integrated Pest Management and other sustainable practices. They are more concerned about environmental and health effects of pesticides," he said. The study, entitled Pesticide Industry Sales and Usage: 1990 and 1991 Market Estimates, is available from the U.S. EPA, Office of Pesticide Programs, 401 M Street SE, Washington D.C. 20460, or call Arnold Aspelin at (703) 308- 8136. In a recent editorial in the New York Times, staff attorney Al Meyerhoff of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) argues that pesticide use has increased dramatically since the chemical revolution after WWII to almost 3 billion pounds a year. 68 pesticides are considered carcinogenic; one out f 10 wells in the U.S. contains pesticides; farmers are six times more likely to develop cancer; and 500 species are now resistant to pesticides, Meyerhoff writes. The editorial says Congress is likely to take action on pesticide reform this year and Meyerhoff recommends that legislators adopt strict standards for all pesticide residues in both raw and processed foods. "Rachel Carson was right in her book 'Silent Spring'," writes Meyerhoff. "'The ultimate answer is to use less toxic chemicals so that the public hazard from their misuse is greatly reduced.'" Source: Jack Sperbeck, "Pesticide Use Remains Flat," The Land, February 26, 1993; Al Meyerhoff, "No More Pesticides For Dinner," New York Times, March 9, 1993. CLINTON SCHEDULES TIMBER SUMMIT In fulfillment of a campaign promise, President Bill Clinton will hold a timber summit for environmental and logging interests on April 2nd in Portland, OR. Clinton said, "It is time to break the gridlock that has blocked action and bring all sides together to craft a balanced approach to the economic and environmental challenges we face." In the meantime, environmental organizations and the timber industry are blaming each other for a recent sharp rise in timber prices. The National Association of Home Builders said this week that federal environmental and species protection laws are reducing timber supplies and sending prices skyrocketing. Environmental groups countered that putting a stop to foreign imports of unprocessed logs could boost domestic demand. "It (the summit) is clearly a beginning and not an end," said Oregon Senator Bob Packwood. Source: "Clinton Sets Conference on Conflict of Logging, Protection of Forests," Wall Street Journal, March 11, 1993; Scott Sonner, "Timber Summit, AP, March 10, 1993; Thomas Ferraro, UPI, March 10, 1993. CARGILL EXTENDS FERTILIZER STAKES Cargill Fertilizer Inc., a subsidiary of agribusiness giant Cargill, paid $150 million for the phosphate fertilizer production, mining and working-capital assets of Seminole Fertilizer Company of Bartow, Florida. Seminole operations currently produce 750,000 tons of phosphoric acid, the basic material from which most fertilizers are made, while Cargill Fertilizer puts out 830,000 annually . "This agreement reflects Cargill's long-term commitment to the phosphate fertilizer industry. Cargill is confident that farmers worldwide will require more fertilizer to meet the food needs of the world's constantly growing population," said Fritz Corrigan, vice president of Cargill Fertilizer. Source: "Cargill Subsidiary to Take Stake in Seminole Fertilizer of Florida," Journal of Commerce, March 3, 1993. NEW PROJECTED WATER DELIVERIES MADE IN CALIFORNIA With the ending of a six-year long drought, the operators of California's two largest water distribution systems announced projected deliveries of at least 70% of the total water requested by most agencies. Heavy rain and snow in the region has helped raise the projections from 10% in December and 55% in February. Managers at the Central Valley Water Project said urban areas and wildlife refuges will receive at least 75% of their contract requests. Farmers in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta will receive between 25% and 50% of their normal allocations. Source: "California Water Allocations Loosening Up," Farming Today, March 4, 1993. MARYLAND BILL WILL FORCE FARMERS TO REDUCE RUNOFF A bill before the Maryland legislature is seeking to force farmers to reduce fertilizer runoff in the Chesapeake Bay area. If passed, the measure would create a system of mandatory anti-pollution methods for individual farms. Farmers receiving easements or cost-sharing money from the state would have to implement a plan to reduce the amount of fertilizer they use and limit runoff into surface and groundwater. The bill's sponsor Senator Gerald Winegrad said the bill is necessary to crackdown on agricultural pollution affecting the Chesapeake Bay. Maryland's governor Donald Schaefer has come out in opposition to the plan. The bill would make pollution reduction "a matter of coercion rather than cooperation," according to David Carroll of the Governor's Council on the Chesapeake Bay. Source: "Maryland Cracking Down on Chesapeake Bay Runoff," UPI, March 9, 1993. WIND EROSION DECREASING IN PLAINS The Soil Conservation Service (SCS) said wind erosion decreased significantly last year in the Great Plains States of Montana, Nebraska, the Dakotas, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico and Texas. Glane Bridge of the SCS said implementation of conservation compliance plans and the Great Plains Conservation Program are the main reasons behind the decrease. In the northern Great Plains states, wind erosion fell 13% over last year while in the southern Great Plains states, it fell by almost half. Source: Margaret Scherf, Farm Scene, AP, March 8, 1993; "Erosion Down in Great Plains," Farming Today, UPI, March 5, 1993. MICHIGAN AG DEPARTMENT PROGRAM CLEANING UP ENVIRONMENT Two programs launched last year by the Michigan Department of Agriculture have helped remove 32 tons of unwanted or outdated pesticides and 19,000 pesticide containers from the environment. The Michigan Clean Sweep program was established to eliminate pesticides that could find their way into the Great Lakes. The Pesticide Container Recycling Project has helped both pesticide users and the environment by collecting unwanted pesticides and eliminating potentially hazardous wastes through the recycling of discarded containers into new ones. "These programs are helping rid farms and landfills of unwanted and potentially hazardous materials. Both were embraced by the agriculture and environmental communities which are now linked together in common purpose, to protect and preserve our state's natural resources," said Michigan Governor John Engler. Source: "MDA Launches Clean-Up Programs," Thumb Farm News, March 3, 1993. NETHERLANDS RETURNING SOME LAND TO SEA The Dutch government recently made a decision to allow large tracts of farmland to return to marshland and lakes. For more than a thousand years, the Dutch have manipulated the sea and land to achieve one of the world's highest yields per acre of flowers, vegetables, meat and produce. The government concluded that the constant manipulation has become too costly, leading to damaged water tables, sunken lowlands and polluted fields and aquifers. Constant use of chemicals on these lands has also driven out numerous native species of plants and animal, such as the daisy, stork and otter. "We've become like a big artificial park, where every centimeter is dammed in sprayed, fertilized, grazed or cultivated or else it's paved and inhabited," said Dutch agronomist Maarten Peren. The Government will purchase the land and eventually hopes to return 600,000 acres of land to nature. Source: Marlise Simons, "A Dutch Reversal: Letting the Sea Back In," New York Times, March 7, 1993. MIDWESTERN STATES PLANNING NEW WETLANDS PROGRAM Under a proposed wetlands program, seven midwestern states would protect 1.9 million acres of waterfowl habitat in the region. The program proposes buying or acquiring restrictive easements on some privately held wetlands. Agreements would be made with private landowners to enhance, restore or create wetlands or other waterfowl habitat. "Government... will never have all the money we need to protect waterfowl and other wildlife habitat," said Jim Leach of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. "That's why we need to convince private [landowners] that these wetlands are important to society and that it's up to the landowner to protect them." Estimates show the program will cost $21 million annually over the next 15 years. Source: Dean Rebuffoni, "Make Way for Ducks," Minneapolis Star Tribune, March 7, 1993. COMMUNITY FARM PROSPERING IN DERELICT LIVERPOOL A community organic farm is thriving in a decaying and derelict area of Liverpool, England. The Liverpool 8 Farm, run by Leni Cruickshank, has beds for organically grown onions, leeks, sprouts, artichokes and potatoes as well as black currents and raspberries. "We're all organic here because we can't afford chemicals," says Cruickshank. Bees for honey-making, rabbits and rare hens are also part of the farm. The farm offers training schemes for the local population, including community service opportunities for juvenile offenders, in anything that pertains to the environment, such as gardening and animal care. The farm also contains a "Blind Garden" for the poorly-sighted to enjoy flowers and fruit, and an "Edible Garden" where visitors can pick and eat. Cruickshank's latest project involves building an environment center out of two neighboring derelict houses. "This is doing it from the bottom up, rather than the top down, bringing together young and old, disabled and abled across the ethnic range," said Cruickshank of Liverpool 8. Source: Peter Millership, "Community Farm is Oasis in Liverpool's Urban Desert," Reuter, March 8, 1993. RODALE SAYS AID SHOULD PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE In a press conference held late last month, vice president of the Rodale Institute Michael Sands said U.S. foreign aid should be used to end hunger through the promotion of sustainable agriculture rather than through the use of chemicals that harm the soil and environment. Sands said that if sustainable agriculture was promoted to prevent famines, it would eliminate the need for emergency relief aid for drought victims. U.S. aid programs in the past have promoted the use of foreign varieties of seeds and methods that encourage desertification and soil degradation. Imported seeds have required vast amounts of precious water and large quantities of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Sands recommended that U.S. aid programs emphasize finding local solutions to local problems and promote small-scale farming through environmentally sound methods. Source: "Call for U.S. to Promote Sustainable Agriculture," South-North Development Monitor (SUNS), March 1, 1993. NEWS FROM AFRICA The World Food Program (WFP) announced this week that it was increasing it efforts to get food aid to some 800,000 people near starvation in southern Sudan. About 1.5 million people in the area need food or medical aid with 800,000 of them being on the verge of death. The area has suffered under war and famine for the past decade. "We're still not covering all needs," said Brenda Barton of WFP. UN undersecretary General for Humanitarian Affairs Jan Eliasson told attendees at a conference to raise money for Somalia that the African country was doomed unless security improvements were made. Eliasson said measures need to be taken to ensure that relief supplies were getting to the right people. He also said that livestock and agriculture industries must be revived to ensure the future survival of the country. Participants at an African conference of bankers and investors held last week were told that the continent's 12 year old Preferential Trade Area (PTA) has failed due to a lack of will among member countries, bankers and investors. "It is clear that to breathe new life into the PTA, one would have to begin breathing new life into the member states," said Ahmed Abdallah of the Kenya Commercial Bank. Intra-PTA trade has only reached about 15% of total trade from African countries. The remaining trade continues to be done with Europe, North America and Asia. One delegate recommended that countries with net surpluses buy more goods and services from deficit countries. "PTA states must also produce tradable goods," he said. "They must work towards growth of their economies because there will be no economic giant unless one state comes out clearly to be the locomotive of development." Source: "UN Boosts Food Aid to Famine-Hit South Sudan," Agence France Presse English Wire, March 10, 1993; Tsegaye Taddesse, "UN Says Somalia Recovery Doomed Without Security," Reuter, March 11, 1993; Manoah Esipisu, "African Governments Seen Lukewarm on Trade," Reuter, March 3, 1993. ------------------------------------------------ Resources ------------------------------------------------ THE PESTICIDE HAZARD is the result of the collaborative effort by thhe book is a comprehensive study of pesticide use on a worldwide scale and their effects. The book is available to nonprofit organizations for U.S.$21.00 from the Pesticides Trust, 23 Beehive Place, London SW9 7QR, UK, (44) 071 274- 8895, fax: (44) 071 274-9084. ------------------------------------------------ Conferences/Events ------------------------------------------------ MARCH -------------------------------------------- NATURAL ORGANIC FARMERS ASSOCIATION OF NEW YORK'S 11TH ANNUAL EDUCATIONAL CONFERENCE, March 13-14, 1993, Dryen, NY. FFI, contact: Ammie Chickering, NOFA-NY, P.O. Box 21, South Butler, NY 13154, (315) 365-2299. THE NEXT GENERATION OF U.S. AGRICULTURAL CONSERVATION POLICY, March 14-16, 1993, Kansas City, MO. FFI, contact: Soil and Water Conservation Society, 7515 NE Ankeny Road, Ankeny, IA 50021, (800) THE-SOIL. RURAL NONPOINT SOURCE POLLUTION IN THE UPPER MIDWEST: EXPLORING LOCAL-LEVEL INITIATIVES AND EFFECTIVE PARTNERSHIPS, March 17-19, 1993, La Crosse, WI. FFI, contact: Linda Schroeder, 282 77th Street SE, Delano, MN 55328, (612) 972-3908. TIMBER TRADE AND FOREST MANAGEMENT, March 18-19, 1993, Brussels, Belgium. FFI, contact: The Conservation Foundation, 1 Kensington Gore, London SW7 2AR, (44) 071- 823-8842, fax: (44) 071-823-8791. FIRST ANNUAL CONVENTION OF THE AMERICAN CORN GROWERS ASSOCIATION, March 19-21, 1993, Kansas City, MO. FFI, contact: American Corn Growers Association, 218 East Bedford, Dimmitt, TX 79027. AGENDA 21: MOVING INTO THE 21ST CENTURY, annual conference of the New England Environmental Network, March 19-21, 1993, Tufts University, MA. FFI, contact: Nancy Anderson, (617) 627-3451. 58TH NORTH AMERICAN WILDLIFE AND NATURAL RESOURCES CONFERENCE, March 19-24, 1993, Washington D.C. FFI, contact: Wildlife Management Institute, 1101 14th Street NW, #725, Washington D.C. 20005. SUSTAINABLE BIO-INTENSIVE MINI FARMING WORKSHOP, March 20-22, 1993, Stanford University, CA. FFI, contact: Ecology Action, 5798 Ridgewood Road, Willits, CA 95490. WATERSHED '93, March 21-24, 1993, Alexandria, VA. FFI, contact: Jennifer Paush (202) 833-8317 or Janet Pawlukiewicz (202) 260-9194. CHANGING FOOD POLICY DIRECTIONS: HIGH STAKES, TOUGH CHOICES, March 22-23, 1993, Washington D.C. FFI, contact: Alison Weiss, Public Voice, (202) 659-5930. THE QUEST FOR SUSTAINABILITY - BUSINESS FACES THE CHALLENGE, March 24-26, 1993, Dallas, TX. FFI, contact: World Business Academy, 433 Airport Boulevard, Suite 416, Burlingame, CA 94010, (415) 342-2387, fax: (415) 340-1594. THE FRUITS OF OUR LABOR: SAFE FOOD AND SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE, March 26-29, 1993 in Alexandria, VA. FFI, contact: National Coalition Against the Misuse of Pesticides, 701 E Street SE, Suite 200, Washington D.C. 20003, (202) 543-5450 -------------------------------------------------- Produced by: Michelle Thom, Library and Information Coordinator Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy 1313 5th Street SE Suite 303 Minneapolis, MN 55414 Telephone: (612) 379-5980 Fax: (612) 379-5982 EMail: mthom@igc.org In addition to this twice-weekly news summary bulletin, the Institute offers a variety of other information services on EcoNet for farmers, educators, researchers and policymakers. These include: Env.biotech: Weekly news summary bulletins on biotechnology Susag.library: Electronic "library" of documents pertaining to sustainable agriculture Susag.calendar: Calendar of events relating to sustainable agriculture Trade.news: Daily news summary bulletins on international trade issues Agri.farmbill: Participatory conference on farm policy debates, including issues related to the 1995 Farm Bill From mthom@igc.apc.org Fri Aug 27 22:49:42 1993 Date: 17 Mar 93 11:37 PST From: Michelle Thom Reply to: "Conference susag.news" To: "Recipients of conference susag.news" Subject: Network Participants - 3/17/93 Following is the beginning of a list of respondents to my call for readers of the sustainable agriculture and biotechnology bulletins who are interested in doing some networking in and amongst ourselves. I have included a biography when available. I have not received responses from many of my readers in the developing world and believe this is due to the fact that we communicate by postal mail rather than electronically. As more responses come in, I will update the list. Two-way communication is a strong emphasis of this network. Therefore, I would encourage you to get in touch with anyone working in an area of interest to you or your work. I hope this will just be a small sampling of readers as we continue to build the network. I'd also like to point out the diversity we've achieved thus far. Please let me know if you would like to be added to the list. Also let me know if any information I have included is in error or if you would like to add something, such as names of publications that you or your organization produces, to the list. Thanks to all of you for your willingness to participate. I hope the list helps you in your goals. Please feel free to contact me with other ideas, suggestions, etc. 1. Bob Thomson Information Co-ordinator International Federation For Alternative Trade (IFAT) 20 James Street Ottawa, Ontario K2P 0T6 Canada Tel. 613-563-3351 Fax 613-567-1468 Email: web:bthomson or bob.thomson@devcan.ca IFAT has a market information service for southern producer group members and will be facilitating the establishment of information clearinghouses in Africa Asia and Latin America over the coming year. Bob did his thesis on "The Potential and Limits of Agricultural Self-Reliance in Grenada" at Carleton University in 1983 and co-authored "Green Gold: The Banana Industry of the Windward Islands" for the Latin America Bureau of London UK (1985). 2. Gilles Bergeron, Instituto de Nutricion de Centro America and Panama (INCAP) Guatemala Email address: MRUEL@UCRVM2.BITNET Gilles is a rural sociologist interested in food security issues, and in the process of transition of smallholders to non- traditional agriculture (broccoli, snowpeas, etc.), an area that has been booming in the region over the last decade. Also interested in exchanging ideas on the sustainability (social, economic and environmental) of commercial farming among peasant farmers. 3. Langston Goree, IPHAE Caixa Postal 585 78900-970 Porto Velho RO, Brazil EMail address: lgoree@igc.apc.org Currently working in Rondonia in the Western Amazon performing alternative agriculture on degraded moist forest lands with colonists. 4. Esa Heinonen Tuomikuja 2 as 9 21450 TARVASJOKI FINLAND telephone and fax modem to work: 358 - 21 - 848 914 EMail address: ESAHEI@sara.cc.utu.fi A researcher at the University of Helsinki, Esa has an office 100 miles away from Helsinki in a quiet countryside and is considered a "remote worker". She has an M.Sc. in agricultural technology and is currently working on a project where she is trying to figure out different social developing scenarios in Finland and how agriculture will be developing within these different scenarios. A big problem she faces is attempting to evaluate the sustainability of different agricultural producing methods. She is trying to construct a comprehensive definition and tools to measure agricultural sustainability. 5. Pesticide Action Network North America Regional Center 965 Mission St. #514 San Francisco CA 94103 USA (415) 541-9140 Fax: (415) 541-9253 EMail address: econet:panna Pesticide Action Network (PAN) North America Regional Center is one of six regional centers of PAN International throughout the world, dedicated to supporting the use of safer, more sustainable approaches to pest management rather than reliance on chemical pesticides. Specific program areas include campaigns and lobbying at the international level, promoting networking between groups, individuals, and agencies, and providing timely information on many aspects of pesticide use, hazards, and alternatives through publications and collected data. 6. agAccess David Katz 603 4th Street Davis, CA 95616 USA Telephone: (916) 756-7177 Fax: (916) 756-7188 Email address: (Internet) agaccess@igc.apc.org AgAccess has information on all kinds of agriculture, specializing in Sustainable Agriculture. They are also a bookstore, publisher and information service, including mail order on a worldwide scale. A free catalog of ag Access's books can be obtained through David. 7. Libby J. Goldstein (e-mail libby) Food & Agriculture Task Force 331 Queen Street Philadelphia, PA 19147 USA Telephone and fax: 215-465-8878 8. Fred Powledge Route 3, Box 549 Half-Pone Point Hollywood, Maryland, U.S.A., 20636, Telephone: (301) 373-5466 Fax: (301) 373-3788, EMail addresses: (IGC) fpowledge; (Internet) fpowledge@igc.org; (MCI MAIL) POWLEDGE; (Compu$erve) POWLEDGE 76556,13. A freelance writer, Fred wants to keep up with readers in Africa and Latin America. He is currently working on a book, which will be published by Harper Collins, about international agriculture, the environment, and population growth. Also interested in practical applications of IPM; banana production; the international research centers; potatoes; biotechnology; cassava; the World Bank; bugs; pheromones; the Green Revolution and what it wrought and didn't; rice; maize; and wheat. 9. John Stauber 3318 Gregory Street Madison, WI 53711 Telephone: (608) 233-3346 Fax: (608) 238-2236 EMail address: jstauber@igc.apc.org John is currently working as a consultant to the Pure Food Campaign on a boycott of genetically engineered foods and bovine growth hormone. 10. Brewster Kneen 125 Highfield Road Toronto, Ontario M4L 2V4 Canada EMail address: kneen@web.apc.org Brewster Kneen is a freelance writer, author of three books and working on the next two, a member of the Toronto Food Policy Council, and publisher of the Ram's Horn, a monthly newsletter of food system analysis. 11. Stephen Petluk Box 466 Nampa, Alberta T0H 2R0 Canada Telephone/Fax: (403) 322-2550 EMail address: fop@web.apc.org Practicing farmers and soil conservationist interested in biotechnology issues. 12. Denis Titchenell L.A.C.C. Business Department EMail address: dtitche@eis.calstate.edu 13. Marsha Emerman/Bob Phelps Australian Genethics Network c/ ACF 340 Gore Street Fitzroy 3065 Australia Telephone: (613-03) 416-0767 Fax: (613-03) 416-0767 The Australia Genethics Network is an education and action network for all people who want to debate and resolve genetic engineering issues in the public interest. the Network exists to provide information and generate discussion on the environmental, social and ethical impacts of genetic engineering. I maintains that decisions on genetic engineering should not be based on just scientific criteria; that such issues as environmental impact, biodiversity and sustainability, health and safety, animal welfare and the public's right to know are of paramount concern. The Network published a quarterly newsletter and an educational kit called "The Troubled Helix" for secondary schools and universities, organizing public forums and debates and utilizing the media to increase public awareness of genetic engineering. 14. Gassou Traore Reseau Africain pour le Developpement (African Network for Development) P.O. Box 60233 Addis Ababa Ethiopia Telephone: (251-1) 51 49 63 Fax: (251-1) 51-58-33 The Reseau Africain pour le Developpement (RADEV or the African Network for Development) is a private, nonprofit NGO in Ethiopia. The Network was established to assist in the mobilization of resources for development associations, cooperatives, you, women and private entrepreneurs in various environmental and agricultural fields. RADEV is also accredited to UNCED and is a member of the international NGO, Women and Youth Fora. 15. Brian Tokar Central Vermont Greens, Vermont Biotechnology Working Group P.O. Box 93 Plainfield, VT 05667 e-mail (temporary) srichman@igc.apc.org Food and Water, Old Schoolhouse Common Marshfield, VT 05658, Telephone: (802) 426-3700. Rural Vermont, 15 Barre St. Montpelier, VT 05602 Telephone (802) 223-7222 e-mail orgfarm@igc.apc.org. Brian is currently helping coordinate a campaign against genetically engineered foods with a coalition of Vermont groups, including Rural Vermont, Food and Water, Mothers and Others for a Moratorium (on BGH, that is) and the Central Vermont Greens. He has also been following and writing about biotech issues for many years, and his interests include food issues, environmental consequences, and the implications of corporate control. One of his recommended resources is Biotechnology: An Activists' Handbook, a 48 page collection of articles on food, environmental and medical issues, as well as the history of opposition to genetic engineering. It is available for $2 from Rural Vermont (see below), with generous volume discounts available. I 16. Karol Wrage Managing Editor Freiberg Publishing Co., 2302 West 1st Street Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613 Telephone: (319) 277-3599 Fax: (319) 277-3783. EMail: agbio@exnet.iastate.edu Freiberg is a publisher of magazines and newsletters. One of the magazines, Seed & Crops Industry, goes to seed company execs and CEOs around the world. Their newsletter, AgBiotechnology News, covers biotechnology news related to agricultural, environmental, and technology transfer research in universities and the private sector worldwide. This publication also carries a stock index of several companies involved in agricultural biotech. They also have a new publication containing international patents and technology transfer and joint venture opportunities from around the world. Freiberg also accepts listings of these opportunities from many sources and welcome more! Sample issues of any and all of these publications are available upon request. 17. Tom Mulhern The Land Institute 2440 E. Water Well Rd. Salina, KS 67401 Telephone 913-823-5376 Fax : 913-823-8728 EMail: theland@igc.org The Land Institute is a non-profit research and education organization that is devoted to sustainable agriculture and stewardship of the earth. Their perennial polyculture research aims to develop perennial grains and multiple-species cropping systems, using the prairie ecosystem as a model. Their Sunshine Farm Project aims to develop on-farm renewable energy alternatives to fossil fuel. An Intern Program provides a unique educational and work experience for the future leaders of a more sustainable society. 18. Sheldon Krimsky, Ph.D Professor and Chair Department of Urban & Environmental Policy Tufts University Medford, MA 02155 Tele: 617-627-3394 FAX: 617-627-3377 E-Mail: Skrimsky@Pearl.Tufts.edu Krimsky is a professor in the Department of Urban & Environmental Policy at Tufts University. He is actively doing research in the social and ethical aspects of biotechnology. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Council for Responsible Genetics, a public interest organization located in Cambridge MA. 19. Mark Cackler The World Bank Mexico and Central America Agriculture Division 1818 H St NW Washington, DC 20433 phone: 202/473-8999 fax: 202/676-0199 EMail: MCACKLER@WORLDBANK.ORG 20. Keith Mestrich Food and Allied Service Trades, AFL-CIO 815 16th Street NW Suite 408 Washington, DC 20006 Phone: 202-737-7200 EMail: fast@igc.apc.org 21. Diane Joy Goodman Pure Food Campaign 1755 Chestnut Street San Francisco, CA 94123 Phone: 415-922-2356 Fax: Same as phone, call first to enable it. E-Mail: djgoodman@igc.apc.org Diane is the West Coast Director of the Pure Food Campaign, the international boycott of genetically engineered foods. The Campaign is a project of the Foundation on Economic Trends in Washington, D.C. Jeremy Rifkin is President of the Foundation and the Pure Food Campaign was created by Jeremy in May, 1992, in response to the FDA decision to allow the products of genetic engineering to be introduced into the marketplace without pre-market testing or labeling. The Campaign has gained the support of over 3000 individuals and businesses within the food industry who will not grow, sell or buy these products. With the pending FDA approval of Bovine Growth Hormone due anytime, they are enlisting the support of over 100,000 consumers in our effort to keep our food supply safe from a technological intervention that could have a disastrous impact on health, food safety, the environment and agriculture, and on every person's right to choose safe food. From m.rueter@link-do.comlink.apc.org Fri Aug 27 22:49:51 1993 Date: 25 Mar 93 17:52 PST From: m.rueter@link-do.comlink.apc.org Reply to: "Conference susag.news" To: "Recipients of conference susag.news" Subject: Re: Call to Network Interested Parties Hallo Comerads, we are interest to get in contact with your work. We are the largest international Youth Organization (International Union of Socialist Youth) with more than 80 member organizations in the world. We are trying to develop an international programm - if you are interested to get our last discussions results, I can post this for your informations. Our Adress: IUSY Neustiftgasse 3 A-1070 Vianna Austria Phone:+43-1-9312676 --------------------------------------------------------------------- ## * * * * * ***** ## THE POWER OF THE SOLIDARTY * * * * * * * * # 19. - 25.07.93 # * * * * * ***** ************************** * * * * * * IUSY FESTIVAL IN PORTO ## CrossPoint v2.1 ## From HMJAMES@usthk.ust.hk Fri Aug 27 22:49:59 1993 Date: 29 Mar 93 17:29 PST From: HMJAMES@usthk.ust.hk Reply to: "Conference susag.news" To: "Recipients of conference susag.news" Subject: Re: Network Participants - 3/17/93 From: "Dr. James Buchanan" Subject: Re: Network Participants - 3/17/93 Please include my name in your network listing Dr. James Buchanan Division of Humanities The Hong Kong Univeristy of Science and Technology Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong email: HMJAMES@UXMAIL.UST.HK emaail: HMJAMES@USTHK.BITNET fax: (852) 719-5342 HKUST is a new university set up to become the "MIT of Asia." Meaning high levels of research in the sciences and engineering. The Biotechnology Research Institute here is the center for biotech research in Hong Kong. I am a philosopher (ethics) and direct a program which studies the social and environmental impacts of science and technology. I specialize in biotech issues and am setting up a biotech clearinghouse for this region. From mthom@igc.apc.org Fri Aug 27 22:50:07 1993 Date: 06 Apr 93 06:47 PDT From: Michelle Thom Reply to: "Conference susag.news" To: "Recipients of conference susag.news" Subject: Sustainable Ag News - 4/2/93 Sustainable Agriculture News Bulletin April 2, 1993 ------------------------------------------------ News Summaries ------------------------------------------------ TIMBER SUMMIT UNDERWAY IN PACIFIC NORTHWEST The President's so-called "Timber Summit" gets underway in Portland, Oregon today. The meeting is intended to bring together timber and environmental interests to discuss the stalemate over the endangered northern spotted owl and forest management practices Details on what solutions the President might offer are sketchy. The administration changed the name of the gathering from "summit" to the "Northwest Forest Conference" as the term summit implied that a solution or agreement might be reached. Many are concerned about the President's ability to negotiate any kind of settlement due to the long-standing animosity between the two sides. President Clinton said last week that he "will try to be fair to the people whose livelihoods depend on this and fair to the environment that we are all obligated to maintain." Saw mills will stand quiet throughout the summit as employers and logging interests have encouraged workers to attend the summit. The paper industry believes that environmental interests and the current timber shortage are ruining local economies. "We want to go in and bargain hard and maximize (timber) volumes within the context of good environmental practices. We think you can do that if you don't hold out science for science's sake as some kind of religion," said Denny Scott, an economist with the carpenter's Union, one of the labor unions leading the battle against environmental interests. Chris West of the Northwest Forestry Association said a solution must be in place by summer's end or an economic dislocation so severe that it will take years to recover will occur. "People are going to be out of logs," he said. Environmentalists are reluctant to view obs at issue are going to be lost eventually so it is better to preserve what is left of the forest now than lose them both down the line. "It is not now and never has been a battle between jobs and owls. It always has been an issue of jobs versus jobs, the jobs of tomorrow, not the jobs of yesterday," said Todd True of the Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund. "The reality is that anybody whose job depends on logging ancient forest has a dead-end job," said Fran Hunt of the National Wildlife Federation. The Sierra Club, National Wildlife Federation and other nationwide, mainstream environmental organizations have called for a proposal that would ban logging across many acres of forest in the region. Many, like former Washington governor Dixie Lee Ray, are pushing for a private sector answer to forest management. In her editorial in the Wall Street Journal yesterday, Ray outlines the case of the volcano Mount St. Helen wiping out a 156 square mile area of forest and how private logging companies like Weyerhaeuser came in and saved 850 million board feet of wood. "The Mount St. Helen case proves that private companies, employing state-of-the-art reforesting techniques, are leading the way in forest management innovation - as they always have," Ray said. The Journal of Commerce reported that Clinton will call for the use of new forestry technologies that will not damage endangered wildlife and habitat. Bruce Babbit, Secretary of the Interior, cautioned that a solution that is scientifically and legally justifiable and fair to all sides may take months to develop. He predicted that logging, which has been cut in half since 1989, will resume this fall. Source: Tom Kenworthy, "The Owl and the Lumberjack: Can Clinton Break the Logjam," Washington Post, April 2, 1993; John Hood, "Clear-Cut Forestry Lesson on Film," Wall Street Journal, March 30, 1993; "Ecology," AP, April 1, 1993; Peter Passell, "Economic Scene," New York Times, April 1, 1993; Dixie Lee Ray, "A Forest Rises From the Ashes, Privately," Wall Street Journal, April 1, 1993; "Owls, Trees and Jobs: The Timber Summit," New York Times, April 2, 1993; "Clinton, Northwest Converge on Portland for Timber Solutions," UPI, March 31, 1993; "Forests-Glance," AP, March 31, 1993; Charles McCoy, "Even a Logger Praised As Sensitive to Ecology Faces Bitter Opposition," Wall Street Journal, April 1, 1993; John Davies, "Clinton Expected to Propose Use of New Forest Technology," Journal of Commerce, March 31, 1993. CONSUMERS SAY PEST CONTROLS ARE NEEDED, PESTICIDES ARE NOT At a meeting of the Twin Cities Agricultural roundtable, Dr. Eileen van Ravenswaay of Michigan State University revealed the results of her survey on the public's perceptions of pesticides. In her survey of 1,000 Michigan households, van Ravenswaay found that most consumers believe that their food supply would decrease if pesticides were not used; that there are other effective methods of pest control; and that 38.3% of all households thought a member of their family could become ill if nothing was done to reduce or avoid pesticides in food. In addition, 55% thought cancer was the disease they would be most likely to get from pesticides and 14.2% said they could trust the federal government in setting pesticide residue limits. Forty eight percent said a well known (but unnamed) consumer group should test federal standards and 71% said they would by apples certified to have been grown without pesticides if the price difference was within $.20 of uncertified apples. Essentially, van Ravenswaay said, "pest controls are seen as needed but chemicals are not." Source: Twin Cities Agricultural Roundtable Meeting, March 31, 1993. OTHER PESTICIDE NEWS A recent survey by the University of Illinois determined that Midwest farmers are cutting back on chemical use. The survey showed that while the overall percentage of corn and soybean acreage treated with pesticides decreased, the amount of active ingredients used in these areas dropped since the 1990. University of Illinois extension specialist David Pike said farmers used only 3.1 million pounds of insecticide in 1990 and he expects the figure to continue to decline. The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is adopting an integrated vegetation management program that will reduce the amount of herbicide used in roadside vegetation control. An Environmental Impact Report (EIR) was done by the agency after a citizen lawsuit and years of protest. As a result of the EIR, Caltrans will modify or prohibit herbicide use in environmentally or politically sensitive areas which include: roadside rest stops; locations inhabited by the homeless; roadsides where children walk to school, bus stops, parks and playgrounds; and hospitals. Caltrans has set a target of 50% herbicide reduction by the year 2000 and 80% by the year 2012. The Hoechst AG chemical company of Germany continues to be beleaguered by public safety questions. Two weeks ago, an explosion at the plant just outside of Frankfurt killed one employee and severely injured several others. Earlier this year, noxious fumes were accidentally released from the plant into a nearby residential area. Government officials say eight other minor incidents occurred between the two larger accidents. A spokesperson for the German Chemical Association said the industry is not worried about its reputation. "No, we hope that these (accidents) have ended," he said. An official with the Federal Environment Ministry said, "Of course we are worried, but the chemical industry itself is guilty." The USDA said it will focus on finding alternatives to the ozone depleting fungicide methyl bromide. Gary Evans, special assistant for global change issues, said recently that the effort will involve private industry as well as state and federal government experts. "It's going to be a challenge to find the large number of replacement chemicals or nonchemical substitutes for the broad range of methyl bromide uses," said Evans. Currently, methyl bromide is the only available registered pesticide that acts as a soil fumigant, protects harvested crops in storage and treats commodities in quarantine prior to export. The EPA lists methyl bromide as a Class I ozone-depleting chemical but will permit its use in the U.S. until the year 2000. Not all agricultural chemicals are hazardous to earthworms, according to a study by two researchers at the University of Ohio. While many farm chemicals are dangerous to earthworms, insufficient evidence exits about the level of toxicity of many other chemicals. Clive Edwards and Patrick Bohlen say their findings suggest a need for an earthworm toxicity test of all chemicals likely to reach agricultural and natural lands. A number of insecticides, a few fungicides, almost all nematicides and hardly any herbicides were found to be highly toxic to earthworms in their study. Topping the list of deadly substances to earthworms was the carbamate family of insecticides which includes carbaryl, an active ingredient in the widely-used Sevin. Their findings should be of interest to no-till farmers who grow crops without cultivating and rely on herbicides to control weeds, the authors said. "Lots of no-till farmers have taken a keen interest in earthworms," Bohlen said. "Earthworms pull organic matter down into the soil and create favorable water infiltration characteristics. No-till doesn't work without earthworms." The study appeared last year in the journal Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology. A recent editorial in the Wall Street Journal criticizes the Frontline special, "In Our Children's Food," that examined the use of pesticides and their appearance in the form of residues in our food supply. Writer Dennis Avery of the conservative Hudson Institute states that getting rid of pesticides altogether would increase our risk of cancer and heart disease, raise the possibility of hunger on a global scale and eliminate millions of acres of wildlife habitat. "We now know that farm pesticide residues contain less cancer risk than mustard and pickles or even than the environmentalists' beloved mushrooms. We now know that 99.9% of the cancer risks in our food supply come in the food themselves. So much for the cancer risks in pesticides," Avery writes. Avery criticizes moves toward more organic farming and says that the only thing organic farming can accomplish is billions of "organically induced starvation deaths" by the year 2050. He concludes the editorial with a statement from the Public Health Service toxicology study that reported: "There is no evidence that the small doses of pesticides that we do get are causing any harm. The only effect that can be measured... is the storage of one of them - DDT - in the tissues of most people. This storage has not caused any injury that we can detect." Source: "Midwest Farmers Reducing Use of Pesticides," Farming Today, UPI, March 27, 1993; "Caltrans Herbicide Use Reduction Program," Pesticide Action Network (965 Mission, #514, San Francisco, CA 94103, 415/541-9140, fax: 415/541-9253, email: panna@igc.apc.org) March 22, 1993; Miriam Widman, "Hoechst Accidents Not Expected to Scare Investors," Journal of Commerce, March 17, 1993; Margaret Scherf, Farm Scene, AP, March 22, 1993; "USDA Focusing In On Alternative to Pesticide," Agri News, April 1, 1993; "Review Effects of Chemicals on Earthworms," UPI, March 21, 1993; Dennis Avery, "'Frontline' Perpetuates Pesticide Myth," Wall Street Journal, April 1, 1993. CLINTON WON'T RAISE FEES FOR PUBLIC LAND USE A month after proposing dramatic changes to the fee scales for use of public lands, President Bill Clinton backed away from the proposal after pressure from Western states' lawmakers. The original package would have raised fees for grazing livestock on public lands and established royalties on gold, silver and other metals now mined on federal lands at no charge. White House officials said Clinton backed down and deleted the reforms from his budget package after two weeks of negotiations with Western Democrats whose support he needs to pass his economic program. "How would you go back to a public land state facing an election in four years and say that you voted to basically end mining and ranching and the use of public lands?" asked Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell (D-CO). The move received immediate criticism from environmental interests. "I don't think I've ever seen a white flag get put up so fast. The Clinton White House came out charging but, once close enough to see the whites of the enemy's eyes, turned tail," said Michael Francis of the