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2017-04/4169/en_head.json.gz/10494 | Home / Articles / Features / Feature / The high price of cheap food
Thursday, June 25, 2009 01:28 pm
The high price of cheap food
Counting hidden costs shows Illinois farmers a better way
By Julianne Glatz
At Henry Brockmanâs organic and sustainable farm near Bloomington, interns and the ownerâs children help harvest beans in the intense afternoon heat of the Mackinaw River floodplain. PHOTOâBYâGinny Lee
The old man leaned on his cane and stared at the line that inevitably forms at the Merwyn’s stand at the Old Capitol Farmers’ Market during strawberry season. At first he seemed to be mumbling to himself, but when he stepped up the volume it was clear he wanted those of us in line to hear him. “I got strawberries last week at the store for sixty-nine cents,” he said. “Now they’re up to a dollar ninety-nine.” “How much they sellin’ ’em for here?” No one answered, so the old man repeated his query a little louder. I turned towards him, pointed at the sign and said, “They’re three dollars and fifty cents.” The old man sucked his teeth. “You should go to the grocery store — they’re only a dollar ninety-nine there.” I don’t usually pick fights with frail old men, but somehow I couldn’t stop myself: “Yeah,” I said. “And I’ll bet they’re shipped in from California and grown with toxic chemicals. They don’t have much flavor ’cause they’re picked before they’re ripe — probably by illegal immigrants who’re paid slave wages.” The old man sucked his teeth again, thrust out his chin and shrugged. “They taste fine to me,” he said, then stumped off. Torn between indignation that he was trying to dissuade people from buying luscious local berries, and embarrassment for challenging him, I thought about the conundrum of America’s food system. Foods grown and shipped from thousands of miles away, available throughout the year in season and out, cost less than their local counterparts. Why is our food so cheap? Make no mistake; America’s food is really cheap. In 1960, the average family spent 18 percent of its income on food; today that figure has plummeted to nine percent. That’s less than was ever spent on food throughout history, and less than is spent currently anywhere else worldwide. And that cheap food comes in a staggering array of choices; from pre-prepared heat-and-eat dinners to fresh produce. Moreover, the produce comes not just from America, but from all over the world and is available year round at virtually the same price as when it’s locally in season.If that sounds almost too good to be true, in many ways it is. Because there are hidden costs for that cheap food, costs that Robert Kenner, director of the just released documentary film Food Inc., says are often “deliberately hidden from us.” Seasonal fruits and vegetables from central Illinois are sold at the Farmersâ Market.PHOTOâBYâERICKA HINE
One of the main reasons prices at the checkout counter are so low are subsidies. The federal government subsidizes just five crops: corn, soybeans, cotton, rice and wheat. Of those, corn is by far the biggest player. Only the tiniest fraction (less than a bushel per person) of the 1 billion bushels of corn grown annually comes to consumers as corn — on the cob or as chips, tortillas, cornmeal, etc. And that mostly comes from varieties other than field corn. Most field corn is used for animal feed; the rest is turned into a multitude of products and additives such as high fructose corn syrup. It’s been estimated that 50-60 percent of corn farmers’ income comes from those government subsidies — the only way farmers can stay in business when the price they’re paid for corn is less than the cost of producing it. The bottom line is that you’re paying for your food not just at the store, but also with your taxes.It’s a system many farmers have gotten comfortable with. “Corn and soybeans are easy!” says Pana farmer Jack Erisman. “It’s plant, spray, harvest, drink coffee, collect your government payment.” Stan Schutte has switched from conventional to sustainable farming, defined as farm practices that don’t deplete the land and natural resources and that provide living wages to farmers and farm workers. Schutte, who sells vegetables, beef, pork and chicken at the Old Capitol Farmers’ Market, the Urbana Farmers’ Market and through his buying club throughout the year, calls it an addiction. Conventional farmers are not going to change…. They’ve gotten lazy. It’s like cocaine. They don’t want to do anything different. And it’s mainly because of the support programs. Until that changes, you’re not going to see a change [in Illinois agriculture].” Bruce Williamson stocks local and seasonal produce at Food Fantasies. PHOTOâBYâJOSEPHâCOPLEY
Advocates of conventional farming (though it’s only been “conventional” for 30-40 years) like to point out that 95 percent of U.S. farms are family owned. Kenner and author Michael Pollan, who worked with Kenner on Food, Inc. say in two public radio interviews that while that’s true, it’s misleading. A few trans-global companies control the market through which conventional family farmers sell their harvest, such as ADM and Cargill, and control the prices farmers are paid. “Everything has to pass through the needle eye of these mega-corporations,” they say. Four companies process 90 percent of American beef. Conventional farmers not only have to sell to these large corporations, they must buy from them, too. St. Louis-based Monsanto controls “a huge percentage” of America’s seed supply, which they’ve been patenting since the 1980s, forcing farmers to buy new seed every year as opposed to saving seed from one year to plant the next, as had been done since the beginning of crop cultivation. It’s those huge corporations, say Kenner and Pollan, that diligently attempt to limit consumers’ knowledge about what’s in their food and how it’s raised. “One of the things that was the most shocking to me when we were making Food Inc.,” says Kenner, “was when we filmed hearings…about labeling cloned meat. I didn’t even know there was such a thing. An industry rep stood up and said, ‘We think it would be against the interest of the consumer to give that kind of information — it would just be confusing to them.’ It happens over and over again. The industry fights labeling of fast food menus, GMOs (genetically modified organisms) and fought against labeling transfats. They don’t want you to know what’s in the food because they want you to eat as much of it as possible.” What about all the crops and foods that aren’t subsidized? Large corporations dominate many of them as well. A Tyson chicken grower, like Francisco Pedroza pictured here, provides land, labor, poultry houses and fuel, but never owns the birds raised for the large corporation.PHOTOâBYâBRENDANâM. CASE/MCT
Arkansas-based Tyson Foods is the world’s largest chicken processor. Eric Schlosser reports in his book, Fast Food Nation, that Tyson is a “vertically integrated company that breeds, slaughters and processes chicken. It does not, however, raise the birds. It leaves the capital expenditures and financial risks to thousands of ‘independent’ growers. “A Tyson chicken grower never owns the birds in his or her poultry houses. Like most other leading processors, Tyson supplies its growers with day-old chicks. Between the day they are born and the day they are killed, the birds spend their entire lives on the growers’ property. But they belong to Tyson. The company supplies the feed, veterinary services and technical support. It determines feeding schedules, demands equipment upgrades, and employs ‘flock supervisors’ to make sure corporate directives are being followed. It hires trucks that drop off the baby chicks and return seven weeks later to pick up full-grown chickens ready for slaughter. At the processing plant, Tyson employees count and weigh the birds. A grower’s income is determined by a formula based on that count, that weight and the amount of feed used.” “The chicken grower provides the land, the labor, the poultry houses and the fuel. Most growers must borrow money to build the houses, which cost about $150,000 each and hold about 25,000 birds. A 1995 survey by Louisiana Tech University found that the typical grower had been raising chickens for 15 years, owned three poultry houses, remained deeply in debt and earned about $12,000 a year. About half of the nation’s chicken growers leave the business after just three years, either selling out or losing everything. The back roads of Arkansas are now littered with abandoned poultry houses.”Concerned about illegal immigration issues? Then you should know that America’s supply of year-round, inexpensive fresh produce depends on vast numbers of illegal aliens. Not all growers use illegal aliens, but using them is so preponderant that it drives down prices overall. Many live in virtual slavery. If that sounds exaggerated, consider the words of Douglas Molloy, chief U.S. attorney for the south Florida region that supplies as much as 90 percent of America’s fresh tomatoes from December to May. In Gourmet Magazine’s March 2009 issue “when asked if it is reasonable to assume that an American who has eaten a fresh tomato from a grocery store or food-service company during the winter has eaten fruit picked by the hand of a slave, Molloy said, ‘It’s not an assumption. It’s a fact.’” He says his district is “ground zero for modern slavery.” The Gourmet article tells the story of a Guatemalan illegal, Lucas. His employer/landlord cashed his checks, deducting for room and board (the “room” was the back of a box truck without running water or toilet). Showers from a backyard hose cost $5. If Lucas inquired about his balance he was beaten. If he was sick or too exhausted to work, he was kicked in the head, beaten and locked in the truck. On Nov. 18, 2007, after two and a half years, he saw a gap in the truck’s ceiling and punched his way to freedom. Officials say he was deprived of over $55,000. Lucas’ case is not unusual; since 1997 law-enforcement officials have freed more than 1,000 people in similar situations. They believe those represent only a fraction the problem: “Frightened, undocumented, mistrustful of the police and speaking little or no English, most slaves refuse to testify. ‘Unlike victims of other crimes,’ said Molloy, ‘They hide from us in plain sight.”’Competition from countries with even lower wages and less regulations makes keeping prices low critical for conventional farmers. China currently supplies “the preponderance of our apples, garlic and, very soon, potatoes,” says Terra Brockman, executive director of The Land Connection, an Illinois nonprofit that “envisions community-based food systems in the Midwest in which every farmer has the opportunity to grow food in a sustainable manner, and every person has the choice to enjoy local and organic foods.” She cites economist John Ikerd’s prediction that an OFEC (Organization of Food Exporting Countries) will arise with “even worse repercussions that OPEC. We can live without oil; we can’t live without food.” A growing disillusionment with, and awareness of the hidden costs of industrial agriculture has made sustainable and/or organically grown products the fastest-growing segment of the food industry. And advocates for sustainable food have, for the first time, found a place in federal government. Most prominent is Kathleen Merrigan, the USDA’s No. 2 official. Merrigan has a background in environmental planning and policy, and has worked as a senior analyst for organizations promoting research and education in sustainable agriculture and within the USDA. Groceries stock produce year-round from Florida and California, and every corner of the globe.PHOTOâBYâJOSEPHâCOPLEY
Still, advocates of industrial agriculture, such as the American Council on Science and Health, are fighting tooth and nail against any shift away from “conventional farming.” The ACSH calls itself “a consumer education consortium concerned with issues related to food, nutrition, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, lifestyle, the environment and health.” Associate director Jeff Steir recently took the Obamas to task for planting an organic White House Garden, calling them “Liberal Limousine Elitists.” He said, “It’s irresponsible to tell people that you have to eat organic locally grown foods. That’s a serious public health concern, because not everyone can afford that. People are going to be eating fewer fruits and vegetables. Obesity rates will go up. Cancer rates are going to go up. I think that if we decide we’re only going to eat locally grown foods, we’re going to have a lot of starvation.” Samantha Bee on TV’s “The Daily Show” wryly observed that Steir was accusing the White House garden of being “that rare public health threat that can simultaneously cause starvation and obesity.” ACSH is independent, nonprofit and tax-exempt, but, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, receives funding from a long list of corporate giants, including Exxon/Mobil, ConAgra, Dupont, Union Carbide, Dow, Monsanto and ADM. To an extent, the perception that sustainably grown food is necessarily more costly is mistaken. Brockman has for years done a midsummer cost comparison of vegetables from her brother Henry’s farm north of Bloomington-Normal with those in the local Jewel. Henry sells his produce at Chicago’s Greenmarket and to some of Chicago’s best restaurants, but the Brockmans have found that produce for participants in his CSA (Community Supported Agriculture, a program in which members pay for a share of the season’s produce, with weekly pickups/deliveries) usually costs less than grocery store equivalents — often just half as much. Atlanta, Ill., farmer Dave Bishop has even found that prices for his pastured beef and poultry compare favorably with his local Wal-Mart. Many remain convinced that industrial agriculture is the only way enough food can be grown to feed a hungry world. They’re skeptical — even disbelieving — when told that sustainable farming, using methods both old and new, can actually produce more food per acre than conventional farming. But numbers provide the proof. An acre of conventionally raised corn at today’s prices would fetch $602, although by the end of the year, it’s projected to cost $716.55 — and takes 50-plus gallons of fossil fuel to produce. In contrast, a local Springfield produce farmer using sustainable practices says he earns as much as $16,000 per acre.Poultry section at Wal-MartPHOTOâBYâJOSEPHâCOPLEY
Locally, programs are currently available to help disadvantaged folks buy healthy food, such as the WIC program for women, infants and children (tel. 217-836-6946) and Senior Citizen Farmers’ Market coupons from the Area Agency on Aging, (tel. 217-787-9234).Proponents of sustainable agriculture are passionate about and committed to making healthy, sustainably grown food available and affordable for everyone. They know it will take energy and effort. The Lumpkin Family Foundation, based in Mattoon, commissioned a study in 2004, “Feeding Ourselves: Strategies for a New Illinois Food System.” It identified objectives that must be met to move beyond the current industrial agriculture model. Chief among them were the development of infrastructure that will allow products to be locally processed and marketed, including storage facilities where perishable products can be refrigerated and loads consolidated, transportation, and processing facilities for dairy, livestock and fresh produce. Knowledge, training and making farmland available and affordable to an expanded population of farmers are also crucial — areas that comprise much of the focus of The Illinois Stewardship Alliance and The Land Connection. Last, not least, is political will. Eliminating the hidden costs of cheap food doesn’t necessarily mean that all food will become vastly more expensive. It will probably be a mixed bag — some foods costing more, some less, others staying the same. Farmers, processors and sellers will need support and creativity to develop cost-effective strategies. Consumers will need to make educated choices about what and how they eat.“We will not be able to feed everyone on healthier food unless we change the incentive structure of American agriculture,” say Kenner and Pollan. But ultimately they believe that transforming our food system won’t be a choice, given its reliance on fossil fuel: “In the same way we’re going to have to run an industrial system without cheap fossil fuel in the next 50-100 years, the same is true for agriculture.” Julianne Glatz writes the weekly food column “Realcuisine” for Illinois Times. Contact her at [email protected] Inc. premiered in major U.S. cities June 19th. It is not yet scheduled to be shown locally, although the lIllinois Stewardship Alliance is working towards a Springfield screening. Next
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« Planting Trees in Haiti With the Smallholder Farmers Alliance | Main
| Fences Alive and Well and Living in Haiti » TuesdayFeb122013
Tuesday, February 12, 2013 | Hugh Locke Exit Strategy Aid Shows Promise in Haiti Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy Three years ago a development expert (me), an agronomist (Timote Georges) and a shoe and apparel company (Timberland) set out to plant trees in Haiti. Despite a background in forestry, I had been working for five years in Haiti without putting that experience to use. Timote had been working with small-scale farmers planting trees, but was disappointed with the lack of tangible results. The Timberland Company had made a commitment to plant five million trees before 2015 and was looking for a partner for this initiative. The result of our collaboration is an ongoing experiment that is showing early signs of significant potential for Haiti and the rest of the developing world. I call it “exit strategy aid.”
Starting With Farmers
Haiti was once covered in tropical forests, but now has less than two percent tree cover. There are many parts of the country that are semi-desert, with only scrub grass and cactus. And in a mountainous country with no trees on its slopes, every major rain storm causes massive destruction in both urban and rural areas.
There are close to 10 million people in Haiti, six million of whom live in the countryside and rely on agriculture for their livelihoods. The importance of involving farmers in the planting and maintenance of trees cannot be overstated. But as Timote discovered, getting them on board is challenging. The farmers he had been working with were reluctant to look after trees without a financial incentive.
The average Haitian farmer has around 1.5 hectares (close to 4 acres), and their agricultural techniques have changed little in the last hundred years. We discovered what they really wanted was the agricultural training necessary to improve their crop yields. If we could do that, they were willing to plant and protect trees.
This is how we came up with the basic model that we have been implementing in a pilot program for the past three years, supported by Timberland. Through the non-profit organization I helped create, called the Smallholder Farmers Alliance (SFA), we provide an agricultural service to farmers with the training they need to improve their yields, in exchange for their help in planting and looking after trees.
Working with an initial group of 2,000 small-scale farmers near the northern city of Gonaives, this agricultural service has expanded to include providing high yield seed, training in crop management, a micro-loan program, in-field technical support and supplying the good quality tools needed to produce higher yields of sorghum, beans, corn and other food items (all done with heirloom, non-hybrid seeds and no chemical fertilizers). Those yields have gone up as much as 50 percent, depending on the crop.
In exchange, the farmers operate eight nurseries, which together grow one million trees a year. When the trees are roughly six months old, the farmers transplant the seedlings onto their own and community land. Because the agricultural service raises their food crop yields, and consequently their income, planting trees means earning more money. In addition to the environmental benefit, farmers have also begun to benefit from fruit, timber, fodder and fuel as the seedlings grow and mature.
So far, what I have described is a fairly standard form of foreign aid. It would technically be classified as agroforestry because it involves growing trees and food crops on the same land. The particular combination that Timote and I came up is innovative because we figured out a financial incentive to get trees planted and protected by the farmers. And the scale of the operation is impressive: to date we have planted 2.2 million trees and, now that we are at full capacity with the pilot program, we are continuing at the rate of one million more each year.
However, the fact remains that if this is all we did, the program would operate only as long as the external funding kept coming. The day the funding stopped would be the day the program stopped.
Along Came Timberland
You know that feeling when you have worked hard to come up with a great idea that you are really excited about, and then just one question deflates the whole thing? That was what happened just over three years ago when I first presented our concept—planting trees in exchange for an agricultural service—to Jeff Swartz, then CEO of Timberland, and his colleague Margaret Morey-Reuner, Senior Manager for Values Marketing. I had expected we would plant trees as long as sponsorship funding from Timberland kept flowing. Instead, they wanted to know how the program would pay for itself when the funding stopped.
This is not how foreign aid currently operates. You are supposed to give out money for short term projects with measurable results, even if a longer program can be shown to build local capacity; giving out fish is preferable to teaching people how to fish. At the same time, there is a rule in foreign aid that those with the money, whether governments or non-profit organizations, can deliver any given service more effectively and efficiently than the local people being helped. Both of these current foreign aid assumptions are wrong, and both approaches tend to create a dependency on handouts. This is particularly true in Haiti.
Imagine for a moment that the current rules of foreign aid were applied to the Hurricane Sandy recovery efforts in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. In this “foreign aid scenario,” overseas governments would step forward to provide the $50 billion in aid instead of the U.S. Congress. Those foreign governments would each decide how their money was to be spent, and the U.S. and state governments would not be consulted. Each government would bring in its own contractors and its own charitable organizations to implement the recovery efforts, with almost no money going to local groups or contractors. And when the funding stopped, all activities on the ground would stop and the resulting projects would collapse. With few exceptions, this is how foreign aid is given out by wealthy countries to poor countries the world over. Is it any wonder that it is not having the intended impact?
Timberland’s question forced us to re-think the entire operation. We had to work back from the end of the program (which we decided would be three years) to determine how we could be certain it would continue without us and our funding. The result of these deliberations was a program that, after three years of investment and training, would continue as a farmer-managed and self-financed operation. By working back from our exit date, every action we took from day one had to prepare the farmers to oversee and implement all aspects of the operation and generate enough profits to pay for it. The resulting innovation of “exit strategy aid,” which sets a strict time limit on external training and funding, has implications for the rest of the developing world.
The 2,000 farmers in SFA’s pilot program have been trained to operate eight tree nurseries that now generate one million trees a year. They have also been trained to run their own agricultural service, which includes everything from finding good quality sources of high-yield crop seeds, running a microfinance service, learning how to detect early signs of insect or fungal infestation, to making non-toxic herbicides and pesticides using neem leaf extracts—a native tree species they are also helping plant. Classic agroforestry—growing trees and food crops on the same land—but farmer-managed, with SFA in the role of consultant instead of manager.
With the farmers performing every task related to running the operation, the next issue was the structure. We helped to turn the individual farmers into a for-profit agroforestry cooperative. Each farmer sells his or her own food crops directly and pockets the income (including the increase from higher yields), but the cooperative runs both the tree planting and agricultural service elements. The cooperative earns income by selling up to one third of the tree seedlings the farmers grow each year, with several other income streams coming on line soon.
The First Big Test
The pilot program near Gonaives began operation in February, 2010, and the farmer members are now in the final stages of incorporating as a for-profit cooperative called “Alyans Ti Plantè-Gonaïves” in Creole. External funding stopped at the end of last month.