Wilderness Society. When asked if Clinton caved in to political threats from Western lawmakers, White House communications director George Stephanopoulos said, "They clearly made their views known to the President." Source: Richard Berke, "Clinton Backs Off From Policy Shift on Federal Lands," New York Times, March 31, 1993; "Mr. Clinton Heads for the Timber," New York Times, April 1, 1993. STUDY SHOWS THAT PROTECTING WATER IS PROFITABLE A recent study by the University of Iowa and Iowa State University shows that profitability does not have to decrease when farmers implement water quality protection plans. The researchers said that their findings run counter to the thinking that farmers do not earn a profit when they take steps to reduce water contamination. The study was released at a press conference in Des Moines last week. Source: Don Peterson, Midwest Farm Report, UPI, March 31, 1993. "PRECISION FARMING" WILL IMPROVE PROFITS, ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY A University of Minnesota Soil Scientist says that "precision farming" can improve farm profits while improving environmental quality. Pierre Robert defines precision farming as the more precise and efficient use of crop inputs such as seeds, manure, fertilizer and herbicides and techniques such as soil sampling and record keeping. Robert said maintaining the quality of the environment and improved farm profits are necessary for farmers to compete in a global economy. The potential for increased profits and environmental quality should encourage farmers to use precision farming, he said. Source: Don Peterson, Midwest Farm Report, UPI, March 29, 1993. EC ASSEMBLY BANS RED DYE Last month, the European Community Assembly voted to ban Erythrosine or E-127, the red dye that is used in sausages, jams and cocktail cherries, in spite of outcries from many European Parliament members. "When we're at a cocktail party, we'll have cherries that aren't red, our pretty sausages will not be a healthy pink and we will have a boring jam that is socialist and gray," said British conservative deputy Caroline Jackson. Proponents in the Assembly said that consumers are being fooled by unnecessary and unhealthy additives. The 12 member states of the EC must now vote on whether to go along with the move to ban the dye. Source: "Assembly Bans Dye That Makes Food Pretty," Agri News, March 18, 1993. AUSTRIA ABOLISHES TIMBER LABELING RULE The Austrian Parliament has voted to end a highly contentious ruling that required wood imports from Indonesia and Malaysia to be labeled as tropical wood. The Parliament passed an amendment to the law that will require timber and timber products, regardless of their origin, to only carry a quality marking. The Austrian Ambassador to Malaysia, Mr. Friedrich Posch, called the original law a setback to trade with Indonesia and Malaysia whose governments and timber industries voiced strong opposition to the original law. "With the amendment, there is no discrimination against any timber," Posch said. The debate had caused opponents in the Austrian Green party to stand a 24 hour filibuster. The amendment went into effect April 1. Source: "Austria Drops Timber Labeling," Daily Express, March 17, 1993. U.S. SAYS NO BALANCE OF PAYMENTS TO KENYA UNTIL REFORMS ENACTED The U.S. government recently gave the Kenyan government $9.17 in development aid but said it will withhold the balance of payments support unless reforms are enacted. Since 1986, the Kenyan government has been promising economic reforms such as the liberalization of its foreign exchange regime and grain trade, the privatization of state-owned companies and an end to government corruption. The money is intended for development programs such as family planning, agricultural research and wildlife management. Resumption of the balance of payments "would depend on implementation of economic reforms which the government of Kenya had previously identified and agreed to enact," said Michael Southwick, the U.S. Charge d'Affaires in Kenya. Source: "U.S. Tells Kenya No Fast-Track Aid Without Reform," Reuter, March 29, 1993. GATT SAYS COCA VITAL PART OF BOLIVIAN ECONOMY Bolivia remains heavily dependent upon overseas illegal sales of its coca crop in the form of cocaine, according to a recent report by the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). "It is now estimated Bolivia's largest foreign exchange earner is coca paste and cocaine, exported to serve illicit demand in Western and other economies," the report said. Efforts to persuade growers to switch to alternative crops on the part of the government have failed, the report said, as has a campaign to promote coca leaf tea overseas. The cocaine trade contributes about 13-15% of the gross domestic product thereby making it vital to the Bolivian economy. The crop is also grown sustainably by the peasant population. Source: "GATT Says Cocaine is Bolivia's Largest Cash Earner," Reuter, March 30, 1993; Frances Williams, "Coca Still Vital To Bolivian Economy," Financial Times, March 31, 1993. NAS STUDY SAYS WEST MUST HELP RAINFORESTS RURAL POOR A recent study by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) concluded that rainforests are being toppled at an alarming rate and recommends that western industrialized countries help the rainforests' rural poor grow crops without harming the land. Richard Harwood of the NAS said, "It's essential to help people in these countries meet their food and cash needs in the process of solving global environmental problems." Harwood said land ownership is one of the primary problems in the tropics. Farmers are more likely to use and abandon land if they can't exact ownership and this can prevent sustainable agriculture policies from being enacted. The report calls on industrialized nations to form partnerships with farmers in the rainforests to assist with the widespread adoption and use of techniques that promote long-term farming. "By adopting alternative land-use practices that can reduce the need to abandon established farmland and can restore degraded land to economic and biological productivity, farmers can meet their food needs and make an adequate living without contributing to the further depletion of forests and other natural resources," the report concludes. Source: "Study: Help Rainforests' rural Poor or Else," Agri News, April 1, 1993; "Rainforests Can Be Restored, Says New Report," South North Development Monitor (SUNS), March 17, 1993. WORLD BANK LIKELY TO PULL NARMADA FUNDING The World Bank is likely to pull funding on a half finished dam project on the Narmada River in India. Sources say intense pressure from environmentalists and local villagers who will lose their land led to the Bank's decision. In 1991, a study commissioned by the World Bank determined that the project had failed to protect the environment and sufficiently address the needs of displaced villagers. Skepticism among the bank's member countries put further pressure on the Bank. In spite of this likely decision on the part of the World Bank, the Indian government will probably press ahead with the building of the dam. India was asked by the Bank to come up with a detailed plan on the dam's environmental impacts and how it will resettle displaced villagers and failed to meet the Bank's deadline. Indian officials say the Bank exercised an inordinate amount of influence even though it was only contributing 15% of the project's funds. Some officials say they will be relieved they can continue the project without monitoring from the World Bank. Source: Stefan Wagstyl, "World Bank Ready To Drop $3bn Dam," Financial Times, March 30, 1993. FOE SAYS AFRICA BEING ROBBED OF FOREST COVER Friends of the Earth (FOE) released a report last month that says European logging companies are stealing Africa's forests resources. The pace at which some of these companies are felling trees means that soon there will be no forest cover left, the report says. Cote d'Ivoire is losing its forest at a rate of 15% per year. And even though European countries have withdrawn their colonial name from many of these countries, they are still exploiting their natural resources. The EC is now the world's largest importer of tropical timber at over 2 billion pounds in 1990. "Europe is not paying a price that reflects replacement costs even at the moment. If we want to save the forests, we need to aim for a lower volume trade with a higher value," said Simon Counsell of FOE's timber campaign. Source: "Europeans Gnawing Away at African Forests," South North Development Monitor (SUNS), March 12, 1993. ------------------------------------------------ Resources ------------------------------------------------ In their spring issue of FASE REPORTs, the Foundation for the Advancement of Science and Education contains a special supplement on exporting banned and hazardous pesticides. For more information, contact FASE, Park Mile Plaza, 4801 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90010, (213) 937- 9911. The WESTERN STATES CENTER is tracking the rise of the so-called Wise Use Movement; a movement that calls itself environmentally conscious but in actuality concerns itself with private property rights and land development. For more information, contact Western States Center, 522 SW 5th Avenue, Suite 1390, Portland, OR 97204, (503) 228-8866. The INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR ECOLOGY AND CULTURE'S LADAKH PROJECT publishes a monthly newsletter on the latest culturally and environmentally sensitive alternatives to conventional development and society. For more information, contact ISEC, P.O. Box 9475, Berkeley, CA 94709. ------------------------------------------------ Conferences/Events ------------------------------------------------ APRIL -------------------------------------------- GREENING THE BOTTOM LINE: BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES IN ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT, April 2-3, 1993, Denver, CO. FFI, contact: (303) 690-4245. SECOND INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN THIRD WORLD DEVELOPMENT, April 5-7, 1993, Glasgow, Scotland. FFI, contact: Africa Recovery, S-931, United Nations, New York, NY 10017. 5TH NEW ENGLAND ENVIRONMENTAL EXPO, April 13-15, 1993, Boston, MA. FFI, contact: (617) 489-4199. CHANGE AND OPPORTUNITY: MOBILIZING SUPPORT AGAINST HUNGER, April 14-15, 1993, Providence, RI. FFI, contact: Jean Lawlor, (401) 863-1035. SUSTAINABLE SOIL MANAGEMENT SYMPOSIUM, Davis, CA, April 22, 1993. FFI, contact: Chuck Ingels, UC-SAREP, (916) 757-3276. ANNUAL ORGANIC AND BIODYNAMIC GARDENING WORKSHOP, April 24-25, 1993, East Troy, WI. FFI, contact: Gail Kahovic, Michael Fields Agricultural Institute, (414) 642- 3303. MAY -------------------------------------------- MAY IS AMERICAN WETLANDS MONTH. FFI, contact: Jodi Sproule, Terrene Institute, 1717 K Street NW, Suite 801, Washington D.C. 20006, (202) 833-8317. NITROGEN FIXING TREE ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP, May 31-June 4, 1993, Hetauda, Nepal. FFI, contact: James Roshetko, Nitrogen Fixing Tree Association, 1010 Holomua Road, Paia, Hawaii 96779, (808) 579-9568, (808) 579-8516. NATIONAL EXTENSION TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE AND AGRICULTURAL COMMUNICATORS IN EDUCATION (ACE) JOINT INTERNATIONAL MEETING, May 8-12, 1993, Biscayne Bay, FL. FFI, contact: Thomas Hintz, University of Florida, IFAS Computer Network, Building 120, Room 203, Gainesville, FL 32611, (904) 392-5180, fax: (904) 392-5857. -------------------------------------------------- Produced by: Michelle Thom, Library and Information Coordinator Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy 1313 5th Street SE Suite 303 Minneapolis, MN 55414 Telephone: (612) 379-5980 Fax: (612) 379-5982 EMail: mthom@igc.org In addition to this twice-weekly news summary bulletin, the Institute offers a variety of other information services on EcoNet for farmers, educators, researchers and policymakers. These include: Env.biotech: Weekly news summary bulletins on biotechnology Susag.library: Electronic "library" of documents pertaining to sustainable agriculture Susag.calendar: Calendar of events relating to sustainable agriculture Trade.news: Daily news summary bulletins on international trade issues Agri.farmbill: Participatory conference on farm policy debates, including issues related to the 1995 Farm Bill From mthom@igc.apc.org Fri Aug 27 22:50:14 1993 Date: 22 Mar 93 06:02 PST From: Michelle Thom Reply to: "Conference susag.news" To: "Recipients of conference susag.news" Subject: Sustainable Ag News - 3/19/93 Sustainable Agriculture News Bulletin March 19, 1993 ------------------------------------------------ News Summaries ------------------------------------------------ ADMINISTRATION PROPOSES MEAT INSPECTION SYSTEM OVERHAUL Russell Cross, head of the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), announced the Clinton administration's proposal to overhaul the nation's meat inspection system at a hearing of the House Agriculture subcommittee on Tuesday. The proposal would enable slaughterhouse inspectors to use advanced technology to search for bacterial contamination, putting less emphasis on the sight, touch and smell techniques that inspectors currently use. "We have to change to a system not based on sight and touch but one based on microbiology. ...we also have to make sure that the system we use presently assures the public that we are detecting all we can see in meat and that the food supply is safe," said Secretary of Agriculture Mike Espy. For the first time, scientists and some federal meat inspectors would be stationed at farms, at least temporarily, to monitor contaminants such as E coli, salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes and Campylobacter. The new program will "reduce the likelihood that harmful microorganisms... will enter the food supply at key points in the production, distribution and consumption chain," said Cross. Irradiation is also being brought up in discussions about the new proposal. Consumer groups have expressed concerns over the use of radiation on food but Cross said the USDA will not implement the plan without listening to "consumer groups, trade groups, scientific experts, our own employees, other federal agencies and Congress." No timeline has been given for implementing the proposed reforms. A series of public hearings on the proposal will be held across the country next month. The USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline has been inundated with calls from concerned consumers after an outbreak of E coli infections occurred in the Northwest. The illnesses and at least two deaths have been linked to eating undercooked hamburger. "Even with the added scrutiny, inspection will not substitute for the proper cooking and handling of raw meats," said Susan Conley, hotline manager. Source: Robert Greene, "Meat Safety," AP, March 17, 1993; "More Meat Inspectors a Sound Move," Reuter, March 16, 1993; Keith Schneider, "Clinton Proposes To Change the Way Meat is Inspected," New York Times, March 17, 1993; "Hotline Gives Hamburger Safety Tips," USDA Ag News Fax, March 2, 1993. LOGGING COMPANY PROMOTING REFORESTATION IN SIBERIA The Weyerhaeuser Corporation, one of the nation's largest timber interests, hopes to restore the former Soviet Union's severely depleted forest resources. "Half the world's softwood timber is in Russia. It was a logical extension of our business to see what opportunities were there when the door began to open," said Weyerhaeuser official Scott Marshall. The company has planted over 100,000 trees in Siberia over the last two years. With a 95% survival rate so far, the company will plant an additional 800,000 seedlings this spring. The company hopes their efforts will eventually lead to a joint venture that would involve logging, mill operations, marketing, exports and forest management with other timber interests in Siberia. "Russia has the capacity to be the biggest player in forest products in the world," said Gus Kuehne of the Northwest Independent Forest Manufacturers. Source: "Weyerhaeuser Reforestation Project Turns Denuded Siberian Land Green," Journal of Commerce, March 10, 1993. EPA PROPOSES METHYL BROMIDE PHASEOUT The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a proposal to phaseout methyl bromide, one of the world's biggest ozone depleters, in the federal register this week. The entry proposes: Freezing domestic methyl bromide production at 1991 levels by 1994; allowing all registered uses for the time being and then implementing a total phaseout; and granting no exemptions for "essential uses" after the phaseout has been enacted. The EPA will accept written comment on the proposal for the next 45 days at Air Docket No. A-92-13, EPA, 401 M Street SW, Washington D.C. 20460. A public hearing has also been scheduled for April 2, 8am-12pm, at EPA headquarters at 401 M Street SW in Washington D.C. Source: "U.S. Methyl Bromide Phaseout," Pesticide Action Network North America Updates (PANNA, 965 Mission Street, #514, San Francisco, CA 94103, tel: 415/541-9140, fax: 415/541-9253, email: panna@igc.apc.org), March 18, 1993. FARMLAND DISAPPEARING AT AN ALARMING RATE Ralph Grossi, President of the American Farmland Trust (AFT) said the nation should celebrate agriculture now - while it still can. AFT said that 6,000 acres of farmland will disappear each day over the course of the next week. "We must recognize that our farmland needs to be respected for what it produces. Too often, agriculture is regarded as what is done with land until some other use can be found. That attitude must change," said Grossi. This week is National Agriculture Week. Source: Farming Today, AP, March 12, 1993. USDA BEHIND IN IMPLEMENTING ORGANIC STANDARDS In 1990, Congress passed the Organic Standards Act to harmonize national certification standards for organic products. The USDA was supposed to have the standards implemented by October of this year but many say they are far behind, complicating the issue for certifiers and producers. For example, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (BATF), the body that approves labels on alcoholic beverages, says it can't allow organic wines to be labeled simply "organic wine" until the rules are in place. Instead, organic wine labels must say "Grapes organically grown and wine organically processed in accordance with the California Organic Foods Act of 1990." "The USDA is nowhere near ready. So we had to come up with a system ourselves in the interim," said Jim Hunt of the BATF. Source: Sam Gugino, "Lagging Standards Complicate Organic Push," Journal of commerce, March 10, 1993. GOVERNMENT RESTORED BENEFITS TO FARMERS WHO VIOLATED CONSERVATION COMPLIANCE According to a study by the Center for Resource Economics, the federal government first denied $23.3 million dollars to 2,499 farms for not being in compliance with conservation requirements in 1986. But more than half the benefits have been restored after farmers appealed to the USDA. In the state of Minnesota alone, 231 farms were denied $4.9 million in subsidies but $2.4 was reinstated. "The enforcement is not very tough and the fines seem to us to be very light," said Ken Cook of the Center. The Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service, the body that is responsible for imposing penalties after inspections by the Soil Conservation Service, has declined to comment on the report. A 1985 law requires that farmers set up conservation plans to protect highly erodible land. Source: Philip Brasher, AP, March 15, 1993; Sharon Schmickle, "Study: Farmers Excused From Conservation Penalties," Minneapolis Star Tribune, March 16, 1993. AUSTRIAN GREENS FILIBUSTER OVER TROPICAL WOOD LABELING LAW For over 24 hours, the Austrian Green Party led a filibuster to postpone a vote that could have thrown out an Austrian law that requires imports of tropical woods to be labeled as such. The law was passed last June but has come under fire from a coalition of right and leftist parties that contend that the law will jeopardize Austria's business with countries like Malaysia and Indonesia. Exporters from these countries have criticized the law as "neo-colonialistic" and a barrier under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). Madeleine Petrovic, a Green Party deputy, lead the charge with a 10 1/2 hour speech to keep parliamentarians up all night. "There are certain subjects - and I think the voters should know this - which are not up for discussion," said Petrovic, in reference to the law. "What is happening here not only makes the Greens look ridiculous but entails the danger that one regards Parliament as a forum for drivel," said Heinrich Neiser of the Peoples Party Caucus. Source: "Austrian Greens Stage 24 Hour Filibuster Against Tropical Wood Law," UPI, March 12, 1993. MAD COW DISEASE STILL PREVALENT IN UK British Ministry of Agriculture officials said last week that bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or mad cow disease, is still on the rise in the country. This announcement contradicts an earlier government prediction that the condition would be eradicated with a ban on infected feed. More than 37,000 cows died of the disease last year, the ministry said. Source: "Mad Cow Disease Still on the Increase," UPI, March 11, 1993. LAND O'LAKES UNDERTAKING DAIRY DEVELOPMENT IN THIRD WORLD Land O'Lakes, a Minnesota-based dairy company, is undertaking efforts to develop local dairy initiatives in Third World countries. At a meeting of the Ceres Society, international development manager Rosemarie Kelly-Rieks outlined the company's initiatives to develop partnerships with overseas counterparts. The primary activities of the Department include needs assessments; project development; training; technical assistance; internships; and short-course training in operating local dairy cooperatives. Heavy emphasis is placed on privatization, economic restructuring and free market development, according to Kelly-Rieks. Land O'Lakes' efforts are development with "a humanitarian thrust," she said. Source: Ceres Society Meeting, March 15, 1993. ------------------------------------------------ Resources ------------------------------------------------ DRINKING WATER: PROJECTS THAT MAY DAMAGE SOLE SOURCE AQUIFERS ARE NOT ALWAYS IDENTIFIED is now available from the General Accounting Office (#RCED-93- 4). For a copy, write GAO, Washington D.C. 20548. The January/February 1993 issue of WORKING NOTES, published by the Working Groups on Community Right-to- Know, contains a list of many articles, studies and reports on topics such as citizens waste audits, risk analysis and others. For more information, contact Working Group on Community Right-to-Know, UPIRG Fund, 215 Pennsylvania Avenue SE, Washington D.C. 20003. The INFORMATION CENTRE FOR LOW EXTERNAL INPUT AND SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE (ILEIA)produces a monthly journal that explains and promotes low input agriculture techniques and their use around the world. The December issue explores sustainable energy use, organic contour farming and the practical use of cover crops. For more information, contact ILEIA, c/o ETC Foundation, Kastanjelaan 5, P.O. Box 64, 3830 AB Leusden, The Netherlands, (033) 94 30 86, fax: (033) 94 07 91. ------------------------------------------------ Conferences/Events ------------------------------------------------ MARCH -------------------------------------------- SUSTAINABLE BIO-INTENSIVE MINI FARMING WORKSHOP, March 20-22, 1993, Stanford University, CA. FFI, contact: Ecology Action, 5798 Ridgewood Road, Willits, CA 95490. WATERSHED '93, March 21-24, 1993, Alexandria, VA. FFI, contact: Jennifer Paush (202) 833-8317 or Janet Pawlukiewicz (202) 260-9194. CHANGING FOOD POLICY DIRECTIONS: HIGH STAKES, TOUGH CHOICES, March 22-23, 1993, Washington D.C. FFI, contact: Alison Weiss, Public Voice, (202) 659-5930. THE QUEST FOR SUSTAINABILITY - BUSINESS FACES THE CHALLENGE, March 24-26, 1993, Dallas, TX. FFI, contact: World Business Academy, 433 Airport Boulevard, Suite 416, Burlingame, CA 94010, (415) 342-2387, fax: (415) 340-1594. THE FRUITS OF OUR LABOR: SAFE FOOD AND SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE, March 26-29, 1993 in Alexandria, VA. FFI, contact: National Coalition Against the Misuse of Pesticides, 701 E Street SE, Suite 200, Washington D.C. 20003, (202) 543-5450 APRIL -------------------------------------------- GREENING THE BOTTOM LINE: BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES IN ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT, April 2-3, 1993, Denver, CO. FFI, contact: (303) 690-4245. SECOND INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN THIRD WORLD DEVELOPMENT, April 5-7, 1993, Glasgow, Scotland. FFI, contact: Africa Recovery, S-931, United Nations, New York, NY 10017. 5TH NEW ENGLAND ENVIRONMENTAL EXPO, April 13-15, 1993, Boston, MA. FFI, contact: (617) 489-4199. SUSTAINABLE SOIL MANAGEMENT SYMPOSIUM, Davis, CA, April 22, 1993. FFI, contact: Chuck Ingels, UC-SAREP, (916) 757-3276. -------------------------------------------------- Produced by: Michelle Thom, Library and Information Coordinator Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy 1313 5th Street SE Suite 303 Minneapolis, MN 55414 Telephone: (612) 379-5980 Fax: (612) 379-5982 EMail: mthom@igc.org In addition to this twice-weekly news summary bulletin, the Institute offers a variety of other information services on EcoNet for farmers, educators, researchers and policymakers. These include: Env.biotech: Weekly news summary bulletins on biotechnology Susag.library: Electronic "library" of documents pertaining to sustainable agriculture Susag.calendar: Calendar of events relating to sustainable agriculture Trade.news: Daily news summary bulletins on international trade issues Agri.farmbill: Participatory conference on farm policy debates, including issues related to the 1995 Farm Bill From mthom@igc.apc.org Fri Aug 27 22:50:19 1993 Date: 03 May 93 06:28 PDT From: Michelle Thom Reply to: "Conference susag.news" To: "Recipients of conference susag.news" Subject: Sustainable Ag News - 4/30/93 Sustainable Agriculture News Bulletin April 30, 1993 ------------------------------------------------ News Summaries ------------------------------------------------ RISK OF BREAST CANCER LINKED TO DDT Researchers recently determined that the risk of breast cancer is linked to exposure to dichloro diphenyl trichloroethane, or DDT. A study that appeared in last week's JOURNAL OF THE NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE said that even though DDT has been banned in the U.S. since 1972, it can be stored in the body's tissue for decades. The study suggested that the pesticide may be one reason for the increase in the incidence of breast cancer in women over 50 since 1973. Dr. Mary Wolff, who led the research team, said her data showed that levels of DDE, the metabolized form of DDT, were 35% higher in women with breast cancer. After adjusting for other factors linked to breast cancer, such as family history and late first pregnancies, the researchers found that DDT exposure increased the risk of breast cancer by four times. "This study is provocative and mandates that we explore this issue further," said David Hunter, a professor of epidemiology at Harvard University. Dennis Avery of the Hudson Institute responded that "They're talking about a linkage between a particular pesticide that was ruled off the road 20 years ago and was unique at the time in that it was stored in tissues. The pesticides we're using now are tested far more carefully." DDT is still widely used in Mexico and throughout Latin America. Source: Elyse Tanouye, "Breast Cancer, DDT Exposure Linked in Study," WALL STREET JOURNAL, April 21, 1993; "DDT Residue in Food May Raise Breast Cancer Risk," REUTER, April 20, 1993; "Residues of DDT Metabolite Linked to Increased Risk of Breast Cancer," PESTICIDE ACTION NETWORK UPDATES SERVICE (PAN, 965 Mission Street, #514, San Francisco, CA 94103, 415/541-9140, fax: 415/541-9253, email: panna@igc.apc.org), April 22, 1993. RECORDS MUST BE KEPT ON RESTRICTED-USE PESTICIDES Records must now be kept by both commercial and private applicators of restricted-use pesticides, the USDA recently announced. The requirement, which was part of the 1990 farm bill, makes state pesticide regulatory agencies responsible for tracking compliance. Farmers will not be required to submit their records but the USDA and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will survey farmers on their pesticide use. Participation in the survey will be voluntary and officials plan to develop a database with the information they collect. The rule goes into effect May 10th. Source: Don Peterson, Midwest Farm Report, UPI, April 21, 1993. PACKAGERS COMPLYING WITH GERMANY'S TOUGH RECYCLING LAW New regulations went into effect in Germany recently which require companies to retrieve packing and shipping materials from consumers. Manufacturers are also required to find ways to dispose of cardboard, foam and plastic packaging in environmentally sensitive ways. Instead of reacting negatively, companies like AST Research and Hewlett Packard say they are developing environmentally sensitive packaging. "Forget the environmental issues. It makes good economics. We are shipping twice as much product and we are using only half the packaging we used to," said Western Digital's Troy Merrell. Western Digital is one of several companies that recently switched to entirely recyclable packaging that is made without ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). "With all the legislation coming on the books, it's clear companies have to be environmentally responsible packagers," Merrell said. He also said similar legislation is likely to take hold in all of the EC and there is talk of passing similar laws in the U.S. Source: Jerry Hirsch, "Germany's 'Green' Packaging Laws May Spread to U.S.," JOURNAL OF COMMERCE, April 13, 1993. EC COMMISSION CALLS FOR TIGHTER BEEF HORMONE RESTRICTIONS Last week, the European Commission approved a report calling for tighter controls over the illegal use of beef hormones. The report recommends tougher inspections and penalties, a ban on beta- agonists which increase muscle and reduce fat and rules that make meat producers directly responsible for violations. Meat producers would have to submit written guarantees that the hormones had not been used in their products in order to receive subsidy payments. Animal testing would take place on high risk farms that have a history of fraud. Subsidy payments would be withheld for one year after the first violation and permanently thereafter for any subsequent violations. A Commission survey last year showed that hormones were being used illegally in most EC member states including Italy, France, Belgium and the Netherlands. "The Commission must end this irresponsible behavior as severely as it can and with no pity," said EC Farm Commission Rene Steichen. Source: "EC Commission Seeks Crackdown on Meat Hormones," REUTER, April 21, 1993; Peter Blackburn, "Commission to Seek Tighter Meat Hormone Ban," REUTER, April 19, 1993. SCIENTISTS SAY SUSTAINABILITY DIFFICULT TO ACHIEVE Three fisheries biologists who recently released the results of their work in the journal SCIENCE conclude that exercising restraint when it comes to exploiting our natural resources for the sake of future generations is an objective that may be too difficult to achieve. For one, they say, science cannot successfully predict the levels at which resource exploitation is safe. Secondly, even if predictions were accurate, human greed has historically ruled and lead to overexploitation. "It's quite depressing," said Dr. Donald Ludwig of the University of British Columbia who helped write the paper. There is hope, however, if policymakers abandon "the pretense of scientific certainty", the writers say. They recommend the development of "commonsense" management plans that balance the protection of resources and the interests of the economy against a wide range of uncertain possibilities. Economic diversification, or "build[ing] in economic flexibility and risk-spreading, in communities is a basic strategy for accomplishing this." "Resource problems are not really environmental problems," says Ludwig. "They are human problems that we have created at many times and in many places under a variety of political, social and economic systems." Source: William Stevens, "Biologists Fear Sustainable Yield is Unsustainable Idea," NEW YORK TIMES, APRIL 20, 1993. U.K. CONSUMER GROUPS SAYS FOOD SAFETY MAY SUFFER UNDER GATT The National Food Alliance of the U.K. released a report last week that contends that food safety and public health may suffer if the current text of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) is implemented. If the agreement in its current form is ratified, it will give the right to set food safety standards to the Codex Alimentarius, an unelected body based in Rome. "To a lot of food companies, a high quality standard is a burden. They (Codex Alimentarius) would aim to downgrade national standards in the guise of free trade," said Natalie Avery of the Alliance. The GATT is being promoted as a vehicle that will end the world recession, lower prices for consumers and bring the world an additional $200 billion in revenue. "But people will have to ask what price they are paying for that in terms of consumer safety, damage to the environment and public health," Avery said. Source: "U.K. Group Sees GATT Threat to Food Standards," REUTER, April 18, 1993. THREE STATES CONSIDERING PESTICIDE REDUCTION BILLS Legislators in Oregon, California and New York are currently considering pesticide use reduction bills that were developed by public interest groups. Oregon's Senate bill 195 will reduce the use of pesticides through the promotion of safer alternatives, increased fees on licenses and more stringent enforcement including holding users accountable financially for clean-ups. California's Pesticide Use Reduction Act, if passed, would seek to reduce the use of pesticides by the year 2000. New York's version would require state agencies and schools to use "least toxic, least impact" forms of controlling pests and reduce their pesticide use by 50% over the next 10 years. Organizations who have either contributed to or are pushing for the laws include the Oregon Public Interest Research Group, the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Pesticide Action Network, the Sierra Cub and the New York Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides. Source: "Pesticide Use Reduction Bills Introduced in Three States," PESTICIDE ACTION NETWORK UPDATES SERVICE (PAN, 965 Mission Street, #514, San Francisco, CA 94103, 415/541-9140, fax: 415/541- 9253, email: panna@igc.apc.org), April 16, 1993. AGRICULTURAL CHEMICAL SALES FALL WORLDWIDE World agricultural chemicals sales have fallen for the second year in a row, according to a recent report by Allan Woodburn Associates. Sales dropped 1.2% in the U.S. last year from 1.1% in 1991. Asia showed the greatest growth in pesticide purchases while sales fell in the EC. Hoechst, Bayer and BASF, the three largest German chemical manufacturers, all saw their sales fall 6%, 21.3% and 9% respectively. The industry hit its peak in the late 1980s but depressed prices, an oversupply of basic chemicals and new environmental and agricultural regulations worldwide have contributed to slow growth. Source: "World Agrochemical Sales Fall," PESTICIDE ACTION NETWORK UPDATES SERVICE (PAN, 965 Mission Street, #514, San Francisco, CA 94103, 415/541-9140, fax: 415/541-9253, email: panna@igc.apc.org), April 21, 1993; Jean Hays, "Kansas Chemical Producers Expect Stable Employment Levels This Year," JOURNAL OF COMMERCE, April 12, 1993. YOUNG FARMERS ARE EASIEST TO TARGET FOR SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES Young farmers are the easiest to persuade to turn to more sustainable methods of agricultural production, says Chuck Hassebrook of the Center for Rural Affairs in Nebraska. Hassebrook says that young farmers haven't invested financially in their operations as older farmers have and are more willing to try more sustainable methods. Hassebrook notes that future farms could be 10 times the size they are now as half the land is currently farmed by farmers 55 years and older. Source: Don Peterson, Midwest Farm Report, UPI, April 10, 1993. IL ATRAZINE RULES CHANGE, FOLLOW LABELS CLOSELY Farmers need to follow new pesticide application directions closely, according to Illinois Agriculture Director Becky Doyle. Noting that the state's more stringent rules on atrazine applications will go into effect this year, Doyle said being attentive to regulations will prevent the misuse of pesticides and not harm the environment. "Farmers have a vested interest in protecting the state's fertile soil and clean water supply," Doyle said. "The planting season provides an excellent opportunity to demonstrate good stewardship when applying pesticides." New Illinois regulations say atrazine and products containing atrazine cannot be mixed or loaded within 50 feet of wells, streams, rivers, reservoirs or lakes. Product label changes also inform farmers about reductions in the maximum allowable levels for use on corn and sorghum. The Illinois Department of Agriculture set up a special hotline for farmers with questions about the new atrazine regulations. Source: "Follow Directions When applying Pesticides," UPI, April 9, 1993. IOWA STUDY SAYS MANURED FIELDS NEED LESS FERTILIZER A recent study by Iowa State University shows that corn fields that have had manure applications require only 1/5 the average of commercial fertilizers. Project head Alfred Blackmer, an agronomist at Iowa State, said farmers are not yet convinced of the value of manure as a fertilizer. He called manure a valuable resource and important to sustainably raising livestock. The Iowa Department of Agriculture said that recent surveys indicate that farmers who do apply manure to their corn fields do not adjust fertilizer applications. The cost of nitrogen fertilizer is about 10 to 25 cents a pound plus an application fee. Source: "Manured Corn Fields Need Little Fertilizer," Farming Today, UPI, April 25, 1993. CALIFORNIA MANUFACTURERS OF SUSPENDED PESTICIDES PREPARE TO RESPOND Manufacturers of 47 recently suspended pesticides are preparing responses for California state regulators. The suspended substances are active ingredients in about 225 pesticide products, according to the California Department of Pesticide Regulation. The Department suspended the chemicals after manufacturers ignored notices to submit health data on their products last year. Source: "Chemical Companies Fight California Pesticide Suspension," Farming Today, UPI, April 23, 1993. COMPANY FILES LARGEST WIND FARM APPLICATION TriGen Windpower filed an application to build the biggest wind farm in Europe this month in Northumberland, England. The proposed windfarm would be made up of more than 250 wind turbines that are about 170 feet high. The farm will generate 80 megawatts for the country and cost #80 million. The project now needs planning permission and subsidies under the British government's non-fossil fuel obligation (NFFO) which requires electric companies to purchase some of the energy generated from renewable sources. The British Forestry Commission is still studying the environmental impacts of the plan as it will be built on the edge of the Kielder forest, the largest human-made forest in England. TriGen is a joint venture of the U.K., U.S. and Japan. Source: Chris Tighe, "Europe's Biggest Windfarm Planned," FINANCIAL TIMES, April 8, 1993. IFAD WILL FUND 11 RURAL POVERTY PROJECTS The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) announced that it will fund 11 new rural poverty projects in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East. The projects will aim to improve income from agricultural activities in very poor areas. Crop diversification, technical assistance, and health and nutrition education will be emphasized. The projects are in Swaziland, Tanzania, India, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Vietnam, Uruguay, Surinam, Panama, Jordan and Yemen. IFAD expects the projects to cost an estimated $197.31 million and benefit over two million people. Source: "IFAD To Fund 11 New Rural Poverty Projects," SUNS (South- North Development Monitor), April 14, 1993. AFRICAN ECONOMIC GROWTH COULD WORSEN In its 1993 GLOBAL ECONOMIC PROSPECTS, the World Bank expects economic growth to improve in developing countries. However, the improvements will be uneven and the situation in Africa could worsen dramatically, the report says. Growth in sub-Saharan Africa is expected to rise from 2% to 3.7% per year. But the expected population growth will put any gains in per capita income under extreme pressure. If conditions do not worsen, environmental degradation, the AIDS epidemic and the stagnation of international aid flows are the three main problems that need to be addressed. Source: Alex Brummer, "Africa Facing Deeper Gloom," Guardian INTERNATIONAL, April 19, 1993. ------------------------------------------------ Resources ------------------------------------------------ EFFECTS OF DESIGNATION ON ECONOMY AND GRAZING IN UTAH is a recent publication by the General Accounting Office. For a copy contact, GAO, Washington D.C. 20548, #GAO/RCED-93-11. FOOD POLICY ALLIANCE NEWSLETTER is a publication of the Australian Food Policy Alliance. The group is currently pressuring the Australian Quarantine Inspection Service to change its practices which the group says "are a mess." For more information, contact Food Policy Alliance, Level 7, 191-199 Thomas Street, Haymarket NSW 2000, Australia, (02) 334-9242, fax: (02) 334- 9252. PENNSYLVANIA SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE PROJECT 1992 is the result of joint research by the American Farmland Trust and the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture. The paper documents the on-farm research and demonstration results of a cooperative effort to help farmers experiment with, adopt and recognize the benefits of some of the components of sustainable practices. For a copy, write American Farmland Trust, Center for Agriculture in the Environment, P.O. Box 987, DeKalb, IL 60115, (815) 753-9347, fax: (815) 753-2305. ------------------------------------------------ Conferences/Events ------------------------------------------------ MAY -------------------------------------------- MAY IS AMERICAN WETLANDS MONTH. FFI, contact: Jodi Sproule, Terrene Institute, 1717 K Street NW, Suite 801, Washington D.C. 20006, (202) 833-8317. SEDIMENT AND EROSION CONTROL COURSE, May 3-5, 1993, Rutgers University. FFI, contact: Rich, Cook College, Office of Continuing Professional Education, P.O. Box 231, New Brunswick, NJ 08903, (908) 932-9271, fax: (908) 932-8726, email: czesak@gandalf.rutgers.edu. NATIONAL EXTENSION TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE AND AGRICULTURAL COMMUNICATORS IN EDUCATION (ACE) JOINT INTERNATIONAL MEETING, May 8-12, 1993, Biscayne Bay, FL. FFI, contact: Thomas Hintz, University of Florida, IFAS Computer Network, Building 120, Room 203, Gainesville, FL 32611, (904) 392- 5180, fax: (904) 392-5857. FOREST LAND OWNERSHIP: RIGHTS, PRIVILEGES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, May 12-14, 1993, San Antonio, TX. FFI, contact: Forest Farmers Association, Box 95385, Atlanta, GA 30347, (404) 325-2954. INTRODUCTION TO THE PROCESS OF DESIGN PERMACULTURE, May 13-15, 1993, Ramsey, MN. FFI, contact: Bruce Bacon, Arts & Education Inc., 2115 NE 5th Street, Minneapolis, MN 55418, (612) 753-5099 or Jerome Ostenkowski, Rocky Mountain Permaculture Institute, P.O. Box 631, Basalt, CO 81621, (303) 927-4158. ORGANIC