The first real test of the model came when farmers throughout Haiti lost between 40 and 70 percent of their crops as a result of hurricanes Isaac and Sandy. The cooperative had already saved enough income from tree sales to be able to purchase the extra seed needed by members to replant their storm-damaged fields. They were also able to purchase close to a metric ton of rice for farm members. But rather than handing out this much-needed rice for free, women members who had recently repaid micro-loans were able to get new loans to purchase the subsidized rice and sell it to other cooperative members for half the going market rate.
The cooperative took care of its own members without turning to any government or donor sources for assistance. The Charcoal Conundrum
Haiti meets around 75 percent of its energy needs by burning charcoal and wood, with no corresponding national program of reforestation or the development of alternative energy sources. This dependence on trees for charcoal as a source of energy applies not only to individual cooking needs, but also for most commercial bakeries, dry cleaners and distilleries.
Our program focuses on tree planting—including farmer training in how to harvest trees sustainably—but reforestation alone is not the solution to the problem. For example, Haiti’s total use of charcoal could be cut in half if bakeries, dry cleaners and distilleries were given government assistance to convert to propane. That total could be further reduced through the systematic introduction of fuel efficient stoves throughout the country. At present there are a dozen or more programs experimenting with various fuel efficient stoves, including a promising version using locally-produced ethanol—but no one is coordinating this effort and preparing to scale it up.
Given that it currently takes around 30 million trees a year to power the country, the scale of reforestation needed to result in a net gain in trees makes this a daunting undertaking that will only succeed if balanced by a national plan to reduce charcoal consumption.
The Smallholder Farmers Alliance, which is a non-profit, non-governmental organization (NGO) based in Haiti, continues with Timberland as our main partner. They have recently been joined by the Clinton Foundation, which has provided both funding and has introduced us to corporations working in Haiti with whom we are currently negotiating to become clients of our farmers. We are planning to launch the next cooperative by mid-year when we begin working with a new group of 2,000 smallholder farmers in the Central Plateau region of Haiti. Expanding our sponsor base even further will allow us to establish what we hope will be a network of cooperatives across the country, each becoming independent after three years. The government of President Michel Martelly has declared 2013 the “year of the environment” in Haiti and is calling for large scale tree planting. They have increased spending on agriculture and taken the first steps towards implementing a coordinated national agricultural policy. And they have had more direct say in how foreign aid is spent than any government in several decades. SFA’s goal is to build on these positive steps by continuing to plant trees and improve agriculture in Haiti, one farmer at a time.
Hugh Locke is Co-founder and President of the Smallholder Farmers Alliance and author of The Haiti Experiment.
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2017-04/4169/en_head.json.gz/12141 | Synutra Announces Long-Term Partnership Agreement With Sodiaal, The Leading Dairy Cooperative In France, And The Building Of A New Drying Facility In France
QINGDAO, China and ROCKVILLE, Md., Sept. 18, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Synutra International, Inc. (NASDAQ: SYUT), a leading infant formula company in China and a producer, marketer and seller of nutritional products for infants, children and adults, today announced the signing of a long-term industrial and commercial partnership agreement with Sodiaal, the leading dairy cooperative in France, and its subsidiary, Euroserum, the world leader in demineralized whey powders. Under this partnership agreement, Synutra will build a new drying facility in Carhaix, France (located in the Brittany region), intended to manufacture powdered milk and fat-enriched demineralized whey for the needs of the Synutra group. Located in the heart of the central Brittany milk-collection basin, this new drying facility will meet the strictest European quality and hygiene standards and will be capable of producing 60,000 tons of powder per year initially, with a designed capacity of up to 100,000 tons annually. Synutra anticipates spending approximately 90 million euros ( $118 million) to build and operate this drying facility with the majority of funding for this project expected to come from PRC bank loans. The operational commissioning of the drying facility is expected to take place by year-end 2014, subject to full PRC government approval and, once completed, is expected to employ approximately 75-100 employees. Upon commissioning of the drying facility, Euroserum and Sodiaal will supply the facility with demineralized liquid whey and milk. This agreement and the construction of the drying facility in Carhaix remains subject to the approvals of the government of the People's Republic of China, granted by (i) the National Development and Reform Commission, (ii) the Ministry of Commerce and (iii) the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE). Mr. Liang Zhang, Chairman and CEO of Synutra said, "We are very pleased with this industrial and commercial partnership with Sodiaal and Euroserum. This opportunity allows Synutra to secure its long-term supply of high quality raw materials and fuel Synutra's future growth while maintaining the highest quality standard for our products. We are confident this collaborative effort can further increase consumer confidence and trust in our premium nutritional products." Mr. Francois Iches, Chairman of Sodiaal said, "We are delighted with this long term partnership agreement with Synutra and its investment of a new drying facility in the Brittany region. This commitment is a strong signal for Sodiaal and our farmers of the long-term commercial relationship between the two groups." About Synutra International, Inc. Synutra International, Inc. (Nasdaq: SYUT) is a leading infant formula company in China. It principally produces, markets and sells its products through its operating subsidiaries under the "Shengyuan" or "Synutra" name, together with other complementary brands. It focuses on selling premium infant formula products, which are supplemented by more affordable infant formulas targeting the mass market as well as other nutritional products and ingredients. It sells its products through an extensive nationwide sales and distribution network covering all provinces and provincial-level municipalities in mainland China. As of June 30, 2012, this network comprised over 650 independent distributors and over 800 independent sub-distributors who sell Synutra products in over 66,000 retail outlets. Forward-looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that are based on our current expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections about Synutra International, Inc. and its industry. All statements other than statements of historical fact in this release are forward-looking statements. In some cases, these forward-looking statements can be identified by words or phrases such as "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "is/are likely to," "may," "plan," "should," "will," "aim," "potential," "continue," or other similar expressions. The forward-looking statements included in this press release relate to, among others, Synutra's goals and strategies; its future business development, financial condition and results of operations; the expected growth of the nutritional products and infant formula markets in China; market acceptance of Synutra's products; the safety and quality of Synutra's products; Synutra's expectations regarding demand for its products; Synutra's ability to stay abreast of market trends and technological advances; competition in the infant formula industry in China; PRC governmental policies and regulations relating to the nutritional products and infant formula industries, and general economic and business conditions in China. These forward-looking statements involve various risks and uncertainties. Although Synutra believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, these expectations may turn out to be incorrect. Synutra's actual results could be materially different from the expectations. Important risks and factors that could cause actual results to be materially different from expectations are generally set forth in Synutra's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release. Synutra International, Inc. undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which the statements are made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. Prev | 农业 |
2017-04/4169/en_head.json.gz/13035 | More Careers in landscaping much more than playing with plantsCailynn Klingbeil, Edmonton Journal 07.10.2013Elizabeth Wheale continues to maintain a yard which she landscaped with her company Fairhaven Landscaping.
/ Dustin DennisElizabeth Wheale continues to maintain a yard which she landscaped with her company Fairhaven Landscaping.
/ Dustin DennisElizabeth Wheale of Fairhaven Landscaping in Red Deer surveys some of the work she has done in a client’s back yard.
/ Dustin DennisShareAdjustCommentPrint
Career switch to motorcycle mechanic ‘natural fit’ for enthusiastic rider
EDMONTON - Elizabeth Wheale spends winters on the ski hill and summers working outside in other people’s yards.The 28-year-old recently finished a landscape gardener apprenticeship and started her own business, Fair Haven Landscaping. The Red Deer-based company services central Alberta, including rural areas, completing projects ranging from building retaining walls to starting flower gardens from scratch.Landscape gardening is a red seal trade that requires a four-year apprenticeship, including a minimum of 1,200 hours of on-the-job training and eight weeks of technical training each year. Olds College is the only school in the province that offers technical training in the trade.Wheale grew up on a farm and enjoyed working outside, including a winter job as a ski instructor. But she hadn’t considered a career in the landscaping trade until she started working for a local company.“Originally I was actually planning to go to the United Kingdom and do a bachelor’s degree in theology and youth work,” Wheale remembers.However the program she had her eye on didn’t start until June and Wheale’s ski instructor job had finished for the season, leaving her looking for work for a few months. She ended up at Geneva Gardens Inc. in Red Deer, where the company’s owner encouraged Wheale to consider an apprenticeship.“He saw the potential there and told me about the apprenticeship and said I’ll hire you for the summer, but I want you to do an apprenticeship. I hadn’t been totally sure about moving to the United Kingdom, and once I started working it made sense to stay,” she said.She finished her apprenticeship with top marks and earned the Top Apprentice Award in 2011 for landscape gardener.Landscape gardeners can work for a variety of employers, including landscape architects, contractors, nurseries, tree farms, greenhouses, cemeteries, governments garden centres and landscape supply outlets.Others, such as Wheale, are self-employed.“I enjoy the challenges that come from different people and their different preferences. I get bored easily so it’s nice to have variety,” she said.Still, Wheale points out that starting a business comes with challenges.“It’s thinking through the estimates and cost evaluations and valuing your own time and deciding what hours you’re willing to work and what type of work you’re willing to do. There’s lots of logistics you have to work through and you’ve just got to do it, and any entrepreneur is like that,” she said.Wheale said one of the biggest challenges she’s encountered so far is getting customers to understand they get what they pay for.“Cheap is out there, it’s just not skilled,” Wheale said.Landscape gardening is an optional certification trade, meaning a recognized trade certificate is not required to practise the trade. That can mean skilled workers who are certified find themselves fixing other people’s mistakes.“There’s one customer right now where I’m problem-solving because the landscaper who went in before did things that aren’t best practice,” Wheale said. “There are so many people out there with a wheel barrow or bobcat, but do they understand soil textures, or hardiness zones?”Educating customers about those finer points of landscape gardening is something that Wheale really enjoys.“I think education is a huge thing. As the world moves more to organics and ecologically friendly practices, it’s even more important to have skilled, trained people,” Wheale said.Laura Caddy has also made a career out of working with plants. The red seal landscape horticulturist works year-round at the Devonian Botanic Garden, located 15 minutes southwest of Edmonton.“I’ve been gardening since I could walk,” said Caddy, who worked in local greenhouses in Red Deer after finishing high school.“I was more interested in a hands-on approach than the university route, so I found a horticulture trade program at a school in Ontario,” Caddy said. “Our classroom was a botanical garden just outside Niagara Falls.”After graduating from the Niagara Parks School of Horticulture, Caddy challenged the red seal exam for landscape horticulturist and worked at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Hamilton.She has worked at the Devonian Botanic Garden for just over a year, in the position of horticulturist and curator in charge of the Patrick Seymour Alpine Garden.“As a horticulturist, I’m doing the hands-on, physical taking care of the plant, while as a curator I decide the direction of the garden and what goes where,” she said.“I love being outside, I love working with my hands. I’ve always loved plants and taking care of them, and with my position it’s more than that. It’s a scientific collection. There’s a purpose to the gardens, a reason why we have plants above and beyond display.”[email protected]
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2017-04/4169/en_head.json.gz/13212 | Why Fruits Ripen and Flowers Die: Scientists Discover How Key Plant Hormone Is Triggered
Best known for its effects on fruit ripening and flower fading, the gaseous plant hormone ethylene shortens the shelf life of many fruits and plants by putting their physiology on fast-forward.
In recent years, scientists learned a lot about the different components that transmit ethylene signals inside cells. But a central regulator of ethylene responses, a protein known as EIN2, resisted all their efforts. Finally, after more than a decade of constant probing, a team of researchers led by Joseph Ecker, Ph.D., a professor in the Plant Biology laboratory and director of the Salk Institute Genomic Analysis Laboratory, successfully pinned down the elusive protein. Turns out, the presence of ethylene stabilizes the otherwise ephemeral EIN2 allowing it to gather up enough strength to pass on ethylene’s message. Their findings, published in the Feb. 15, 2009 edition of the journal Genes and Development, are an important step toward defining EIN2’s role in growth and development and modifying key processes to improve agriculture, preventing crop losses due to ethylene related processes.
... more about:»ETP1 »ETP2 »F-box »F-box proteins »Flowers Die »Fruits Ripen »Hormon »Key Plant Hormone »ephemeral EIN2 »ethylene signals »flowers »fruits »gaseous plant hormone ethylene »nitrogen-fixing legumes »signaling pathway “Ethylene is involved in a wide variety of processes and we knew from genetic experiments that EIN2 is right at the center of ethylene signaling pathway, but for the longest time we were unable to figure out how it is regulated,” says Ecker. “Now that we know that EIN2 is negatively regulated by protein degradation, we can begin to understand how it triggers all these different ethylene responses in plants.”
All aspects of a plant’s life are influenced by ethylene: It induces seed germination and the so-called triple response in seedlings, which helps them to push past obstructions. It regulates root hair growth in general and nodulation in nitrogen-fixing legumes. It stimulates fruit ripening, floral fading and abscission, which allows plants to drop fruits, leaves and flowers. But it also protects against pathogens and environmental stress.
While ethylene’s power has been harnessed since the ancient Egyptians discovered that scoring figs hastens the ripening process, it also causes significant losses for florists, markets, suppliers and growers. A single rotting apple’s ethylene production will accelerate the ripening process in nearby apples causing them to spoil as well. Stress during shipping and handling increases ethylene production in cut flowers inducing premature floral fading.
“Ethylene plays a big role in our daily life and ethylene overproduction causes huge economic losses every year,” says first author Hong Qiao, Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow in Ecker’s lab. “Once we fill in the gaps in our understanding of the ethylene signaling pathway, we can use this knowledge to improve pathogen or drought resistance in plants.”
In the absence of ethylene, a protein called CTR1—short for constitutive triple response 1—shuts down the ethylene pathway through the repression of a protein known as ETHYLENE INSENSITIVE 2 or EIN2. As soon as ethylene binds to its receptors, though, CTR1 looses its paralyzing grip on EIN2 and EIN2 becomes active. But nobody knew how.
Since the activity of the gene, which was isolated in Ecker’s lab in 1995, doesn’t change, Qiao took a closer look at protein levels. It quickly became clear that EIN2 is a short-lived protein that is constantly recycled. When she treated the plants with ethylene, however, EIN2 was no longer degraded and started to accumulate. Further experiments revealed that two so-called F-box proteins, ETP1 and ETP2 (EIN2 targeting protein 1 and 2), flag EIN2 for degradation when it is not needed for signal transmission. In the presence of ethylene, both F-box proteins are inactivated and EIN2 is no longer sent to the cell’s recycling plant. “Protein degradation is an emerging theme in plant biology and has been linked to several signaling pathways,” explains Ecker. “This type of regulation is like having your foot on the accelerator and the brake at the same time, then letting up on the brake. It allows cells to respond quickly to incoming information.”
When Qiao inactivated both ETP1 and ETP2 the ethylene signaling pathway was permanently active. When she increased their levels above normal the plants did not respond to the presence of ethylene at all because they couldn’t shake off ETP1 and ETP2. “It really confirmed the central role of EIN2,” say Qiao. “Now we can follow this route and fill in the gaps between EIN2 and downstream components of the pathway.”
Graduate student Katherine N. Chang, and postdoctoral researcher Junshi Yazaki, Ph.D., both in Ecker’s lab also contributed to the study. The work was funded by the National Science Foundation.
The Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, California, is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to fundamental discoveries in the life sciences, the improvement of human health, and the training of future generations of researchers. Jonas Salk, M.D., whose polio vaccine all but eradicated the crippling disease poliomyelitis in 1955, opened the Institute in 1965 with a gift of land from the City of San Diego and the financial support of the March of Dimes.
Gina Kirchweger | Newswise Science News
http://www.salk.edu
Further reports about: > ETP1
> ETP2
> F-box
> F-box proteins
> Flowers Die
> Fruits Ripen
> Hormon
> Key Plant Hormone
> ephemeral EIN2
> ethylene signals
> fruits
> gaseous plant hormone ethylene
> nitrogen-fixing legumes
> signaling pathway | 农业 |
2017-04/4169/en_head.json.gz/14773 | The miracle of American agriculture
Mad cow disease has arrived in the United States, but mad-cow hysteria hasn't, much to the chagrin of environmental and animal-rights activists. Ronnie Cummins, head of the Organic Consumers Association, hopes that mad-cow fears fuel a "crisis of confidence" in American food. Great. Maybe we can have a run on the banks and urban riots, too.
The activists hope for a food apocalypse, because they consider American agriculture an ongoing atrocity -- think Saddam Hussein in overalls, wielding hybrid corn as his weapon of mass destruction. What so upsets them is that the United States has avoided the agricultural neuroses of Europe and embraced technological advances in the production of its food. This has made the United States the leader in the "Green Revolution," which during the past 30 years has been a boon for human welfare and the environment. Rather than a fragile edifice about to be brought low by mad cow disease, American agriculture is miraculously productive and safe.
Britain has been the only country to suffer a mad-cow epidemic because it was feeding meat and bone meal from infected cows to other cows, spreading the disease. The United States ended the practice of feeding ruminant meal to cows in 1997, and the recently discovered case of mad cow disease might pre-date the ban. So there is unlikely to be a mass outbreak. For thousands of years, humans have been trading germs back and forth with livestock and have periodically been devastated by animal-borne diseases. In light of this, to have less than 200 people die from the human form of mad cow disease -- the number of fatalities worldwide so far -- would be something of a triumph.
View Cartoon The chief risk from the arrival of mad cow in the United States is that it creates a European-style paranoia about technology that has prompted the Euros to reject demonstrably safe growth hormones in beef, genetically modified crops and other advances. According to Dennis and Alex Avery, the indispensable agriculture experts at the Indianapolis-based Hudson Institute, the pounds of meat produced per acre farmed has doubled in the United States since 1970. The corn yield in the United States has increased from 25 bushels per acre in the 1920s to 140 bushels per acre today. Generally, crop yields have tripled since 1970.
Putting aside the question of the quality of life of the animals involved (American agriculture isn't always pretty), the increased efficiencies have made it possible to feed more people, putting the lie to predictions three decades ago that the planet would inevitably be afflicted by mass starvation. The new productivity also makes it possible to produce more food on less land, preserving, by the Averys' estimate, more than 16 million square miles of wildlife habitat since 1950 that otherwise would have been plowed under. Enviros should be dancing among the biotech corn rows.
There are three major legs to the Green Revolution: genetic improvements, both crossbreeding and biotech, that increase yields and make crops heartier, thus reducing the need for pesticides (between 1996 and 2000, biotech cotton, for instance, obviated the need to spray nearly 3 million pounds of pesticide annually); synthetic fertilizers, which prevent the sort of soil depletion that created the Dust Bowl in the 1930s; better and safer insecticides and weedkillers that increasingly make it possible to forego the plowing that creates erosion and environmentally harmful runoff.
Turning our backs on these advances in favor of "organic" agriculture, as the mad-cow hysterics want, would be folly. In Denmark in the mid-1990s, a commission studied the effects of a potential all-organic agricultural mandate, and found it would reduce Danish food production by roughly half. Eliminating synthetic fertilizer everywhere, meanwhile, would mean keeping 7 billion to 9 billion cattle globally, instead of the current 1.2 billion, just to get the necessary manure.
Ogden Nash famously observed, "The cow is of the bovine ilk/One end is moo, the other, milk." Despite the mad-cow scare, American agriculture does moo, milk and much else better than they've ever been done. Hold the hysteria. Try satisfaction instead.
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2017-04/4169/en_head.json.gz/14968 | Climate change brews up trouble for coffee Share
Rating A worker scoops coffee beans at Kiandu factory in Tetu, Nyeri. Shifting weather patterns signal reduced output for Kenya’s coffee and tea growers. Photo/Joseph Kanyi By NGONDI MBURU Posted Wednesday, May 16 2012 at 21:36
As the world grapples with climate change, Kenya coffee and tea farmers are being forced to wake up to the reality of these new conditions as scientists paint grim prospects for the cash crops.
Scientists warn that this change is permanent and may force growers to drastically change their farming methods, including the type of crops. Experts predict that certain tea and coffee-growing areas will no longer be viable by 2050.