FOODS PRODUCTION ASSOCIATION OF NORTH AMERICA ANNUAL MEETING, May 15-18, 1993, Allentown, PA. FFI, contact: Katherine DiMatteo, OFPANA, P.O. Box 1078, Greenfield, MA 01302, (413) 774-7511, fax: (413) 774-6432. NATIONAL ORGANIC STANDARDS BOARD MEETING, May 15- 21, 1993, Rodale Institute, Kutztown, PA. FFI, contact: Dr. Harold Ricker, Rodale Institute, (202) 720-2704. SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE PRODUCTION SYSTEMS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, May 17-June 11, 1993, Colorado State University. FFI, contact: International Center of Agricultural and Resource Development (ICARD), B302 Clark Building, CSU, Fort Collins, CO 80523, (303) 491-5865. NATURE CONSERVATION ON THE FARM, May 24-26, 1993, Utrecht, The Netherlands. FFI, contact: Wouter van der Weijden, Center for Agriculture and the Environment (CLM), Amsterdamsestraatweg 877, 3555 HL Utrecht, The Netherlands, (030) 441301, fax: (030) 441318. NITROGEN FIXING TREE ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP, May 31-June 4, 1993, Hetauda, Nepal. FFI, contact: James Roshetko, Nitrogen Fixing Tree Association, 1010 Holomua Road, Paia, Hawaii 96779, (808) 579-9568, (808) 579-851 -------------------------------------------------- Produced by: Michelle Thom, Library and Information Coordinator Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy 1313 5th Street SE Suite 303 Minneapolis, MN 55414 Telephone: (612) 379-5980 Fax: (612) 379-5982 EMail: mthom@igc.org In addition to this twice-weekly news summary bulletin, the Institute offers a variety of other information services on EcoNet for farmers, educators, researchers and policymakers. These include: Env.biotech: Weekly news summary bulletins on biotechnology Susag.library: Electronic "library" of documents pertaining to sustainable agriculture Susag.calendar: Calendar of events relating to sustainable agriculture Trade.news: Daily news summary bulletins on international trade issues Agri.farmbill: Participatory conference on farm policy debates, including issues related to the 1995 Farm Bill From mthom@igc.apc.org Fri Aug 27 22:50:25 1993 Date: 10 May 93 06:27 PDT From: Michelle Thom Reply to: "Conference susag.news" To: "Recipients of conference susag.news" Subject: Sustainable Ag News - 5/7/93 Sustainable Agriculture News Bulletin Volume 2, Number 1 May 7, 1993 ------------------------------------------------ News Summaries ------------------------------------------------ BABBIT WANTS GRAZING PLAN BY SUMMER Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt said he is hoping to have a new proposal for managing public lands by summer. At a meeting at Montana State University last week, Babbitt told ranchers and environmentalists that he will meet with them in the fall to hear their views on the plan. Environmental interests favor an all-out ban on grazing on public lands. "Some portions of the public range are simply not suitable for grazing" and those lands and accompanying wildlife habitat have suffered under overgrazing, said Kathleen Hadley of the Montana Wildlife Federation. Ranchers present argued that the public doesn't understand the way agriculture works. "If anyone has been subsidized, it's the consumer of the low-priced food we've always produced on the dry lands of the west," said Bob Sears of the Idaho Cattle Association. Babbitt replied, "I'm going to be listening carefully to all of the rhetoric. I'm going to be searching for the facts, for the reality." Source: Len Iwanski, AP, May 1, 1993. FOREST SERVICE PROPOSAL WOULD END CUTTING IN MANY AREAS BY 1998 The U.S. Forest Service has proposed changes in federal timber regulations that would end logging on more than 1/3 of the nation's forests by 1998. F. Dale Robertson, who heads the Forest Service, said his proposal will end low-price logging on 62 national forests and reduce the timber harvest in national forests by 4 to 4.5 billion board feet if it's approved by the White House. "The President's direction to us is to eliminate below-cost timber sales and to phase it out over four years," said George Leonard of the Forest Service. "The federal timber program does not contribute to community stability no matter how you define it," said Jeffrey Olson of the Wilderness Society. "They think in Washington that what they are doing is good for everybody. They don't know what they do has consequences here. People's lives are at stake," said former logger Danny Friar. Leonard said the final decision has not been made on which forests will be affected and the White House has yet to review the plan. Meanwhile, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals struck down a ban on exporting timber from state lands this week. The Court ruled that the 1990 law passed by Congress banning the export of timber from state-owned lands improperly interferes with the right of a state to conduct commerce. Several Washington agencies had sued the federal government claiming that the law would cost the state $500 million in timber sales in the 1990s. The Justice Department is likely to appeal, according to attorney involved in the case. Source: Keith Schneider, "U.S. Would End Cutting of Trees in Many Forests," NEW YORK TIMES, April 30, 1993; Charles McCoy, "Ban on Exporting Timber by States is Struck Down," WALL STREET JOURNAL, May 5, 1993. RATE OF BOVINE TB INCREASES TWO-FOLD The USDA said that the number of beef carcasses displaying signs of bovine tuberculosis (TB) in the nation's packinghouses more than doubled in 1992 to 613 from 266 in 1988. The disease is particularly prevalent in Colorado and the Southwest where high- risk cattle are imported from Mexico. Robert Hillman who heads the TB committee of the U.S. Animal Health Association blamed U.S. and Mexican government policies. "The Mexican free trade agreement is a very big consideration. It is vital that trade agreements and procedures for entry be based on sound scientific data, not on someone's economic policy, not on whim and not because someone can make money doing this," he said. The U.S. had almost eradicated bovine TB in 1980. Gary Weisbert, president of Agritech, Inc., a feedlot in Colorado, said he had never had problems with bovine TB until two years ago when he began accepting cattle raised in Mexican feedlots. "Very frankly, we feel the inspection division of the USDA has not really done its job," he said. Humans can contract the disease by drinking unpasteurized milk, handling raw meat or by not cooking meat thoroughly. Source: Mike McGraw, "Evidence Grows at Packinghouses of Resurgence of TB in Cattle Herds," WASHINGTON POST, May 6, 1993; "Bovine TB in Mexican Cattle Raises Big Concern About NAFTA," FUMMC MILK MATTERS, April 16, 1993. ANALYSTS EXPECT HOG FARM EXPANSIONS TO CONTINUE Market analysts say hog farming expansions will continue in spite of many states' adoption of legislation that prohibits companies from establishing large-scale production facilities. Many corporate meat wholesalers, including National Farms, Tyson and Seaboard, have increased their involvement in hog production. A study published last fall by two economists from the University of Columbia estimates that 29,650 operations sold 68.9 million hogs, or 78.1% of all slaughter hogs in the U.S. in 1991. The largest 3,000 operations marketed 1/3 of the nation's hogs in 1991. Source: Lester Aldrich, "Corporate Hog Farms Expand Despite Legislation," JOURNAL OF COMMERCE, April 30, 1993. FERTILIZER PRODUCERS EXPECT A BUSY SPRING In spite of increased exports from Russia and decreased demand from India and China, fertilizer producers expect to keep busy this spring. Farmers are expected to plant 4% less corn, which accounts for 40% of all nitrogen consumption, this year but cold wet weather last fall prevented normal applications of potash and phosphate. "I suspect we are going to have a fast and furious spring," said Joseph Sullivan of Vigro Corporation. "We're going to be full bore on nitrogen, phosphate and potash applications this spring." Russia has emerged as a fertilizer exporter, often undercutting U.S. prices on he world market. In addition, the governments of China and India have cutback on fertilizer subsidies, greatly reducing demand in those areas. "I never dreamed, when the Berlin Wall came down, that we'd be facing this kind of competition," said C. Steve Hoffman of IMC Fertilizer Group. Source: George Gunset, "Fetilizer Firms Expect 'Fast and Furious Spring'," DES MOINES REGISTER, May 2, 1993; JOURNAL OF COMMERCE, April 22, 1993. FARMERS WARNED TO WASH HANDS BEFORE EATING Food Science Specialist Patricia Redlinger said that farmers need to take certain precautions if they are going to eat as they work their fields this spring. "The potential for problems is always there because of the nature of the type of work farmers are doing," Redlinger said. Redlinger recommends taking soap, water and towels into the field; removing protective gloves; and serving food that can be eaten with a fork or spoon to minimize the possibility of ingesting fertilizers, herbicides or pesticides. The Iowa State University Extension Service has published a pamphlet, "Serve Safe Meals in the Fields," containing more information on the subject. Source: Jay Wager, "Farmers Urged to Beware When Eating gin the Fields," DES MOINES REGISTER, May 2, 1993. COMMITTEE MEETS ON OPTIONS TO METHYL BROMIDE Late last year, 81 signatories of the Montreal Protocol agreed to limit methyl bromide production to its 1991 level by 1995. A Technical Options Committee has formed to discuss possible alternatives to the fumigant, according to the PESTICIDE ACTION NETWORK'S (PAN) UPDATES SERVICE. This committee met in The Netherlands in March and is reportedly dominated by industry and governmental representatives. Non-governmental organizations from the Third World are currently not represented. PAN says that the ability to phase out this chemical on a global basis will depend on the availability of alternatives and that input from all interested parties is crucial. Source: "Methyl Bromide Phase Out Update," PESTICIDE ACTION NETWORK NORTH AMERICA UPDATES SERVICE, May 3, 1993. FARMERS BELIEVE CONSERVATION PLANS COULD BOOST INCOME Steven Kraft of Southern Illinois University and Dixon Esseks of Northern Illinois University examined how 1,000 farmers in 32 states are progressing with conservation compliance plans. Their study found that many farmers who have successfully implemented conservation compliance plans believe their income will increase. Nearly 50% of respondents had fully or nearly implemented their plans. Most are using a combination of residue management, crop rotation and grassed waterways in their plans. Source: Don Peterson, Midwest Farm Report, UPI, April 29, 1993. CZECH CITIZENS URGED TO STAY OUT OF THE SUN Czech citizens were urged to avoid sunbathing due to unusually low levels of ozone over the republic late last month. The Czech Ministry of health issued a warning not to sunbathe between the hours of 11:00am and 3:00pm because of high levels of ultraviolet radiation. The Ministry statement said ozone level shave fallen 20% over the republic in the past few days. "If you have to go out, don't stay out too long," warned Olga Balackova of the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute. Source: "Czech Republic Alerts Sunbathers to Low Ozone Level Over Nation," JOURNAL OF COMMERCE, April 28, 1993. CLINTON BUDGET INCLUDES NO NEW FUNDS FOR ORGANIC FOOD ACT The organic farming industry is concerned about the lack of implementation funds in the Clinton administration's proposed budget. It also fails to provide funding to continue the work of the National Organic Standards Board. Ironically, advocates say, the budget sent to Capitol Hill by the Bush administration the previous year contained measures for fully funding the programs. "It is inconceivable that (Vice President) Gore, who continues to be honored publicly for his outstanding book on the environment, should be allowed to stand idly by whole the administration zeroes out the organic program," writes Linda Elswick of the World Sustainable Agriculture Association. Source: "Organic Agriculture Cut by Clinton Administration," WORLD SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE ASSOCIATION LEGISLATIVE ALERT, April 9, 1993; EARTHSAVE, April 15, 1993. PATCHES OF U.K. LAND NOT PRODUCING According to a recent article in the FINANCIAL TIMES, patches of land are being sowed but not producing throughout the English countryside. The seeds rotted instead of germinating due to a cold, wet autumn last year. In addition, the slug problem has proliferated over the past few years due to farmers chopping their hay behind a combine rather than burning it - a method which is now banned. Chopped straw attracts the pests which reproduce and multiply quickly. The article said that many cereal and rape fields affected by these problems will not reach their potential. Combined with the new 15% setaside stipulation under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), the U.K. autumn harvest is expected to be significantly reduced. Source: David Richardson, "Green Shoots Hide Problems Under the Surface," FINANCIAL TIMES, April 27, 1993. SALVADORAN PEASANT LEADER CRITICIZES SAPS Salvadoran peasant leader Eulogio Villalta of El Salvador's Farmers Democratic Alliance (ADC) said that Structural Adjustment Programs (SAPs), as dictated by international institution like the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, block the development of small and medium-sized farms throughout Central America. During a visit to the Netherlands, Villalta said that without credit and the opportunity to increase production, farmers will continue to be indebted to outside monetary agencies. "We have tried everything from protest to proposals because we need to find a solution for this problem," he said. He said that Central American farmers are seeking assistance through international agricultural organizations that will help them push for changes in agricultural production, respect for traditional cultures and the efficient participation of small and medium-sized farmers in the economy. Source: "Farmers Seek Allies in Europe," South-North Development Monitor, April 27, 1993. FAO PREDICTS SLIGHT DECLINE IN WORLD WHEAT OUTPUT In its monthly FOOD OUTLOOK report, the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the U.N. is predicting a slight decline in world wheat and coarse grain output. Most of the decline is expected to occur in developing countries. A more balanced supply and demand situation is anticipated for the world cereal market. Meanwhile, the food situation in Somalia has improved but a large portion of the population remains vulnerable, the report says. Civil disturbances still threaten food supplies in Angola, Zaire and Rwanda. Severe food problems also persist in several other African countries, Bosnia- Herzogovina and in several Asian republics of the former Soviet Union. Source: "Highlights," FOOD OUTLOOK, April 1993. ------------------------------------------------ Resources ------------------------------------------------ The April 1993 issue of MULTINATIONAL MONITOR documents the current situation in the country of Bangladesh. Articles of interest include "Poison fields: Dumping Toxic 'Fertilizer' on Bangladeshi Farmers" by Ann Leonard of Greenpeace's Toxic Trade Project and "Ciba Geigy: Pushing Pills and Pesticides." Subscriptions begin at $25.00/year. For more information, contact Multinational Monitor, P.O. Box 19405, Washington D.C. 20036. The current issue of PRAIRIE JOURNAL produced by PrairieFire Rural Action covers recent attempts at corporate concentration in the hog industry. For more information, contact PrairieFire Rural Action, 550 11th Street, Des Moines, IA 50309, (515) 244-5671. ------------------------------------------------ Conferences/Events ------------------------------------------------ MAY -------------------------------------------- MAY IS AMERICAN WETLANDS MONTH. FFI, contact: Jodi Sproule, Terrene Institute, 1717 K Street NW, Suite 801, Washington D.C. 20006, (202) 833-8317. SEDIMENT AND EROSION CONTROL COURSE, May 3-5, 1993, Rutgers University. FFI, contact: Rich, Cook College, Office of Continuing Professional Education, P.O. Box 231, New Brunswick, NJ 08903, (908) 932-9271, fax: (908) 932-8726, email: czesak@gandalf.rutgers.edu. NATIONAL EXTENSION TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE AND AGRICULTURAL COMMUNICATORS IN EDUCATION (ACE) JOINT INTERNATIONAL MEETING, May 8-12, 1993, Biscayne Bay, FL. FFI, contact: Thomas Hintz, University of Florida, IFAS Computer Network, Building 120, Room 203, Gainesville, FL 32611, (904) 392- 5180, fax: (904) 392-5857. FOREST LAND OWNERSHIP: RIGHTS, PRIVILEGES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, May 12-14, 1993, San Antonio, TX. FFI, contact: Forest Farmers Association, Box 95385, Atlanta, GA 30347, (404) 325-2954. INTRODUCTION TO THE PROCESS OF DESIGN PERMACULTURE, May 13-15, 1993, Ramsey, MN. FFI, contact: Bruce Bacon, Arts & Education Inc., 2115 NE 5th Street, Minneapolis, MN 55418, (612) 753-5099 or Jerome Ostenkowski, Rocky Mountain Permaculture Institute, P.O. Box 631, Basalt, CO 81621, (303) 927-4158. ORGANIC FOODS PRODUCTION ASSOCIATION OF NORTH AMERICA ANNUAL MEETING, May 15-18, 1993, Allentown, PA. FFI, contact: Katherine DiMatteo, OFPANA, P.O. Box 1078, Greenfield, MA 01302, (413) 774-7511, fax: (413) 774-6432. NATIONAL ORGANIC STANDARDS BOARD MEETING, May 15- 21, 1993, Rodale Institute, Kutztown, PA. FFI, contact: Dr. Harold Ricker, Rodale Institute, (202) 720-2704. SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE PRODUCTION SYSTEMS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, May 17-June 11, 1993, Colorado State University. FFI, contact: International Center of Agricultural and Resource Development (ICARD), B302 Clark Building, CSU, Fort Collins, CO 80523, (303) 491-5865. NATURE CONSERVATION ON THE FARM, May 24-26, 1993, Utrecht, The Netherlands. FFI, contact: Wouter van der Weijden, Center for Agriculture and the Environment (CLM), Amsterdamsestraatweg 877, 3555 HL Utrecht, The Netherlands, (030) 441301, fax: (030) 441318. PRAIRIE FESTIVAL 1993, May 29-30, 1993, Salina, KS. FFI, contact: The Land Institute, 2440 East Water Well Road, Salina, KS 67401. NITROGEN FIXING TREE ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP, May 31-June 4, 1993, Hetauda, Nepal. FFI, contact: James Roshetko, Nitrogen Fixing Tree Association, 1010 Holomua Road, Paia, Hawaii 96779, (808) 579-9568, (808) 579-851 -------------------------------------------------- Produced by: Michelle Thom, Library and Information Coordinator, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy , 1313 5th Street SE, Suite 303, Minneapolis, MN 55414. Telephone: (612) 379-5980 Fax: (612) 379-5982 EMail: mthom@igc.org In addition to this twice-weekly news summary bulletin, the Institute offers a variety of other information services on EcoNet for farmers, educators, researchers and policymakers. These include: Env.biotech: Weekly news summary bulletins on biotechnology; Susag.library: Electronic "library" of documents pertaining to sustainable agriculture; Susag.calendar: Calendar of events relating to sustainable agriculture; Trade.news: Daily news summary bulletins on international trade issues; Agri.farmbill: Participatory conference on farm policy debates, including issues related to the 1995 Farm Bill From mthom@igc.apc.org Fri Aug 27 22:50:31 1993 Date: 12 May 93 12:38 PDT From: Michelle Thom Reply to: "Conference susag.news" To: "Recipients of conference susag.news" Subject: Sustainable Ag News - 5/12/93 Sustainable Agriculture News Bulletin Volume 2, Number 2 May 12 1993 ------------------------------------------------ News Summaries ------------------------------------------------ EPA BANS NINE PESTICIDES The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) last week banned the use of nine pesticides as required by a San Francisco court's strict interpretation of the Delaney Clause which prohibits the use of cancer causing substances in processed foods. The ban was upheld this year when the Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal by the food industry. The first round of banned pesticides are those whose use has been requested by farmers for emergencies. They include: cyromazine; fosetyl-al; iprodione; triadimefon; acephate; bifenthrin; bromozynil; pendamethalin; and permethrin. "Even though they're carcinogenic, we think the risk is still negligible. We don't think they pose an unreasonable risk," said Al Heier of the EPA. The food industry reacted negatively to the EPA move. "This action by EPA makes it clear that unless existing pesticide law is modernized, American agriculture will be in serious trouble," said John Cady of the National Food Processors Association. Producers who use the chemicals estimate they will lose millions of dollars annually. "We have no other alternative to fosetyl-al. They will not be able to control downey mildew and they will lose a large percentage of their crop," said Ann George of the Washington Hops Commission. The EPA is currently accepting public comment on how to handle the prospect of banning 34 other pesticides as dictated by the Court. EPA Administrator Carol Browner has pledged to work with Congress and industry to come up with a solution. Source: Rita Beamish, AP, May 7, 1993; "EPA to End Policy of Allowing Exemptions From Pesticides Ban," JOURNAL OF COMMERCE, May 10, 1993. PESTICIDE USE RECORD KEEPING BEGINS THIS WEEK A provision of the 1990 farm bill that requires applicators of restricted-use pesticides to keep records went into effect this week. Under the provision, certified applicators must keep data on the following: size and locations of an area treated with restricted-use pesticides; the crop it has been used on; its EPA registration number; the amount used; date of treatment; and the applicator's name and number. The records must be kept for two years and must be made available upon request to authorized state and federal representatives. Penalties for violations range from $500 in fines for the first violation to $1,000 for subsequent offenses. Larry Schulze of the University of Nebraska said that the new rules should not pose a problem to most farmers who are accustomed to keeping good records anyway. Source: "Restricted Use Pesticides Recordkeeping Begins," Farming Today, UPI, May 9, 1993; "Pesticide Recordkeeping Rules Final," REUTER, May 10, 1993; Don Peterson, Midwest Farm Report, UPI, May 8, 1993. EXPERT CALLS ATRAZINE "DDT OF HERBICIDES" Environmental toxicologist Allan Felsot said atrazine may well be the "DDT of herbicides." Atrazine has become the nation's number one farm contaminant, similar to DDT in the 1960s, Felsot said. Scientists from the Illinois EPA have found atrazine in every stream they have tested over the past five years. Illinois used about nine million pounds of the chemical in 1990 and it is used on at least 3/4 of the state's corn crop. Warren Geotsch of the Illinois Department of Agriculture said if farmers become aware of the problem, they will assist in developing a solution. A Pittsfield, Illinois project that seeks to rid a nearby lake of atrazine could become a water protection model for the upper midwest, sources say. Last year, the lake was determined to have more atrazine present than any other lake or public water body in the state. Under the project, 36 ponds will be built upstream for the purpose of catching farm runoff. Officials say the project will cost $2 million and capture about 60% of the runoff. Source: Don Peterson, Midwest Farm Report, UPI, May 11, 1993; Don Peterson, Midwest Farm Report, UPI, May 7, 1993. CLINTON TO ESTABLISH PANEL ON WETLANDS REFORM Last week, the Clinton administration agreed to set up an interagency task force to address the issue of wetlands reform. Senator John Breaux (D-LA) said the administration has promised to form a working group on the issue made up of "appropriate Cabinet members." Source: "Clinton Plans Panel on Wetlands Laws," JOURNAL OF COMMERCE, May 6, 1993. USDA LAB TO BECOME SUPERFUND SITE The EPA is reportedly considering adding the USDA's largest research center to the list of Superfund cleanup sites. EPA tests show that surface water at the Beltsville, MD site contains solvents, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), pesticides and a number of heavy metals including cadmium, lead and mercury. "With what we know now it's not what we would call a screaming emergency. But there's a potential there and that's what we have to identify," said Nick DiNardo, a remedial project manager for the Superfund program. Kim Kaplan of the USDA responded, "There is no imminent threat to human health or the environment on an emergency basis. In all the years that it (the research center) has been active, by customary procedure at the time, stuff has been disposed of over the years." The site is one of 10 new proposed sites the EPA wants added to the Superfund list of 123 of the nation's worst environmentally-damaged sites. If the site is accepted to the list, the USDA would be required to pay the clean-up fees as it is a federal agency. Source: Robert Greene, AP, May 10, 1993. EPA HAS LIST OF 130 CFC ALTERNATIVES The EPA has issued a list of 130 alternatives to ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbons(CFCs). The list came about as part of a CFC alternative program, known as Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP), mandated by the 1990 Clean Air Act amendments that require manufacturers to label whether or not a product contains CFCs. "The government believes the labeling requirements will deter consumers from buying these products and encourage manufacturers to avoid using such substances," said Susan Campbell, an attorney at Mudge Rose Guthrie Alexander & Ferdon. Companies such as DuPont have already begun scaling back on CFC production, saying it will stop production of such substances in developing countries next year and everywhere else during the next decade. Environmentalists have expressed concern that the alternatives have gone unregulated when some of them contribute to global warming as well. "There is an incredible investment in making the transition away from ozone- destroying chemicals and [we need to] make sure that the transition is made in the environmentally safest way," said Liz cook of Friends of the Earth. SNAP must be opened to public comment before being finalized. Meanwhile, a recent article in BUSINESS WEEK says Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI) is setting the pace in the race to develop alternatives to ozone-depleting chemicals. ICI claims that its HFC 134a product eliminates the need for CFC 12, the chemical behind 50% of all CFC use. "Companies have always known how to push the hell out of something when there's a buck to be made. This will teach them to do it somewhat faster," said Isadore Rosenthal, a senior research fellow at Wharton School in Pennsylvania. Source: John Fried, "EPA Names 130 Alternatives in CFC-Awareness Program," JOURNAL OF COMMERCE, May 7, 1993; "Quick, Save the Ozone," BUSINESS WEEK, May 17, 1993. FOOD MARKETING SURVEY SHOW CONSUMERS WORRIED ABOUT PESTICIDES A survey by the Food Marketing Institute found that consumers are concerned about pesticides and other residues in their food. The results of the survey of 1,000 people showed that 790 said they considered pesticides and herbicide a serious health threat. College educated women are most concerned about pesticides while men expressed greater concern over chemicals and the possibility of tampering. Antibiotics and hormone use in livestock were also listed as concerns. Fifty-five percent of the respondents said they considered these elements a serious threat. Other concerns included nitrates, irradiated foods, additives, preservatives and artificial coloring. Source: "Pesticides, Herbicides Seen as Greatest Threat to Food Supply," Farming Today, UPI, May 11, 1993. JAPANESE MINISTRY TO DEMAND CARCINOGEN TESTING This Spring, the Japanese Health and Welfare Ministry was expected to appoint a panel to develop standards for testing carcinogenic levels and other health hazards in food additives. The Ministry has 350 additives on its current approved list - many of which have never been tested. Current rules do not require testing additives for carcinogens and other hazards that could lead to birth defects. The panel appointed by the Ministry is expected to release their findings within the next year. Consumers and producers have objected to an organically-grown food labeling plan put forth by the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. The plan establishes three labeling categories: organically grown produce; produce cultivated without the use of farm chemicals; and produce grown with reduced amounts of chemicals. Consumer and farmers groups say they accept the principle behind organic labeling - the crops should be cultivated in a field that has been chemical-free for more then three years. It is the second two categories they object too. "Because some chemicals remain in the soil for a long time, produce that is grown without farm chemicals may contain residual substances," said Tomoyoshi Kiuchi of the Japan Organic Agriculture Association. "The guideline will confuse and mislead consumers," said Setsuko Yasuda of the Consumer's Union of Japan. Yuji Fujisawa of the Ministry's Office of Sustainable Agriculture said they are working on pamphlets to educate consumers about the guidelines. Source: Kaoruko Aita, "Organic Food Label Plan Rapped," Japan Times, March 31, 1993; "Ministry Wants Carcinogens Testing for Food Additives," JAPAN TIMES, March 11, 1993. ------------------------------------------------ Resources ------------------------------------------------ AGACCESS has produced a catalog of new and best selling titles of books on agriculture, pest management, ecological practices and a host of other topics. For a copy of the catalog, contact: AgAccess, P.O. Box 2008, Davis, CA 95617. ONTARIO ENVIRONMENT NETWORK NEWS is an occasional publication of the Ontario Environment Network. Topics covered include environmental concerns unique to Canada. For more information, contact OEN, 2 Quebec Street, Suite 201C, Guelph, Ontario N1H 2T3, Canada, (517) 837-2565, fax: (517) 836-4191. ------------------------------------------------ Conferences/Events ------------------------------------------------ MAY -------------------------------------------- MAY IS AMERICAN WETLANDS MONTH. FFI, contact: Jodi Sproule, Terrene Institute, 1717 K Street NW, Suite 801, Washington D.C. 20006, (202) 833-8317. INTRODUCTION TO THE PROCESS OF DESIGN PERMACULTURE, May 13-15, 1993, Ramsey, MN. FFI, contact: Bruce Bacon, Arts & Education Inc., 2115 NE 5th Street, Minneapolis, MN 55418, (612) 753-5099 or Jerome Ostenkowski, Rocky Mountain Permaculture Institute, P.O. Box 631, Basalt, CO 81621, (303) 927-4158. ORGANIC FOODS PRODUCTION ASSOCIATION OF NORTH AMERICA ANNUAL MEETING, May 15-18, 1993, Allentown, PA. FFI, contact: Katherine DiMatteo, OFPANA, P.O. Box 1078, Greenfield, MA 01302, (413) 774-7511, fax: (413) 774-6432. NATIONAL ORGANIC STANDARDS BOARD MEETING, May 15- 21, 1993, Rodale Institute, Kutztown, PA. FFI, contact: Dr. Harold Ricker, Rodale Institute, (202) 720-2704. SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE PRODUCTION SYSTEMS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, May 17-June 11, 1993, Colorado State University. FFI, contact: International Center of Agricultural and Resource Development (ICARD), B302 Clark Building, CSU, Fort Collins, CO 80523, (303) 491-5865. NATURE CONSERVATION ON THE FARM, May 24-26, 1993, Utrecht, The Netherlands. FFI, contact: Wouter van der Weijden, Center for Agriculture and the Environment (CLM), Amsterdamsestraatweg 877, 3555 HL Utrecht, The Netherlands, (030) 441301, fax: (030) 441318. FIRST SUBSTANTIVE SESSION OF THE U.N. INTERGOVERNMENTAL COMMITTEE DRAFTING AN INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION TO COMBAT DESERTIFICATION, May 24,-June 3, 1993, Nairobi, Kenya. FFI, contact: Africa Recovery, S-931, United Nations, New York, NY 10017. PRAIRIE FESTIVAL 1993, May 29-30, 1993, Salina, KS. FFI, contact: The Land Institute, 2440 East Water Well Road, Salina, KS 67401. NITROGEN FIXING TREE ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP, May 31-June 4, 1993, Hetauda, Nepal. FFI, contact: James Roshetko, Nitrogen Fixing Tree Association, 1010 Holomua Road, Paia, Hawaii 96779, (808) 579-9568, (808) 579-851 JUNE -------------------------------------------- SELF-RELIANCE INTERNSHIP, June 1-July 6, 1993, Basalt, CO. FFI, contact: Jerome Ostenkowski, Central Rocky Mountain Permaculture Institute, P.O. Box 631, Basalt, CO 81621, (303) 927-4158. FIFTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE NATIONAL AGRICULTURE BIOTECHNOLOGY COUNCIL, June 2-4, 1993, Purdue University. FFI, contact: Peter Dunn or Marshall Martin, (317) 494-4268/494- 4596. -------------------------------------------------- Produced by: Michelle Thom, Library and Information Coordinator, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy , 1313 5th Street SE, Suite 303, Minneapolis, MN 55414. Telephone: (612) 379-5980 Fax: (612) 379-5982 EMail: mthom@igc.org In addition to this twice-weekly news summary bulletin, the Institute offers a variety of other information services on EcoNet for farmers, educators, researchers and policymakers. These include: Env.biotech: Weekly news summary bulletins on biotechnology; Susag.library: Electronic "library" of documents pertaining to sustainable agriculture; Susag.calendar: Calendar of events relating to sustainable agriculture; Trade.news: Daily news summary bulletins on international trade issues; Agri.farmbill: Participatory conference on farm policy debates, including issues related to the 1995 Farm Bill From mthom@igc.apc.org Fri Aug 27 22:50:37 1993 Date: 24 May 93 06:03 PDT From: Michelle Thom Reply to: "Conference susag.news" To: "Recipients of conference susag.news" Subject: Sustainable Ag News - 5/21/93 Sustainable Agriculture News Bulletin Volume 2, Number 3 May 21, 1993 ------------------------------------------------ News Summaries ------------------------------------------------ KESSLER DEFENDS USE OF IRRADIATION The head of the Food and Drug Administration defended the use of irradiation as a useful tool in combating food contamination. David Kessler told a Senate Appropriation subcommittee, "It's one tool but not the whole answer." Kessler said he did not agree with consumer groups' concerns that irradiation would harm food, but conceded that it should not be used in place of other useful practices. Senator Dale Bumpers (D-AK), who chairs the subcommittee, said he might schedule a public hearing on the subject. An article in the May 1993 issue of Public Citizen's CRITICAL MASS questions the use of irradiation in halting contamination in the food supply. Writer Matthew Freedman says that the USDA may be pushing the use of the technology as an efficient way to get rid of stockpiles of cesium-137, a by-product of military nuclear fuel reprocessing. Freedman quotes one Department of Energy official as saying, "The utilization of these radioactive materials simply reduces our waste handling problem, at least in the near future, in that we get some of these very hot elements like cesium and strontium out of the waste." Freedman said that once cesium is used in irradiators, it is possible to blend it into low level waste thereby making its disposal less of a problem. "Nuclear waste offers no solution to our food safety problems," Freedman concludes. In SAFE FOOD NEWS, Food and Water criticizes Secretary of Agriculture Mike Espy's promotion of irradiation as an answer to the E coli contamination that affected the Pacific Northwest late last year. The organization said that Espy called for the use of irradiation without first consulting any studies on the safety of the process. "The fact of the matter is that the radiolytic products contained in irradiated foods have not been subject to the kind of scrutiny people have come to expect when food additives and pesticides are cleared for use." Source: "Irradiation a Tool in Food Safety," REUTER, May 18, 1993; Matthew Freedman, "Food Irradiation: A Market for Nuclear Waste?" CRITICAL MASS, May 1993; "The E Coli Outbreak: Understanding the Causes," SAFE FOOD NEWS, Spring 1993. BROWNER URGES WATERSHED PROTECTION Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Carol Browner recently told Congress to make watershed protection a priority. In her testimony before the House subcommittee on water resources and environment, Browner said that adopting a comprehensive approach to pollution prevention, controlling runoff, and adequate funding for state and local wastewater treatment plants needed to be top priorities for the reauthorization of the Clean Water Act. "Focusing on the watershed as a whole rather than on specific sources of pollution... is essential to... restoring and protecting the nation's aquatic resources," Browner said. The water resources subcommittee is expected to present a bill to reauthorize the Clean Water Act later this month. Source: "Congress Urged to Focus on Watershed Protection," JOURNAL OF COMMERCE, May 7, 1993. WORLD AGROCHEMICAL SALES FALLING Reforms of the EC's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) that require farmers to set aside 15% of their land have caused a drop in agricultural chemical sales. Market analysts estimate that losses last year averaged between 10% and 13%. In the U.S., companies like BASF and Monsanto have been slashing prices on their products. "The agrochemicals market is clearly stagnating," said Klaus Pohle of Schering, a German bioscience company. "The CAP reforms have really changed the conditions of life. The lower subsidies mean farmers are unwilling to increase purchases of agrochemicals. At the same time, demands for increasing environmental performance mean higher R&D costs." Schering and the German chemical giant Hoechst are reportedly considering a merger that would make them the second largest chemical company in the world behind Ciba Geigy of Switzerland. Source: Paul Abrahams, "EC Reforms Hurt Agrochemicals," FINANCIAL TIMES, May 13, 1993. SWEDISH PESTICIDE SALES DOWN Pesticide sales in Sweden fell to their lowest level ever in 1991 by 21.6%. The Swedish National Chemicals Inspectorate said that the figures show a 40.9% decline over the 1981-1985 period. The Swedish government enacted a pesticide reduction plan in 1986 which sought to halve pesticide active ingredient use by 1990. Factors attributed to the decline include lower application rates, the adoption of more accurate spraying methods, reduced production acreage and the withdrawal of several pesticides from the market. Current Swedish policy calls for an additional 50% reduction by 1996. Source: "Swedish Pesticide Sales for 1991 at Lowest Ever," Pesticide Action Network North America Updates Service, May 18, 1993. DUPONT CHAIR DENIES WITHHOLDING BENLATE INFORMATION At a pretrial hearing last week, DuPont CEO Edgar Wollard said that his company did not intentionally withhold evidence relating to claims that its fungicide Benlate caused extensive crop damage in the state of Florida. "We have sent a directive to all employees who might in any way be involved with Benlate to collect documents of all kinds and to submit them," Wollard told U.S. District Court Judge J. Robert Elliott. DuPont had pulled its Benlate product off the market in 1991 after reports of significant crop damage and mutations. The company paid out $500 million in damages to farmers who had filed claims against the company but stopped the payments late last year citing internal research that showed no correlation between the Benlate product and crop damage. Attorneys for four of the plaintiffs maintain that DuPont has repeatedly ignored requests for documents concerning Benlate. "We've been playing 'gotcha' with them for months," said attorney C. Neal Pope. Last month, Judge Elliott fined DuPont $500,000 for obstructing the judicial process. He is expected to make a ruling this week on whether or not to increase the fine based on Wollard's testimony. Hundreds of lawsuits against DuPont are still pending across the country. Source: "DuPont Chairman Denies Withholding Fungicide Evidence," WALL STREET JOURNAL, May 17, 1993. SOIL INSECTICIDES DON'T WORK ON CORN ROOTWORMS A recent study by researchers at the University of Minnesota revealed that soil insecticides don't work against corn rootworms. Entomologist Ken Ostlie said that farmers could have reduced the amount of insecticide used to combat the rootworm by 2/3. Ostlie recommends using integrated pest management, reducing the amount of insecticides used and periodically examining the fields. Source: Don Peterson, Midwest Farm Report, UPI, May 14, 1993. GROUPS CALL FOR POLICY CHANGES TO HELP FARMERS GO SUSTAINABLE Two non-governmental organizations have called on the Clinton administration to change agricultural policy and make it worthwhile for farmers to use more sustainable methods of agricultural production. The World Wildlife Fund and Public Voice said that changes in agricultural policy should provide incentives for farmers to use fewer chemical pesticides and fertilizers. An open enrollment program that would allow farmers to change crop rotation patterns without jeopardizing their eligibility for crop subsidies should also be implemented. Source: "Activists Urge U.S. Steps to Reduce Agrichemical Use," REUTER, May 20, 1993. AUSTRALIA LUNCHES "BUG BIBLES" IN FIGHT AGAINST PESTS Last week, Australia launched an international effort involving the use of books to combat pests that commonly plague agricultural production. Calling them "bug bibles", the books will explain to farmers in the Asia and Pacific region how to use natural enemies to control weeds and pests. "Using the natural enemies of introduced insect and weed pests is one of the safest and cost-effective methods to establish low-energy, sustainable agriculture," said George Rothschild of the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research. Australia will also be providing Western aid organizations with the books. Source: "Australia Sends Out 'Bug Bibles' to Kill Pests," REUTER, May 12, 1993. U.N. SAID WATER SCARCITY COULD CAUSE CONFLICT IN MID EAST A U.N. expert warned recently that water shortages in the Middle East could cause fighting and food scarcity. Talal Bin Abdul Aziz al- Saud, president of the Arab Gulf Program for U.N. Development Organizations (AGFUND), said, "Water cannot be wasted or else there will be dire consequences for the people of this region." Dams are creating conflict between many neighboring countries, like Turkey and Syria which have been fighting over a Turkish plan to dam the Euphrates River. Talal also said that water shortages could lead to food shortages for a rapidly increasing regional population and pollution on the Nile could cause severe problems for the nine countries that form its border. "Future conflicts in the region will be due to water," Talal said. Source: "U.N. Expert Warns of Future Conflicts Over Water," REUTER, May 20, 1993. ------------------------------------------------ Resources ------------------------------------------------ VOICES is a bi-monthly publication of Rural Southern Voice for Peace. Items of interest in the May/June 1993 issue include an article on free trade by farmer/writer Wendell Berry and another on the effect of pesticides on farmworkers by Eric Berg of the United Farm Workers. Subscriptions are $15.00 per year. For more information, contact Rural Southern Voice for Peace, 1898 Hannah Branch Road, Burnsville, NC 28714. Tel: (704) 675-5933. Fax: (704) 675-9335. The Land Institute's Spring 1993 issue of THE LAND REPORT is now available. The Report is a compilation of the Institute's activities over the past quarter. For information about the Land Institute, contact them at 2440 East Water Well Road, Salina, KS 67401. ------------------------------------------------ Conferences/Events ------------------------------------------------ MAY -------------------------------------------- MAY IS AMERICAN WETLANDS MONTH. FFI, contact: Jodi Sproule, Terrene Institute, 1717 K Street NW, Suite 801, Washington D.C. 20006, (202) 833-8317. SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE PRODUCTION SYSTEMS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, May 17-June 11, 1993, Colorado State University. FFI, contact: International Center of Agricultural and Resource Development (ICARD), B302 Clark Building, CSU, Fort Collins, CO 80523, (303) 491-5865. NATURE CONSERVATION ON THE FARM, May 24-26, 1993, Utrecht, The Netherlands. FFI, contact: Wouter van der Weijden, Center for Agriculture and the Environment (CLM), Amsterdamsestraatweg 877, 3555 HL Utrecht, The Netherlands, (030) 441301, fax: (030) 441318. FIRST SUBSTANTIVE SESSION OF THE U.N. INTERGOVERNMENTAL COMMITTEE DRAFTING AN INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION TO COMBAT DESERTIFICATION, May 24,-June 3, 1993, Nairobi, Kenya. FFI, contact: Africa Recovery, S-931, United Nations, New York, NY 10017. PRAIRIE FESTIVAL 1993, May 29-30, 1993, Salina, KS. FFI, contact: The Land Institute, 2440 East Water Well Road, Salina, KS 67401. NITROGEN FIXING TREE ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP, May 31-June 4, 1993, Hetauda, Nepal. FFI, contact: James Roshetko, Nitrogen Fixing Tree Association, 1010 Holomua Road, Paia, Hawaii 96779, (808) 579-9568, (808) 579-851 JUNE -------------------------------------------- SELF-RELIANCE INTERNSHIP, June 1-July 6, 1993, Basalt, CO. FFI, contact: Jerome Ostenkowski, Central Rocky Mountain Permaculture Institute, P.O. Box 631, Basalt, CO 81621, (303) 927-4158. FIFTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE NATIONAL AGRICULTURE BIOTECHNOLOGY COUNCIL, June 2-4, 1993, Purdue University. FFI, contact: Peter Dunn or Marshall Martin, (317) 494-4268/494- 4596. ENVIRONMENT, CULTURE AND FOOD EQUITY, June 3-6, 1993, University Park, PA. FFI, contact: Environment, Culture and Food Equity Conference, Penn State University, 306 Agricultural Administration Building, University Park, PA 16802, (814) 865- 8301, fax: (814) 865-7050. 