“The central region will become less viable for coffee due to drier weather while the western one will become more suitable due to increased precipitation,” said Patrick Kimari, a researcher with Kimathi University College of technology in Nyeri. Dr Kuria Thiong’o, a geomatic engineering and geospatial information scientist at the university noted that tea-growing will also be forced towards the higher regions due to drier weather patterns.
But most of these areas are protected forest, which means that tea will slowly be forced out of production, he added.
Inability to quantify the extent of expected changes mainly due to lack of research into the field have shrouded climate change in ambiguity and as a result, no clear-cut mitigation policies have been formulated.
But on the ground, farmers are already experiencing the harsh effects of climate change with a host of new challenges previously not experienced.
Every year it is going from bad to worse. Sometimes the rain is too much and sometimes it comes at a time when it is not anticipated while at other times it is very hot when it should be raining,” said Mr Paul Mugo a tea farmer from Keru in Kiriaini.
The latest example of the grave effects of climate change was the frost that hit most tea- growing areas in the country, causing heavy losses.
“We only used to hear of frost. It has now hit us in a big way,” said Mr Mugo who owns 3,000 tea bushes on his three-quarter- acre farm.
The frost was caused by high temperatures during the day followed by low temperatures during the night, forming a blanket of frost that settled on tea.
In Murang’a and Nyeri, a combination of frost and the dry weather that followed led to a 20 per cent drop in production. Since no one expected that such a phenomenon would occur as a result of climate change, the losses were heavy despite the availability of simple mitigation measures such as trees which can provide a sink for the frost blanket.
“My field was not affected because I have planted a lot of trees. But in my neighbour’s farm for example, there was no harvest because of the frost and the heat that followed after the frost,” said Mr John Mwaniki from Iriaini in Othaya district. Jane Nyambura from Ethical Tea Partnership, a non-commercial consortium of tea buyers and packers from Australia, UK and the US noted that the changing weather was expected to lead to new pests and crop diseases. | 农业 |
2017-04/4169/en_head.json.gz/15160 | 8. Capacity building for biotechnology in food and agriculture
The case studies examined in Chapter 4 revealed that small farmers in developing countries can benefit from transgenic crops, as they have done in the past from other productivity-enhancing technological innovations. However, these gains are not automatic. Nations need adequate policy and institutional/technical capacity to deliver them and farmers need access to suitable innovations on affordable terms. Unlike the Green Revolution, which was based on an explicit strategy of the international transfer of improved technology as a free public good, almost all transgenic crop varieties and most other agricultural biotechnology innovations are being created and disseminated by the private sector. Chapter 7 addressed some strategies to increase public and private research and partnerships that focus on developing technologies to address the problems of the poor.
However, several barriers stand in the way of biotechnology reaching resource-poor farmers and especially the poor countries that could benefit substantially from these innovations. Safe and informed use of biotechnology requires adequate capacity for policy formulation, agricultural research, financial resources and marketing channels, as well as a framework for intellectual property rights and the capacity to handle the regulatory matters regarding food safety, human and livestock health, and environmental safety. Although biotechnology is evolving rapidly and is poised to play a fundamental role in further agricultural and economic development, there remains a large gap in most developing countries and especially among the least developed in their ability to assess their specific circumstances, meet their commitments and benefit from the opportunities that may arise from biotechnology. There is often a policy vacuum and inadequate capability to comply with the international instruments relating to biotechnology.
The most frequent problems encountered by developing countries and countries in transition are:
insufficient capacity within ministries and their institutions to analyse options, set priorities for investment and formulate policies for national deployment of biotechnology in food and agriculture that support national development goals;
limited technical, legal and administrative capability to establish and implement regulatory procedures, including biosafety, risk assessment and intellectual property rights, protection of indigenous knowledge and local resources, and communication to raise public acceptance of new technologies; and
limited resources and capabilities to design, establish and operate infrastructures needed to generate, adapt, transfer and regulate biotechnology applications in food and agriculture, including enabling environments for furthering collaboration between the public and the private sectors.
National capacities in agricultural biotechnology
Strong and dynamic capacity at the technical, institutional and management levels is the most important requisite for successful and sustainable application of biotechnology in food and agriculture. However, developing countries and countries with economies in transition vary widely in their capacity to manage agricultural biotechnology effectively. In particular, they span a wide spectrum in their capacities for agricultural biotechnology research and regulatory management, including intellectual property rights.
In recent years, there has been a steady development of agricultural biotechnology capacity in several of the larger countries, notably in Brazil, China and India, where human and financial resources allocated to biotechnology R&D are relatively high and experience in the commercialization of biotechnology products is growing. Where governments have made substantial investments in public-sector agricultural biotechnology research in the developing world, several common themes emerge. First, they have gradually built a strong scientific base in agricultural research and biotechnology. Their national research institutes are encouraged to be actively involved in bilateral and international collaborative research programmes in diverse fields of agricultural biotechnology. Second, in their national policies they have specifically identified science and technology, and biotechnology in particular, as an important engine of economic growth both for agriculture and for the health sector. Third, their public agricultural research programmes have had substantial success in promoting rapid agricultural growth. These countries have seen the explosive growth of information technology and its contributions to their economies and hope for similar growth through medical and agricultural biotechnology.
Towards the middle of the spectrum are those developing countries that are now beginning to incorporate biotechnology increasingly in their agricultural research programmes, for instance Egypt and Indonesia. These countries generally have moderately strong conventional agricultural research capacity and are developing strong biotechnology capacity in several areas. Further towards the other end of the spectrum are those countries that have not advanced far in direct application of the tools and techniques, except for applications of simpler techniques such as micropropagation and tissue culture. Again, these countries have several things in common. Research efforts are less advanced and often several related programmes are scattered over a wide range of products and institutes. The programmes are often heavily dependent on donor funding and run the risk of drying up as soon as the funds are exhausted. Furthermore, the marketing and management of biotechnology products are virtually absent, as is the critical mass required to raise public awareness. In many instances, governments do not accord sufficient priority to agricultural research, and policies to support agricultural research in general and agricultural biotechnology in particular are either lacking or not implemented. Because advancements in agricultural biotechnology are severely constrained in these countries, potential payoffs from biotechnology research and development programmes remain low. The recently launched FAO-BioDeC14 is a database providing updated baseline information on the state-of-the-art biotechnology products and techniques that are in use or in the pipeline in developing countries and those with economies in transition. Currently, the database includes about 2 000 entries from 70 countries and focuses on research, testing and commercialization of specific crop technologies and products in developing countries. Although the data are limited, they do give an overview of the different stages of adoption and development of these technologies in different countries and regions and offer the possibility of identifying gaps, as well as potential partners for joint programmes in areas of common interest.
In addition to research capacity, countries also vary widely in their capacity to regulate biotechnology. The spectrum ranges from those that have well-developed IPR regimes and food safety and environmental safety regulatory procedures to those that have little or no capacity to manage these issues.
International capacity-building activities in agricultural biotechnology A number of private, governmental, non-governmental and intergovernmental organizations are involved in one or more ways in capacity-building programmes in biotechnology. The focus areas include policy development assistance, research, technology transfer, biosafety measures and related regulatory oversight, development of associated legislation and creating public awareness. A wide range of activities are carried out for strengthening the policy, institutional and technical level of competence. Agencies involved in such initiatives are the International Service for National Agricultural Research (ISNAR) Biotechnology Service (IBS), the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), the ISAAA, the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), USAID and many more. Although there is some overlap between the services offered by these organizations, each fulfils a certain function different to the others or places more emphasis on certain areas. There is no global information on the entire range of activities being carried out in agricultural biotechnology; however, the Biosafety Capacity Building database of the Biosafety Clearing-House15 provides a good overview of the various project activities being carried out in this area around the world.
FAO role and assistance to member countries
FAO provides global fora to facilitate dialogue, and is a repository of statistical information. FAO can play a pivotal role in assisting Member Governments with science-based guidance on this subject as well as in standard-setting. Some of the key activities focused on biotechnology are as follows. Promoting international standard-setting bodies. FAO supports several agreements that have an important bearing on agricultural applications of biotechnology, particularly in relation to the WTO SPS and Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Agreements. These include the IPPC and the Codex Alimentarius Commission, and the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, which covers conservation and sustainable use of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits derived from their use.
Capacity building through technical assistance and training. FAO is assisting member countries in building their legal and regulatory frameworks in harmony with international obligations; training and strengthening facilities and institutions for the appropriate and safe utilization of biotechnology for food and agriculture; developing their national legislations in this area; and building the capacity for participating in international negotiations on biotechnology to optimize national benefits. See Box 27 with regard to Bangladesh.
Information dissemination. FAO provides objective, science-based information on agricultural biotechnology, collecting, analysing and disseminating information in five languages, including through the corporate Web site16 and publications. This activity covers all aspects of biotechnology in food and agriculture, taking into consideration that member countries and their citizens need balanced and unbiased information on the potential benefits and risks of biotechnology.
BOX 27 FAO and capacity building in agricultural biotechnology in Bangladesh
In 2002, FAO and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) conducted an assessment of the status of biotechnology application in Bangladesh. Based on this assessment, the Government of Bangladesh formulated a National Programme for Biotechnology (NPB), which aims to utilize biotechnology as an important complementary route to fight food insecurity and poverty, two pressing problems of the nation. The NPB will promote awareness at all levels; establish and implement appropriate policies, strategies and partnerships; strengthen investment, institutional and market support; and undertake focused and integrated biotechnological research and development. The key components of the NPB are:
National Policy for Biotechnology, its implementation and governance. Address the technological and enabling aspects of biotechnology application. A National Taskforce for Sustainable Biotechnological Development (NTSBD), under the chairmanship of the Principal Secretary of the Office of the Prime Minister, will ensure that the policy is being effectively implemented. The NTSBD will provide transparent and efficient governance and build the required confidence in all stakeholders.
Enabling regulatory measures. Legislative and regulatory frameworks for IPR, TRIPS, biosafety, and access to and nagotiations on new technologies and products, consistent with the national needs and farmers' aspirations and rights, will be established and strengthened. Effective containment facilities, risk analysis, other biosafety-related capacities and human resources to manage regulatory aspects have high priority. The introduction, evaluation and commercialization of “Golden BR 29” (an elite Bangladeshi rice variety transformed at IRRI for high beta-carotene content) will be showcased to strengthen the national capacity in instituting and handling regulatory measures.
Institutional strengthening. Biotechnological R&D institutions in the country will be strengthened by equipping them with state-of-the-art infrastructure, centralized facilities, suitably trained human resources, information and communication facilities and by fostering public-private partnerships. The capacity of NTSBD will be augmented for priority-setting, system-based decision-making, handling of issues in a disaggregated manner, cementing research-extension-farmer-market links and for generating and allocating resources.
Biotechnology programmes. The NPB, following effective monitoring and evaluation, will focus on ecotechnologies towards an evergreen revolution, especially addressing the problems of small farmers. The following areas have been prioritized: production and distribution of in-vitro-cultured propagules, molecular characterization of genetic resources, diagnostics and recombinant vaccine production, biocontrol of pests and diseases, production and commercialization of quality (fish) fingerlings, development of transgenics for resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses, nutritional and other quality attributes, and molecular marker-assisted selection.
Three developments to help Bangladesh realize its goal. (a) For the first time, Bangladesh has created a budget line for biotechnology in its national budget; (b) in order to ensure high efficiency and interdepartmental cooperation and to avoid wasteful duplication of effort, the NTSBD is being chaired by the Principal Secretary of the Office of the Prime Minister; and (c) UNDP and other donors and international organizations have shown considerable interest in funding the new initiative.
Challenges in capacity building for agricultural biotechnology
Despite the range of capacity-building activities being carried out, much more needs to be done. The challenges faced are on a scale unlike those of other technological revolutions, including the Green Revolution in the 1960s and 1970s. For instance, any application of biotechnology requires a framework for safety including that of the environment and of human and animal health. There is a demand for equitable distribution of the benefits from the genetic resources utilized for biotechnology. In addition, it is important to develop consensus within society on the use of biotechnology-based products through full and transparent participation of all stakeholders in decision-making. Some of the major challenges in adoption of biotechnology include:
ensuring resources to cover the high costs of inputs and development; building an enabling environment for the promotion of biotechnology;
integrating biotechnology with conventional research programmes;
addressing corporate control, market power and distributional implications;
ensuring consumer protection and acceptance; and
enhancing the sustainability of biotechnology programmes.
These factors, either directly or indirectly, affect capacity building, retention of personnel, and the balance between public- and private-sector capabilities. Although not exclusive to biotechnology, the initial costs of developing these technologies may increase the difficulties. Developing countries need to avoid the trap of dependence and unsustainability in their biotechnology programmes. Government policies should establish mechanisms to encourage both public- and private-sector investment and participation in agricultural biotechnology. Public- and private-sector research should be consciously complementary and not competitive. The policy framework should not only promote the safe use of biotechnology but also ensure that policies are not a deterrent to investment by the private sector and to collaboration with external partners. In many developing countries such progressive institutional and organizational reforms are hampered by the absence of appropriate policies or their appropriate implementation.
Recognizing the constraints, there is a conscious need to take a sustained, holistic, multistakeholder, participatory approach to realize the potential benefits of agricultural biotechnology. In developing countries, there is a greater need to ensure not just capacity creation but also its retention and enhancement. Capacity-building activities have to be carried out at all levels: to raise the awareness of policy- and decision-makers, to initiate necessary legal and regulatory frameworks, to enhance technical and regulatory capacity, and to revamp institutions if necessary. More importantly, there is a need for continuous assessment and deployment of competent human resources and institutional capacity so that, as biotechnology advances, the tools for its safe use are constantly evaluated, upgraded and applied. It appears to be a daunting task, but through a firm commitment and partnerships it can be achieved.
14 Available at http://www.fao.org/biotech/inventory_admin/dep/default.asp.
15 Available at http://bch.biodiv.org/Pilot/CapacityBuilding/SearchOpportunities.aspx.
16 Available at http://www.fao.org/biotech/index.asp?lang=en. | 农业 |
2017-04/4169/en_head.json.gz/15605 | Industry NPB elects new officers
By Rick Jordahl
DES MOINES, Iowa -- In a meeting Tuesday preceding the opening of the World Pork Expo, the National Pork Board (NPB) elected new officers for 2012/2013.
Conley Nelson, Algona, Iowa pork producer, was named NPB president for the 2012-2013 term. Nelson succeeds Everett Forkner, Richards, Mo., who will remain on the board’s Executive Committee as immediate past president. Nelson acknowledged the challenges currently facing all pork producers. "We’re seeing an increasing number of examples where those outside production agriculture are trying to dictate how we care for our animals. Our strategic plan is dedicated to preserving the ability of producers to make decisions about what works best for their farms and their animals," he said. Nelson is in his second, three-year term on the National Pork Board. NPB members also elected Karen Richter, a pork producer from Montgomery, Minn., vice president. Richter, who has been the board’s treasurer the past year, operates a farrow-to-finish operation while raising corn, soybeans and wheat on 650 acres.
Dale Norton, a pork producer from Bronson, Mich., was named treasurer. Norton also serves as the NPB’s representative on the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance (USFRA).
All three new officers will serve one-year terms beginning immediately. Outgoing NPB president Everett Forkner thanked all those who provided invaluable assistance to him through his tenure as president. “It has been a true honor for me to serve as NPB president for the past year.”
Other topics discussed in the meeting included detail of a Pork Checkoff return-on-investment study that showed for every dollar invested in checkoff funds pork producers receive a return of $17.
A review of the U.S. Pork Center of Excellence was also on the agenda. Pork industry support of the information and online learning portal varies widely and the future of the electronic resource will require significant further study.
Representatives of four land-grant universities were also present for an in-depth discussion on the reduced funding from state and federal sources for research projects. As a result, meeting the scientific research needs of the pork industry is increasingly difficult. The university representatives stressed the need for closer collaboration in developing new revenue-generating methods to fulfill the research requirements of the pork industry.
Research grants provided through Pork Checkoff total approximately $8 million per year.
npbofficersnelsonrichter About the Author:
Rick Jordahl | 农业 |
2017-04/4169/en_head.json.gz/15620 | Bayer CropScience Now Accepting Applications for the Healthy Turf, Healthy Tomorrow Plant Health Academy
Twelve GCSAA member superintendents will be selected to experience industry-leading plant health research and education program.
“Bayer designed the Plant Health Academy to allow GCSAA members to study plant health and then see it put into practice, learning valuable strategies that they can use on their own courses,” said Jose Milan, head of Bayer’s Turf and Ornamentals business.
Research Triangle Park, NC (PRWEB)
Environmental Science, a division of Bayer CropScience LP, today announced that it is accepting applications from GCSAA Class A and superintendent members through June 5 for the inaugural Healthy Turf, Healthy Tomorrow Plant Health Academy. The Academy is the first of four Healthy Turf, Healthy Tomorrow educational opportunities available to superintendents since Bayer launched the program in collaboration with the GCSAA’s Environmental Institute for Golf (EIFG) earlier this year. The Academy’s two-part immersive plant health curriculum will involve in-the-field training at the Bayer Training and Development Center in Clayton, N.C. (September 25-27), and classroom training at GCSAA headquarters in Lawrence, Kan. (March 3-5, 2014). Twelve GCSAA members will be selected based on merit to participate in the Academy, with travel, accommodations and meals paid for by the Healthy Turf, Healthy Tomorrow program. “Bayer designed the Plant Health Academy to allow GCSAA members to study plant health and then see it put into practice, learning valuable strategies that they can use on their own courses,” said Jose Milan, head of Bayer’s Turf and Ornamentals business. “We are committed to providing superintendents with the knowledge and tools to integrate and promote plant health practices in a real-world setting.”
Attendees will receive instruction on a wide range of topics related to plant health, including how to measure plant health and its benefits, available treatments and preventive products, and issues such as nutrient, water and pest management.
Candidates can apply through June 5 by visiting the Plant Health Academy web page at http://www.backedbybayer.com/plant-health-academy. To be considered, superintendents must complete the application and respond to two short-answer essay questions, which will be evaluated by a selection committee of GCSAA and Bayer representatives. The program is open to GCSAA (class A or SM) members who are also enrolled in the Bayer Accolades® program and are currently employed as a golf course superintendent within the United States. “The Bayer Plant Health Academy is an excellent opportunity for our members to learn some best practices in plant health management, obtaining knowledge that will keep their courses thriving for a long time,” said Rhett Evans, Chief Executive Officer of the GCSAA and its philanthropic organization, the Environmental Institute for Golf. “We appreciate Bayer’s continued commitment to the EIFG, GCSAA and the education of our member superintendents.”
Healthy Turf, Healthy Tomorrow is a multi-faceted program aimed at advancing plant health research and education for superintendents to help ensure the health of their courses – and the industry – for the future. In addition to the Plant Health Academy, the Healthy Turf, Healthy Tomorrow program also includes plant health-related webinars, demonstration courses and scholarships.
To fund Healthy Turf, Healthy Tomorrow, Bayer will invest a percentage of its StressGard™ Formulation Technology (FT) product sales each year for three years, which is expected to generate a minimum of $100,000 per year for the EIFG. This will be used to fund both the new program, and also the EIFG‘s research, education, advocacy and scholarship initiatives executed by GCSAA. “Bayer is committed to supporting the industry through all available avenues,” said Milan. “By investing in superintendent education, we hope to help develop plant health experts with whom we can collaborate to develop long-term solutions for their courses and the golf industry.”
Bayer has been developing products with plant health attributes for nearly 20 years, starting with the origin of StressGard FT, a technology now featured in four Bayer fungicides including Tartan®, Chipco Triton® Flo, Interface®, and Chipco® Signature™. StressGard FT helps fortify natural plant defenses and promote plant growth. To learn more about StressGard FT and other Bayer solutions, please visit BackedByBayer.com. For more information visit BackedbyBayer.com. Bayer CropScience Twitter Page: http://twitter.com/bayer4cropsus
Bayer CropScience Blog:
http://connect.bayercropscience.us Bayer (reg’d), the Bayer Cross (reg’d), StressGard™, Tartan®, Chipco Triton®, Interface® and Signature™ are trademarks of BAYER.