1993 NATIONAL CARRYING CAPACITY ISSUES CONFERENCE, June 4-6, 1993, Arlington, VA. FFI, contact: Carrying Capacity Network, 1325 G Street NW, Suite 1003, Washington D.C. 20005, (202) 879-3044, (800) 466-4866, fax: (202) 879-3019. 6TH ANNUAL PRAIRIE GREEN GATHERING, June 4-6, 1993, Topeka, KS. FFI, contact: Diana Nika, Kaw Valley Greens, 708 Cambridge, Topeka, KS 66606. EUROPEAN CONGRESS OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR LANDSCAPE ECOLOGY'S AGRICULTURAL LANDSCAPES IN EUROPE, June 7-9, 1993. FFI, contact: Sandrine Petit, Lab d'Evolution des Systems Naturels et Modifies, Campus de Beaulieu, Avenue du General Leclerc, 30542 Rennes Cedex, France. SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY ANNUAL MEETING, June 7-11, 1993, Fort Collins, CO. FFI, contact: Richard Knight, Department of Fishery and Wildlife Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523. CENTER FOR RURAL AFFAIRS 20TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION, June 12-14, 1993, Walthill, NE. FFI, contact: Center for Rural Affairs, P.O. Box 406, Walthill, NE 68067, (402) 846-5428. SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE STUDY TOUR, June 14-23, 1993, Fort Collins CO. FFI, contact: ICARD, B302 Clark Building, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, (303) 491-5865. SUSTAINABLE LAND MANAGEMENT FOR THE 21ST CENTURY, June 20-26, 1993, Lethbridge, Alberta. FFI, contact: (403) 329- 2244, fax: (403) 329-5166. -------------------------------------------------- Produced by: Michelle Thom, Library and Information Coordinator, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy , 1313 5th Street SE, Suite 303, Minneapolis, MN 55414. Telephone: (612) 379-5980 Fax: (612) 379-5982 EMail: mthom@igc.org In addition to this twice-weekly news summary bulletin, the Institute offers a variety of other information services on EcoNet for farmers, educators, researchers and policymakers. These include: Env.biotech: Weekly news summary bulletins on biotechnology; Susag.library: Electronic "library" of documents pertaining to sustainable agriculture; Susag.calendar: Calendar of events relating to sustainable agriculture; Trade.news: Daily news summary bulletins on international trade issues; Agri.farmbill: Participatory conference on farm policy debates, including issues related to the 1995 Farm Bill From mthom@igc.apc.org Fri Aug 27 22:50:43 1993 Date: 07 Jun 93 06:37 PDT From: Michelle Thom Reply to: "Conference susag.news" To: "Recipients of conference susag.news" Subject: Sustainable Ag News - 6/4/93 Sustainable Agriculture News Bulletin Volume 2, Number 4 June 4, 1993 ------------------------------------------------ News Summaries ------------------------------------------------ ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS CRITICAL OF PESTICIDE USE A recent study by Public Voice determined that the volume of pesticides used in agricultural production in the U.S. rose 125% from 1986 to 1991. A similar study by the World Wildlife Federation showed that Sweden and Denmark had reduced pesticide use by 25- 50% as a result of federally mandated pesticide reduction programs. The groups reportedly criticized U.S. producers for the amount of pesticides and fertilizers they use and called on the Clinton administration to show "bold leadership" in promoting the reduction of chemicals. Source: Lisa Bransten, "U.S. Farmers Criticized," FINANCIAL TIMES, May 25, 1993. CONSUMERS TURNING TO ORGANIC ALTERNATIVES With the threat of pesticides, salmonella, E. coli, listeriosis, alar and antibiotics facing the nation's food supply, more and more consumers are turning to organic produce as an alternative. Sales of organic produce have quadrupled over the past decade and organic suppliers hold a 3% share of the national produce market. Experts predict that this figure will rise to 9% by 1995. "Now I've seen a broader spectrum of interest. Most people, if they can get it, want it," said organic farmer Atina Diffley of the Minnesota-based Gardens of Eagan. More farmers are also turning to organic methods of production. In California, for example, organic acreage has risen 850% since 1982. "I'm committed to the process of organic farming because I really like feeding people nutritionally and healthfully," said Diffley. Still, many consumers say the price of organic foods will have to drop significantly before they will change their buying habits. The Organic Food Production Association of North America (OFPNA) lists four reasons why organic foods are higher in price: Traditional agriculture is more extensively subsidized by the federal government; organic farming is more labor-intensive; the organic produce industry is very small; and the conservation measures utilized by organic farmers are more costly than those used in conventional agriculture. Increasing awareness on the part of the consumer combined with an increased availability and lower prices are expected to catapult the organic produce market into the mainstream within the next decade. Source: Robin Bougie, "Chemically Free Organic Foods May Offer Safe Alternative," FAMILY TIMES, May 1993. FARMERS ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT RESTORED WETLANDS Iowa farmer Lee Holmes said he worked for decades to remove water, timber and brush from a 154 acre tract of land in order to grow corn and soybeans. The land has recently been placed under permanent easement by the federal Wetlands Reserve Program and Holmes receives $800 an acre for keeping the land out of production. He intends to sell the land to his son, Mike, a self-described "nature freak." "In 10 years, it will look like trash, but that's what he wants," said Holmes. "He always wanted to plant a thousand trees a year and I always wanted to kill a thousand." Doug Bahl of the Soil Conservation Service said that restoring the wetlands will provide many benefits such as the trapping of farm chemical run off and the creation of game and non-game wildlife habitat. "Everybody has been very enthusiastic about the program. It shows that society is willing to share in the costs of restoring wetlands with farmers," said Ann Robinson of the Izaak Walton League. "I think it's kind of a thrill to look at," Holmes concluded. "I think it's going to be a good thing for us." Source: Dirk Steimel, "Some Farmers Jump at the Chance to Turn Farmland Over to Wildlife," DES MOINES REGISTER, May 23, 1993. MN EXTENSION CALLS CRP BIG BUSINESS The Minnesota Extension Service recently called the federal Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) a big business worth over $100 million in payments to Minnesota farmers each year. The program was implemented in 1986 as part of the 1985 farm bill. The purpose of the CRP was to take highly erodible farmland out of production to conserve soil and enhance water and wildlife resources. Some researchers contend the program has no net benefit to the government, which spends approximately $1.7 billion annually on the CRP. With approximately 10% of Minnesota farmland on the CRP rolls, Steve Taff, an agricultural economist with the Service, wonders what will happen to the program when it expires in 1986. Some of the choices facing farmers include returning the idled land to production or continuing to leave it idle with no income or with income through another CRP-type program. Taff says the expiration of the CRP will not only affect agriculture, environmental and community development policy, but it will also affect commodity production, international trade patterns and federal budget expenditures. Taff has written a publication entitled "The CRP in the Upper Midwest: What Should We Do Next?" which is intended help citizens make informed choices about the future of land retirement programs. Source: "CRP Has Meant Big Money to the Upper Midwest," MINNESOTA EXTENSION SERVICE NEWS/INFORMATION, May 21, 1993; "Wildlife Habitat Gains Could Reverse When CRP Ends," MINNESOTA EXTENSION SERVICE NEWS/INFORMATION, May 25, 1993; "Was the CRP A Good Public Investment?" MINNESOTA EXTENSION SERVICE NEWS/INFORMATION, May 28, 1993. COLOMBIAN CUT FLOWER WORKER DISMISSED AFTER U.S. TOUR The Pesticide Action Network (PAN) reports that on a recent tour of the U.S., Sibilina Torres, a Colombian flower industry worker, informed the U.S. government and environmental, labor and human rights organizations about the dangers faced by workers in Colombia's cut flowers industry. On her tour, Torres' told groups that workers are exposed to many dangerous pesticides. In some cases, when flowers are sprayed, workers remain within the greenhouses to meet production quotas. Nearly 2/3 of Colombian flower workers show symptoms of pesticide-related illnesses, including headaches, nausea, and eye and skin problems, according to the Colombian Human Rights Committee. Many of the pesticides commonly used are banned or severely restricted in both the U.S. and the EC due to their high toxicity levels. Abut 80% of cut flower workers are women, Torres reports, and many have suffered spontaneous abortions and delivered children with congenital defects. PAN reports that Torres lost her job upon returning to Colombia. Labor, environmental and human rights advocates consider her dismissal a retaliatory measure and are urging action. Source: "Colombian Flower Worker Dismissed From Job Following U.S. Tour," PESTICIDE ACTION NETWORK NORTH AMERICA UPDATES SERVICE, May 26, 1993. GORBACHEV PLEDGES TO TAKE ON ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS IN FORMER USSR Former President of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev said last week that as head of the Green Cross, he will take on the environmental problems facing the former Soviet republics. The newly-created Green Cross, headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands, will be the environmental version of the Red Cross. Gorbachev, who first presented the idea for the group at last year's Earth Summit, said the Chernobyl nuclear disaster had a powerful influence on him in the formation of the Green Cross. "The Chernobyl disaster influenced not only me but it also influenced the entire world. I believe that for all of us it was a tremendous shock." Source: "Gorbachev Aims to Tackle Ecology Nightmare in Ex-USSR," JOURNAL OF COMMERCE, May 27, 1993. ZAIRE FOOD PROBLEMS CALLED SELF-INFLICTED A recent article in the MINNEAPOLIS STAR TRIBUNE reports that a study by the U.S.-based Catholic Relief Services concludes that years of "government corruption and economic ineptitude" have resulted in the "self-inflicted" food shortages facing the African country of Zaire. The shortages are becoming so acute that there have been recent reports of child abandonment and rotational feeding schedules so that families feed boys one day and girls the next. "Its always been a struggle to live here but things have never been this bad," said Zanga Yumbi of the International Red Cross. Drought and civil wars, which have shortened food supplies for many other countries in the region, are not the cause of Zaire's problems, the study said. Food has been relatively plentiful in the capital city of Kinshasa and there is enough arable land to feed the country of 40 million people. In addition, Zaire mines copper, cobalt and diamonds and exports coffee, timber and palm oil. "In our view, Zaire is not faced with a food shortage per se, but rather an acute food-access problem," said a recent study by Catholic Relief Services. The study blames power struggles between Zairian leader Mobutu Sese Seko, who has an estimated fortune of $4 billion, and the opposition. Also blamed is the 4,400% inflation rate and the abandonment of structural adjustment programs in 1990 which were devised by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Source: Kenneth Noble, "Zaire Suffers From Severe Self-Inflicted Food Problems," MINNEAPOLIS STAR TRIBUNE, May 23, 1993. DROUGHT LEADS TO CALLS FOR LAND REFORM IN BRAZIL The "coronels" who run Brazil's drought industry are making millions off the country's climate problems, according to the government research foundation Recife. The drought has been particularly acute in the northeastern part of Brazil where 60% of the population has been affected. Farmers are relying on trucks to bring in water while eating cactus and other wild plants to survive. In the meantime, people like Dr. Inocencio de Oliveira, the president of the Chamber of Deputies, was caught with federal equipment digging new wells on his land. The scandal has prompted calls for land reform from the countryside. "The drought is a social-political problem, not a geographic one. The northeast has plenty of underground water for wells and irrigation. The obstacle is a way of farming ... that lets elites enrich themselves...," said Tania de Araujo, an economist with Recife. De Araujo pointed out that 73.6% of northeast properties belong to small farmers. But their plots make up only 12% of total land. "The little guys have hardly any land and no credit for seeds and no silos and no access to markets. They depend on the big 'fazenda' owners for even their water which perpetuates the political power of the big property owners," de Araujo said. Source: Katherine Elision, "Powerful Ranchers Thriving on Brazil's Drought Economy," JOURNAL OF COMMERCE, May 19, 1993. ------------------------------------------------ Resources ------------------------------------------------ CRACKING THE CODEX: AN ANALYSIS OF WHO SETS WORLD FOOD STANDARDS is a new report by the National Food Alliance, of the U.K. The report exposes the intent of the Codex Alimentarius, an unelected body that will have the ability to set international food safety standards under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). It reports on the makeup of Codex, their intentions and makes recommendations for reforming the body so that it can act in the interest of the public. The report is available for #10.00 from the National Food Alliance, 5-11 Worship Street, 3rd Floor, London EC2A 2BH, U.K. Tel: (44-071) 628-7261. Ohio Ecological Food & Farm Association (OEFFA) recently published the second edition of their ORGANIC SUPPLIERS DIRECTORY. The Directory lists over 1,000 businesses in North America that provide organic supplies ranging from pest controls to tools and equipment. Contacts for certification information and educational materials are also listed. The Directory is available for $15.00. For further information, contact OEFFA, P.O. Box 02447, Columbus, OH 43202. ------------------------------------------------ Conferences/Events ------------------------------------------------ MAY -------------------------------------------- MAY IS AMERICAN WETLANDS MONTH. FFI, contact: Jodi Sproule, Terrene Institute, 1717 K Street NW, Suite 801, Washington D.C. 20006, (202) 833-8317. SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE PRODUCTION SYSTEMS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, May 17-June 11, 1993, Colorado State University. FFI, contact: International Center of Agricultural and Resource Development (ICARD), B302 Clark Building, CSU, Fort Collins, CO 80523, (303) 491-5865. PRAIRIE FESTIVAL 1993, May 29-30, 1993, Salina, KS. FFI, contact: The Land Institute, 2440 East Water Well Road, Salina, KS 67401. NITROGEN FIXING TREE ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP, May 31-June 4, 1993, Hetauda, Nepal. FFI, contact: James Roshetko, Nitrogen Fixing Tree Association, 1010 Holomua Road, Paia, Hawaii 96779, (808) 579-9568, (808) 579-851 JUNE -------------------------------------------- TOURS OF HERITAGE FARM run from June 1-September 30, 1993. Heritage Farm is the home of Seed Savers Exchange which has been collecting and storing Heirloom varieties from all over the world. FFI, contact: Kent Whealy, Seed Savers Exchange, RR 3, Box 239, Decorah, IA 52101. SELF-RELIANCE INTERNSHIP, June 1-July 6, 1993, Basalt, CO. FFI, contact: Jerome Ostenkowski, Central Rocky Mountain Permaculture Institute, P.O. Box 631, Basalt, CO 81621, (303) 927-4158. FIFTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE NATIONAL AGRICULTURE BIOTECHNOLOGY COUNCIL, June 2-4, 1993, Purdue University. FFI, contact: Peter Dunn or Marshall Martin, (317) 494-4268/494- 4596. ENVIRONMENT, CULTURE AND FOOD EQUITY, June 3-6, 1993, University Park, PA. FFI, contact: Environment, Culture and Food Equity Conference, Penn State University, 306 Agricultural Administration Building, University Park, PA 16802, (814) 865- 8301, fax: (814) 865-7050. 1993 NATIONAL CARRYING CAPACITY ISSUES CONFERENCE, June 4-6, 1993, Arlington, VA. FFI, contact: Carrying Capacity Network, 1325 G Street NW, Suite 1003, Washington D.C. 20005, (202) 879-3044, (800) 466-4866, fax: (202) 879-3019. 6TH ANNUAL PRAIRIE GREEN GATHERING, June 4-6, 1993, Topeka, KS. FFI, contact: Diana Nika, Kaw Valley Greens, 708 Cambridge, Topeka, KS 66606. EUROPEAN CONGRESS OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR LANDSCAPE ECOLOGY'S AGRICULTURAL LANDSCAPES IN EUROPE, June 7-9, 1993. FFI, contact: Sandrine Petit, Lab d'Evolution des Systems Naturels et Modifies, Campus de Beaulieu, Avenue du General Leclerc, 30542 Rennes Cedex, France. SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY ANNUAL MEETING, June 7-11, 1993, Fort Collins, CO. FFI, contact: Richard Knight, Department of Fishery and Wildlife Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523. CENTER FOR RURAL AFFAIRS 20TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION, June 12-14, 1993, Walthill, NE. FFI, contact: Center for Rural Affairs, P.O. Box 406, Walthill, NE 68067, (402) 846-5428. SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE STUDY TOUR, June 14-23, 1993, Fort Collins CO. FFI, contact: ICARD, B302 Clark Building, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, (303) 491-5865. SOUTHERN CONSERVATION TILLAGE CONFERENCE, June 15-17, 1993, Monroe, LA. FFI, contact: Dr. Bob Hutchinson, LSU, Macon Ridge, LA 71295. Tel: (318) 435-2157. SUSTAINABLE LAND MANAGEMENT FOR THE 21ST CENTURY, June 20-26, 1993, Lethbridge, Alberta. FFI, contact: (403) 329- 2244, fax: (403) 329-5166. ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION 2000 - INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE, June 23-26, 1993, Leesburg, VA. FFI, contact: Alliance for Environmental Education, 51 Main Street, P.O. Box 368, The Plains, VA 22171, (703) 253-5812, fax: (703) 253-5811, email: alliance@igc.apc.org. -------------------------------------------------- Produced by: Michelle Thom, Library and Information Coordinator, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy , 1313 5th Street SE, Suite 303, Minneapolis, MN 55414. Telephone: (612) 379-5980 Fax: (612) 379-5982 EMail: mthom@igc.org In addition to this twice-weekly news summary bulletin, the Institute offers a variety of other information services on EcoNet for farmers, educators, researchers and policymakers. These include: Env.biotech: Weekly news summary bulletins on biotechnology; Susag.library: Electronic "library" of documents pertaining to sustainable agriculture; Susag.calendar: Calendar of events relating to sustainable agriculture; Trade.news: Daily news summary bulletins on international trade issues; Agri.farmbill: Participatory conference on farm policy debates, including issues related to the 1995 Farm Bill From mthom@igc.apc.org Fri Aug 27 22:50:48 1993 Date: 10 Jun 93 13:42 PDT From: Michelle Thom Reply to: "Conference susag.news" To: "Recipients of conference susag.news" Subject: Sustainable Ag News - 6/11/93 Sustainable Agriculture News Bulletin Volume 2, Number 5 June 11, 1993 ------------------------------------------------ News Summaries ------------------------------------------------ FLORIDA AG COMMISSIONER ASKS DUPONT TO RESUME BENLATE PAYMENTS Florida's Commissioner of Agriculture Bob Crawford has asked the DuPont chemical company to continue making payments to farmers who filed claims against the company's Benlate product. "I strongly urge DuPont to live up to its legal and ethical responsibility by fully compensating the remaining growers who are awaiting restitution from DuPont," Crawford wrote in a letter to the company's chief executive officer Edgar Wollard. Crawford said his staff reviewed over 60,000 DuPont documents and is not convinced that Benlate was not the cause of the crop damage that caused Florida farmers to file claims in the first place. "My scientific staff has reached the conclusion that the DuPont corporation has know for years about certain phytotoxic effects of Benlate," said Crawford. DuPont paid out more than $400 million in claims over the last two years until last November when the company stopped paying the settlements, citing internal research that showed no correlation between their product and crop damage suffered by Florida farmers. Benlate was recalled from the fungicide market in 1991 after growers said it caused leaf damage and crop mutations. A statement issued by the company late last week stated, "There is no evidence -- not uncontroverted and not growing -- that Benlate DF is responsible for massive agricultural crop losses. If the commissioner believes he has evidence we think it would be appropriate for him to share it with us." Source: "Florida Asks DuPont to Settle Benlate Claims," REUTER, June 3, 1993; "Fla. Says DuPont Knew of Fungicide Threat Early," JOURNAL OF COMMERCE, June 7, 1993; "DuPont Knew of Benlate Threat, State Regulator Says," UPI, May 3, 1993; Kerry Dressler, "Benlate Surprise," June 6, 1993. HOUSE AG SUBCOMMITTEE HOLDS PESTICIDE REGISTRATION HEARING This week, the House Agriculture Subcommittee held a two-day hearing on the issue of registering and re-registering pesticides. Testimony was given by the government, the chemical industry and the environmental movement on the first day of the hearing. The second day featured panels addressing minor crop and alternative pesticides. "The Subcommittee is interested in reviewing the status of the registration and re-registration processes, and discussion means by which these processes may be improved. I look forward to hearing from and working with all responsible parties in pursuing any necessary improvements in the current process," said Subcommittee chair Charles Stenholm (D-TX). Bob Smith (R-OR) emphasized that "many of the pesticide use problems faced by American agriculture today originate with registration and re- registration." Acting assistant to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Victor Kimm predicted it will take the agency until the year 2004 to re- register all pesticides on the market -- well beyond the 1997 deadline set by Congress. At the House Subcommittee hearing, Kimm said that 405 registration cases involving around 700 pesticides and 20,000 products have yet to be settled. "We expect to issue re- registration eligibility documents (REDs)for about 55% of re- registration cases by fiscal 1997," Kimm said. "The remaining REDs will be issued between 1997 and 2004." Kimm also said that the Clinton administration does not yet have a plan to revise the Delaney Clause which prohibits pesticide residues in food. "Although we have set no deadline for public presentation of the proposal, the work group will be moving ahead quickly," said Kimm. Under a strict interpretation of the Delaney Clause by a San Francisco appeals court, cancer-causing additives are not permitted in food. The EPA recently published a list of 32 chemicals that are affected by the ruling. Deputy Agriculture Secretary Richard Rominger said, "Pesticide policy is a major focus of the administration. We fully recognize the need for action." Source: "Decade More Needed for Pesticide Review, EPA Says," REUTER, June 8, 1993; Pesticide Registration Hearing Slated," HOUSE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE NEWS RELEASE, June 3, 1993; "No Pesticide Rewrite Plan Yet," REUTER, June 8, 1993. CALIFORNIA WANTS PEST-FREE BORDER WITH MEXICO California Governor Pete Wilson is requesting the support of the U.S. Congress in establishing a pest-free zone along the U.S. border with Mexico. Wilson hopes that such a zone would keep the spread of the Mexican fruit fly in check. The Mexican fruit fly is second only to the Mediterranean fruit fly in its destructive power. In a recent letter, Senator Diane Feinstein said that agricultural losses have amounted to as much as $200 million a year for the state. The cost of the zone is estimated at $3.4 million. Source: "California Seeks Pest-Free Zone," Farming Today, UPI, June 8, 1993. BRITISH GROUP CALLS EC METHYL BROMIDE PLAN INADEQUATE A spokesperson for the British environmental group, Sustainable Agriculture, Food and Environment, called a recent EC decision on capping the production of the fungicide methyl bromide "totally inadequate." The chemical is used to fumigate soil and crops for quarantine purposes. It has also been linked to ozone depletion. The European Commission proposal calls for the capping of methyl bromide production beginning in 1995 with a 25% cut by 1996. "A cut of 25% is totally inadequate because methyl bromide is such a potent ozone-destroyer," said Melanie Miller. "Methyl bromide is killing the ozone layer as well as pests. Ironically, it is used to increase crop yields, yet the ozone damage it causes is likely to reduce crop yields in the future." The EC is second only to the U.S., which plans to phase out production by the year 2000, in methyl bromide use. Source: "British Group Denounces EC Ozone Decision," REUTER, June 9, 1993. OECD ESTABLISHES PESTICIDE FORUM The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) announced late last month that it will establish a Pesticide Forum to work on programs that will reduce the risks associated with pesticide use around the world. Some of the goals of the Forum include surveying risk reduction activities in member countries, holding risk reduction workshops, and possibly establishing a clearinghouse of information on pesticide risk reduction activities around the world. "This is the first international effort by OECD countries to combat the escalating pesticide problems and develop a process for their control," said Peter Hurst of the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF). Funding for the Forum will come from OECD member countries. Source: "First Effort to Combat Pesticides Endorsed by OECD," WWF PRESS RELEASE, May 28, 1993. ------------------------------------------------ Resources ------------------------------------------------ WESTERN WIRE is a publication of the Western Rural Development Center. The Spring 1993 issue contains an article addressing the plight of farmworkers in the context of the Immigration Reform Act of 1986. "Making the fundamental changes in the farm labor market that are necessary in order to reduce or eliminate farmworker poverty, instead of merely mitigating it, is the economically and morally right thing to do," concludes author Philip Martin. For more information, contact Western Rural Development Center, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, tel: (503) 737- 3621, fax: (503) 737-1579. The Pesticide Action Network North America (PANNA) has produced a chart tracking bans and restrictions that have been placed on the so-called Dirty Dozen pesticides. The chart is available for $3.00 from PANNA, 116 Montgomery Street, #810, San Francisco, CA 94105, tel: (415) 541-9140, fax: (415) 541-9253. ------------------------------------------------ Conferences/Events ------------------------------------------------ JUNE -------------------------------------------- TOURS OF HERITAGE FARM run from June 1-September 30, 1993. Heritage Farm is the home of Seed Savers Exchange which has been collecting and storing Heirloom varieties from all over the world. FFI, contact: Kent Whealy, Seed Savers Exchange, RR 3, Box 239, Decorah, IA 52101. CENTER FOR RURAL AFFAIRS 20TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION, June 12-14, 1993, Walthill, NE. FFI, contact: Center for Rural Affairs, P.O. Box 406, Walthill, NE 68067, (402) 846-5428. SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE STUDY TOUR, June 14-23, 1993, Fort Collins CO. FFI, contact: ICARD, B302 Clark Building, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, (303) 491-5865. SOUTHERN CONSERVATION TILLAGE CONFERENCE, June 15-17, 1993, Monroe, LA. FFI, contact: Dr. Bob Hutchinson, LSU, Macon Ridge, LA 71295. Tel: (318) 435-2157. SUSTAINABLE LAND MANAGEMENT FOR THE 21ST CENTURY, June 20-26, 1993, Lethbridge, Alberta. FFI, contact: (403) 329- 2244, fax: (403) 329-5166. ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION 2000 - INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE, June 23-26, 1993, Leesburg, VA. FFI, contact: Alliance for Environmental Education, 51 Main Street, P.O. Box 368, The Plains, VA 22171, (703) 253-5812, fax: (703) 253-5811, email: alliance@igc.apc.org. AMERICAN SEED TRADE ASSOCIATION ANNUAL CONVENTION, June 26-July 1, 1993, Kansas City, MO. FFI, contact: ASTA, 601 13th Street NW, Suite 570 South, Washington D.C. 20005, (202) 638-3128, fax: (202) 638-3171. SECOND INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT, June 28-July 9, 1993, Galway, Ireland. FFI, contact: Dr. Seamus Grimes, Department of Geography, University College, Galway, Ireland, (353) 912-4411, fax: (353) 912-5700, email: gfygrimes@bodkin@ucg.ie. JULY -------------------------------------------- CANADIAN SEED TRADE ASSOCIATION ANNUAL CONVENTION, July 6-10, 1993, Chateau Whistler Resort, British Columbia. FFI, contact: CSTA, 207-2948 Baseline Road, Ottawa, Ontario K2H 8T5, Canada, (613) 829-9527. AGRICULTURE CONSERVATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER FIELD DAY, July 8, 1993, Ridgway, IL. FFI, contact: Bill Tieberand, Ridgway Seed Company, P.O. Box 88, Ridgway, IL 62979, tel: (618) 269-3430, fax: (618) 269-3341. -------------------------------------------------- Produced by: Michelle Thom, Library and Information Coordinator, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy , 1313 5th Street SE, Suite 303, Minneapolis, MN 55414. Telephone: (612) 379-5980 Fax: (612) 379-5982 EMail: mthom@igc.org In addition to this twice-weekly news summary bulletin, the Institute offers a variety of other information services on EcoNet for farmers, educators, researchers and policymakers. These include: Env.biotech: Weekly news summary bulletins on biotechnology; Susag.library: Electronic "library" of documents pertaining to sustainable agriculture; Susag.calendar: Calendar of events relating to sustainable agriculture; Trade.news: Daily news summary bulletins on international trade issues; Agri.farmbill: Participatory conference on farm policy debates, including issues related to the 1995 Farm Bill From mthom@igc.apc.org Fri Aug 27 22:50:53 1993 Date: 21 Jun 93 06:00 PDT From: Michelle Thom To: "Recipients of conference susag.news" Subject: Sustainable Ag News - 6/18/93 Sustainable Agriculture News Bulletin Volume 2, Number 6 June 18, 1993 ------------------------------------------------ News Summaries ------------------------------------------------ DUPONT CHAIR SUBPOENAED IN BENLATE CASE Edgar Wollard, chair of the DuPont chemical company, was subpoenaed by Florida Agriculture Commissioner Bob Crawford late last week. The subpoenas require either the testimony or documents of Wollard and four other DuPont officials at an upcoming hearing on the company's fungicide product, Benlate, which many farmers are blaming for damaged and mutated crops. Crawford's office said it issued the subpoenas when it learned that some of the company's internal documents show DuPont knew about the potential damaging effects of its Benlate product. "These documents clearly suggest that DuPont had known for some time that Benlate had these effects and it was a very cynical decision to protect its own financial interests not to release this," said Michelle McLawhorn, a spokeswoman for Crawford's office. Wollard responded that the subpoenas were a political gesture on the part of Commissioner Crawford. At a press conference, he challenged Crawford and farmers involved in the case to test Benlate on the plants specified in the suits at the recommended levels on the product label. He offered to pay for the crop damage if the plaintiffs enter into a legally binding agreement with the company and Benlate is determined to be the cause. Crawford responded that "The facts speak for themselves. Many Florida growers who used Benlate DF suffered serious and similar types of crop damage. When Benlate DF was withdrawn from the market, primary damage stopped." Source: "DuPont Says Benlate Dispute is Political," Farming Today, UPI, June 17, 1993; "DuPont Chairman Subpoenaed in Florida," REUTER, June 10, 1993. LEGISLATORS DEBATE MINOR CROP PESTICIDES A House Agriculture subcommittee heard testimony on minor crop and minor use pesticides last week. Some farm state lawmakers are concerned over the continued decline of available pesticides for minor, high-value crops like fruits, nuts and vegetables and have introduced legislation in both the House and Senate in an attempt to keep some of these pesticides on the market. Growers say they have access to fewer and fewer pesticides as companies are pulling them off the market in order to avoid the expensive registration process required by the government under the 1988 Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act. "We're losing these minor crop products. We can't wait any longer," said Mark Maslyn of the American Farm Bureau Federation. Manufacturers, however, are apparently reluctant to focus energy on minor crop pesticides. "Should we be supporting our efforts on artichokes, or should we be working on a more significant area like cotton, or soybeans, or corn or wheat?" asks Michael Tysowsky of Zeneca Ag Products. Richard Wiles of the Center for Resource Economics said that data obtained by his organization shows that pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables have increased since 1991. "Minor crops is food," he said. "You can never have a waiver of health studies if you are going to apply pesticides and expect people to eat residues." Source: Robert Greene, "Using Pesticides," AP, June 12, 1993. ORGANIC FARMING GAINING GROUND IN EUROPE Once considered a pastime for hippies, more and more European farmers are turning to organic production. British farmer Lister Nobel is running a 10-year experiment on the viability of growing chemical-free crops. The experiment is financed by the French chemical company Rhone-Poulenc SA. Surveying his crop of organically grown wheat, Lister said, "It looks promising. My hunch is we'll have another good crop." Project consultant Landell Mills estimates that France, Germany, Britain, Spain, Italy, Denmark and the Netherlands had a combined total of 100,000 hectares and 5,500 farmers in organic production. That compares with 304,000 hectares and 11,500 farmers in 1992. "Chemical companies are starting to see the writing on the wall. I think they will progressively diversify away from agrochemicals as they see that the market is not going to be sustained in the future," said Patrick Holden of Britain's Organic Growers Association. Bruno Treppoz, a spokesperson for Rhone-Poulenc, maintains that the goal of the project is to evaluate the environmental and financial impacts of organic farming over many planting seasons. "There is a market for organic food, but we think it will remain marginal because, generally speaking, Europeans are not prepared to pay 30-40% premiums which organic growers need," said Treppoz. Last year's reforms of the European Community's (EC) Common Agricultural Policy(CAP) mandated that farm ministers seek ways of "greening" agricultural production. Recently, Germany and Denmark implemented aid schemes where farmers are compensated for the income they lose while switching over to chemical-free production. Source: Ben Hirschler, "Organic Farming Takes Fragile Root in Europe," REUTER, June 13, 1993; Ben Hirschler, "Organic Farming Sparks Interest From Chemical Firm," REUTER, June 10, 1993. HUNGARIAN CHILDREN AFFECTED BY PESTICIDE USE ON LOCAL FISH FARM A recent study by German and Hungarian scientists predicts that the abnormalities afflicting many children in the Hungarian village of Rinyaszentkiraly were the result of pesticide use at a local aquafarm. Between 1989 and 1990, 11 out of 15 children in the village were born with severe birth defects. Andrew Czeizel of the Hungarian National Institute of Hygiene said that the pesticide trichlorphon had been used on the fish farm and a new director in the late 1980s completely ignored the directions on the label. A method called chemical fast bathing was used where fish were taken from the water for up to 10 minutes and treated with the pesticide. Although fishing was banned during treatment, the villagers still caught and ate the fish. All the mothers of the of the children suffering from birth defects had eaten the fish during their pregnancies. Source: "Tainted Fish," CONSUMER CURRENTS, May 1993. HERBICIDE MAY BE KEY TO CURING TROPICAL DISEASE Scientists from Rutgers University released a report this week that says a widely-used herbicide may provide the cure for the tropical disease leishmaniasis. Leishmaniasis is a skin disease that is caused by infection from parasites that are transmitted by sand flies and affects about 12 million people in 80 countries. Marion Chan and Kunne Fong, the Rutgers researchers, found that chemical trifluralin, which sells under the brand name Treflan, breaks down the cell walls of the parasites. Also, tests involving the use of Treflan as a topical ointment on laboratory rats helped heal the skin sores the disease causes. The two said they believe a drug could be developed from Treflan as the chemical's main ingredient is not believed to be toxic to human cells. They also suggested the herbicide might be helpful in fighting parasites that cause other tropical diseases like malaria. Source: "Weedkiller Could Be the Key to Treating Some Tropic Diseases," WALL STREET JOURNAL, June 15, 1993. UFW LOSES LAW SUIT The United Farm Workers (UFW) recently lost a lawsuit to California agribusiness BCI which claimed the union made false accusations about the mistreatment of farmworkers and the improper use of toxic chemicals by the company. A Yuma County Superior court awarded Bruce Church $2,898,280 in compensatory damages and an additional $1,000 in punitive damages. Church accused the union of making such claims in order to win a favorable contract. Officials of the UFW said it has only $2 million in assets. Cesar Chavez, the deceased leader of the UFW, had been in Arizona to testify in the case when he passed away. David Martinez, UFW Secretary- treasurer, said UFW will appeal the verdict. "BCI has not heard the last of us. We will be stronger than ever," said Martinez. Source: "Farm Workers Union Loses $2.9 Million Jury Verdict," WALL STREET JOURNAL, June 11, 1993. ------------------------------------------------ Conferences/Events ------------------------------------------------ JUNE -------------------------------------------- TOURS OF HERITAGE FARM run from June 1-September 30, 1993. Heritage Farm is the home of Seed Savers Exchange which has been collecting and storing Heirloom varieties from all over the world. FFI, contact: Kent Whealy, Seed Savers Exchange, RR 3, Box 239, Decorah, IA 52101. SUSTAINABLE LAND MANAGEMENT FOR THE 21ST CENTURY, June 20-26, 1993, Lethbridge, Alberta. FFI, contact: (403) 329- 2244, fax: (403) 329-5166. ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION 2000 - INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE, June 23-26, 1993, Leesburg, VA. FFI, contact: Alliance for Environmental Education, 51 Main Street, P.O. Box 368, The Plains, VA 22171, (703) 253-5812, fax: (703) 253-5811, email: alliance@igc.apc.org. AMERICAN SEED TRADE ASSOCIATION ANNUAL CONVENTION, June 26-July 1, 1993, Kansas City, MO. FFI, contact: ASTA, 601 13th Street NW, Suite 570 South, Washington D.C. 20005, (202) 638-3128, fax: (202) 638-3171. SECOND INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT, June 28-July 9, 1993, Galway, Ireland. FFI, contact: Dr. Seamus Grimes, Department of Geography, University College, Galway, Ireland, (353) 912-4411, fax: (353) 912-5700, email: gfygrimes@bodkin@ucg.ie. JULY -------------------------------------------- CANADIAN SEED TRADE ASSOCIATION ANNUAL CONVENTION, July 6-10, 1993, Chateau Whistler Resort, British Columbia. FFI, contact: CSTA, 207-2948 Baseline Road, Ottawa, Ontario K2H 8T5, Canada, (613) 829-9527. AGRICULTURE CONSERVATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER FIELD DAY, July 8, 1993, Ridgway, IL. FFI, contact: Bill Tieberand, Ridgway Seed Company, P.O. Box 88, Ridgway, IL 62979, tel: (618) 269-3430, fax: (618) 269-3341. -------------------------------------------------- Produced by: Michelle Thom, Library and Information Coordinator, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy , 1313 5th Street SE, Suite 303, Minneapolis, MN 55414. Telephone: (612) 379-5980 Fax: (612) 379-5982 EMail: mthom@igc.org In addition to this twice-weekly news summary bulletin, the Institute offers a variety of other information services on EcoNet for farmers, educators, researchers and policymakers. These include: Env.biotech: Weekly news summary bulletins on biotechnology; Susag.library: Electronic "library" of documents pertaining to sustainable agriculture; Susag.calendar: Calendar of events relating to sustainable agriculture; Trade.news: Daily news summary bulletins on international trade issues; Agri.farmbill: Participatory conference on farm policy debates, including issues related to the 1995 Farm Bill From mthom@igc.apc.org Fri Aug 27 22:50:58 1993 Date: 24 Jun 93 06:07 PDT From: Michelle Thom To: "Recipients of conference susag.news" Subject: Report on Sustainable Ag at CSD From: Michelle Thom Subject: Report on Sustainable Ag at CSD >From tforster Tue Jun 22 20:55:26 1993 Received: by igc.apc.org (4.1/Revision: 1.93 ) id AA16079; Tue, 22 Jun 93 20:55:25 PDT Date: Tue, 22 Jun 93 20:55:25 PDT From: Thomas Forster Message-Id: <9306230355.AA16079@igc.apc.org> To: mthom Subject: susag.news: CSD Sustainable Ag News Status: R TO: SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE AND DEVELOPMENT NGOs FROM: Linda Elswick, World Sustainable Agriculture Association NGO Working Group on Sustainable Agriculture (wsaadc@cdp.apc.org), Washington, DC, USA Tel/202-347-0637 Fax/202-347-0654 RE: REPORT ON SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE AT THE CSD DATE: June 21, 1993 Dear Sustainable Agriculture & Development Activists: The work of this week has plunged us into a frenzy of activity as we mobilize to seize the opportunities to have input into the agenda items of the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD), meeting June 14-25 in New York at the United Nations for the first substantive meeting since Rio. Organizational meetings were held previously and reports about them were posted on csd.general@cdp.apc.org. Reports about the current negotiations are also posted there in the Earth Negotiations Bulletin and by others. The CSD Agenda: Agenda items to which NGOs are giving input have included those listed here. Final decisions will be posted electronically: 1. Guidelines for National Reports -- what should governments be required to report on and how often regarding progress towards sustainability? Who should be involved in them? What criteria should be used to assess progress? 2. Adoption of a Multi-Year Thematic Program of Work for the Commission -- how will the CSD accomplish the task of reviewing Agenda 21? When will particular clusters be taken up? (The agriculture and rural development cluster is proposed for 1995). Will there be intercessional meetings as well? NGOs are urging that these meetings require NGO consultation. Governments seem on the whole to be supportive but are concerned about the mechanisms through which this will happen. 3. Agenda Item 10 of the High Level Ministerial Meeting: URGENT AND EMERGING ISSUES ( SEE ACCOMPANYING STATEMENT BY NGOs ADDRESSED TO THIS AGENDA ITEM). Because Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali linked sustainable agriculture to poverty and environment in his proposed paper "Urgent and Emerging Issues" to be considered by the High Level Ministerial Meeting this week (also posted on csd.general@cdp.apc.org), sustainable agriculture may be on the agenda. This was unexpected. There is concern, however, that this paper may not be addressed at all as it is rumored some ministers have objected to it, feeling Boutros-Ghali has gone too far, too fast. NGO strategy is to distribute their paper highlighting agriculture as an urgent issue as soon as possible. Activist Atherton Martin of the Caribbean country of Dominica contributed substantively to the NGO Ad Hoc paper and will one of those raising it with ministers. 4. Financing -- see the Ad Hoc NGO paper for comments being put forward. 5. PROGRESS AT THE UN ON IMPLEMENTATION OF AGENDA 21: In response to Agenda Item 5 of the Conference: Progress in the Incorporation of Recommendations of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in the Activities of International Organizations, and measures undertaken by the Administrative Committee on Coordination to Ensure that Sustainable Development Principles are Incorporated in Programmes and Processes within the UN System, an Economic and Social Council Report of the Secretary- General dated 7 June 1993 (E/CN.17/1993/8) noted in regard to progress on agriculture in the year since Rio that: "87. As proposed by the Den Bosch Conference on Agriculture and the Environment, the FAO Conference decided to launch an International Cooperative Programme Framework for Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development (ICPF/SARD). This programme framework integrates the major Conference recommendations for action at the international level contained in chapter 14 (sustainable agriculture and rural development), with those of chapters 11 and 17 (forestry and fisheries) and with relevant programmes of chapters 10, 12 and 13 and those of the Action Plan of the FAO/WHO International Conference on Nutrition, held in December 1992. The ICPF/SARD includes a series of special action programmes which have been streamlined to combine field projects with regular programme activities of FAO in the following areas: (a) Policy advice and planning assistance: Policy assistance for food security and sustainable agriculture and rural development; Tropical Forestry Action Plan (TFAP); and responsible and sustainable fisheries. (b) Improvement of people's welfare: Nutrition and food quality; people's participation/poverty alleviation; sustainable development of rural households. (c) Sustainable management of the natural resources base: land-use planning, conservation and rehabilitation; manag (d) Sound use of agricultural inputs: integrated plant nutrition systems; and integrated pest management." Other particularly relevant language in this report includes: "88. A number of countries have requested FAO's assistance in sector policy reviews and in launching projects in line with Agenda 21 and the special action programmes noted above. A major strategy document to guide policies and action on sustainable agriculture and rural development is being finalized. Similar strategy documents will be produced on responsible fisheries and sustainable forestry. 91. "The FAO Commission on Plant Genetic Resources, in discussing the follow-up, adopted a resolution in order to revise the International Undertaking on Plant Genetic Resources, to ensure its consistency, synergy and complementarity with the Convention on Biological Diversity, addressing in particular the issue of access to ex situ collections and the realization of farmers' rights." 92. "FAO will be leading the preparatory process to hold an International Technical Conference on Plant Genetic Resources in 1995, which will prepare the first state of the world's plant genetic resources and a plan of action to implement the Agenda 21 action on plant genetic resources and make the global system on plant genetic resources fully operational. The global programme on animal genetic resources was broadened and strengthened. Work on in situ conservation of crop, animal, forest and fisheries genetic resources is being strengthened, including networking. A code of conduct for the collection and transfer of germplasm was approved, and one for plant biotechnology is under preparation." 93. Re progress at IFAD: "a process of qualitative change, already initiated with IFAD, to place increasing emphasis on sustainability issues in IFAD project design and implemention would further enhance this consistency (in the areas of sustainable agriculture and rural development and managing fragile ecosystems such as mountains and desert-prone areas.)" 94. "The UNDP programme in support of Agenda 21 includes intensifying efforts to develop a strategy for sustainable agriculture, supporting a global sustainable agriculture network and launching a national capacity-building initiative for managing national forests." 95. "Through the FAO/IAEA Joint Division, nuclear techniques are used to overcome problems in the following areas: soil fertility, irrigation and crop production; plant breeding and genetics; animal production and health; insect and pest control, through the sterile- insect technique which reduces the use of insecticides and avoids ecological damage; agrochemicals and residues." Other agenda items have included environmentally-sound technology transfer, cooperation and capacity building for effective implementation of Agenda 21. The Women's Caucus has written a statement on this subject, which reads in part: "As this Commission is well aware, women are the caretakers of the young, the elderly and the environment. Increasingly, in every country, as heads of households, they ensure the survival of family, community and country." "The technology which is shared should be people friendly, with a focus on women, as well as environment friendly. It should be non-violent and non-invasive, appropriate to the local culture and not tied to aid." The Draft decision prepared by the Chairman of the CSD dated 18 June 1993 notes the following: "5. The Commission recognized that in addition to promoting the transfer of environmentally sound technologies, it should also promote the assessment of environmental, health or safety and social impacts of technologies, including new and emerging technologies such as biotechnology. The Commission requested the Secretary- General to prepare reports on a continuous basis on such impact assessments, and to establish mechanisms to discourage the transfer of technologies to developing countries with net negative environmental, health and social impacts. In this context, national and international measures to discourage hazardous technologies and industries to developing countries should be strengthened." Sustainable Agriculture and Development NGOs at the CSD Due to the nature of working groups being formed around specific agenda items and regionally, such as a Southern Caucus, Finance, National Reports, etc., sustainable agriculture initially fed into these groups and met briefly around them. Beginning the week of June 21, daily caucuses will be held to better influence the CSD and plan for future work. Meetings with representatives of inter-governmental agencies may be possible as well. Further reporting will be done to communicate results of some of the numerous meetings occurring. NGOs will be able to ask UNDP and FAO, for instance, about plans for inter-agency coordination, followup to UNCED, plans for releasing major reports, etc. Our numbers in New York ebb and flow; they have not been as large as we would hope to have at future CSD sessions. This needs to be a part of longer range strategy which is beginning at the CSD and will be communicated widely. However, NGOs both in New York and other parts of the world have been able to input into the work of this session of the CSD, either in person or via electronic networking. Some, notably Thomas Forster, NGO Working Group on Sustainable Agriculture, have made extensive and much appreciated contributions to the text via email. Sue Milner, International Ecological Agriculture Network, has responded and made contributions to the text and materials to be shared via email. Others are invited to communicate. PARTIAL LISTING OF GROUPS PARTICIPATING AT THE CSD MEETINGS AND ACTIVE IN SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE ISSUES: (Addresses will be posted when time permits) Nyoni Associates, ZIMBABWE; Korea Economic Justice Institute, KOREA; World Wild Fund For Nature; SWITZERLAND; Sobrevivencia, PARAGUAY; World Sustainable Agriculture Association, US; NGO Working Group on Sustainable Agriculture, US; Swedish Organic Farmers, SWEDEN; School for International Training, US; IEAN, Belgium; Third World Network, MALAYSIA; Women in Development, SUDAN; Global 2000, US; Friends of the Earth, CANADA; Caribbean Network for Integrated Rural Development, WEST INDIES; INTGLIM, US; Zero Population Growth, US; Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture, COSTA RICA; Wilanowska, POLAND; Women's Environment and Development Organization (WEDO/US), International Union for the Conservation of Nature, NETHERLANDS; Environment Liaison Centre International (ELCI), KENYA; Turtle Island Earth Stewards (TIES), CANADA; Southern Networks for Environment and Development (SONED) - AFRICA REGION, KENYA; International Organization of Consumers Unions (IOCU), Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, MALAYSIA; g 2000 - Youth Campaign for a Sustainable Sweden; and NGO representatives from the UK, Scotland, Bermuda, Dominica and the Netherlands as well as representatives from UNDP and UNIFEM (United Nations Development Fund for Women). In an attempt to be as inclusive, open and participatory as possible, reporting on the CSD has been communicated by email to many who could not be here but who are following the implementation of Chapter 14, Agenda 21 closely. Reports from NGO activities in New York have been posted on public email conferences ("csd.general", "susag.news" and "en.agriculture" on IGC.APC.ORG (Internet). The reports have also been emailed directly to NGOs active in UNCED follow up in the area of sustainable and ecological agriculture. A partial list is included below: ASPTA, Brazil; CLADES and CIED, Peru; REDES, Uruguay; The Ecologist, UK; COUP, Canada; GRAIN, Spain; RAFI, US; MAELA and IPIAT, Venezuela; ILEIA, Netherlands; IFOAM, Germany; IEAN, Netherlands; Working Group on Biodiversity, US; Asian NGO Coalition, Philippines; Organic Farmers Associations Council, US; Solagral, France; Swedish Organic Farmers, Sweden; Sustainable Agriculture Network, US; Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, US; PAN, US; NGONET, Uruguay; Friends of the Earth, US; INFORUM, US; ATTRA, US; Bank Information Center, US; Center for International Environmental Law, US; World Resources Institute, US. From mthom@igc.apc.org Fri Aug 27 22:51:02 1993 Date: 26 Jun 93 09:27 PDT From: Michelle Thom To: "Recipients of conference susag.news" Subject: Sustainable Ag News - 6/25/93 Sustainable Agriculture News Bulletin Volume 2, Number 7 June 25, 1993 ------------------------------------------------ News Summaries ------------------------------------------------ NRDC CALLS PESTICIDE REGULATION INEFFECTIVE A report released earlier this week by the environmental organization, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), concludes that federal regulation of pesticides is ineffective. The groups says that carcinogenic chemicals routinely find their way into the nation's food and water supplies. Results of their study shows that pesticide use in the United States has doubled since 1964 , amounting to eight pounds per every man, woman and child in the country each year. Other findings include: 10% of public wells and 440,000 rural private wells contain pesticide residues; over 1/3 of foods tested by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) revealed pesticide residues; and 300,000 farmworkers suffer from the effects of pesticide use every year. In addition, at least 107 active ingredients found in pesticides were carcinogenic; 83 are still in use today and 71 are used in agricultural production. "The government's seeming devotion to pesticides has resulted in the systematic contamination of our environment, our wildlife, our drinking water, our food supply and the poisoning of farmers and farmworkers," said Jennifer Curtis of the NRDC. The group has called on the government to phase out pesticides linked to cancer within seven years of being identified. "Weak federal laws and regulations, bureaucratic delay and a suspect system of environmental health effects assessment have conspired to render pesticide oversight inadequate," said Eric Olson, an attorney for NRDC. A spokesperson for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said the recommendations will be evaluated by an inter- agency team of people from EPA, USDA and FDA. "We want to look at all of these recommendations from all the interested parties involved. We believe that the public is very well protected and that the food that we eat is safe," said Loretta Ucelli. "Where's the evidence? There is not an unreasonable risk," said Mark Maslyn of the American Farm Bureau Federation. Maslyn maintains that farmers would like to give up pesticides but there needs to be adequate alternatives. "We all have to eat. There has to be a practical and economical and effective alternative." Source: Rita Beamish, "Pesticides," AP, June 21, 1993; "Report Says Pesticide Regulation Ineffective," Farming Today, UPI, June 22, 1993; "Report: Pesticide Regulation Ineffective," UPI, June 21, 1993; "NRDC Report Calls for Pesticide Phase Outs and Overhaul of Pesticide Laws," PESTICIDE ACTION NETWORK UPDATES SERVICE, June 25, 1993. WET SPRING LEADS TO TOP SOIL LOSSES This spring's heavy rains and flooding in the Midwest are causing an increase in topsoil erosion, according to the USDA's Soil Conservation Service (SCS). Erosion from the heavy rains that have affected the states of Minnesota, Illinois, Iowa and other states is causing local rivers to run high and muddy. And with soil erosion comes fertilizer and pesticide residues, according to SCS agronomist Bob Dayton. Even farmers using conservation tillage methods, which are supposed to be the most effective way of protecting farmland soil, have experienced topsoil loss. "When we, for instance, had four inches of rain in a day and a half even in fields that have been no-tilled, the water does tend to congregate and come together and go through the field at one place in a rolling farm," said Illinois farmer Gary Haub. "It would be much worse if I wasn't no-tilling," he added. The SCS said that the heavy rains have forced some farmers to adopt no-till methods. On the other hand, many farmers practicing conservation tillage have had to give up because of excessive weeds and the crusting of the soil. "That's not real widespread but it's happened," confirms Dayton. The USDA also said it will permit haying and grazing on some setaside land in Illinois, Iowa, Michigan and Wisconsin due to the heavy rains. Source: Robert Greene, "Losing Soil," AP, June 20, 1993. SHELL CONSIDERING SALE TO AMERICAN CYANAMID In business news, the Royal Dutch/Shell company said last week that it is considering selling its crop protection enterprises to American Cyanamid. Reduced production by farmers has resulted in falling agricultural chemical sales on a worldwide level thereby prompting the oil company to consider the sale. A Shell company statement said the sale would allow the company to continue focusing on the core areas of its chemical businesses. Shell recently donated an insecticide to Hungarian farmers who are expecting considerable crop damage this year as the result of an approaching swarm of locusts. The chief executive of Shell-Interag Kft, said the unnamed insecticide "was very efficient in north Africa and we have it in stock here, so we give it to them (the Hungarian farmers) free of charge." The approaching swarm will be the first to plague Hungary in 60 years. No date has been set for aerial spraying of the locusts. Source: "Sale of Shell Pesticide Businesses to American Cyanamid Considered," JOURNAL OF COMMERCE, June 17, 1993; "Company Donates Pesticide to Fight Locust Swarm," REUTER, June 22, 1993. CALIFORNIA COMPANY INDICTED ON PESTICIDE DUMPING CHARGES Agri-Empire, a California-based agribusiness, was indicted earlier this month on charges that it used treated sewage water to grow potatoes and buried pesticide containers under a cattle pen. Agri- Empire is the second largest potato grower in the country. The partly treated sewage water was supposed to be used on seed potatoes or crops fed to animals. Federal prosecutors Adam Schiff and Bryan Daly said the water was used to grow potatoes that were then sold to fast food chains around the country. The pesticide dumping charges include storing DDT and other banned pesticides and burying unrinsed pesticide containers. "If this case is proven true, it shows a flagrant lack of regard for what it could do to humans. It puts greed above concern for human welfare and safety," said FBI agent Thomas Parker. Xavier Hermosillo, a spokesperson for Agri-Empire called the charges "precipitous and hollow, and a colossal waste of tax dollars." In sum, the charges included 33 federal counts of conspiracy, mail fraud and the illegal handling of hazardous substances. Source: "Agribusiness Firm Charged in Major Environmental Case," AGRI NEWS, June 17, 1993. ADM CHAIR SAYS SEND SEED, NOT SOLDIERS TO THIRD WORLD Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) chair Dwayne Andreas told a meeting of the Business Council for the United Nations 1993 World Congress that the agency should be sending seeds, not soldiers, to developing countries. Andreas urged the world body to use agricultural resources and technology to combat violence and civil unrest resulting from hunger and poverty in many developing parts of the world. "We could see the launch of a Second Green Revolution in the developing world -- one that heals a wounded earth and makes it productive again," said Andreas. He said top priorities should include ending top soil erosion in both the developing and industrialized worlds. Source: "Andreas Calls for Seeds, Not Soldiers, for Third World," Farming Today, UPI, June 18, 1993. NEW LABELS REACHING GROCER'S SHELVES New labels that were approved by the FDA and former President Bush last year are beginning to show up on grocer's shelves. This week, FDA Commissioner David Kessler launched a campaign to educate consumers about the new labels. The new labels will list fat, carbohydrate and protein content as a percentage of your daily diet whereas labels used to simply list them in grams. In cooperation with the USDA and the National Food Processors Association, the FDA has produced a brochure that consumers can pick up at local stores explaining the new regulations. In other FDA news, the agency proposed a total ban on lead-soldered cans this week. Lead-soldered cans pose a health risk to consumers as the lead can bleed into the food in the can. Currently, only 10% of all cans are lead-soldered. The technique is not used by U.S. companies and only 1% of Canadian companies still use it. If approved, the ban would go into effect in December 1994. Source: "New Labels Reaching Store Shelves," Farming Today, UPI, June 22, 1993; "FDA to Ban Lead-Soldered Imported Food Cans," Farming Today, UPI, June 22, 1993. BANGLADESH PROMOTING USE OF BIOPESTICIDE The government of Bangladesh has launched a campaign promoting the use of the biopesticide neem, or margosa, instead of chemical pesticides. Pests and rodents ruin more than one million tons of grain each year, according to agriculture officials. Scientists have determined that flakes of the neem as well as cakes made from its seeds are effective in combating pests. The use of neem oil could also save the country $15 million annually in imported pesticides as well as create new jobs, said agriculture ministry officials. "Oil from one tree could provide adequate crop protection for over three hectares of rice and a further 610,000 hectares would be saved by using the cake," said Bangladeshi entomologist Manjur Ahmed Chowdhury. Source: "Bangladesh Promotes Home-Grown Herbal Pesticide," REUTER, June 17, 1993. BRITISH AID GROUP TARGETING WOMEN IN AFRICA The British aid organization Farm Africa is targeting its aid efforts toward Tanzanian women -- the primary caretakers of the land, according to a recent article in the FINANCIAL TIMES. David Richardson writes that Farm Africa is convinced that if the women can be persuaded to adopt more efficient methods of agricultural production, the effects on the well-being of their children and entire community will be overwhelming. The organization works by beginning at the grassroots. They attempt to establish what the women need first rather than imposing development schemes on them. For instance, aid workers help them build huts for sheep and goats which are often the cause of tree and vegetation loss in rural African communities. The group has also introduced a British-bred goat that gives five to six pints of milk a day -- three to four times more than native goats. Tree planting and stoves that don't require the use of precious firewood have also been introduced. Given the size of the poverty and hunger problems facing Tanzania, Richardson says Farm Africa's efforts seem small. "But at least it is starting at the right level and the tiny area in which it operates is already beginning to benefit from its efforts," Richardson concludes. Source: David Richardson, "Giving African Farm Aid a Feminine Touch," FINANCIAL TIMES, June 22, 1993. ------------------------------------------------ Resources ------------------------------------------------ The General Accounting Office (GAO) recently released testimony by Peter Guerrero in a report entitled PESTICIDES: U.S. AND MEXICAN FRUIT AND VEGETABLE PROGRAMS DIFFER. In his testimony, Guerrero concludes that there are several differences between pesticide tolerance levels required by the U.S. and Mexico and those differences will need to be addressed with or without the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). For a copy of the testimony, contact GAO, (report # GAO/T-RCED-93-9), Washington D.C. 20548. The March 1993 issue of the USDA Economic Research Service's FARMLINE contains a headline article on conservation tillage. The article says that even though more farmers are turning to no-till methods, many are still using conventional tillage systems. No-till and mulch-till systems have provided the most gains for corn and soybean growers. While this was the last issue of FARMLINE, back copies may be available from USDA, 1301 New York Avenue NW, Washington D.C. 20005. ------------------------------------------------ Conferences/Events ------------------------------------------------ JUNE -------------------------------------------- TOURS OF HERITAGE FARM run from June 1-September 30, 1993. Heritage Farm is the home of Seed Savers Exchange which has been collecting and storing Heirloom varieties from all over the world. FFI, contact: Kent Whealy, Seed Savers Exchange, RR 3, Box 239, Decorah, IA 52101. AMERICAN SEED TRADE ASSOCIATION ANNUAL CONVENTION, June 26-July 1, 1993, Kansas City, MO. FFI, contact: ASTA, 601 13th Street NW, Suite 570 South, Washington D.C. 20005, (202) 638-3128, fax: (202) 638-3171. SECOND INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT, June 28-July 9, 1993, Galway, Ireland. FFI, contact: Dr. Seamus Grimes, Department of Geography, University College, Galway, Ireland, (353) 912-4411, fax: (353) 912-5700, email: gfygrimes@bodkin@ucg.ie. JULY -------------------------------------------- CANADIAN SEED TRADE ASSOCIATION ANNUAL CONVENTION, July 6-10, 1993, Chateau Whistler Resort, British Columbia. FFI, contact: CSTA, 207-2948 Baseline Road, Ottawa, Ontario K2H 8T5, Canada, (613) 829-9527. AGRICULTURE CONSERVATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER FIELD DAY, July 8, 1993, Ridgway, IL. FFI, contact: Bill Tieberand, Ridgway Seed Company, P.O. Box 88, Ridgway, IL 62979, tel: (618) 269-3430, fax: (618) 269-3341. XERCES SOCIETY 20TH ANNUAL MEETING, July 8-11, 1993, Fort Collins, CO. FFI, contact: Xerces Society, 10 SW Ash Street, Portland, OR 97204, (503) 222-2788, fax: (503) 222-2763. FROM THE FARM TO YOUR TABLE, ORGANICALLY: PEOPLE, PLANS AND PROCESS, July 10, 1993, Fullerton, ND. FFI, contact: Farm Verified Organic, RR 1, Box 40A, Medina, ND 58467. Tel: (701) 486-3578. FOOD CHOICES 2000: SUSTAINABLE FOOD CHOICES FOR THE 21ST CENTURY, July 10-14, 1993, Hawaii. FFI, contact: Oldways Preservation & Trust, 45 Milk Street, Boston, MA 02109, (617) 695- 0600, (617) 426-7696. LEOPOLD CENTER ANNUAL CONFERENCE, July 14-15, 1993, Ames, IA. FFI, contact: Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, 126 Soil Tilth Building, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, (515) 294-3711. NATIONAL FAMILY FARM TRANSITION NETWORK MEETING, July 18-20, 1993, Northfield, MN. FFI, contact: LaVonne Nicolai, Minnesota Farm Connection, (612) 297-3395. 4TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON DESERT DEVELOPMENT, July 25-30, 1993, Mexico City, Mexico. FFI, contact: Manuel Anaya Garduna, Scientific IV ICDD, Colegio de Post- graduados, Montecillo, Edo. 1 de Mexico. -------------------------------------------------- Produced by: Michelle Thom, Library and Information Coordinator, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy , 1313 5th Street SE, Suite 303, Minneapolis, MN 55414. Telephone: (612) 379-5980 Fax: (612) 379-5982 EMail: mthom@igc.org In addition to this twice-weekly news summary bulletin, the Institute offers a variety of other information services on EcoNet for farmers, educators, researchers and policymakers. These include: Env.biotech: Weekly news summary bulletins on biotechnology; Susag.library: Electronic "library" of documents pertaining to sustainable agriculture; Susag.calendar: Calendar of events relating to sustainable agriculture; Trade.news: Daily news summary bulletins on international trade issues; Agri.farmbill: Participatory conference on farm policy debates, including issues related to the 1995 Farm Bill From mthom@igc.apc.org Fri Aug 27 22:51:21 1993 Date: 26 Jun 93 09:27 PDT From: Michelle Thom To: "Recipients of conference susag.news" Subject: Sustainable Ag News - 6/25/93 Sustainable Agriculture News Bulletin Volume 2, Number 7 June 25, 1993 ------------------------------------------------ News Summaries ------------------------------------------------ NRDC CALLS PESTICIDE REGULATION INEFFECTIVE A report released earlier this week by the environmental organization, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), concludes that federal regulation of pesticides is ineffective. The groups says that carcinogenic chemicals routinely find their way into the nation's food and water supplies. Results of their study shows that pesticide use in the United States has doubled since 1964 , amounting to eight pounds per every man, woman and child in the country each year. Other findings include: 10% of public wells and 440,000 rural private wells contain pesticide residues; over 1/3 of foods tested by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) revealed pesticide residues; and 300,000 farmworkers suffer from the effects of pesticide use every year. In addition, at least 107 active ingredients found in pesticides were carcinogenic; 83 are still in use today and 71 are used in agricultural production. "The government's seeming devotion to pesticides has resulted in the systematic contamination of our environment, our wildlife, our drinking water, our food supply and the poisoning of farmers and farmworkers," said Jennifer Curtis of the NRDC. The group has called on the government to phase out pesticides linked to cancer within seven years of being identified. "Weak federal laws and regulations, bureaucratic delay and a suspect system of environmental health effects assessment have conspired to render pesticide oversight inadequate," said Eric Olson, an attorney for NRDC. A spokesperson for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said the recommendations will be evaluated by an inter- agency team of people from EPA, USDA and FDA. "We want to look at all of these recommendations from all the interested parties involved. We believe that the public is very well protected and that the food that we eat is safe," said Loretta Ucelli. "Where's the evidence? There is not an unreasonable risk," said Mark Maslyn of the American Farm Bureau Federation. Maslyn maintains that farmers would like to give up pesticides but there needs to be adequate alternatives. "We all have to eat. There has to be a practical and economical and effective alternative." Source: Rita Beamish, "Pesticides," AP, June 21, 1993; "Report Says Pesticide Regulation Ineffective," Farming Today, UPI, June 22, 1993; "Report: Pesticide Regulation Ineffective," UPI, June 21, 1993; "NRDC Report Calls for Pesticide Phase Outs and Overhaul of Pesticide Laws," PESTICIDE ACTION NETWORK UPDATES SERVICE, June 25, 1993. WET SPRING LEADS TO TOP SOIL LOSSES This spring's heavy rains and flooding in the Midwest are causing an increase in topsoil erosion, according to the USDA's Soil Conservation Service (SCS). Erosion from the heavy rains that have affected the states of Minnesota, Illinois, Iowa and other states is causing local rivers to run high and muddy. And with soil erosion comes fertilizer and pesticide residues, according to SCS agronomist Bob Dayton. Even farmers using conservation tillage methods, which are supposed to be the most effective way of protecting farmland soil, have experienced topsoil loss. "When we, for instance, had four inches of rain in a day and a half even in fields that have been no-tilled, the water does tend to congregate and come together and go through the field at one place in a rolling farm," said Illinois farmer Gary Haub. "It would be much worse if I wasn't no-tilling," he added. The SCS said that the heavy rains have forced some farmers to adopt no-till methods. On the other hand, many farmers practicing conservation tillage have had to give up because of excessive weeds and the crusting of the soil. "That's not real widespread but it's happened," confirms Dayton. The USDA also said it will permit haying and grazing on some setaside land in Illinois, Iowa, Michigan and Wisconsin due to the heavy rains. Source: Robert Greene, "Losing Soil," AP, June 20, 1993. SHELL CONSIDERING SALE TO AMERICAN CYANAMID In business news, the Royal Dutch/Shell company said last week that it is considering selling its crop protection enterprises to American Cyanamid. Reduced production by farmers has resulted in falling agricultural chemical sales on a worldwide level thereby prompting the oil company to consider the sale. A Shell company statement said the sale would allow the company to continue focusing on the core areas of its chemical businesses. Shell recently donated an insecticide to Hungarian farmers who are expecting considerable crop damage this year as the result of an approaching swarm of locusts. The chief executive of Shell-Interag Kft, said the unnamed insecticide "was very efficient in north Africa and we have it in stock here, so we give it to them (the Hungarian farmers) free of charge." The approaching swarm will be the first to plague Hungary in 60 years. No date has been set for aerial spraying of the locusts. Source: "Sale of Shell Pesticide Businesses to American Cyanamid Considered," JOURNAL OF COMMERCE, June 17, 1993; "Company Donates Pesticide to Fight Locust Swarm," REUTER, June 22, 1993. CALIFORNIA COMPANY INDICTED ON PESTICIDE DUMPING CHARGES Agri-Empire, a California-based agribusiness, was indicted earlier this month on charges that it used treated sewage water to grow potatoes and buried pesticide containers under a cattle pen. Agri- Empire is the second largest potato grower in the country. The partly treated sewage water was supposed to be used on seed potatoes or crops fed to animals. Federal prosecutors Adam Schiff and Bryan Daly said the water was used to grow potatoes that were then sold to fast food chains around the country. The pesticide dumping charges include storing DDT and other banned pesticides and burying unrinsed pesticide containers. "If this case is proven true, it shows a flagrant lack of regard for what it could do to humans. It puts greed above concern for human welfare and safety," said FBI agent Thomas Parker. Xavier Hermosillo, a spokesperson for Agri-Empire called the charges "precipitous and hollow, and a colossal waste of tax dollars." In sum, the charges included 33 federal counts of conspiracy, mail fraud and the illegal handling of hazardous substances. Source: "Agribusiness Firm Charged in Major Environmental Case," AGRI NEWS, June 17, 1993. ADM CHAIR SAYS SEND SEED, NOT SOLDIERS TO THIRD WORLD Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) chair Dwayne Andreas told a meeting of the Business Council for the United Nations 1993 World Congress that the agency should be sending seeds, not soldiers, to developing countries. Andreas urged the world body to use agricultural resources and technology to combat violence and civil unrest resulting from hunger and poverty in many developing parts of the world. "We could see the launch of a Second Green Revolution in the developing world -- one that heals a wounded earth and makes it productive again," said Andreas. He said top priorities should include ending top soil erosion in both the developing and industrialized worlds. Source: "Andreas Calls for Seeds, Not Soldiers, for Third World," Farming Today, UPI, June 18, 1993. NEW LABELS REACHING GROCER'S SHELVES New labels that were approved by the FDA and former President Bush last year are beginning to show up on grocer's shelves. This week, FDA Commissioner David Kessler launched a campaign to educate consumers about the new labels. The new labels will list fat, carbohydrate and protein content as a percentage of your daily diet whereas labels used to simply list them in grams. In cooperation with the USDA and the National Food Processors Association, the FDA has produced a brochure that consumers can pick up at local stores explaining the new regulations. In other FDA news, the agency proposed a total ban on lead-soldered cans this week. Lead-soldered cans pose a health risk to consumers as the lead can bleed into the food in the can. Currently, only 10% of all cans are lead-soldered. The technique is not used by U.S. companies and only 1% of Canadian companies still use it. If approved, the ban would go into effect in December 1994. Source: "New Labels Reaching Store Shelves," Farming Today, UPI, June 22, 1993; "FDA to Ban Lead-Soldered Imported Food Cans," Farming Today, UPI, June 22, 1993. BANGLADESH PROMOTING USE OF BIOPESTICIDE The government of Bangladesh has launched a campaign promoting the use of the biopesticide neem, or margosa, instead of chemical pesticides. Pests and rodents ruin more than one million tons of grain each year, according to agriculture officials. Scientists have determined that flakes of the neem as well as cakes made from its seeds are effective in combating pests. The use of neem oil could also save the country $15 million annually in imported pesticides as well as create new jobs, said agriculture ministry officials. "Oil from one tree could provide adequate crop protection for over three hectares of rice and a further 610,000 hectares would be saved by using the cake," said Bangladeshi entomologist Manjur Ahmed Chowdhury. Source: "Bangladesh Promotes Home-Grown Herbal Pesticide," REUTER, June 17, 1993. BRITISH AID GROUP TARGETING WOMEN IN AFRICA The British aid organization Farm Africa is targeting its aid efforts toward Tanzanian women -- the primary caretakers of the land, according to a recent article in the FINANCIAL TIMES. David Richardson writes that Farm Africa is convinced that if the women can be persuaded to adopt more efficient methods of agricultural production, the effects on the well-being of their children and entire community will be overwhelming. The organization works by beginning at the grassroots. They attempt to establish what the women need first rather than imposing development schemes on them. For instance, aid workers help them build huts for sheep and goats which are often the cause of tree and vegetation loss in rural African communities. The group has also introduced a British-bred goat that gives five to six pints of milk a day -- three to four times more than native goats. Tree planting and stoves that don't require the use of precious firewood have also been introduced. Given the size of the poverty and hunger problems facing Tanzania, Richardson says Farm Africa's efforts seem small. "But at least it is starting at the right level and the tiny area in which it operates is already beginning to benefit from its efforts," Richardson concludes. Source: David Richardson, "Giving African Farm Aid a Feminine Touch," FINANCIAL TIMES, June 22, 1993. ------------------------------------------------ Resources ------------------------------------------------ The General Accounting Office (GAO) recently released testimony by Peter Guerrero in a report entitled PESTICIDES: U.S. AND MEXICAN FRUIT AND VEGETABLE PROGRAMS DIFFER. In his testimony, Guerrero concludes that there are several differences between pesticide tolerance levels required by the U.S. and Mexico and those differences will need to be addressed with or without the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). For a copy of the testimony, contact GAO, (report # GAO/T-RCED-93-9), Washington D.C. 20548. The March 1993 issue of the USDA Economic Research Service's FARMLINE contains a headline article on conservation tillage. The article says that even though more farmers are turning to no-till methods, many are still using conventional tillage systems. No-till and mulch-till systems have provided the most gains for corn and soybean growers. While this was the last issue of FARMLINE, back copies may be available from USDA, 1301 New York Avenue NW, Washington D.C. 20005. ------------------------------------------------ Conferences/Events ------------------------------------------------ JUNE -------------------------------------------- TOURS OF HERITAGE FARM run from June 1-September 30, 1993. Heritage Farm is the home of Seed Savers Exchange which has been collecting and storing Heirloom varieties from all over the world. FFI, contact: Kent Whealy, Seed Savers Exchange, RR 3, Box 239, Decorah, IA 52101. AMERICAN SEED TRADE ASSOCIATION ANNUAL CONVENTION, June 26-July 1, 1993, Kansas City, MO. FFI, contact: ASTA, 601 13th Street NW, Suite 570 South, Washington D.C. 20005, (202) 638-3128, fax: (202) 638-3171. SECOND INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT, June 28-July 9, 1993, Galway, Ireland. FFI, contact: Dr. Seamus Grimes, Department of Geography, University College, Galway, Ireland, (353) 912-4411, fax: (353) 912-5700, email: gfygrimes@bodkin@ucg.ie. JULY -------------------------------------------- CANADIAN SEED TRADE ASSOCIATION ANNUAL CONVENTION, July 6-10, 1993, Chateau Whistler Resort, British Columbia. FFI, contact: CSTA, 207-2948 Baseline Road, Ottawa, Ontario K2H 8T5, Canada, (613) 829-9527. AGRICULTURE CONSERVATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER FIELD DAY, July 8, 1993, Ridgway, IL. FFI, contact: Bill Tieberand, Ridgway Seed Company, P.O. Box 88, Ridgway, IL 62979, tel: (618) 269-3430, fax: (618) 269-3341. XERCES SOCIETY 20TH ANNUAL MEETING, July 8-11, 1993, Fort Collins, CO. FFI, contact: Xerces Society, 10 SW Ash Street, Portland, OR 97204, (503) 222-2788, fax: (503) 222-2763. FROM THE FARM TO YOUR TABLE, ORGANICALLY: PEOPLE, PLANS AND PROCESS, July 10, 1993, Fullerton, ND. FFI, contact: Farm Verified Organic, RR 1, Box 40A, Medina, ND 58467. Tel: (701) 486-3578. FOOD CHOICES 2000: SUSTAINABLE FOOD CHOICES FOR THE 21ST CENTURY, July 10-14, 1993, Hawaii. FFI, contact: Oldways Preservation & Trust, 45 Milk Street, Boston, MA 02109, (617) 695- 0600, (617) 426-7696. LEOPOLD CENTER ANNUAL CONFERENCE, July 14-15, 1993, Ames, IA. FFI, contact: Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, 126 Soil Tilth Building, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, (515) 294-3711. NATIONAL FAMILY FARM TRANSITION NETWORK MEETING, July 18-20, 1993, Northfield, MN. FFI, contact: LaVonne Nicolai, Minnesota Farm Connection, (612) 297-3395. 4TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON DESERT DEVELOPMENT, July 25-30, 1993, Mexico City, Mexico. FFI, contact: Manuel Anaya Garduna, Scientific IV ICDD, Colegio de Post- graduados, Montecillo, Edo. 1 de Mexico. -------------------------------------------------- Produced by: Michelle Thom, Library and Information Coordinator, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy , 1313 5th Street SE, Suite 303, Minneapolis, MN 55414. Telephone: (612) 379-5980 Fax: (612) 379-5982 EMail: mthom@igc.org In addition to this twice-weekly news summary bulletin, the Institute offers a variety of other information services on EcoNet for farmers, educators, researchers and policymakers. These include: Env.biotech: Weekly news summary bulletins on biotechnology; Susag.library: Electronic "library" of documents pertaining to sustainable agriculture; Susag.calendar: Calendar of events relating to sustainable agriculture; Trade.news: Daily news summary bulletins on international trade issues; Agri.farmbill: Participatory conference on farm policy debates, including issues related to the 1995 Farm Bill From mthom@igc.apc.org Fri Aug 27 22:51:27 1993 Date: Fri, 30 Apr 93 05:23:51 PDT From: Michelle Thom To: jdorner@cherokee.ces.ncsu.edu, sanet-mg@oes.orst.edu Subject: Re: Community Farm Alliance Community Farm Alliance is a grassroots farmers organization in Berea, KY. Their director, Hal Hamilton, is a gret guy and I'm sure would be more than happy to provide you with any info you need. Their address is: CFA, 200 Short Street, #10, Berea, KY 40403, tel: (606) 986-7400. I know he's on HandsNet but I don't have his email address there. Michelle Thom, IATP From mthom@igc.apc.org Fri Aug 27 22:51:32 1993 Date: 01 Jul 93 13:02 PDT From: Michelle Thom To: "Recipients of conference susag.news" Subject: Sustainable Ag News - 7/1/93 Sustainable Agriculture News Bulletin Volume 2, Number 8 July 1, 1993 ------------------------------------------------ News Summaries ------------------------------------------------ NAS STUDY SAYS PESTICIDES HARMFUL TO CHILDREN AND INFANTS A study released Sunday by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) concludes that children and infants are more susceptible to the adverse effects of pesticide residues in foods and the federal government really doesn't know enough about how chemicals affect them. "Infants and children differ both quantitatively and qualitatively from adults in their exposure to pesticide residues in food," the report says, because they consume more calories per body weight unit and have less choice in the foods they eat. "We found some serious deficiencies that need to be corrected," said Dr. Philip Landrigan, a pediatrician who chaired the panel that conducted the study. The report recommends that when health and scientific data are unavailable, "There should be a presumption of greater toxicity to infants and children." Other report recommendations include: the development of new testing procedures for measuring pesticide toxicity in children; more detailed data and an increased sampling of foods containing pesticide residues that are eaten by infants and children; consideration of all sources of pesticide intake, including food, drinking water, air, soil and lawn; and new statistical methods for estimating risks to children. Despite obvious inconsistencies, panel members recommended that parents do not stop feeding their children fruits and vegetables. "We know the benefits of fruits and vegetables in children's diets and there's a gut sense that the risks are probably of a smaller magnitude," said panel member Donald Mattison. A joint statement released Friday by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the USDA in anticipation of the report marked the first time in history that government agencies have coordinated their efforts in response to public concerns. The announcement by the three agencies called for a marked change in the way pesticides are promoted in agricultural production and emphasized their confidence in the nation's food supply. "The administration is committed to reducing pesticides," said FDA Commissioner David Kessler, and will promote a system of integrated pest management where beneficial insects, crop rotation and other chemical alternatives replace some pesticides. "The Agriculture Department, EPA and the Food and Drug Administration are working to together in a way they have never done before to benefit the American people," said EPA Administrator Carol Browner. In a speech before the National Press Club yesterday, Browner emphasized that she will do everything in her power to ensure the issue is explored further. A spokesperson for the USDA said the Department will try to research new ways for producers to reduce their reliance on chemical pesticides. "There's no reason for alarm, no reason for panic" emphasized Kessler. "Just because the food supply is safe doesn't mean we can't work to make it even safer." The release of the administration statement was apparently moved to Friday after the Environmental Working Group (EWG) issued its own report on the effects of pesticides on children. This report concludes that much of a person's exposure to pesticides occurs by the age of five as they eat more fruits and vegetables in relation to their body weight than do adults. The group had been asked by John Peter Wargo, a consultant to the NAS team, not to release the report until after the NAS study, calling it "primarily a piece of advocacy, not yet a work of science." Richard Wiles, who authored the EWG study, is the former project director of the NAS study. Reaction from many food industry associations has been predictably harsh. "We fully expect that activist groups may use the NAS report as an opportunity to use high-visibility press events, celebrities and alarmist language to generate public concern," said an action alert by the Center for Produce Quality. The National Agricultural Chemicals Association (NACA) said it will "work with everyone to further strengthen the food safety system." Jeff Nesbitt, a consultant to the Grocery Manufacturers of America, said, "There is a huge chunk of the economy that's very sensitive to panic-driven scares." Wendy Gordon of Mothers and Others for a Livable Planet, praised the results of the study and the administration's initiative saying, it "signals a real change in direction." The $1.1 million report was originally scheduled for release Tuesday but came out Sunday after excerpts appeared in the NEW YORK TIMES. It was commissioned by Congress in 1988 and is three years overdue. Source: Carole Sugarman, "Pesticide Risk May Be Higher in Children," WASHINGTON POST, June 28, 1993; Pete Yost, "Kids-Pesticides," AP, June 28, 1993; Robert Greene, "Pesticide Reduction," AP, June 25, 1993; Rose Gutfeld, "Pesticide Use Would Be Cut Under U.S. Plan," WALL STREET JOURNAL, June 28, 1993; Marian Burros, "U.S. is Taking Aim at Farm Chemicals in the Food Supply," NEW YORK TIMES, June 28, 1993; National Press Club Speech, MINNESOTA PUBLIC RADIO, June 30, 1993. BENLATE TRIAL TO BEGIN NEXT WEEK The first of hundreds of lawsuits against DuPont's Benlate DF product is expected to go to trial next week. The company has repeatedly denied charges that its Benlate product damaged and mutated crops. Several documents obtained by the court indicate that DuPont knew the product could be harmful to nursery plants. In 1983, for instance, DuPont scientists concluded that Benlate can kill or damage plants under certain conditions. A company spokesperson has insisted that these damages were not at all linked to the current case against the product. Another document indicates that company officials knew as early as 1991 that Benlate DF, the granular form of Benlate which was introduced in 1987, was being contaminated with sulfonylurea (SU) herbicides which even in small doses can be harmful to ornamental plants. The company produced both Benlate DF and SUs at its plant site in Belle, West Virginia. Still other documents indicate that quality control was virtually nonexistent at the Belle pant. A memo written last year by plant officer John Olsen said, "If we are so concerned about Benlate, why do we use some lots of raw materials that need to be screened to get the 'junk' out? If physical contamination is so high, what does that say about the potential for chemical contamination?" DuPont stopped paying farmers claims in November 1992 after dishing out a record $500 million. "A policy that we hoped might set a new standard for responsiveness and corporate responsibility has ended in an assault" on the company, said DuPont chief executive Edgar Wollard. Since that time, company officials have maintained that internal studies have determined Benlate DF was not responsible for the plant damage suffered by farmers. Wollard has also denied any cover-up. "We're anxious to go before a jury," he said. Yesterday, in pre-trial hearings, U.S. District Judge Robert Elliott threatened to direct the jury to find DuPont guilty if they did not hand over all of their documents related to Benlate DF. Attorney C. Neal Pope, who represents the four farmers who go to trial next week, said, "DuPont knew that they had a product that was killing plants, but by 1992, they were running out of the money they had reserved for the damages. So they did tests to show the problem wasn't Benlate." The company faces not only millions of dollars in punitive damages if found guilty, but the EPA could also impose its own fine on the company,. A recent letter from the EPA said its concerns "have been growing over the months as it appears that information essential to performance of our function as the pesticide regulatory agency has been withheld." Source: "So Much for Making Nice," BUSINESS WEEK, June 28, 1993; Jerry Jackson, "DuPont Benlate Challenge Fails to Stir Fla. Growers," JOURNAL OF COMMERCE, June 24, 1993; Scott McMurray, "On Eve of Trial, Court Documents Show DuPont Knew of Benlate Risk for Years," WALL STREET JOURNAL, June 30, 1993. HOECHST SUES FILIPINO JOURNALIST Filipino subsidiaries of the German chemical company Hoechst have filed lawsuits in a Philippine court against PHILIPPINE NEWS AND FEATURES, a paper that reported on illnesses linked to the company's insecticide Thiodan which contains the active ingredient endosulfan. The company also filed charges against Dr. Romeo Quijano who appeared as an expert witness at a recent conference on "Women and Pesticides" for "willfully, maliciously and falsely stating that Thiodan causes cancer." Quijano, who is a pharmacologist at Philippine General Hospital and a professor at the University of Philippines College of Medicine, appeared in an article in May stating that studies have determined there is a link between Thiodan and cancer. Quijano is also a member of the government's Pesticide Technical Advisory Committee which recommended that the government ban pesticides that contain the active ingredient endosulfan. Hoechst successfully blocked the government from enacting such a ban last year. The company is asking for US$814,800 in damages. Source: "Hoechst Hits Philippine Journalists and Activists with Lawsuit," PESTICIDE ACTION NETWORK UPDATES SERVICE, June 22, 1993. FRENCH GROWERS TO FINANCE GREEN OIL PROCESSING UNITS After the European Community (EC) determined that beets could be planted on set-aside land for use in "green oil", French beet growers said they would help finance the oil processing plants. "We're prepared to put in money, along with oil companies. We'll join all the discussions and the financial operations," said Dominique Ducroquet of the Beet Producers Confederation (CGB). The so-called green oil is an additive known as ETBE that is made from wheat or beet alcohol. The beet and grain producers said they will put up between 5 and 10% of financing for the oil company Total SA to build two or three ETBE processing units at its refineries. Farmers are required to set-aside 15% of their land as a result of reforms under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) last spring. Last month, the EC included beets in the crops farmers are allowed to plant on setaside land. Source: "French Beet Growers Set to Help Finance Green Oil," REUTER, June 24, 1993. GROUNDWATER CONTAMINATION POTENTIAL GREATEST IN MIDWEST A recent article in CHOICES, a publication of the American Agricultural Economics Association, concludes that the greatest potential for groundwater contamination from pesticides exists in the Midwest. Other areas pinpointed include the coastal plains of the south and east and irrigated areas of the west. On the other hand, even those areas with the greatest potential for pesticide leaching, contain a great deal of acreage that shows a very low risk of contamination. "The geographic diversity of the agricultural water quality problem suggests that government programs to control non-point source pollution must be flexible to avoid unnecessarily penalizing producers in low-risk situations," the article states. On a national level, only about 1/4 of total farmland ranked in the low risk category. Source: "Pesticide Leaching Potential From Crop Production," CHOICES, Second Quarter 1993. ------------------------------------------------ Resources ------------------------------------------------ Student Pugwash U.S.A. has produced a NEW CAREERS DIRECTORY which contains a comprehensive listing of organizations that provide work, volunteer and internship opportunities in the areas of technology, science and social change. The Directory is intended for recent graduates who are looking to put their academic skills to work in the context of their interests in promoting positive social change. Indexed by geographic location and subject area, the book lists close to 300 organizations in the public, private and nonprofit sector. Examples of organizations listed under the Food and Agriculture section include California Action Network, the Land Institute and the International Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture, to name a few. Each organization is coded with a graphic symbol indicating its work in the area of environment, health, peace, agriculture and so on. The Directory also contains instructions for putting together a curriculum vitae and advice on job hunting. Highly recommended for recent college graduates or anyone seeking job opportunities with organizations seeking to make a difference. The Directory is available for $18 ($10 for students) plus $3.00 postage and handling from Student Pugwash U.S.A., 1638 R Street NW, Suite 32, Washington D.C. 20009, tel: (202) 328-6555. ------------------------------------------------ Conferences/Events ------------------------------------------------ JULY -------------------------------------------- CANADIAN SEED TRADE ASSOCIATION ANNUAL CONVENTION, July 6-10, 1993, Chateau Whistler Resort, British Columbia. FFI, contact: CSTA, 207-2948 Baseline Road, Ottawa, Ontario K2H 8T5, Canada, (613) 829- 9527. AGRICULTURE CONSERVATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER FIELD DAY, July 8, 1993, Ridgway, IL. FFI, contact: Bill Tieberand, Ridgway Seed Company, P.O. Box 88, Ridgway, IL 62979, tel: (618) 269- 3430, fax: (618) 269-3341. XERCES SOCIETY 20TH ANNUAL MEETING, July 8-11, 1993, Fort Collins, CO. FFI, contact: Xerces Society, 10 SW Ash Street, Portland, OR 97204, (503) 222-2788, fax: (503) 222-2763. FROM THE FARM TO YOUR TABLE, ORGANICALLY: PEOPLE, PLANS AND PROCESS, July 10, 1993, Fullerton, ND. FFI, contact: Farm Verified Organic, RR 1, Box 40A, Medina, ND 58467. Tel: (701) 486-3578. FOOD CHOICES 2000: SUSTAINABLE FOOD CHOICES FOR THE 21ST CENTURY, July 10-14, 1993, Hawaii. FFI, contact: Oldways Preservation & Trust, 45 Milk Street, Boston, MA 02109, (617) 695-0600, (617) 426-7696. LEOPOLD CENTER ANNUAL CONFERENCE, July 14-15, 1993, Ames, IA. FFI, contact: Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, 126 Soil Tilt4c1gssues related to the 1995 Farm Bill From mthom@igc.apc.org Fri Aug 27 22:51:37 1993 Date: 10 Jul 93 07:25 PDT From: Michelle Thom To: "Recipients of conference susag.news" Subject: Sustainable Ag News - 7/9/93 Sustainable Agriculture News Bulletin Volume 2, Number 9 July 9, 1993 ------------------------------------------------ News Summaries ------------------------------------------------ PARENTS HAVE MIXED REACTIONS TO NAS REPORT Parents admit they are concerned about the effects of pesticides on their children in the wake of a report by the National Academy of Sciences that concluded children are more likely than adults to be exposed to the potential effects of chemicals. "The report just leaves you hanging. I think a lot more information should have been included about what we should do to protect our kids from this stuff and what is the greatest danger," said Eileen Morse. Other parents are bothered by the fact that it will take years to study the exact effects of pesticides on children, as the Clinton administration has promised to do. "What are we to do in the meantime?" asks Susan Bruss, a mother of eight. Some parents said they have made a new commitment to buying organic produce after the release of the report while most say they will follow the advice of the report and continue to make fruits and vegetables a part of their children's diets. "I'm not a scientist so I don't know which is worse, nutrition loss if you cut out fruits and vegetables or health problems with pesticides," said Janis Quinn, a grandmother from Jackson, MS. "I guess you have to weigh the benefits against the risks." Source: Nikki Davis Maute, "Parents Weight Nutrition, Risk to Kids," USA TODAY, July 1, 1993. IPM RESEARCHERS ENCOURAGED BY STUDY Researchers involved in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) studies at Ohio State University say they are encouraged by the NAS report and its recommendations for further research into pesticide alternatives. IPM requires an understanding of the life cycle of pests and how they interact with the environment. Farmers using this method will examine crops for early signs of disease or insects and use chemicals only when alternative forms of pest control cannot prevent extensive damage. "With field crops, we have a lot of data and we're working on encouraging implementation of IPM. But with fruit and vegetable crops, we don't have much of the baseline information yet," said entomologist Celeste Welty. Welty said crops are affected by different types of pests and control methods may vary. "We've had some growers save a lot of money and still have a good crop by spraying only when they really have to," she said. Source: "Reduced Pesticide Use Goal of Research," UPI, July 4, 1993. BRITISH CHEMICAL SECTOR INCREASES ENVIRONMENTAL SPENDING The British chemical industry spent over #1 billion on the environment last year. The spending represents about three percent of the industry's #29.9 billion earnings, according to the Chemical Industries Association (CIA). Industry spending increased from #830 million in 1990 to #1.032 billion in 1992. Discharges of so- called red list substances fell 40% during that time while special waste disposal expenditures fell by nine percent. In addition, energy consumption was down nineteen percent during the same period. "The industry is generally improving, but it has a long way to go," said Jim Whiston of Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI). Source: Paul Abrahams, "Chemical Sector Spends #1bn on Environment," FINANCIAL TIMES, July 1, 1993. CLINTON SETTLES ON FORESTRY PLAN Late last week, President Clinton announced his approval of a $1 billion spending program that will reduce logging on federally-owned lands and provide displaced timber workers with re-training opportunities. "I believe the plan is fair and balanced ... The Pacific Northwest requires both a healthy economy and a healthy environment and one cannot exist without the other," said the President. The timber industry immediately objected to the plan's call for a reduction in logging on federal lands from 3 billion board feet to 1.2 billion. Environmental groups contend that the plan will allow logging to continue on large tracts of forest, including old growth areas. "This has been put forward as take it or leave it," said Representative Peter DeFazio (D-OR). "And both the environmental groups and the labor and industry groups have said they they'd rather leave it. Sometimes the conventional wisdom is that you upset the extremes and strike a middle once you've done the job. I don't think this is one of these instances." An administration official responded that, "If the bar we set is to make everybody happy, we're not going to do it." The plan was taken from recommendations by industry, environmentalists and western Congressional leaders after the President held a "timber summit" this spring. Source: Gwen Ifill, "Clinton Backs a $1 Billion to Spare Trees and Aid Loggers," NEW YORK TIMES, July 1, 1993; "Clinton Unveils New Forest Policy," Farming Today, UPI, July 2, 1993. DUPONT PLAINTIFF DROPS CASE A plaintiff in one of several multi-million dollar lawsuits against DuPont's Benlate DF product has dropped his case. Marsden Darien, who had filed a $2.5 million lawsuit against the company when his palm trees were damaged after using the Benlate product, requested that the case be dismissed by the San Diego Superior Court "with prejudice", meaning it cannot be reinstated. DuPont released a statement saying the company was "convinced the case lacked merit from the outset" and emphasized that there had been no out-of-court settlement with the plaintiff. A case involving four growers who are seeking a combined $158 million in damages from DuPont went to trial in Columbus, GA early this week. Source: "DuPont Says Plaintiff in California Drops Claims in Benlate Case," WALL STREET JOURNAL, July 6, 1993. EXTENSION SPECIALIST SAYS PESTICIDE USE HAS STOPPED GROWING A pesticide applicator training specialist with the University of Minnesota Extension Service said the growth in the use of pesticides stopped over 10 years. Dean Herzfeld cites an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) report that concluded pesticide use stabilized in the 1980s after increasing dramatically in the 1960s and 1970s. Lower application rates and more efficient use prompted the decline. "Farmers and other pesticide users have increased their adoption of Integrated Pest Management and other sustainable practices. They are more concerned about environmental and health effects of pesticides," said Herzfeld. Source: "Growth in Pesticide Use Has Stopped," MINNESOTA EXTENSION SERVICES NEWS/INFORMATION, July 2, 1993. NO TILL CUTTING EROSION BUT INCREASING HERBICIDE USE - WSJ A recent article in the WALL STREET JOURNAL says farmers are appreciating the immediate benefits of no-till farming methods. Soil erosion has been reduced 70% and crop yields are up. And they are saving money by eliminating the labor and equipment required for conventional tilling. In addition, groundwater contamination has been reduced as no-tilling makes it more difficult to carry pesticide runoff through crop residues. "This is a revolution in agriculture. It's changing the culture of row-crop farming," said Ohio farmer Bill Richards. The downside of no-till is that it often requires heavier use of herbicides to control weeds. The chemicals of choice are usually those that are considered possible carcinogens by the EPA - atrazine, metolachlor and cyanazine. "No-till farmers are using the same old, bad chemicals," said Richard Wiles of the Environmental Working Group. However, Wiles remains convinced that farmers can reduce their use of pesticides to coincide with conservation tilling. "We can cut soil erosion and reduce chemical use at the same time. We just haven't focused on that so far," he said. Chemical companies like Monsanto are reportedly benefiting from the no-till trend. Sales of its toxic atrazine product which is sold under the brand name Lasso have skyrocketed. Sales of Roundup, which kills weeds without harming plants, were up 20% worldwide last year. Source: Scott McMurray, "No-Till Farms Supplant Furrowed Fields, Cutting Erosion but Spreading Herbicides," WALL STREET JOURNAL, July 8, 1993. ANCIENT FARMING METHODS MOST EFFICIENT, ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY A recent article in the science journal NATURE said a group of scientists has concluded that ancient South American farming methods involving raised fields are more efficient and environmentally-friendly than conventional methods. The group, headed by University of California ecologist Heath Carney, recently concluded a study of Indian fields on the Bolivian side of Lake Titicaca in the Andean region of South America. They recommend that farmers return to traditional tilling methods which help preserve vital soil nutrients. "In this system of agriculture, crops are cultivated on a series of raised beds, which are separated from one another by deep, water-filled channels," said the article. The channels help retain the nutrients and sediment necessary for preserving soil nutrients. "In some regions, rehabilitation of the raised fields is now underway largely because this practice leads to fertile soils, adequate water supply and protection from frost and therefore to substantially higher yields than more conventional methods," the article states. Source: "Ancient Farming Methods Best, Scientists Find," REUTER, July 7, 1993. ------------------------------------------------ Resources ------------------------------------------------ The CENTER FOR SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE SYSTEMS at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln published highlights of its farm bill forums in its May-June 1993 newsletter. The purpose of the farm bill forums was to discuss the implications of the upcoming 1995 farm bill debate on the state of Nebraska. Some of the concerns voiced at the forums included: Making resource preservation a high priority; the Wetlands Reserve Program and conservation compliance; preserving biodiversity in agriculture; and integrating animal agriculture into sustainable agriculture. For more information, contact Center for Sustainable Agriculture Systems, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 221 Keim Hall, P.O. Box 830949, Lincoln, NE 68583. DEVELOPMENT DIALOGUE is a publication of the nonprofit media group Development Media Publishing in Zimbabwe. In addition to the latest political news in the developing nations of Africa, the Development Dialogue includes articles that address the topic of sustainable development. Articles of interest in the May/June 1993 issue include: "Small Scale Farmers Crucial"; "Questions and Answers about Structural Adjustment Programmes"; and "Forests Cleared for Farming." It also includes an insert from the Permaculture Association of Zimbabwe that addresses traditional and ecological land use. For more information, contact Development Media Publishing Ltd., 102 S. Machal West, Belvedere, Harare, Zimbabwe. ------------------------------------------------ Conferences/Events ------------------------------------------------ JULY -------------------------------------------- FROM THE FARM TO YOUR TABLE, ORGANICALLY: PEOPLE, PLANS AND PROCESS, July 10, 1993, Fullerton, ND. FFI, contact: Farm Verified Organic, RR 1, Box 40A, Medina, ND 58467. Tel: (701) 486-3578. FOOD CHOICES 2000: SUSTAINABLE FOOD CHOICES FOR THE 21ST CENTURY, July 10-14, 1993, Hawaii. FFI, contact: Oldways Preservation & Trust, 45 Milk Street, Boston, MA 02109, (617) 695- 0600, (617) 426-7696. LEOPOLD CENTER ANNUAL CONFERENCE, July 14-15, 1993, Ames, IA. FFI, contact: Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, 126 Soil Tilth Building, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, (515) 294-3711. NATIONAL FAMILY FARM TRANSITION NETWORK MEETING, July 18-20, 1993, Northfield, MN. FFI, contact: LaVonne Nicolai, Minnesota Farm Connection, (612) 297-3395. 4TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON DESERT DEVELOPMENT, July 25-30, 1993, Mexico City, Mexico. FFI, contact: Manuel Anaya Garduna, Scientific IV ICDD, Colegio de Post- graduados, Montecillo, Edo. 1 de Mexico. AUGUST -------------------------------------------- TRAINING PROGRAM FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, August 1-6, 1993, Conway, AR. FFI, contact: Community Development Institute, University of Central Arkansas, Conway, AR 72035. 13TH ANNUAL SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE TOUR, August 5, 1993, Lincoln, NE. FFI, contact: Center for Sustainable Agriculture Systems, 221 Keim Hall, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68583, tel: (402) 472-2056. 10TH ANNUAL SUMMER CONFERENCE & CELEBRATION OF RURAL LIFE, August 13-15, 1993, Amherst, MA. FFI, contact: Julie Rawson, Natural Organic Farming Association, 411 Sheldon Road, Barre, MA 01105, (508) 355-2853. -------------------------------------------------- Produced by: Michelle Thom, Library and Information Coordinator, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy , 1313 5th Street SE, Suite 303, Minneapolis, MN 55414. Telephone: (612) 379-5980 Fax: (612) 379-5982 EMail: mthom@igc.org In addition to this twice-weekly news summary bulletin, the Institute offers a variety of other information services on EcoNet for farmers, educators, researchers and policymakers. These include: Env.biotech: Weekly news summary bulletins on biotechnology; Susag.library: Electronic "library" of documents pertaining to sustainable agriculture; Susag.calendar: Calendar of events relating to sustainable agriculture; Trade.news: Daily news summary bulletins on international trade issues; Agri.farmbill: Participatory conference on farm policy debates, including issues related to the 1995 Farm Bill From mthom@igc.apc.org Fri Aug 27 22:51:43 1993 Date: 15 Jul 93 13:22 PDT From: Michelle Thom To: "Recipients of conference susag.news" Subject: Sustainable Ag News - 7/15/93 Sustainable Agriculture News Bulletin Volume 2, Number 10 July 15, 1993 ------------------------------------------------ News Summaries ------------------------------------------------ EVERGLADES CLEAN-UP AGREEMENT REACHED Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt announced a plan this week to clean up the Florida Everglades. The plan calls for sugar cane and vegetable growers in the area to pay up to $322 million over the next 20 years to clean up the runoff from their farms. Taxpayers will be responsible for paying an additional $142 million. The plan provides local producers with incentives to stop using phosphorous chemicals, which are responsible for killing much of the native plant life in the Everglades. The settlement was finally reached after five years of research and litigation. Babbitt said the tentative agreement could open the way for "the largest restoration project in the history of the National Park system." Under the agreement, growers and the government will release more water to the Everglades and set aside more acreage to use as filtration. The government will purchase 40,000 acres of the wetlands to convert it into a filtration system. In addition, the amount of freshwater flowing into the Everglades will increase by 25% over the next two years and by 45% in 12 years. The president of U.S. Sugar Corporation, J. Nelson Fairbanks, said that while the settlement was more than growers wanted to pay, they won't be forced into bankruptcy. "The bottom line is that sugar is just biting the bullet. We know that we have got to deliver water to the system that is as good as if we weren't there at all," said Don Carson of the Flo-Sun sugar company. Environmental groups also reacted positively to the agreement. Endorsements came from organizations such as the Sierra Club, the Wilderness Society, the National Audubon Society and the National Wildlife Federation. However, Dexter Lehtinen, the attorney who brought the lawsuit against the State of Florida and the South Florida Water Management District in 1988 which prompted years of litigation, called the agreement "vague" and "disappointing." "This is a very dangerous document. Delay is the enemy of the Everglades," Lehtinen said. Source: "Praise for Everglades Clean-up Plan," Farming Today, UPI, July 14, 1993; William Booth, "Remedy for a Dying Wetland," WASHINGTON POST, July 14, 1993; Larry Rohter, "Florida Growers and U.S. Reach Everglades Pact," NEW YORK TIMES, July 14, 1993; "Minor Sugar Impact from Everglades Pact," REUTER, July 13, 1993. SOIL LOSS THREATENS WORLD FOOD SECURITY The world may lose the ability to feed itself by early next century if soil loss continues at the present rate, a recent U.N. report said. A recent study by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said given the current rate of soil loss, an area the size of Alaska may lose its production capability every 20 years. "If things continue as they are, the rising population and the shrinking land base are going to meet each other...," said Robert Brinkman of the FAO's soil resources division. The report was based on figures compiled by the International Soil Reference and Information Center which showed that an area the size of Western Europe has already lost most of its productivity due to overgrazing and deforestation. Annual soil loss averages around 17.5 million acres -- the size of Ireland. "Land degradation is now proceeding so rapidly that few African countries can hope to achieve sustainable agriculture in the near future, while serious food consequences could eventually be felt ... in Latin America and Asia," said FAO director-general Edouard Saouma. Brinkman said that, in effect, soil is non-renewable. He recommended that countries adopt social, economic and technological policies aimed at reversing the trend. "This is a small planet.... There is not a simple technological fix for soil degradation, but soil conservation and rehabilitation is feasible if governments and land users work in concert," he said. Source: Vicki Allen, "world's Loss of Productive Soil Threatens Food Supply," REUTER, July 13, 1993. EPA REVOKES FOOD TOLERANCES OF FOUR PESTICIDES Last week, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it revoked food additive tolerances for four pesticides in seven processed foods. The pesticides include: Benomyl on raisins and tomato products; mancozeb on raisins and wheat bran; phosmet on cottonseed oil; and trifluralin on spearmint and peppermint oils. "Based on all the data available, EPA continues to believe that pesticides involved in today's action pose only a negligible risk to public health," said EPA Administrator Carol Browner. The EPA was required to take the action based on a decision by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals which upheld the Delaney Clause. The Clause prohibits the presence of carcinogens in food products. "As I have stated previously, the court decision has prompted the administration to pursue new legislation on food safety in consultation with Congress and other interested parties. Such legislation must reflect sound public policy and science while at the same time assuring the overall safety of the food supply," said Browner. Source: "EPA Revokes Tolerances of Four Pesticides in Seven Processed Foods as Result of Court Ruling on Delaney Clause," EPA PRESS RELEASE, July 7, 1993. USDA WORKING ON SUSTAINABLE AG TECHNIQUES The USDA is working on a project intended to demonstrate successful sustainable agriculture techniques. The project began this spring at the USDA's Agricultural Research Center in Beltsville, MD. Called "The Farm", the project also seeks to study the long-term effects of sustainable agriculture on fields the size typically used in agricultural production. Donald Bills, who heads the project, said sustainable agriculture means successfully balancing environmental concerns with financial concerns. "This means that whenever possible, what's used on the farm should come from the farm and stay on the farm." Bills said that they are recycling manure, and using green manure and cover crops as alternatives to chemical fertilizers. Two plant physiologists who are assisting Bills are developing ways to grow vegetables and field crops without using many chemicals and furthering soil erosion. Source: "USDA's 'Farm' to Document Sustainable Ways to Grow Crops," USDA PRESS RELEASE, June 29, 1993. ALTERNATIVE PESTICIDE MAKERS HOPE TO BENEFIT FROM NAS STUDY In the wake of a recent study by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), which concluded that children are more likely than adults to be affected by pesticides in their diet, manufacturers of alternatives to chemical pesticides are hoping to benefit. Cass Curtis hopes that the chemical industry will warm up to his Envirepel product, a garlic-based insect repellent, as they search for alternatives. The product is registered with the EPA but is not widely used. Some other products that are also on the market include those that utilize hot peppers, salt and diatomaceous earth (very fine grit). Phil Hutton of the EPA said that the only problem with such products is that they tend to work on a specific species, making them impractical for wide commercial use. The other problem, according to Dan Peacock of the EPA, is that small manufacturers do not have the money to market their product and attract investment. "Most people aren't going to risk testing their whole crops for something they're unsure of," he said. "I don't want to disparage the product, but if it's so effective why haven't we looked at it?" responded Tim Maniscalo of Dow Chemical Company. Patenting, too, poses its own problem as it is nearly impossible to secure property rights for things like garlic and peppers. "We're looking for patentable products and I would doubt garlic is one," Maniscalo said. Walker Downs, a Mississippi farmer, said he would at least try the product. "Why not give something natural a shot?" he asked. "So far, it's doing everything they said it would and I think some things they might not have known about." Source: Wendy Bounds, "Fighting Bugs With Garlic and Peppers," WALL STREET JOURNAL, July 12, 1993. ------------------------------------------------ Conferences/Events ------------------------------------------------ JULY -------------------------------------------- NATIONAL FAMILY FARM TRANSITION NETWORK MEETING, July 18-20, 1993, Northfield, MN. FFI, contact: LaVonne Nicolai, Minnesota Farm Connection, (612) 297-3395. 4TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON DESERT DEVELOPMENT, July 25-30, 1993, Mexico City, Mexico. FFI, contact: Manuel Anaya Garduna, Scientific IV ICDD, Colegio de Post- graduados, Montecillo, Edo. 1 de Mexico. AUGUST -------------------------------------------- TRAINING PROGRAM FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, August 1-6, 1993, Conway, AR. FFI, contact: Community Development Institute, University of Central Arkansas, Conway, AR 72035. 13TH ANNUAL SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE TOUR, August 5, 1993, Lincoln, NE. FFI, contact: Center for Sustainable Agriculture Systems, 221 Keim Hall, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68583, tel: (402) 472-2056. 10TH ANNUAL SUMMER CONFERENCE & CELEBRATION OF RURAL LIFE, August 13-15, 1993, Amherst, MA. FFI, contact: Julie Rawson, Natural Organic Farming Association, 411 Sheldon Road, Barre, MA 01105, (508) 355-2853. -------------------------------------------------- Produced by: Michelle Thom, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy , 1313 5th Street SE Suite 303, Minneapolis, MN 55414, Tel: (612) 379-5980 Fax: (612) 379-5982 EMail: mthom@igc.org or mmthom@alex.stkate.edu. In addition to this news bulletin, the Institute publishes a variety of news bulletins on agriculture, the environment and international trade. These include: Biotechnology Bulletin (weekly news bulletins on biotechnology); Trade News (daily news bulletins on international trade issues); and Farm Policy News (news bulletins on farm policy four times a week). The Institute also maintains a wide range of computer-based information services on the EcoNet computer network. Contact the Institute for more information. From mthom@igc.apc.org Fri Aug 27 22:51:52 1993 Date: 26 Jul 93 06:52 PDT From: Michelle Thom To: "Recipients of conference susag.news" Subject: Sustainable Ag News - 7/23/93 Sustainable Agriculture News Bulletin Volume 2, Number 11 July 23, 1993 ------------------------------------------------ News Summaries ------------------------------------------------ MONSANTO REPORTS RECORD SALES OF ROUNDUP In spite of severe flooding that has disrupted crop production in the Midwest, the chemical giant Monsanto is reporting record sales of their Roundup herbicide this spring. The company's second quarter income doubled to $200 million, up from $105 million a year earlier. While the company makes many products ranging from artificial sweeteners to carpet fibers, it is the Roundup product that boosted company earnings over the past year. "The primary source of our outstanding performance this quarter is the agricultural group's family of Roundup herbicides," said company chair Richard Mahoney. He said the reason behind the jump in Roundup sales was the move to conservation tillage methods by more U.S. farmers. Minimum and no-till techniques reduce input and labor costs as well as soil erosion. On the other hand, farmers generally are forced to use herbicides like Roundup to control the weeds in their fields. Source: Scott McMurray, "Monsanto Earnings Soar on Record Sales of Roundup," WALL STREET JOURNAL, July 21, 1993. DEVELOPING WORLD NEEDS MORE THAN SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE In a recent article in PANOSCOPE, Miguel Altieri, a Chilean agronomist teaching at the University of California-Berkeley, said that Third World farmers need more than just a sustainable method of agricultural production. Altieri argues that as sustainable agriculture has caught on in the North, larger development agencies and research organizations have sought to export the philosophy to the South. He writes that sustainable methods of agricultural production are undesirable when pursued within a system based on privatization and the free market, which these agencies also promote. He calls sustainable agriculture a "technical fix" that substitutes biological inputs for chemical ones while ignoring the needs of farmers in the Third World. "A truly sustainable agriculture demands more than just changes in inputs," Altieri writes. Sustainable agriculture needs land reforms to support small-scale producers and farm machinery needs to be redesigned to handle mixed cropping techniques preferred by many smaller farmers throughout the developing world. "It [also] requires a change in the political and economic priorities which determine prices of crops and land, encourage corporate ownership and control of farm production ... and promote production for export rather than domestic consumption," he says. Miguel Altieri, "The Market Seizes on Organic Farming," PANOSCOPE, July 1993. EC PROPOSAL TO CUT METHYL BROMIDE 25% NOT GOOD ENOUGH A European Commission proposal to cut the production and supply of the soil fumigant and ozone depleter methyl bromide by 25% by the year 1996 does not go far enough, according to the PESTICIDE ACTION NETWORK'S (PAN) UPDATES SERVICE. PAN says that the reduction can be achieved using current emissions-reducing equipment, which means the chemical can still be used at its present level. The organization denies claims by the chemical industry that there are no alternatives to methyl bromide. Crop rotation and steam sterilization are already being used in many EC member states. "If the EC starts planning now, a coordinated research program could support an orderly-phase out of remaining methyl bromide uses by the year 2000, if not sooner," PAN concludes. Source: "Industry Dilutes EC Proposal to Cut Methyl Bromide Use," PESTICIDE ACTION NETWORK'S UPDATES SERVICE, July 14, 1993. FLOODING EXPECTED TO INCREASE RATE OF SOIL EROSION With much of Midwestern farmland under water, experts are predicting some of the worst soil erosion in years. "This is one of the most severe years we've seen for erosion," said Jim Jensen of the Iowa State University Extension Service. In fact, he said, some fields have lost more than 20 tons of soil per acre in a single rain. That level is four times greater than what is considered a "tolerable" level of erosion. In addition to erosion, the floods are washing farm chemicals and animal wastes into streams and rivers. While the large volume of water will eventually dilute the chemicals, the erosion may provide farmers with an incentive to use more chemicals next spring in an attempt to replenish their soil. No-till farming has helped to ebb the erosion process in Iowa in particular, according to Jeffrey Vonk of the Soil Conservation Service (SCS). Earlier in the decade, less severe storms had actually caused more erosion, he said. "This isn't great news to the farmers who are suffering, but at least there's some indication that we're having some success curbing erosion," said Vonk. Last week, conservation groups said that the loss of wetlands has severely increased the risk of flooding after heavy rains. "The water goes higher and goes downstream faster," said Kevin Coyle of American Rivers, because flood-control projects "have tried to engineer away the flood plain." He recommended allowing the flood waters to take over some farmland and compensate farmers. Bret Hulsey of the Sierra Club recommended changing the scope of flood insurance programs to focus on moving people and buildings out of areas that frequently flood. "That's probably the best investment for the American people, convert these low-lying areas to farm land, wildlife preserves or green spaces," he said. George Halford of the Army Corp of Engineers said the incessant rain, not flood control projects, were to blame for the summer floods. Dave Lane of the American Farm Bureau Federation agreed, saying, "With the rains we got this spring, there'd still be a flood." The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee is expected to hold a wetlands hearing in the next few weeks. Source: Scott McMurray, "Midwest Deluge Thwarts Efforts to Protect Soil," WALL STREET JOURNAL, July 20, 1993; Charles Abbott, "Give River More Room, Conservationists Say," REUTER, July 15, 1993. FLORIDA FARMERS REQUEST DUPONT DOCUMENTS IN BENLATE CASE Attorneys for several Florida growers who are suing the DuPont chemical company for crop damage allegedly caused by its Benlate product have asked the Broward County Court to hear arguments aimed at getting the company to release several internal documents. The Florida Department of Agriculture has been fighting with company officials for months in an attempt to get them to release documents it says proves DuPont knew about the potential harmful effects of Benlate. Last month, DuPont rejected a subpoena by Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Bob Crawford, saying the state lacks the authority to force the company to produce documents or company officials for a hearing. The first of several Benlate trials is already underway in Georgia. The first Florida trial is expected to begin in August. Source: "Florida Growers Press DuPont for Documents," REUTER, July 16, 1993. EXPANDING URBAN AREAS TAKING OVER FARMLAND At a news conference last week, the American Farmland Trust (AFT) said that urban sprawl is taking over some of the nation's most valuable farmland. Farmers are under increasing pressure to sell their land to developers, said AFT President Frank Grossi. He said he hopes the appointment of Richard Rominger as Deputy Secretary of Agriculture will help enforce the Farmland Protection Policy act and the Farms for the Future Act which are designed to save productive land for agricultural purposes. Rominger is a former board member of AFT. Source: "Suburban Sprawl Gobbling Up Farmland," Farming Today, UPI, July 19, 1993. INDIAN MONSOON CAUSES VAST FLOODING, DEATH FOR 500 The summer monsoon in India, which is normally eagerly anticipated by farmers, has wreaked havoc all over the Indian countryside. In addition to 500 deaths and serious flooding, the Indian government estimates that millions of dollars in agricultural production has been lost. Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao has promised to provide farmers with disaster relief soon. Helicopters have already begun dropping food supplies for residents who have had to flee their homes for higher ground. The government, which earlier predicted the Indian economy would grow by 6% this year, now called those projections "unrealistic." The Economic Times said that given the relatively early arrival of the monsoon, the annual flooding should have a minimal effect on agricultural output overall. Source: Edward Gargan, "Indian Monsoon Brings Floods and Landslides; Death Toll is 500," NEW YORK TIMES, July 23, 1993. WORLDWATCH SAYS FOOD SUPPLY UNABLE TO MAINTAIN POPULATION A recent study entitled Vital Statistics 1993: The Trends that Are Shaping Our Future by the Washington-based Worldwatch Institute said that the oceans cannot keep up with the demands from a growing population on fish supplies. Fish harvests have declined 8% since 1988 and have consistently remained at around 97 million tons. The scarcity of fish is just one of many elements which point to a decreasing global supply of protein, the report says. In addition, while soybean harvests are setting world records, output per person has been in decline. World meat supplies have also fallen off since 1990. "We're seeing an overall tightening on the food front that at least raises the possibility of declining per capita consumption on a worldwide basis for the foreseeable future of seafood, meat produced from rangelands and grain," said Lester Brown, president of Worldwatch. The report also said worldwide use of fertilizer has decreased due in large part to the removal of subsidies for their use in Eastern Europe. Also, the world's ability to generate windpower continued to grow last year while the world's nuclear capacity remained flat. Source: Lisa Bransten, "Population Growth Outstripping Food Supply, Report Says," FINANCIAL TIMES, July 20, 1993; "Food Production Isn't Keeping Up," DES MOINES REGISTER, July 18, 1993. ------------------------------------------------ Resources ------------------------------------------------ The USDA's Cooperative State Research Service produces a quarterly newsletter called SMALL-SCALE AGRICULTURE. Items of interest in the Summer 1993 issue include a calendar of events, a list of farm safety rules and tips for small-scale agricultural operations. For more information, contact USDA/CSRS, Office for Small-Scale Agriculture, Ag Box 2244, Washington D.C. 20250. FARMING WITH NATURE is a recent publication of the Green Group in the European Parliament. The book begins with an introduction about what went wrong with European agriculture and the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). The body of the book focuses on critiquing last spring's reforms of the CAP and makes "green" recommendations for "reforming the reforms." "This is an appeal to everybody to work to achieve a sustainable and autonomous farming, not to be discouraged but to seek improved cooperation," the authors say. For prices, bulk orders and other information, contact The Green Group, WG Agriculture, MON 309, Rue Belliard 97- 113, B1047 Brussels. Belgium, Tel: (32 2) 284-3362, Fax: (32 2) 284-9154. Conferences/Events ------------------------------------------------ JULY -------------------------------------------- 4TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON DESERT DEVELOPMENT, July 25-30, 1993, Mexico City, Mexico. FFI, contact: Manuel Anaya Garduna, Scientific IV ICDD, Colegio de Post- graduados, Montecillo, Edo. 1 de Mexico. AUGUST -------------------------------------------- TRAINING PROGRAM FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, August 1-6, 1993, Conway, AR. FFI, contact: Community Development Institute, University of Central Arkansas, Conway, AR 72035. USDA PUBLIC MEETING TO DEVELOP A U.S. NATIONAL NUTRITION PLAN OF ACTION, August 4, 1993, Washington D.C. FFI, contact: Linda Elswick, World Sustainable Agriculture Association, 1331 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 907 North Tower, Washington D.C. 20004, Tel: (202) 347-0637, Fax: (202) 347-0634. 13TH ANNUAL SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE TOUR, August 5, 1993, Lincoln, NE. FFI, contact: Center for Sustainable Agriculture Systems, 221 Keim Hall, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68583, tel: (402) 472-2056. NATIONAL COMMUNITY LAND TRUST CONFERENCE, August 5- 8, 1993, Cincinnati, OH. FFI, contact: Institute for Community Economics, 57 School Street, Springfield, MA 01105, Tel: (413) 746- 8660. 10TH ANNUAL SUMMER CONFERENCE & CELEBRATION OF RURAL LIFE, August 13-15, 1993, Amherst, MA. FFI, contact: Julie Rawson, Natural Organic Farming Association, 411 Sheldon Road, Barre, MA 01105, (508) 355-2853. ETHNOSCIENCES INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP, August 13-20, 1993, Sussex, U.K. FFI, contact: Tadue Caldas, Emerson College, Forest Row, Sussex, RH18 5JX, U.K. tel: (44) 342-824622, fax: (44) 342-824949. INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON SOIL TESTING, PLANT ANALYSIS AND PRECISION NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT, August 14-19, 1993, Olympia, WA. FFI, contact: Benton Jones, Jr., Evergreen State College, (706) 546-0425. THIRD NORTH AMERICAN AGROFORESTRY CONFERENCE, August 15-18, 1993, Ames, IA. FFI, contact: Dr. Richard Schultz, Department of Forestry, 251 Bessey Hall, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, fax: (515) 294-1337. -------------------------------------------------- Produced by: Michelle Thom, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy , 1313 5th Street SE Suite 303, Minneapolis, MN 55414, Tel: (612) 379-5980 Fax: (612) 379-5982 EMail: mthom@igc.org or mmthom@alex.stkate.edu. In addition to this news bulletin, the Institute publishes a variety of news bulletins on agriculture, the environment and international trade. These include: Biotechnology Bulletin (weekly news bulletins on biotechnology); Trade News (daily news bulletins on international trade issues); and Farm Policy News (news bulletins on farm policy four times a week). The Institute also maintains a wide range of computer-based information services on the EcoNet computer network. Contact the Institute for more information. From mthom@igc.apc.org Fri Aug 27 22:51:56 1993 Date: 02 Aug 93 06:45 PDT From: Michelle Thom To: "Recipients of conference susag.news" Subject: Sus Ag Alert/Nutrition Policy From: Michelle Thom Subject: Sus Ag Alert/Nutrition Policy >From ghegyes@nalusda.gov Sat Jul 31 23:31:32 1993 Received: from twosocks.ces.ncsu.edu by igc.apc.org (4.1/Revision: 1.100 ) id AA00716; Sat, 31 Jul 93 23:31:23 PDT Received: from wolf.ces.ncsu.edu by twosocks.ces.ncsu.edu (4.1/RAY 01-09-93 16:56:22) id AA04635; Sun, 1 Aug 93 00:56:28 EDT Posted-Date: Sun, 1 Aug 1993 00:56:55 -0400 (EDT) Received: from noc.sura.net ([192.80.214.100]) by wolf.ces.ncsu.edu with SMTP (5.59/25-eef) id AA16637; Sun, 1 Aug 93 00:54:05 EDT Received: from cliff.nalusda.gov by noc.sura.net with SMTP for sanet-mg@ces.ncsu.edu (5.65b/(SURAnet $Revision: 1.29 $)) id AA07863; Sun, 1 Aug 93 00:56:07 -0400 Received: by nalusda.gov (4.1/SMI-4.1) id AA11439; Sun, 1 Aug 93 00:56:56 EDT Date: Sun, 1 Aug 1993 00:56:55 -0400 (EDT) From: Gabriel Hegyes Sender: Gabriel Hegyes Reply-To: Gabriel Hegyes Subject: Nutrition, Food and Agriculture Policy To: SANET-mg Cc: Sustag-public , Envst-L Message-Id: Status: R FROM: World Sustainable Agriculture Association. Linda Elswick, Associate Director, Washington Office 202-347-0637 202-347-0634 FAX wsaadc@cdp.apc.org SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE ALERT AN OPPORTUNITY TO INTEGRATE NUTRITION, FOOD AND AGRICULTURE POLICY US NATIONAL NUTRITION PLAN OF ACTION HEARING SCHEDULED FOR AUGUST 4, 1993 The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has scheduled a public meeting on August 4, 1993 in Washington, DC for input to the U.S. Plan of Action for Nutrition being written in response to the International Conference on Nutrition (ICN). Both domestic and international policy will be addressed. BACKGROUND: The World Declaration on Nutrition and Global Plan of Action for Nutrition was signed by 159 countries in Rome in December, 1992 at the ICN, the first global intergovernmental conference on nutrition in over two decades. The scope of the conference includes much of interest to groups concerned with food, sustainable agriculture, environment and trade, as well as those working to address the issues of health, hunger and poverty. The ICN Global Plan of Action serves as the framework for country-specific, action-oriented strategies to meet the challenges of the ICN. This first public meeting called for the required U.S. Plan of Action to be completed by the end of 1994. If offers an opportunity to integrate these concern into a solid plan of action for nutrition in the U.S. Your active is needed now. From mthom@igc.apc.org Fri Aug 27 22:52:01 1993 Date: 02 Aug 93 07:12 PDT From: Michelle Thom To: "Recipients of conference susag.news" Subject: Sustainable Ag News - 7/30/93 Sustainable Agriculture News Bulletin Volume 2, Number 12 July 30, 1993 ------------------------------------------------ HEADLINES: FLORIDA JUDGE REJECTS REQUEST TO RELEASE DUPONT PAPERS USDA SEEKING COMMENT ON IMPORTED WOOD EIS FIRST CSD MEETING PAYS LITTLE ATTENTION TO SUSTAINABLE AG COLOMBIAN COFFEE GROWERS POISONED AFTER ENDOSULFAN EXPOSURE CUOMO EXTENDS IRRADIATION BAN UFW RENEWS TABLE GRAPE BOYCOTT RESEARCHERS LOOKING FOR PESTICIDE-CLEANING WEEDS GOVERNMENT LINKS AGENT ORANGE HERBICIDE TO 2 NEW ILLNESSES EUROPEAN CHEMICAL MARKETS PERFORM POORLY IN SECOND QUARTER ------------------------------------------------ News Summaries ------------------------------------------------ FLORIDA JUDGE REJECTS REQUEST TO RELEASE DUPONT PAPERS A Florida judge last week turned down a request by the Florida Department of Agriculture to get the DuPont chemical company release one million internal documents regarding its Benlate product. The company currently faces several lawsuits by farmers for damage to crops allegedly caused by DuPont's Benlate products. Ag officials tried to use the state's "Litigation in the Sunshine Act" by requesting that a Broward County judge set aside an agreement reached by DuPont and Far West, Inc. that banned the public release of the documents. Judge Arthur Frenza said that in order to set aside the confidentiality agreement, he would have to know that Benlate is indeed a public threat and that is what the trial is supposed to determine. He did, however, say that the Agriculture Department could file requests for documents under civil trial rules. Source: "Florida Judge Doesn't Release Benlate Papers," REUTER, July 26, 1993. USDA SEEKING COMMENT ON IMPORTED WOOD EIS The USDA announced that it is seeking suggestions from the public about issues to be addressed in a proposed environmental impact statement (EIS) on wood imports. The EIS will be used to develop regulations on unprocessed wood. The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) said the EIS will also address pesticide use, the overall impact on forests and the potential for increased imports of wood. The Senate Appropriations Committee was considering a proposal this week that would abandon a four-year plan to phase out timber sales from national forests where costs exceed profits. By continuing below-cost timber sales, taxpayers would save $46 million, according to a group of senators. The savings would be achieved by raising minimum bids for timber; building temporary access roads instead of permanent ones; providing an incentive package to reduce the Forest Service work force; streamlining sales procedures; and sharing agency staff. "This proposal signals a way out of the below-cost issue that makes sense for both timber communities and taxpayers," said Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT). Bob Hasan, a leading figure in Indonesia's timber trade, told the Antara news agency that industrialized countries are spreading lies about deforestation. The article said that Hasan said Indonesia actively works to promote conservation. "Issues of protection of tropical rainforests are still continuously being debated and create misunderstandings, while Indonesia's stance on forest exploitation for development purposes are often misinterpreted," Hasan said. Indonesia is home to the largest tropical rainforests outside of Brazil and has been accused of implementing poor logging and re- forestation plans. A recent report by the World Bank said that the country is responsible for logging and slashing-and-burning over a million hectares of forest a year. "Such complaints basically have a background of trade competition. The developed countries close their eyes towards the fact that forest destruction in mild climate regions are currently underway in their countries," he said. Hasan made the comments at a meeting of trainee ambassadors and diplomats. Source: "USDA to Write Environment Statement on wood Imports," REUTER, July 28, 1993; Robert Greene, "Timber Sales," AP, July 27, 1993; "Indonesia's Timber King Defends Logging Record," REUTER, June 22, 1993. FIRST CSD MEETING PAYS LITTLE ATTENTION TO SUSTAINABLE AG The first organizational meeting of the President's Council on Sustainable Development (CSD) devoted little time to the topic of sustainable agriculture. President Clinton formed the CSD to focus on ways to achieve sustainable development. John Sawhill, president of the Nature Conservancy, questioned the lack of sustainable agriculture's presence in the agenda, saying that agriculture is a specific sector that needs to be addressed in moving toward a sustainable development agenda. When the floor was opened to public participation, Linda Elswick of the World Sustainable Agriculture Association asked for cooperation between the CSD and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Some of the CSD members include: David Buzzelli of Dow Chemical; Richard Barth of Ciba-Geigy; A.D. Correll of Georgia Pacific; and William Ruckelshaus of Browning- Ferris. Source: Isaac Kaufman, "President's Council on Sustainable Development," July 27, 1993. COLOMBIAN COFFEE GROWERS POISONED AFTER ENDOSULFAN EXPOSURE At least 60 Colombian coffee growers were poisoned and one died after being exposed to Hoechst's endosulfan product, Thiodan. Growers had begun widespread use of the product this year after outbreaks of the parasite "la boca." A spokesperson for Hoechst said growers need to learn to use the product properly. If used correctly, he said, the product poses no heath risk to workers or the environment. The Colombian government has initiated a program to train growers and farmworkers in the use of pesticides. Source: "Endosulfan Poisonings in Colombia," PESTICIDE ACTION NETWORK UPDATES SERVICE, July 28, 1993. CUOMO EXTENDS IRRADIATION BAN New York Governor Mario Cuomo signed into law earlier this month a bill that extends the state's moratorium on the sale and distribution of foods that have been exposed to radiation. The law has serious implications for the food irradiation industry, which lobbied heavily against the measure. "By extending the ban, New York is again sending a strong signal to the meat and poultry industries demanding real solutions to food safety problems, not dangerous gimmicks like irradiation," said a press release by Food & Water. Source: "Victory!!," FOOD & WATER UPDATE, August 1993. UFW RENEWS TABLE GRAPE BOYCOTT The United Farm Workers (UFW) renewed an international boycott of table grapes earlier this week. The last boycott began in 1984 under the direction of the recently-deceased UFW leader Cesar Chavez. The purpose of the boycott was to convince grape growers to stop using pesticides that were harming migrant farmworkers. "Cesar's death kind of put it (the boycott) into high gear," said UFW organizer Rudy Medina. The first boycott begun by Chavez in the 1960s helped mobilize thousands of migrant workers in California against dangerous pesticide practices on the part of grape growers. Source: "BRF-Grape Boycott," AP, July 28, 1993. RESEARCHERS LOOKING FOR PESTICIDE-CLEANING WEEDS Researchers at Iowa State University have been studying weeds that clean commonly used pesticides like atrazine and trifluralin from contaminated soils. Initial tests indicate that crab grass and another weed called kochia can reduce the amount of pesticides in soils. Todd Anderson, an environmental toxicologist, explained that some plants secrete certain substances through their roots which prompt the presence of microbes to defend the plant when placed in contaminated soil. The microbes have also been found to break down chemicals in some cases. Researchers are currently trying to find other plants that have the same function and hope to eventually use them to avoid dumping contaminated soil at hazardous waste sites. Source: Char Kosek, "Midwest Farm Report," UPI, July 29, 1993. GOVERNMENT LINKS AGENT ORANGE HERBICIDE TO 2 NEW ILLNESSES A report released this week by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) linked the herbicide Agent Orange, used as a defoliant in the Vietnam War, to two illnesses in addition to the three types of cancer already proven to have resulted from exposure to the herbicide. The new diseases linked to the herbicide are Hodgkin's disease and a skin-blistering condition called porphyria cutanea tarda. Non- Hodgkin's lymphoma, soft tissue sarcoma and chloracne are already on the list of diseases caused by Agent Orange exposure. Veterans experiencing these ailments are now entitled to compensation. The report failed to link Agent Orange to many other ailments including birth defects and infertility. "Vietnam vets were right all along," said Representative Lane Evans (D-IL). "Today should be remembered as the day we finally reversed the tide and started fulfilling our promise to Agent Orange victims and their families," said Senator Tom Daschle (D-SD). Source: Bill McAllister, "Comprehensive Review Links Five Maladies to Agent Orange Exposure," WASHINGTON POST, July 28, 1993; Warren Leary, "Study Links Herbicides to 2 More Veteran's Ills," NEW YORK TIMES, July 28, 1993. EUROPEAN CHEMICAL MARKETS PERFORM POORLY IN SECOND QUARTER European chemical markets performed poorly last quarter while cost-cutting measures, undertaken by many companies, helped the U.S. chemical market performance. "The only companies that really had positive comparisons were the cost-cutters," said Paul Raman, an analyst with S.G. Warburg. Among the losers were Rohm & Haas and Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. Monsanto said its earnings were up last quarter with excellent sales of its Roundup product. DuPont will release second quarter earnings next week and is also expected to perform well. Source: Randall Mikkelsen, "U.S. Chemical Industry Q2 Results," REUTER, July 27, 1993; ------------------------------------------------ Resources ------------------------------------------------ INDUSTRIAL USES OF AGRICULTURAL MATERIALS is a new publication by the USDA'S Economic Research Service. Published twice a year, the journal covers the latest research on alternative uses of agricultural materials. The June 1993 issue covers topics such as soy-based ink, biodiesel fuel, jojoba production and natural fiber use. A one year subscription costs $16.00. For more information, contact ERS-NASS, 341 Victory Drive, Herndon, VA 22070, Tel: (800) 999-6779. WETLANDS PROTECTION: THE SCOPE OF THE SECTION 404 PROGRAM REMAINS UNCERTAIN was published by the General Accounting Office (GAO) in April 1993. For a copy, contact GAO, Washington D.C. 20548. The report number is GAO/RCED-93- 26. Conferences/Events ------------------------------------------------ AUGUST -------------------------------------------- TRAINING PROGRAM FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, August 1-6, 1993, Conway, AR. FFI, contact: Community Development Institute, University of Central Arkansas, Conway, AR 72035. USDA PUBLIC MEETING TO DEVELOP A U.S. NATIONAL NUTRITION PLAN OF ACTION, August 4, 1993, Washington D.C. FFI, contact: Linda Elswick, World Sustainable Agriculture Association, 1331 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 907 North Tower, Washington D.C. 20004, Tel: (202) 347-0637, Fax: (202) 347-0634. HOLISTIC RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, August 4-6, 1993, Snowbird, UT. FFI, contact: Center for Holistic Resource Management, 5820 4th Street NW, Albuquerque, NM 87107, Tel: (800) 654-3619. 13TH ANNUAL SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE TOUR, August 5, 1993, Lincoln, NE. FFI, contact: Center for Sustainable Agriculture Systems, 221 Keim Hall, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68583, tel: (402) 472-2056. NATIONAL COMMUNITY LAND TRUST CONFERENCE, August 5- 8, 1993, Cincinnati, OH. FFI, contact: Institute for Community Economics, 57 School Street, Springfield, MA 01105, Tel: (413) 746- 8660. TOUR OF COMMUNITY-SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE FARM, August 7, 1993, Osceola, WI. FFI, contact: Paul Schaefer, Western Wisconsin Sustainable Farming Network, Tel: (715) 792-5227. 10TH ANNUAL SUMMER CONFERENCE & CELEBRATION OF RURAL LIFE, August 13-15, 1993, Amherst, MA. FFI, contact: Julie Rawson, Natural Organic Farming Association, 411 Sheldon Road, Barre, MA 01105, (508) 355-2853. ETHNOSCIENCES INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP, August 13-20, 1993, Sussex, U.K. FFI, contact: Tadue Caldas, Emerson College, Forest Row, Sussex, RH18 5JX, U.K. tel: (44) 342-824622, fax: (44) 342-824949. -------------------------------------------------- Produced by: Michelle Thom, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy , 1313 5th Street SE Suite 303, Minneapolis, MN 55414, Tel: (612) 379-5980 Fax: (612) 379-5982 EMail: mthom@igc.org or mmthom@alex.stkate.edu. In addition to this news bulletin, the Institute publishes a variety of news bulletins on agriculture, the environment and international trade. These include: Biotechnology Bulletin (weekly news bulletins on biotechnology); Trade News (daily news bulletins on international trade issues); and Farm Policy News (news bulletins on farm policy four times a week). The Institute also maintains a wide range of computer-based information services on the EcoNet computer network. Contact the Institute for more information. From mthom@igc.apc.org Fri Aug 27 22:52:07 1993 Date: 02 Aug 93 07:12 PDT From: Michelle Thom To: "Recipients of conference susag.news" Subject: Sustainable Ag News - 7/30/93 Sustainable Agriculture News Bulletin Volume 2, Number 12 July 30, 1993 ------------------------------------------------ HEADLINES: FLORIDA JUDGE REJECTS REQUEST TO RELEASE DUPONT PAPERS USDA SEEKING COMMENT ON IMPORTED WOOD EIS FIRST CSD MEETING PAYS LITTLE ATTENTION TO SUSTAINABLE AG COLOMBIAN COFFEE GROWERS POISONED AFTER ENDOSULFAN EXPOSURE CUOMO EXTENDS IRRADIATION BAN UFW RENEWS TABLE GRAPE BOYCOTT RESEARCHERS LOOKING FOR PESTICIDE-CLEANING WEEDS GOVERNMENT LINKS AGENT ORANGE HERBICIDE TO 2 NEW ILLNESSES EUROPEAN CHEMICAL MARKETS PERFORM POORLY IN SECOND QUARTER ------------------------------------------------ News Summaries ------------------------------------------------ FLORIDA JUDGE REJECTS REQUEST TO RELEASE DUPONT PAPERS A Florida judge last week turned down a request by the Florida Department of Agriculture to get the DuPont chemical company release one million internal documents regarding its Benlate product. The company currently faces several lawsuits by farmers for damage to crops allegedly caused by DuPont's Benlate products. Ag officials tried to use the state's "Litigation in the Sunshine Act" by requesting that a Broward County judge set aside an agreement reached by DuPont and Far West, Inc. that banned the public release of the documents. Judge Arthur Frenza said that in order to set aside the confidentiality agreement, he would have to know that Benlate is indeed a public threat and that is what the trial is supposed to determine. He did, however, say that the Agriculture Department could file requests for documents under civil trial rules. Source: "Florida Judge Doesn't Release Benlate Papers," REUTER, July 26, 1993. USDA SEEKING COMMENT ON IMPORTED WOOD EIS The USDA announced that it is seeking suggestions from the public about issues to be addressed in a proposed environmental impact statement (EIS) on wood imports. The EIS will be used to develop regulations on unprocessed wood. The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) said the EIS will also address pesticide use, the overall impact on forests and the potential for increased imports of wood. The Senate Appropriations Committee was considering a proposal this week that would abandon a four-year plan to phase out timber sales from national forests where costs exceed profits. By continuing below-cost timber sales, taxpayers would save $46 million, according to a group of senators. The savings would be achieved by raising minimum bids for timber; building temporary access roads instead of permanent ones; providing an incentive package to reduce the Forest Service work force; streamlining sales procedures; and sharing agency staff. "This proposal signals a way out of the below-cost issue that makes sense for both timber communities and taxpayers," said Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT). Bob Hasan, a leading figure in Indonesia's timber trade, told the Antara news agency that industrialized countries are spreading lies about deforestation. The article said that Hasan said Indonesia actively works to promote conservation. "Issues of protection of tropical rainforests are still continuously being debated and create misunderstandings, while Indonesia's stance on forest exploitation for development purposes are often misinterpreted," Hasan said. Indonesia is home to the largest tropical rainforests outside of Brazil and has been accused of implementing poor logging and re- forestation plans. A recent report by the World Bank said that the country is responsible for logging and slashing-and-burning over a million hectares of forest a year. "Such complaints basically have a background of trade competition. The developed countries close their eyes towards the fact that forest destruction in mild climate regions are currently underway in their countries," he said. Hasan made the comments at a meeting of trainee ambassadors and diplomats. Source: "USDA to Write Environment Statement on wood Imports," REUTER, July 28, 1993; Robert Greene, "Timber Sales," AP, July 27, 1993; "Indonesia's Timber King Defends Logging Record," REUTER, June 22, 1993. FIRST CSD MEETING PAYS LITTLE ATTENTION TO SUSTAINABLE AG The first organizational meeting of the President's Council on Sustainable Development (CSD) devoted little time to the topic of sustainable agriculture. President Clinton formed the CSD to focus on ways to achieve sustainable development. John Sawhill, president of the Nature Conservancy, questioned the lack of sustainable agriculture's presence in the agenda, saying that agriculture is a specific sector that needs to be addressed in moving toward a sustainable development agenda. When the floor was opened to public participation, Linda Elswick of the World Sustainable Agriculture Association asked for cooperation between the CSD and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Some of the CSD members include: David Buzzelli of Dow Chemical; Richard Barth of Ciba-Geigy; A.D. Correll of Georgia Pacific; and William Ruckelshaus of Browning- Ferris. Source: Isaac Kaufman, "President's Council on Sustainable Development," July 27, 1993. COLOMBIAN COFFEE GROWERS POISONED AFTER ENDOSULFAN EXPOSURE At least 60 Colombian coffee growers were poisoned and one died after being exposed to Hoechst's endosulfan product, Thiodan. Growers had begun widespread use of the product this year after outbreaks of the parasite "la boca." A spokesperson for Hoechst said growers need to learn to use the product properly. If used correctly, he said, the product poses no heath risk to workers or the environment. The Colombian government has initiated a program to train growers and farmworkers in the use of pesticides. Source: "Endosulfan Poisonings in Colombia," PESTICIDE ACTION NETWORK UPDATES SERVICE, July 28, 1993. CUOMO EXTENDS IRRADIATION BAN New York Governor Mario Cuomo signed into law earlier this month a bill that extends the state's moratorium on the sale and distribution of foods that have been exposed to radiation. The law has serious implications for the food irradiation industry, which lobbied heavily against the measure. "By extending the ban, New York is again sending a strong signal to the meat and poultry industries demanding real solutions to food safety problems, not dangerous gimmicks like irradiation," said a press release by Food & Water. Source: "Victory!!," FOOD & WATER UPDATE, August 1993. UFW RENEWS TABLE GRAPE BOYCOTT The United Farm Workers (UFW) renewed an international boycott of table grapes earlier this week. The last boycott began in 1984 under the direction of the recently-deceased UFW leader Cesar Chavez. The purpose of the boycott was to convince grape growers to stop using pesticides that were harming migrant farmworkers. "Cesar's death kind of put it (the boycott) into high gear," said UFW organizer Rudy Medina. The first boycott begun by Chavez in the 1960s helped mobilize thousands of migrant workers in California against dangerous pesticide practices on the part of grape growers. Source: "BRF-Grape Boycott," AP, July 28, 1993. RESEARCHERS LOOKING FOR PESTICIDE-CLEANING WEEDS Researchers at Iowa State University have been studying weeds that clean commonly used pesticides like atrazine and trifluralin from contaminated soils. Initial tests indicate that crab grass and another weed called kochia can reduce the amount of pesticides in soils. Todd Anderson, an environmental toxicologist, explained that some plants secrete certain substances through their roots which prompt the presence of microbes to defend the plant when placed in contaminated soil. The microbes have also been found to break down chemicals in some cases. Researchers are currently trying to find other plants that have the same function and hope to eventually use them to avoid dumping contaminated soil at hazardous waste sites. Source: Char Kosek, "Midwest Farm Report," UPI, July 29, 1993. GOVERNMENT LINKS AGENT ORANGE HERBICIDE TO 2 NEW ILLNESSES A report released this week by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) linked the herbicide Agent Orange, used as a defoliant in the Vietnam War, to two illnesses in addition to the three types of cancer already proven to have resulted from exposure to the herbicide. The new diseases linked to the herbicide are Hodgkin's disease and a skin-blistering condition called porphyria cutanea tarda. Non- Hodgkin's lymphoma, soft tissue sarcoma and chloracne are already on the list of diseases caused by Agent Orange exposure. Veterans experiencing these ailments are now entitled to compensation. The report failed to link Agent Orange to many other ailments including birth defects and infertility. "Vietnam vets were right all along," said Representative Lane Evans (D-IL). "Today should be remembered as the day we finally reversed the tide and started fulfilling our promise to Agent Orange victims and their families," said Senator Tom Daschle (D-SD). Source: Bill McAllister, "Comprehensive Review Links Five Maladies to Agent Orange Exposure," WASHINGTON POST, July 28, 1993; Warren Leary, "Study Links Herbicides to 2 More Veteran's Ills," NEW YORK TIMES, July 28, 1993. EUROPEAN CHEMICAL MARKETS PERFORM POORLY IN SECOND QUARTER European chemical markets performed poorly last quarter while cost-cutting measures, undertaken by many companies, helped the U.S. chemical market performance. "The only companies that really had positive comparisons were the cost-cutters," said Paul Raman, an analyst with S.G. Warburg. Among the losers were Rohm & Haas and Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. Monsanto said its earnings were up last quarter with excellent sales of its Roundup product. DuPont will release second quarter earnings next week and is also expected to perform well. Source: Randall Mikkelsen, "U.S. Chemical Industry Q2 Results," REUTER, July 27, 1993; ------------------------------------------------ Resources ------------------------------------------------ INDUSTRIAL USES OF AGRICULTURAL MATERIALS is a new publication by the USDA'S Economic Research Service. Published twice a year, the journal covers the latest research on alternative uses of agricultural materials. The June 1993 issue covers topics such as soy-based ink, biodiesel fuel, jojoba production and natural fiber use. A one year subscription costs $16.00. For more information, contact ERS-NASS, 341 Victory Drive, Herndon, VA 22070, Tel: (800) 999-6779. WETLANDS PROTECTION: THE SCOPE OF THE SECTION 404 PROGRAM REMAINS UNCERTAIN was published by the General Accounting Office (GAO) in April 1993. For a copy, contact GAO, Washington D.C. 20548. The report number is GAO/RCED-93- 26. Conferences/Events ------------------------------------------------ AUGUST -------------------------------------------- TRAINING PROGRAM FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, August 1-6, 1993, Conway, AR. FFI, contact: Community Development Institute, University of Central Arkansas, Conway, AR 72035. USDA PUBLIC MEETING TO DEVELOP A U.S. NATIONAL NUTRITION PLAN OF ACTION, August 4, 1993, Washington D.C. FFI, contact: Linda Elswick, World Sustainable Agriculture Association, 1331 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 907 North Tower, Washington D.C. 20004, Tel: (202) 347-0637, Fax: (202) 347-0634. HOLISTIC RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, August 4-6, 1993, Snowbird, UT. FFI, contact: Center for Holistic Resource Management, 5820 4th Street NW, Albuquerque, NM 87107, Tel: (800) 654-3619. 13TH ANNUAL SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE TOUR, August 5, 1993, Lincoln, NE. FFI, contact: Center for Sustainable Agriculture Systems, 221 Keim Hall, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68583, tel: (402) 472-2056. NATIONAL COMMUNITY LAND TRUST CONFERENCE, August 5- 8, 1993, Cincinnati, OH. FFI, contact: Institute for Community Economics, 57 School Street, Springfield, MA 01105, Tel: (413) 746- 8660. TOUR OF COMMUNITY-SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE FARM, August 7, 1993, Osceola, WI. FFI, contact: Paul Schaefer, Western Wisconsin Sustainable Farming Network, Tel: (715) 792-5227. 