Bayer CropScience is committed to bringing new technology and solutions for agriculture and non-agricultural uses. For questions concerning the availability and use of products, contact a local Bayer CropScience representative, or visit Bayer CropScience online at bayercropscience.us.
About Bayer CropScience
Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the fields of health care, agriculture and high-tech materials. This year the company is celebrating 150 years of Bayer – consistent with its mission “Bayer: Science For A Better Life”. Bayer CropScience, the subgroup of Bayer AG responsible for the agricultural business, has annual sales of EUR 8,383 million (2012) and is one of the world’s leading innovative crop science companies in the areas of seeds, crop protection and non-agricultural pest control. The company offers an outstanding range of products including high value seeds, innovative crop protection solutions based on chemical and biological modes of action as well as an extensive service backup for modern, sustainable agriculture. In the area of non-agricultural applications, Bayer CropScience has a broad portfolio of products and services to control pests from home and garden to forestry applications. The company has a global workforce of 20,800 and is represented in more than 120 countries. This and further news is available at: press.bayercropscience.com.
About the EIFG
The EIFG is the philanthropic organization of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, and has as its mission to foster sustainability through research, awareness, education, programs and scholarships for the benefit of golf course management professionals, golf facilities and the game. With respect for the game and the environment, the EIFG inspires environmental, social and economic progress through golf for the benefit of communities. Collaboration between the golf industry, environmental interests and communities will lead to programs and services beneficial to all who come into contact with the game of golf. Visit the EIFG at http://www.eifg.org.
About GCSAA
GCSAA is a leading golf organization and has as its focus golf course management. Since 1926, GCSAA has been the top professional association for the men and women who manage golf courses in the United States and worldwide. From its headquarters in Lawrence, Kan., the association provides education, information and representation to nearly 18,000 members in more than 72 countries. GCSAA's mission is to serve its members, advance their profession and enhance the enjoyment, growth and vitality of the game of golf. Find GCSAA on Facebook, follow GCSAA on Twitter, and visit GCSAA at gcsaa.org.
Bayer CropScience Media Hotline: 1-877-879-6162
USA-BCS-2013-0117 Find more information at http://www.bayercropscience.us.
Forward-Looking Statements This release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Bayer Group or subgroup management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in Bayer’s public reports which are available on the Bayer website at bayer.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments. ©2013 Bayer CropScience LP, 2 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709.
Becca Hogan
Bayer CropScience LP (919) 549-2998
Ciara Ahern
Global Prairie(216) 374-1274 | 农业 |
2017-04/4169/en_head.json.gz/16031 | Linking People To The Land
photo by WAYNE ELLWOOD
From state farms to co-operatives, cogs in the wheel to self-management...
We’ve slipped out of Havana in the half-light of dawn and now we’re thundering down the Autopista Nacional, the eight-lane river of concrete which runs south-east to Santa Clara and beyond. Traffic is light, very light. For the first half hour or so there are a few cyclists and twice an ox cart trudges along the verge. For the next 450 kilometres en route to Ciego de Avila we pass maybe a hundred trucks and buses. And once, memorably, the glassy-eyed head of a large cow severed at the neck and poised on a bloody smear at the roadside, a dozen metres in front of the mammoth old truck which must have hit it the previous evening. The carcass, in meat-short Cuba, has already disappeared.
I’m travelling with Minor Sinclair, a transplanted American who, with his wife Martha Thompson, works as the Oxfam Canada Field Director in Cuba. Oxfam is one of the few foreign non-governmental organizations (NGOs) with a program in the country.
Cuba has been especially guarded in its relations with overseas donors. There are bilateral (government-to-government) programs and both the European Community and the UN Development Program are here. But foreign NGOs are rare. And the few that do operate are not allowed much of a profile. No squadrons of Land Rovers, no troupes of hired locals. Offices are frowned on. Martha and Minor work from their home.
We are on our way to visit some of the agricultural co-operatives Oxfam is helping support in the rich farmland around Ciego de Avila, a small city located about a third of the way down the island.
After the Revolution the Government launched a major land-reform effort, nationalizing all foreign-owned land and turning the big sugar plantations and cattle ranches into state farms. (Until recently, 80 per cent of Cuba’s farmland was in the form of large state farms.) The first agrarian reform law gave 26 hectares of land free to any farmer who wanted it and cemented the new government’s popularity in the countryside. More than 100,000 received deeds to their land. In 1963 private holdings were capped at 67 hectares – about a fifth of the land stayed in the hands of small-holders. Half of those remained as independent farmers while the other half were organized into co-operatives.
Some of these are formal co-operatives where farmers manage and work the land collectively (known as Co-operativas de Producción Agropecuaria or CPAs); others are credit and service co-ops where farmers operate independently but band together to buy inputs and share machinery (these are known as Co-operativas de Credito y Servicios or CCSs).
Unlike the Soviet Union, peasants in Cuba were not forced into collective agriculture. Co-operativization was encouraged and supported by the State – for example CPA members can get cheap credit for building materials to construct their own houses. But it was largely voluntary. And that’s the reason independent peasants and co-ops are the most efficient and productive farmers in Cuba today. Though they farm only 20 per cent of the total land it’s estimated that they produce 40 per cent of all food grown in the country.
Minor and I pay our first visit to the home of Leonardo Benitez Martinez. He’s President of the CCS in Mamonal, a rural community of 5,000 not far from Ciego de Avila. Oxfam has been helping to fund training sessions in organic farming. And they’ve also helped the CCS in Mamonal buy some new tires for their tractors.
As we approach Leonardo’s house family members scramble with embarrassment. There was a sudden rain shower before our arrival and several bags of rice which had been drying on the terrace were moved into the sitting room. Now the clouds have passed and chairs are hastily dragged outside.
Leonardo had a heart attack in 1987 and spent three months in hospital in Havana though you would never know it today. ‘I was there in the best hospital in the capital with the best doctors and all for free,’ Leonardo recalls. ‘That is one of the great things about our Revolution.’ A broad smile flickers across his face as he relaxes into his chair. Then he tells me about his farm. He grows mostly tomatoes on his 6.5 hectares but he also plants rice, corn and beans and various root crops for his own consumption. Like other farmers in the area his production declined steeply in the early 1990s when supplies dried up overnight.
‘In 1989, I was growing over 1,500 quintales (100 lb sacks) of tomatoes; in 1993 all we managed was 970 quintales. That was mainly due to a virus carried by white fly.’ Without pesticides, Leonardo’s harvest and his neighbours’ were devastated.
Leonardo leads me to his land, where workers up to their ankles in mud are planting tomato seedlings. ‘Mostly my family and I work the fields,’ he explains. ‘But we need to pay people to help at harvest or planting time. And sometimes we have work exchanges with other families.’ I remark on the oxen grazing at the far corner of his land and he tells me that during the ‘special period’ oxen have re-appeared across the island to take the place of tractors that sit idle due to lack of tires, spare parts and gasoline.
Pedro Gomez is also a CCS member and a neighbour of Leonardo’s. It’s now inky dark outside and we’re sitting in Pedro’s parlour. He is 61 years old and has a slight limp but he’s pleased to have visitors and keen to talk. The faint glow of a fluorescent light glances off a polished cement floor and exposes the traditional thatched roof above.
Pedro explains that he plants 27 hectares in tobacco, tomatoes, beans, yucca and rice. All co-op members have a contractual relationship with the Ministry of Agriculture and must sell a set portion of their crop to the State for a pre-determined price. His ‘plan’ (as the Government contract is called) is set in advance but there is not a lot of room for negotiation. ‘We get credit and inputs according to our assigned quote and the amount of land we plant,’ Pedro says. ‘We get paid 8 pesos per quintale within the quota and 12 pesos per quintale over the quota. But we can also sell our surplus on the open market if we choose.’
Part of the Government’s restructuring means slowly removing subsidies but it has to be done with care or farmers like Pedro will feel the pinch. Last year, he says, fertilizer was three pesos a bag. This year it’s nine pesos – less than a tenth of its real cost but a big jump for farmers being paid largely in pesos.
Unlike most of Latin America, Cuba never really had a strong campesino tradition. The foreign-dominated plantation culture meant that most peasants were seasonal farmworkers rather than small-holders. After the Revolution the giant state-farm sector built on that model. With the help of Soviet largesse Cuba developed a high-tech, energy-intensive agriculture. As long as the USSR continued to pump in money the state farms were moderately productive. But when the props were removed they were revealed for what they were – mammoth, inefficient sinkholes. Cuban planners had known this for years, but with such huge subsidies there was little incentive to do anything about it.
The problem was both economic and structural. Employees on the state farms are just that: workers, not farmers, and historically their wages have been among the lowest in the country. State-run industrial agriculture was highly centralized and rigidly hierarchical. Workers were divorced from the product of their labour and had no control over it. They had little material or spiritual incentive to be productive and they weren’t.
In the early 1990s the Government introduced a program called ‘Linking People to the Land’ to shake up the lethargic state farms by establishing small work teams that could take responsibility for all aspects of farming a particular piece of land. Pay was directly linked to productivity.
Then in September 1993 the Government took the next step. State farms were dissolved altogether and workers encouraged to come together into Unidades Basicas de Producción Co-operativa (UBPCs). The formation of UBPCs is the biggest change in Cuban agriculture since the Revolution. Land is leased rent-free to former state-farm employees in a usufruct arrangement (it reverts back to the state if not used) and members inherit all state-owned tools, machinery and buildings. The UBPCs are similar to the older CPAs except they tend to be vastly larger. They are self-managed and financially independent – though what they grow is dictated by the Ministry of Agriculture.
Most state-owned land has now been turned into UBPCs: there are around 5,000 with more on the way. State farms now control only a quarter of all agricultural land – down from 80 per cent five years ago. There is no doubt this worker-managed co-operative model has boosted food production. However, the transition is by no means complete and there are problems – the main one is the centralized management legacy of the state farms themselves.
Nonetheless, the new self-management model seems to be paying off. Cutting state farms loose from the public purse has helped reduce the deficit from 33 per cent of the GDP to two per cent since 1993. Soon, instead of providing subsidies, the Government hopes it will be collecting taxes.