10TH ANNUAL SUMMER CONFERENCE & CELEBRATION OF RURAL LIFE, August 13-15, 1993, Amherst, MA. FFI, contact: Julie Rawson, Natural Organic Farming Association, 411 Sheldon Road, Barre, MA 01105, (508) 355-2853. ETHNOSCIENCES INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP, August 13-20, 1993, Sussex, U.K. FFI, contact: Tadue Caldas, Emerson College, Forest Row, Sussex, RH18 5JX, U.K. tel: (44) 342-824622, fax: (44) 342-824949. -------------------------------------------------- Produced by: Michelle Thom, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy , 1313 5th Street SE Suite 303, Minneapolis, MN 55414, Tel: (612) 379-5980 Fax: (612) 379-5982 EMail: mthom@igc.org or mmthom@alex.stkate.edu. In addition to this news bulletin, the Institute publishes a variety of news bulletins on agriculture, the environment and international trade. These include: Biotechnology Bulletin (weekly news bulletins on biotechnology); Trade News (daily news bulletins on international trade issues); and Farm Policy News (news bulletins on farm policy four times a week). The Institute also maintains a wide range of computer-based information services on the EcoNet computer network. Contact the Institute for more information. From mthom@igc.apc.org Fri Aug 27 22:52:12 1993 Date: 02 Aug 93 07:15 PDT From: Michelle Thom To: "Recipients of conference susag.news" Subject: Re: Sustainable Ag News - 7/30/93 My apologies to eveyrone who received two copies of the bulletin. I made an error while I was uploading. It's Monday. Michelle, IATP From mthom@igc.apc.org Fri Aug 27 22:52:16 1993 Date: 02 Aug 93 07:08 PDT From: Michelle Thom To: "Recipients of conference susag.news" Subject: Re: Sus Ag Alert/Nutrition Policy Sustainable Agriculture News Bulletin Volume 2, Number 12 July 30, 1993 ------------------------------------------------ HEADLINES: FLORIDA JUDGE REJECTS REQUEST TO RELEASE DUPONT PAPERS USDA SEEKING COMMENT ON IMPORTED WOOD EIS FIRST CSD MEETING PAYS LITTLE ATTENTION TO SUSTAINABLE AG COLOMBIAN COFFEE GROWERS POISONED AFTER ENDOSULFAN EXPOSURE CUOMO EXTENDS IRRADIATION BAN UFW RENEWS TABLE GRAPE BOYCOTT RESEARCHERS LOOKING FOR PESTICIDE-CLEANING WEEDS GOVERNMENT LINKS AGENT ORANGE HERBICIDE TO 2 NEW ILLNESSES EUROPEAN CHEMICAL MARKETS PERFORM POORLY IN SECOND QUARTER ------------------------------------------------ News Summaries ------------------------------------------------ FLORIDA JUDGE REJECTS REQUEST TO RELEASE DUPONT PAPERS A Florida judge last week turned down a request by the Florida Department of Agriculture to get the DuPont chemical company release one million internal documents regarding its Benlate product. The company currently faces several lawsuits by farmers for damage to crops allegedly caused by DuPont's Benlate products. Ag officials tried to use the state's "Litigation in the Sunshine Act" by requesting that a Broward County judge set aside an agreement reached by DuPont and Far West, Inc. that banned the public release of the documents. Judge Arthur Frenza said that in order to set aside the confidentiality agreement, he would have to know that Benlate is indeed a public threat and that is what the trial is supposed to determine. He did, however, say that the Agriculture Department could file requests for documents under civil trial rules. Source: "Florida Judge Doesn't Release Benlate Papers," REUTER, July 26, 1993. USDA SEEKING COMMENT ON IMPORTED WOOD EIS The USDA announced that it is seeking suggestions from the public about issues to be addressed in a proposed environmental impact statement (EIS) on wood imports. The EIS will be used to develop regulations on unprocessed wood. The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) said the EIS will also address pesticide use, the overall impact on forests and the potential for increased imports of wood. The Senate Appropriations Committee was considering a proposal this week that would abandon a four-year plan to phase out timber sales from national forests where costs exceed profits. By continuing below-cost timber sales, taxpayers would save $46 million, according to a group of senators. The savings would be achieved by raising minimum bids for timber; building temporary access roads instead of permanent ones; providing an incentive package to reduce the Forest Service work force; streamlining sales procedures; and sharing agency staff. "This proposal signals a way out of the below-cost issue that makes sense for both timber communities and taxpayers," said Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT). Bob Hasan, a leading figure in Indonesia's timber trade, told the Antara news agency that industrialized countries are spreading lies about deforestation. The article said that Hasan said Indonesia actively works to promote conservation. "Issues of protection of tropical rainforests are still continuously being debated and create misunderstandings, while Indonesia's stance on forest exploitation for development purposes are often misinterpreted," Hasan said. Indonesia is home to the largest tropical rainforests outside of Brazil and has been accused of implementing poor logging and re- forestation plans. A recent report by the World Bank said that the country is responsible for logging and slashing-and-burning over a million hectares of forest a year. "Such complaints basically have a background of trade competition. The developed countries close their eyes towards the fact that forest destruction in mild climate regions are currently underway in their countries," he said. Hasan made the comments at a meeting of trainee ambassadors and diplomats. Source: "USDA to Write Environment Statement on wood Imports," REUTER, July 28, 1993; Robert Greene, "Timber Sales," AP, July 27, 1993; "Indonesia's Timber King Defends Logging Record," REUTER, June 22, 1993. FIRST CSD MEETING PAYS LITTLE ATTENTION TO SUSTAINABLE AG The first organizational meeting of the President's Council on Sustainable Development (CSD) devoted little time to the topic of sustainable agriculture. President Clinton formed the CSD to focus on ways to achieve sustainable development. John Sawhill, president of the Nature Conservancy, questioned the lack of sustainable agriculture's presence in the agenda, saying that agriculture is a specific sector that needs to be addressed in moving toward a sustainable development agenda. When the floor was opened to public participation, Linda Elswick of the World Sustainable Agriculture Association asked for cooperation between the CSD and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Some of the CSD members include: David Buzzelli of Dow Chemical; Richard Barth of Ciba-Geigy; A.D. Correll of Georgia Pacific; and William Ruckelshaus of Browning- Ferris. Source: Isaac Kaufman, "President's Council on Sustainable Development," July 27, 1993. COLOMBIAN COFFEE GROWERS POISONED AFTER ENDOSULFAN EXPOSURE At least 60 Colombian coffee growers were poisoned and one died after being exposed to Hoechst's endosulfan product, Thiodan. Growers had begun widespread use of the product this year after outbreaks of the parasite "la boca." A spokesperson for Hoechst said growers need to learn to use the product properly. If used correctly, he said, the product poses no heath risk to workers or the environment. The Colombian government has initiated a program to train growers and farmworkers in the use of pesticides. Source: "Endosulfan Poisonings in Colombia," PESTICIDE ACTION NETWORK UPDATES SERVICE, July 28, 1993. CUOMO EXTENDS IRRADIATION BAN New York Governor Mario Cuomo signed into law earlier this month a bill that extends the state's moratorium on the sale and distribution of foods that have been exposed to radiation. The law has serious implications for the food irradiation industry, which lobbied heavily against the measure. "By extending the ban, New York is again sending a strong signal to the meat and poultry industries demanding real solutions to food safety problems, not dangerous gimmicks like irradiation," said a press release by Food & Water. Source: "Victory!!," FOOD & WATER UPDATE, August 1993. UFW RENEWS TABLE GRAPE BOYCOTT The United Farm Workers (UFW) renewed an international boycott of table grapes earlier this week. The last boycott began in 1984 under the direction of the recently-deceased UFW leader Cesar Chavez. The purpose of the boycott was to convince grape growers to stop using pesticides that were harming migrant farmworkers. "Cesar's death kind of put it (the boycott) into high gear," said UFW organizer Rudy Medina. The first boycott begun by Chavez in the 1960s helped mobilize thousands of migrant workers in California against dangerous pesticide practices on the part of grape growers. Source: "BRF-Grape Boycott," AP, July 28, 1993. RESEARCHERS LOOKING FOR PESTICIDE-CLEANING WEEDS Researchers at Iowa State University have been studying weeds that clean commonly used pesticides like atrazine and trifluralin from contaminated soils. Initial tests indicate that crab grass and another weed called kochia can reduce the amount of pesticides in soils. Todd Anderson, an environmental toxicologist, explained that some plants secrete certain substances through their roots which prompt the presence of microbes to defend the plant when placed in contaminated soil. The microbes have also been found to break down chemicals in some cases. Researchers are currently trying to find other plants that have the same function and hope to eventually use them to avoid dumping contaminated soil at hazardous waste sites. Source: Char Kosek, "Midwest Farm Report," UPI, July 29, 1993. GOVERNMENT LINKS AGENT ORANGE HERBICIDE TO 2 NEW ILLNESSES A report released this week by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) linked the herbicide Agent Orange, used as a defoliant in the Vietnam War, to two illnesses in addition to the three types of cancer already proven to have resulted from exposure to the herbicide. The new diseases linked to the herbicide are Hodgkin's disease and a skin-blistering condition called porphyria cutanea tarda. Non- Hodgkin's lymphoma, soft tissue sarcoma and chloracne are already on the list of diseases caused by Agent Orange exposure. Veterans experiencing these ailments are now entitled to compensation. The report failed to link Agent Orange to many other ailments including birth defects and infertility. "Vietnam vets were right all along," said Representative Lane Evans (D-IL). "Today should be remembered as the day we finally reversed the tide and started fulfilling our promise to Agent Orange victims and their families," said Senator Tom Daschle (D-SD). Source: Bill McAllister, "Comprehensive Review Links Five Maladies to Agent Orange Exposure," WASHINGTON POST, July 28, 1993; Warren Leary, "Study Links Herbicides to 2 More Veteran's Ills," NEW YORK TIMES, July 28, 1993. EUROPEAN CHEMICAL MARKETS PERFORM POORLY IN SECOND QUARTER European chemical markets performed poorly last quarter while cost-cutting measures, undertaken by many companies, helped the U.S. chemical market performance. "The only companies that really had positive comparisons were the cost-cutters," said Paul Raman, an analyst with S.G. Warburg. Among the losers were Rohm & Haas and Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. Monsanto said its earnings were up last quarter with excellent sales of its Roundup product. DuPont will release second quarter earnings next week and is also expected to perform well. Source: Randall Mikkelsen, "U.S. Chemical Industry Q2 Results," REUTER, July 27, 1993; ------------------------------------------------ Resources ------------------------------------------------ INDUSTRIAL USES OF AGRICULTURAL MATERIALS is a new publication by the USDA'S Economic Research Service. Published twice a year, the journal covers the latest research on alternative uses of agricultural materials. The June 1993 issue covers topics such as soy-based ink, biodiesel fuel, jojoba production and natural fiber use. A one year subscription costs $16.00. For more information, contact ERS-NASS, 341 Victory Drive, Herndon, VA 22070, Tel: (800) 999-6779. WETLANDS PROTECTION: THE SCOPE OF THE SECTION 404 PROGRAM REMAINS UNCERTAIN was published by the General Accounting Office (GAO) in April 1993. For a copy, contact GAO, Washington D.C. 20548. The report number is GAO/RCED-93- 26. Conferences/Events ------------------------------------------------ AUGUST -------------------------------------------- TRAINING PROGRAM FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, August 1-6, 1993, Conway, AR. FFI, contact: Community Development Institute, University of Central Arkansas, Conway, AR 72035. USDA PUBLIC MEETING TO DEVELOP A U.S. NATIONAL NUTRITION PLAN OF ACTION, August 4, 1993, Washington D.C. FFI, contact: Linda Elswick, World Sustainable Agriculture Association, 1331 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 907 North Tower, Washington D.C. 20004, Tel: (202) 347-0637, Fax: (202) 347-0634. HOLISTIC RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, August 4-6, 1993, Snowbird, UT. FFI, contact: Center for Holistic Resource Management, 5820 4th Street NW, Albuquerque, NM 87107, Tel: (800) 654-3619. 13TH ANNUAL SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE TOUR, August 5, 1993, Lincoln, NE. FFI, contact: Center for Sustainable Agriculture Systems, 221 Keim Hall, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68583, tel: (402) 472-2056. NATIONAL COMMUNITY LAND TRUST CONFERENCE, August 5- 8, 1993, Cincinnati, OH. FFI, contact: Institute for Community Economics, 57 School Street, Springfield, MA 01105, Tel: (413) 746- 8660. TOUR OF COMMUNITY-SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE FARM, August 7, 1993, Osceola, WI. FFI, contact: Paul Schaefer, Western Wisconsin Sustainable Farming Network, Tel: (715) 792-5227. 10TH ANNUAL SUMMER CONFERENCE & CELEBRATION OF RURAL LIFE, August 13-15, 1993, Amherst, MA. FFI, contact: Julie Rawson, Natural Organic Farming Association, 411 Sheldon Road, Barre, MA 01105, (508) 355-2853. ETHNOSCIENCES INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP, August 13-20, 1993, Sussex, U.K. FFI, contact: Tadue Caldas, Emerson College, Forest Row, Sussex, RH18 5JX, U.K. tel: (44) 342-824622, fax: (44) 342-824949. -------------------------------------------------- Produced by: Michelle Thom, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy , 1313 5th Street SE Suite 303, Minneapolis, MN 55414, Tel: (612) 379-5980 Fax: (612) 379-5982 EMail: mthom@igc.org or mmthom@alex.stkate.edu. In addition to this news bulletin, the Institute publishes a variety of news bulletins on agriculture, the environment and international trade. These include: Biotechnology Bulletin (weekly news bulletins on biotechnology); Trade News (daily news bulletins on international trade issues); and Farm Policy News (news bulletins on farm policy four times a week). The Institute also maintains a wide range of computer-based information services on the EcoNet computer network. Contact the Institute for more information. From mthom@igc.apc.org Fri Aug 27 22:52:19 1993 Date: 09 Aug 93 07:17 PDT From: Michelle Thom To: "Recipients of conference susag.news" Subject: Sustainable Ag News - 8/6/93 Sustainable Agriculture News Bulletin Volume 2, Number 13 August 6, 1993 ------------------------------------------------ HEADLINES: CLINTON ADMINISTRATION DEFENDS TIMBER PLAN SUCCESS OF ORGANIC GARDENING SEEN IN PUBLICATIONS POPULARITY SCIENTISTS THINK ASPIRIN COMPOUND MAY PROTECT PLANTS IRELAND BEGINS WIND FARMING ------------------------------------------------ News Summaries ------------------------------------------------ CLINTON ADMINISTRATION DEFENDS TIMBER PLAN Testifying before a joint House committee panel, Assistant Secretary of Agriculture Jim Lyons defended the Clinton administration's forest plan. Lyons said the cutbacks proposed by Clinton were necessary due to excessive logging that had taken place during the Bush administration. "We realize now we were cutting timber faster than we could sustain," Lyons said. Tom Collier of the Interior Department also testified before the panel, saying, "The government knew it was cutting too much timber. There were numerous reputable warnings." The White House released a statement this week saying it would ask the court's permission to resume logging in some Northwest forests under the condition that the work does not harm the habitats of rare fish and birds. The statement said that up to 200 million board feet could soon be released from a court injunction that has been in place after years of litigation over the spotted owl and other endangered species. President Clinton presented a plan in July that would allow some logging in the disputed spotted owl territory but it was unclear when it would be implemented. "Now we are taking steps to implement the plan and get timber to the mills," Clinton said in a statement. "This is really a major step forward in terms of a good- faith effort to free up some timber," said Representative Bruce Vento (D-MN) of the House Natural Resources subcommittee. Environmentalists responded that they were "committed to a process" that would not harm endangered habitat. "If such timber volume is identified in the process, we will not oppose a motion to the court to release that volume," said Todd True of the Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund. The Congressional Research Service (CRS) responded it is not sure at this point if the Clinton plan will stand a test of environment and endangered species protection laws. "The proposed harvest level is a very substantial drop ... but whether the decline is sufficient ... to meet the requirements of environmental laws and regulations is unclear," said a recent CRS report. Source: Scott Sonner, "Congress-Forests," AP, August 3, 1993; "White House Sees Path to Northwest Timber Sales," REUTER, August 3, 1993; "Clinton Termed Close to Accord Lifting Northwest Logging Ban," INVESTOR'S BUSINESS DAILY, August 4, 1993. SUCCESS OF ORGANIC GARDENING SEEN IN PUBLICATIONS POPULARITY The success of organic gardening can be measured by the upsurge in publications that promote the practice. Rodale Press, publishers of the magazine ORGANIC GARDENING, now calls its publication the most widely read magazine on organic food production in the world, with a circulation 735,000. More Americans are turning to organic gardening, says a spokesperson for Van Patten Publishing, because "all of the nation's landfills are bulging and many of them no longer accept plant residues." The company is publishing four new books about organic gardening. Author Steve Solomon said that the long- term consequences of food consumption are also a consideration in his book called ORGANIC GARDENER'S COMPOSTING. "The purpose of food is not merely to fill the belly or to provide energy, but to create and maintain health," he writes. The other books are: ORGANIC GARDENER'S BASICS; ORGANIC GARDENER'S EDIBLE PLANTS; and ORGANIC GARDENER'S ANNUALS. They are available in local bookstores or by calling Login Publisher at (800) 626-4300. Source: James Walters, "Gardening-Organic," AP, August 5, 1993. SCIENTISTS THINK ASPIRIN COMPOUND MAY PROTECT PLANTS In their search for safer alternatives to pesticide, scientists for the chemical giant Ciba-Geigy say they have discovered a naturally occurring aspirin-like compound in plants that is necessary to fight off enemies. Salicylic acid, the researchers say, is essential to the development of an immune system in plants. They believe that the creation of a synthetic equivalent of the compound will eliminate the need for pesticides. "This is a key discovery. This provides the first definitive proof that this compound is important," said Ray Hammerschmidt, a professor of plant pathology at Michigan State University. John Ryals, who directs research for Ciba-Geigy at Research Triangle Park, NC, said that the goal of a pesticide alternative will be to strengthen the immune system of a plant, thereby creating a novel type of pest control. No timeline for potential product research was given. In other news, George Kapusta, an agronomist at Southern Illinois University, said that contrary to popular belief, farm chemicals are not as harmful as people might think. His comments came in the wake of a study by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) that concluded children are more vulnerable to pesticide exposure through their diet. Even the NAS study does not recommend discontinuing pesticide use, Kapusta said. And without modern technology like chemicals, pests could have destroyed many crops in recent years. Farmers have already begun using fewer chemicals, he maintains. In Illinois, for example, farmers used 25% fewer pesticides in 1990 than they did a decade ago. Source: Teresa Riordan, "U.S. Scientists Closer to Pesticide Alternative," REUTER, August 5, 1993; Char Kosek, "Midwest Farm Report," UPI, July 28, 1993. IRELAND BEGINS WIND FARMING Ireland recently finished completion of its first wind farm, located in western Bellacorick. Wind from the sea is being harnessed and funneled through a peat-generated power station to provide electricity for 4,500 households. The project received technical assistance and funding from Denmark, Germany and the EC. "As of now, it is not cheap. It is dependent on grant aid to make it viable. But I think we will see it develop. Maybe five to 10 percent of our electricity will ultimately come from wind power," said Pat Ring of the Bord na Mona (Peat board). Source: Paul Majendie, "Ireland Harnesses Wind and Boosts Green Image," REUTER, August 3, 1993. ------------------------------------------------ Resources ------------------------------------------------ THE WAY WE GROW is a new book by Anne Witte Garland and Mothers and Others for a Livable Planet. The book seeks to address concerns parents may have about pesticide residues in foods and suggests ways to protect families. For more information, contact Risa Bryan at Berkeley Publishing Group at (212) 951-8922. ACACIA is a circular newsletter that addresses the progress of sustaf the world speak to their efforts at promoting a more sustainable method of agricultural production in Africa. Northern organizations seeking more information should contact Helene Hollard, Acacia, F-39160 Poisoux, France. Southern organizations should contact Agrecol, s/c Oekozentrum, CH-4438 Langenbruck, Switzerland. Conferences/Events ------------------------------------------------ AUGUST -------------------------------------------- NATIONAL COMMUNITY LAND TRUST CONFERENCE, August 5- 8, 1993, Cincinnati, OH. FFI, contact: Institute for Community Economics, 57 School Street, Springfield, MA 01105, Tel: (413) 746- 8660. TOUR OF COMMUNITY-SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE FARM, August 7, 1993, Osceola, WI. FFI, contact: Paul Schaefer, Western Wisconsin Sustainable Farming Network, Tel: (715) 792-5227. 10TH ANNUAL SUMMER CONFERENCE & CELEBRATION OF RURAL LIFE, August 13-15, 1993, Amherst, MA. FFI, contact: Julie Rawson, Natural Organic Farming Association, 411 Sheldon Road, Barre, MA 01105, (508) 355-2853. ETHNOSCIENCES INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP, August 13-20, 1993, Sussex, U.K. FFI, contact: Tadue Caldas, Emerson College, Forest Row, Sussex, RH18 5JX, U.K. tel: (44) 342-824622, fax: (44) 342-824949. INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON SOIL TESTING, PLANT ANALYSIS AND PRECISION NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT, August 14-19, 1993, Olympia, WA. FFI, contact: Benton Jones, Jr., Evergreen State College, (706) 546-0425. THIRD NORTH AMERICAN AGROFORESTRY CONFERENCE, August 15-18, 1993, Ames, IA. FFI, contact: Dr. Richard Schultz, Department of Forestry, 251 Bessey Hall, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, fax: (515) 294-1337. PERMACULTURE DESIGN COURSE, August 16-29, 1993, Orleans, CA. FFI, contact: Sandy Bar Ranch, P.O. Box 347, Orleans, CA 95556, Tel: (916) 627-3379. SOIL MANAGEMENT IN SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE, August 31-September 4, 1993, Ashford, Kent, U.K. FFI, contact: Dr. H. Lee, Wye College, University of London, Ashford Kent TN25 5AH, U.K., Fax: (44) 023 381-3320. -------------------------------------------------- Produced by: Michelle Thom, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy , 1313 5th Street SE Suite 303, Minneapolis, MN 55414, Tel: (612) 379-5980 Fax: (612) 379-5982 EMail: mthom@igc.org or mmthom@alex.stkate.edu. In addition to this news bulletin, the Institute publishes a variety of news bulletins on agriculture, the environment and international trade. These include: Biotechnology Bulletin (weekly news bulletins on biotechnology); Trade News (daily news bulletins on international trade issues); and Farm Policy News (news bulletins on farm policy four times a week). The Institute also maintains a wide range of computer-based information services on the EcoNet computer network. Contact the Institute for more information. From mthom@igc.apc.org Fri Aug 27 22:52:30 1993 Date: 16 Aug 93 06:40 PDT From: Michelle Thom To: "Recipients of conference susag.news" Subject: Sustainable Ag News - 8/13/93 Sustainable Agriculture News Bulletin Volume 2, Number 14 August 13, 1993 ------------------------------------------------ HEADLINES: - BABBITT ANNOUNCES PROPOSED GRAZING FEE INCREASES - DUPONT SETTLES FIRST BENLATE CASE OUT OF COURT - 161 MILLION POUNDS OF PESTICIDES USED IN CALIFORNIA IN 1991 - SOME FLOODED FARMERS RETURN TO WETLANDS - HORNWORM "MILKSHAKE" COMBATS CASSAVA PESTS - EPA TO PROMOTE LOW-RISK PESTICIDES - COLOMBIAN SUGAR INDUSTRY SEARCHING FOR GREEN SOLUTION ------------------------------------------------ News Summaries ------------------------------------------------ BABBITT ANNOUNCES PROPOSED GRAZING FEE INCREASES Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt announced a new initiative aimed at over-hauling the system of grazing fees for livestock on public lands. Included in the proposal is a plan that would raise the current grazing fee from $1.86 per animal unit to $4.28. "We're here today to deliver upon President Clinton's commitment for public land reform," Babbitt said at a news conference. Ranchers and members of congress from western states were critical of the plan. Randall Brewer of the Public Lands Council said the initiative "could force as many as two-thirds of Western public land ranchers out of business, and harm the Western environment in the process." On the contrary, responded Babbitt, "many, if indeed not most, ranchers are good stewards, and their management of the land is probably in most cases the best environmental use of that land." Environmentalists called the plan "a good start" but expressed skepticism over the lack of a provision that would prohibit grazing on the most fragile lands or in wildlife refuge areas. The increase would add an additional $30 million to the federal Treasury over the next year. The proposal is not expected to go into effect until several rounds of public comment and meetings have taken place throughout the West. Source: "Rules May Compound Higher U.S. Grazing Fee," REUTER, August 9, 1993; "Reform for the Public Lands," NEW YORK TIMES, August 11, 1993; Rose Gutfeld, "U.S. Renews its Efforts to Overhaul Grazing Policy, Calling for Higher Fees," WALL STREET JOURNAL, August 10, 1993. DUPONT SETTLES FIRST BENLATE CASE OUT OF COURT After five weeks in the courtroom and two days of jury deliberations, ornamental plant growers who sued the DuPont chemical company over plant damage allegedly caused by the company's Benlate product settled out of court. Four growers from the states of Georgia, Alabama, Michigan and Hawaii will receive $4.25 million from DuPont. They had originally sought a combined total of $430 million. "This is a victory for DuPont, for our employees and for our science," said DuPont chair Edgar Woolard. "We remain as committed as ever that our product did not cause the damage claimed." Woolard said the company will continue to defend the Benlate product when they face an additional 400 pending lawsuits, one of which will begin in Broward County, Florida next week. C. Neal Pope, the attorney for the growers, said, "We're pleased the case is disposed of," noting he could not say anything further under the terms of the settlement. Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Bob Crawford issued a statement requesting that the company settle with farmers in the pending cases to avoid long legal battles. "There is no way that a company like DuPont would have agreed to pay out more than $4 million in this case unless company officials knew that their product was responsible for the damage," Crawford said. Source: "DuPont Settles Benlate DF Suit Out of Court," UPI, August 12, 1993; Scott McMurray, "DuPont Settles Lawsuit Over Fungicide for Small Fraction of Damages Sought," WALL STREET JOURNAL, August 13, 1993. 161 MILLION POUNDS OF PESTICIDES USED IN CALIFORNIA IN 1991 According to a recent report by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation, over 161 million pounds of pesticides were used throughout the state in 1991 -- 90% of which were used in agricultural production. Californians have been required to report all pesticide use since 1990. The figure actually represents a decline of approximately 20 million pounds from 1990. Sources say the drop is probably indicative of the recently-ended drought which decreased production. More than 2.75 million pesticide use reports were filed in 1991, compared with 823,000 filed in 1988. Grapes, cotton and sugar beets accounted for nearly 1/3 of the total pesticide use in 1991. Copies of the report are available for $25 from the Department of Pesticide Regulation, Information Services Branch, 1220 North Street, P.O. Box 942871, Sacramento, CA 94271. Source: Don Villarejo, "Pesticide Use Tops 161 Million Pounds in 1991," RURAL CALIFORNIA REPORT, Summer 1993. SOME FLOODED FARMERS RETURN TO WETLANDS Some farmers who have battled severe flooding in the Midwest this summer are allowing their land to return to wetlands. "Its' gotten so bad out here that I just plant crops to watch them disappear. There's water everywhere, and each year the flooding just gets worse," said Minnesota farmer Elton Sletta. As a result of the flooding predicament, Sletta is turning to the Wetlands Reserve Program. Under this federally regulated program, Sletta will receive money for letting his land return to its original marsh condition. More and more farmers are expected to turn to the program as a result of the flooding. Many environmental organizations have long advocated a return to wetlands as they act as a sponge that detains and filters water. "We've known all along that wetlands can provide storage for flood water. But nature has given us a wake-up call: Don't destroy wetlands and don't live in the floodplain," said Doug Inkley of the National Wildlife Federation. Congress recently agreed to expand the program to 20 states and provide $67 million in funding for the program next year. Source: Dean Rebuffoni, "Some Decide to Let Wet Land Be Wetland," MINNEAPOLIS START TRIBUNE, August 8, 1993. HORNWORM "MILKSHAKE" COMBATS CASSAVA PESTS Researchers at the International Center for Tropical Research (CIAT) in Cali, Colombia have discovered a new way to combat a hornworm that affects millions of acres of cassava crops in developing countries. The researchers blend cassava hornworms that carry a virus, identifiable by their swollen bodies, which kills healthy hornworms when it is sprayed on plants. Twelve hornworms make enough spray for 2 1/2 acres of crops and friendly insects like wasps are not harmed by the spray. Cassava is a staple food for nearly 500 million of the world's poorest people. Source: Boyce Rensberger, "Agriculture: Whipping Up a Low-Tech Pesticide," WASHINGTON POST, August 9, 1993. EPA TO PROMOTE LOW-RISK PESTICIDES The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced an initiative that will make registration of low or reduced-risk pesticides easier. The new policy will give priority to applications for registration of pesticides that have been shown to have a less dangerous impact on humans and the environment. EPA says the policy is in keeping with a promise made in June in the wake of a study by the National Academy of Sciences that showed children are more likely to be exposed to pesticide residues due to their diet. In other EPA news, the agency revoked tolerance standards for residues of the pesticide aldicarb on bananas in compliance with its policy to revoke tolerances for pesticides that have been discontinued. The French chemical company Rhone-Poulenc voluntarily ended sales of aldicarb for use on bananas in 1991 and the EPA canceled the chemical's registration after the company failed to pay a fee for continued registration in 1992. Studies have determined that excessive residues of the pesticide on bananas could result in acute illness. The chemical will continue to be registered for use on a variety of other food crops. Source: Al Heier, "EPA Takes First Step in Promoting Development and Registration of Lower-Risk Pesticides," EPA PRESS RELEASE, August 6, 1993; Al Heier, ""EPA Revokes Tolerance of Pesticide Aldicarb in Bananas," EPA PRESS RELEASE, July 23, 1993. COLOMBIAN SUGAR INDUSTRY SEARCHING FOR GREEN SOLUTION Black smoke surrounds the sugar cane fields of Colombia as the crop is burnt prior to harvest to remove leaves from the stalks. The Colombian sugar industry is currently looking for a solution to the burning which creates a smoke so thick that people suffer lung damage and the skies rain black. Researchers say the crop could be harvested green but without the development of new varieties, growers could lose up to 30% of their crop. James Cock of Cenicana, the Colombian sugar industry's research arm, said the answer lies in finding a new variety that can be harvested green as quickly as burnt crops. "With the present varieties, we take a lot of trash, such as leaves, to the sugar mills, which interferes with the factory process. If we can grow varieties where the leaves just fall off naturally before harvesting, we can overcome a lot of these problems," Cock said. Varieties with higher sugar content and thicker stems, which will allow the cutter more weight per cut, would also be helpful. "It will be a low process but I think Colombia will eventually move towards green cane," said Cock. Source: John Madelye, "Colombia's Black City Turns to Green Sugar," FINANCIAL TIMES, August 11, 1993. ------------------------------------------------ Resources ------------------------------------------------ THE NATURAL FARMER is published four times a year by the Natural Organic Farmers Association (NOFA). It covers the latest news in organic farming such as updates on federal laws pertaining to organic production, book reviews and community-supported agriculture operations. It also provides an excellent forum for advertising your organic products. For more information, contact The Natural Farmer, c/o NOFA, 411 Sheldon Road, Barre, MA 01005. ------------------------------------------------ Conferences/Events ------------------------------------------------ AUGUST -------------------------------------------- NATIONAL COMMUNITY LAND TRUST CONFERENCE, August 5- 8, 1993, Cincinnati, OH. FFI, contact: Institute for Community Economics, 57 School Street, Springfield, MA 01105, Tel: (413) 746- 8660. TOUR OF COMMUNITY-SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE FARM, August 7, 1993, Osceola, WI. FFI, contact: Paul Schaefer, Western Wisconsin Sustainable Farming Network, Tel: (715) 792-5227. 10TH ANNUAL SUMMER CONFERENCE & CELEBRATION OF RURAL LIFE, August 13-15, 1993, Amherst, MA. FFI, contact: Julie Rawson, Natural Organic Farming Association, 411 Sheldon Road, Barre, MA 01105, (508) 355-2853. ETHNOSCIENCES INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP, August 13-20, 1993, Sussex, U.K. FFI, contact: Tadue Caldas, Emerson College, Forest Row, Sussex, RH18 5JX, U.K. tel: (44) 342-824622, fax: (44) 342-824949. INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON SOIL TESTING, PLANT ANALYSIS AND PRECISION NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT, August 14-19, 1993, Olympia, WA. FFI, contact: Benton Jones, Jr., Evergreen State College, (706) 546-0425. THIRD NORTH AMERICAN AGROFORESTRY CONFERENCE, August 15-18, 1993, Ames, IA. FFI, contact: Dr. Richard Schultz, Department of Forestry, 251 Bessey Hall, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, fax: (515) 294-1337. PERMACULTURE DESIGN COURSE, August 16-29, 1993, Orleans, CA. FFI, contact: Sandy Bar Ranch, P.O. Box 347, Orleans, CA 95556, Tel: (916) 627-3379. SOIL MANAGEMENT IN SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE, August 31-September 4, 1993, Ashford, Kent, U.K. FFI, contact: Dr. H. Lee, Wye College, University of London, Ashford Kent TN25 5AH, U.K., Fax: (44) 023 381-3320. -------------------------------------------------- Produced by: Michelle Thom, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy , 1313 5th Street SE Suite 303, Minneapolis, MN 55414, Tel: (612) 379-5980 Fax: (612) 379-5982 EMail: mthom@igc.org or mmthom@alex.stkate.edu. In addition to this news bulletin, the Institute publishes a variety of news bulletins on agriculture, the environment and international trade. These include: Biotechnology Bulletin (weekly news bulletins on biotechnology); Trade News (daily news bulletins on international trade issues); and Farm Policy News (news bulletins on farm policy four times a week). The Institute also maintains a wide range of computer-based information services on the EcoNet computer network. Contact the Institute for more information. From mthom@igc.apc.org Fri Aug 27 22:52:36 1993 Date: 19 Aug 93 12:35 PDT From: Michelle Thom To: "Recipients of conference susag.news" Subject: Sustainable Ag News - 8/19/93 Sustainable Agriculture News Bulletin Volume 2, Number 15 August 19, 1993 ------------------------------------------------ HEADLINES: - BIODYNAMIC FARMING CATCHING ON - CHINESE SCIENTISTS REDUCE FERTILIZER DEPENDENCE IN VILLAGE - CHILEAN TREE PLANTATIONS THREATEN SMALL FARMERS - SCIENTISTS TRY TO SELL SOIL MANAGEMENT TO AFRICAN FARMERS ------------------------------------------------ News Summaries ------------------------------------------------ BIODYNAMIC FARMING CATCHING ON A recent article in the journal SCIENCE reports that an organic farming technique known as biodynamic farming can stem the harmful effects often associated with conventional farming. Biodynamic farming is characterized by the use of eight preparations such as cow manure, silica and plant matter to stimulate the growth of compost piles. "I think the bottom line is that farmers can farm without chemical fertilizers and pesticides," said Washington State University soil scientist John Reaganold, who conducted research on biodynamic farming. Reaganold, along with researchers from Massey University in New Zealand, examined five pairs of biodynamic and conventional farms with similar soil characteristics. At the end of the experiment, soil on the biodynamic farms showed a higher biological and physical content and quality including more organic matter, earthworms and microorganisms. Also, on a per acre basis, the biodynamic farms demonstrated just as great a financial viability as the conventional farms. "They can make good crops and they can make as much money as their neighbors," Reaganold said. Source: "Biodynamic Farming," THE RAM'S HORN, July 1993. CHINESE SCIENTISTS REDUCE FERTILIZER DEPENDENCE IN VILLAGE A recent report in THE JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY describes an experiment by Chinese scientists to reduce a farming village's dependence on chemical fertilizer. The experiment, headed by University of Singapore scientist James Guo, involved the application of ecological management techniques in a small farming village in the Chinese province of Jiangsu. The soil, fish ponds and water channels in the village have been damaged by fertilizer leaching and soil erosion. Guo and his colleagues grew new grass around local fish ponds and planted water vegetation in irrigation channels. In addition, they widened the water channels so more algae would grow in the increased lighting. Crop, pig and fish waste were all recycled to make fertilizer. They found that no substantial increase occurred in crop or livestock yield, but the fish ponds thrived with an increase of 370%. Best of all, the village cut back on its use of synthetic fertilizer by 46%. "It is an analysis of traditional efforts that reminds us that it is possible to have intensive agriculture which is totally balanced and which can, if properly managed, go on for 5,000 years," said Anthony Bradshaw, a retired professor from the University of Liverpool who co-published the study. "I believe that if we're really going to understand our environment, we've got to do much more of it." Source: Emily Bernstein, "Chinese Use Old Ways to Advance," DES MOINES REGISTER, August 15, 1993; "Ecologists Improve Production in Chinese Farming Village," NEW YORK TIMES, August 10, 1993. CHILEAN TREE PLANTATIONS THREATEN SMALL FARMERS The rapid spread of pine and eucalyptus tree plantations in Chile is threatening the livelihood of small-scale farmers. With the help of government subsidies, agribusiness has been buying up large tracts of land for the purpose of planting pine and eucalyptus trees at an alarming rate. Under legislation passed under dictator Augusto Pinochet, growers are reimbursed for 75% of the costs of planting and managing new tree stands. Land taxes and export restrictions were also eliminated and other special tax incentives introduced. "Eighty percent of the tree farms are owned by 12 companies," said Fernando May Colvin, agriculture secretary in Chile's Eighth Region. Environmentalists charge that the plantations have done irreparable damage to the natural environment by drying up water supplies and threatening native plant and animal species. As the timber industry becomes increasingly concentrated, sharecroppers and tenant farmers are being displaced at a rapid pace from the farming complexes known as fundos. Farm organizations are unhappy with the spread of the plantations, saying they deny farmers their right to farm and subsist. "Some of these families had been there 150 or 200 years -- since before Chilean independence," said Maryknoll missionary Reverend Richard Sammon. "Sharecropping rights have meant survival for many of them." Sixty-one to 76% of Chilean wood exports are in the form of chips for making paper products. Japan, the U.S., Germany and Belgium are Chile's biggest customers, respectively. Chile exports 24 times as much lumber as it did 40 years ago. Source: David Molineaux, "Chilean Tree Plantations Uproot Small Farmers," LATINAMERICA PRESS, July 22, 1993. SCIENTISTS TRY TO SELL SOIL MANAGEMENT TO AFRICAN FARMERS After years of promoting no-till methods of agricultural production in Africa, scientists at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Ibadan, Nigeria are changing tactics. They are now concentrating on other soil management techniques like inter- cropping, alley cropping and cover crops. They found that African farmers could not afford the expensive herbicides necessary to control weeds when using no-till. The method also faced a cultural barrier in that no-till was simply outside of African farming traditions and was viewed with suspicion. "On large farms, no-tillage can make sense, but small farmers in Africa have not adopted it," said IITA agronomist Dunstand Spencer. He said they are now turning to methods that African farmers are already familiar with such as inter-cropping and alley cropping which do not require herbicides. Studies have shown that inter-cropping keeps beneficial nutrients where they are most needed -- in the soil. In Nigeria, popular inter- cropping combinations involve maize and cassava or cassava and cowpea. In addition, farmers are advised to alley crop by planting leguminous trees or shrubs between food crops to improve soil fertility through nitrogen fixation. After pruning, the leaves are then left to decompose which increases organic matter and improves soil moisture. Still, most African farmers are not using alley cropping and IITA researchers cite a large communication gap between African farmers and extension workers that needs to be overcome before these soil management techniques become widely accepted. Source: John Madeley, "Switching Soil Management Tactics: Scientists in Africa Turn to Alley Cropping," CERES, July/August 1993. Resources ------------------------------------------------ AFRICAN FARMER is a publication of The Hunger Project. The latest issue (March 1993) contains an article on erosion prevention techniques used by African farmers. For example, farmers in Burkina Faso, where an estimated 10 to 50 tons of soil per hectare are lost each year, use stone banks to filter the flow of water over their fields. Cattle grazing has lead to a reduction in vegetative cover necessary to stem erosion and farmers in Kenya are using a "zero-grazing" technique for cattle to halt erosion. In Madagascar, the government has made slash and burn a punishable crime. Other methods are also listed. An update on implementing Agenda 21 -- the result of last summer's Earth Summit -- is also included. The magazine is free to African organizations. Organizations in the North are asked to make a contribution to cover publishing costs. For more information, contact The Hunger Project, 1 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10010, Tel: (212) 532-4255, Fax: (212) 532-9785. ------------------------------------------------ Conferences/Events ------------------------------------------------ AUGUST -------------------------------------------- SOIL MANAGEMENT IN SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE, August 31-September 4, 1993, Ashford, Kent, U.K. FFI, contact: Dr. H. Lee, Wye College, University of London, Ashford Kent TN25 5AH, U.K., Fax: (44) 023 381-3320. SEPTEMBER -------------------------------------------- BRINGING RIO HOME: USING AGENDA 21 TO PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE, August 31-September 3, 1993 in Ruhr, Germany. FFI, contact: European Ecumenical Organization for Development (EECOD), 174 rue Joseph II, B-1040 Brussels, Belgium. THE EXPERIENCE OF INTEGRATED RESOURCE MANAGEMENT (IRM) FOR SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE, September 5-13, 1993. FFI, contact: Prof. Cheng Xu, Beijing Agricultural University, Beijing, P.R. China, (861) 258-2244, fax: (861) 258-2332 or Prof. Shu Geng, Department of Agronomy and Range Science, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, (916) 752-6939, fax: (916) 752-4361. AGRICULTURE IN OUR ENVIRONMENT, University of Illinois Agronomy Day, September 2, 1993. FFI, contact: Agronomy-Plant Pathology South Farm, University of Illinois - Champaign-Urbana, (217) 333-4785. ECOLOGICAL SAFETY OF REGIONS IN THE CONDITIONS OF MARKET ECONOMY, September 6-10, 1993, Moscow, Russia. FFI, contact: Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Russian Federation, 107078 P.O. 438, Moscow, Russia, tel: 207- 4783, fax: 207-5628. TRADE IN ORGANIC FOODS: 3RD INTERNATIONAL IFOAM CONFERENCE, September 7-9, 1993, Baltimore, MD. FFI, contact: New Hope Communications, IFOAM Conference, Expo Registration Department, 1301 Spruce Street, Boulder, CO 80302, tel: (303) 939- 8440, fax: (303) 939-9559. SIXTH NATIONAL URBAN FORESTRY CONFERENCE, September 14-18, 1993, Minneapolis, MN. FFI, contact: National Urban Forestry Commission, P.O. Box 2000, Washington D.C. Produced by: Michelle Thom, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, 1313 5th Street SE Suite 303, Minneapolis, MN 55414 Other bulletins include: Biotechnology Bulletin (weekly news bulletins on biotechnology); Trade News (daily news bulletins on international trade issues); and Farm Policy News (news bulletins on farm policy four times a week). The Institute also maintains a wide range of computer-based information services on the EcoNet computer network. Contact the Institute for more information. From mthom@igc.apc.org Fri Aug 27 22:52:40 1993 Date: 26 Aug 93 14:02 PDT From: Michelle Thom To: "Recipients of conference susag.news" Subject: New Video on Pesticides From: Michelle Thom Subject: New Video on Pesticides From: HN0932 MDC,Jamie Rohe,Rural Forum Mgr To: INTERNET MTHOM@IGC.ORG Subj: Ag posting Pest Video: The Playing Field The National Migrant Resource Program has produced a video called "The Playing Field." It is about a farmworker's child who gets poisoned by pesticides. Duration is 17 minutes and it is in both Spanish & English. For more information contact: Caroline Arvani-Cardona Farmworkers Legal Services PO Box 398 Newton Grove, NC 28366 1-800-876-0437 (Rural/NCexChange/Farmworker Issues) 8-24-93 -- HandsNet -- HN1579