Comments on Linking People To The Land
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Biofuels - the good, the bad and the ugly | 农业 |
2017-04/4169/en_head.json.gz/16276 | Don't Believe What Dr Oz Is Saying About An Agricultural Herbicide
Television personality Dr Oz has released a video which talks about an agricultural product called Enlist Duo. Virtually nothing in this video is presented accurately. It is a prime example of fear-mongering around the issues of "GMOs" and pesticides. I'd like to respond, point by point, to what it says that is not true or misleading. Dr Oz's statements/image descriptions will be in red:
"The EPA is on the brink of approving a brand new toxic pesticide you don't know about."
The product in question, Enlist Duo is a combination of two very old herbicide products: 2,4-D and glyphosate. A great many consumers do know about these materials because they have been approved for homeowner use for decades and are common ingredients in products available at any neighborhood gardening center. These chemicals are still approved for use in more than 70 countries around the world and for use in high exposure settings like lawns, parks, sports fields and gardens. They are still used this way because after multiple rounds of increasingly sophisticated scrutiny by regulators, they have been confirmed to be quite low in toxicity to humans and to the environment. This product is neither "brand new" nor is it notably "toxic." These products are for new GMO corn and soy crops that "survive even stronger pesticides."
What does "stronger pesticide" mean? The need for this mixture is that some weeds have evolved resistance to glyphosate. There is nothing unique about that associated with a biotech crop. Weeds have evolved resistance to all manner of control methods including mechanical tillage (some weeds like bindweed or Canada thistle are very well adapted to being chopped up and spread around a field by equipment). The issue isn't about something "stronger" but about something that is a mixture of two distinct "modes of action" which makes it harder for the weeds to adapt around the control. The term "stronger" that Oz uses implies something about being more toxic or dangerous. That is not the case here.
This product includes "2,4-D a chemical used in Agent Orange which the government banned during the Vietnam War." As I have written before, this Agent Orange allusion is a callous exploitation of a real human tragedy. The horrible health effects of that material were eventually found to have been caused by an unrecognized dioxin contaminant in one component of the herbicide mix, 2,4,5-T. It never was associated with the 2,4-D. As you can imagine, while all of this was being sorted out, 2,4-D was intensively scrutinized. The fact that it remains so widely approved around the world is only because its safety was confirmed in all these regulatory reviews. These GMO crops (resistant to both herbicides) are "ushering in a pesticide arms race and the health of your brain could be the casualty."
Again, the people who have been growing food for millennia have been fighting weeds and their ability to adapt to whatever methods we use to control them. Unless Dr Oz has some alternative suggestion, perhaps he should leave the topic of weed control to people who actually do this for a living and for our benefit. Now as for the "health of your brain..."
"More than 1/2 million people wrote to the EPA" about this pesticide approval "including a letter signed by 35 prominent doctors, scientists and researchers" who raised concerns about "non-hodgkins lymphoma, Alzheimers and Parkinson's disease"
When a regulatory agency like the EPA or USDA has an open comment period about a pending decision, what they are looking for are relevant issues from a science point of view. Its not about numbers of comments or whether the submitters are "prominent." The "35 prominent" signatories Oz describes are well known, perennial anti-GMO advocates. If they had raised real health issues, the agency would have responded, but repeated and detailed risk analysis has never established a connection between these herbicides and human health issues. "How concerned should you be about this product that could come to a farm near you?"
The image during this part of the video is of bell peppers and other such crops which have never been contemplated for the use of this technology. Throughout the video the images are mostly of crops and foods that have nothing to do with this product. The crops in question (as Oz himself says earlier) are corn and soybeans - crops mainly grown in regions far removed from Dr. Oz's viewer-base. Even so, the "crops" nearest most of this audience would be their own lawns or their neighbor's lawns, or the neighborhood park or sports field. These chemicals have been used there for decades. This is in no way a new threat in the context of the average American life. "70-80% of the food we eat today contain GMOs."
"GMO" is a meaningless term because essentially all crops have been "genetically modified" in some way throughout human history. That is why most of them are suitable for human consumption. There are ingredients in something like 70% of processed foods which originate from crops that have been improved via biotechnology. There is nothing in those ingredients that is dangerous and in most cases there is not even anything related to the one or two genes that were different in the source plant. Animals around the world have been eating these crops for feed for nearly two decades without any ill effects. Oz clearly makes this statement to sound ominous - but there is no basis for such a concern.
If this product is approved, "70 to 100 million pounds of additional, highly toxic pesticides will be used"
OK, lets put this in a little perspective. Between corn and soybeans there are more than 150 million acres in the US, so the number Oz throws out represents less than a pound per acre. Herbicides were used on these crops long before biotech so this use isn't really "additional." Also, the term "highly toxic" simply does not apply to these materials from a human perspective.
At the end of this video clip, Oz speaks with a "concerned mom" who gives an anecdote about the improved health of her children after she switched to a "GMO-free diet" and "organic to avoid pesticides." First of all, one could find any number of anecdotal examples of families (like mine) that never made such a dietary choice, yet who never experienced the sort of health issues this mother described. Second, by choosing organic she was not avoiding pesticides at all. There are pesticides legally used on organic crops and there are often residues of other pesticides there as well. Abundant data demonstrates the fact that most Americans would be best off to eat more fruits and vegetables because the benefits vastly outweigh any potential risks associated with pesticides. Dr Oz may be an entertainer, but he is also in the fear business and in the supplement business - either directly or based on the sponsorship he gets because he can find an audience for these messages. Oz normally gets by with this; however, he has been called on the carpet by Congress for some of the magical claims he has supported for certain weight reduction supplements. I'm sure that Oz will have successfully frightened a huge number of people with this video. I'm sure that will help drive his viewership and thus his sponsorship income. Unfortunately, society as a whole is worse off for the spread of this sort of disinformation. You are welcome to comment here and/or to email me at [email protected]
Oz image from Wikipedia
Don't Believe What Dr Oz Is Saying About An Agricu... | 农业 |
2017-04/4169/en_head.json.gz/19780 | A native shrub of the Mediterranean area, Ruscus Aculeatus is more commonly known as Butcher's Broom. Other common names include Knee Holly, Kneeholly, Sweet Broom, Jew's Myrtle, and Sweet Broom. The names Knee Holly and Kneeholly came about because this shrub reaches to the height of the average-sized man's knee. Today, it is commonly grown by gardeners in the United States and parts of Europe, particularly southern England. It can be cultivated by seed or more quickly by dividing the roots.Oddly enough, the Ruscus Aculeatus resembles both the asparagus and the lily, members of the Ruscaceae family. The nickname Butcher's Broom came about because tiny bunches of this plant had been used to sweep cutting boards clean from the debris leftover after cutting meat. It was also used to help keep mice from eating meat that was being preserved for later use. It resembles holly as well, although the two plants are not related;its tough leaves are prickly to the touch with small spines at the ends of each leaf.Ruscus Aculeatus is a low-growing evergreen plant with the capability of reaching 2 feet 7 inches in height. However, rare specimens of this plant have reached a height as tall as 3 feet. In the spring, the shrub produces tiny greenish-white flowers that grow individually. When fertilized, the flowers, which are dioecious, produce scarlet berries that ripen in the fall month of September. The berries remain on the shrub throughout the entire winter without falling off. Therefore, branches of the plant are sometimes broken off for decorative purposes.The Ruscus Aculeatus shrub requires soil that drains well, including sandy, loamy, and clay-based soils. Since it can thrive in dry or moist soil, it prefers woods and bushy locations, and is very drought resistant. It prefers semi-shade to full shade as an optimal growing environment;however, it grows well in both types of shady areas.The stems are edible when they are still young, and are sometimes used as a substitute for asparagus. However the taste is pungent and sometimes bitter. Roasted seeds from this plant are used to make a substitute for coffee, also bitter in taste.In Europe, the roots and stems of the Ruscus Aculeatus have been used for centuries to induce bowel movements and reduce the inflammation of hemorrhoids. The plant has also been used for its capabilities as a diuretic to reduce water retention. It has also been ingested in order to treat a variety of disorders including jaundice, kidney stones, bladder stones, and gout. During ancient times, it was commonly used to treat dropsy and urinary problems.The rhizome or root is quite thick and goes deeply into the ground, so it must be dug out. The root and stems are dried and ground to a powder that could be taken internally or used topically. Although the roots do not produce an odor, they initially appear to offer a sweet taste, which then turns sharply acrid in flavor. The entire shrub is gathered for medicinal purposes, sometimes being made into a poultice that is then applied to the skin.Although Butcher's Broom has a history in traditional herbal medicine, it is not as commonly used in such procedures as it used to be. It has been used topically to treat varicose veins and hemorrhoids due to its potentially anti-inflammatory capability created by the saponin glycosides (neoruscogenin and ruscogenin) found in it. The capillaries and blood vessels contract and tighten, relieving the pain associated with both varicose veins and hemorrhoids. As a result, the extract from this plant has been used to relieve the discomfort of itching and muscle cramping as well. Moreover, this extract has been found useful in reducing the appearance of under-the-eye dark circles, spider veins, and the redness that occurs with the skin condition rosacea. Therefore, it is found in various skincare formulas designed for these purposes.Although adverse side effects have not been discovered with the use of this product, it is not currently recommended for individuals who suffer from high blood pressure. At the very least, a physician should be consulted before someone with a history of high blood pressure attempts to use a product containing Butcher's broom. | 农业 |
2017-04/4169/en_head.json.gz/19990 | Low agricultural technologies
Refugees and internally displaced
Zambia is ranked 150th out of 169 on the Human Development Index and has recently been reclassified as a lower middle income country by the World Bank. Poverty and food insecurity are widespread in both rural and urban areas, and the country remains extremely vulnerable to recurring natural disasters, including floods, drought and animal disease.
Food production levels vary widely from year to year. Food security is fragile because subsistence farmers depend on rainfall and traditional hoe cultivation, and even in years of national food surplus, many subsistence farmers or households often struggle.
The lack of proper infrastructure, inadequate provision of agricultural inputs, poor access to markets, and the slow pace of change in attitudes towards crop and livelihood diversification also continue to undermine farming capacity.
The country has had bumper harvest in the maize production since 2011. While the harvest will help to improve overall food security, tens of thousands of people will still require food assistance due to the localised impact of floods and because many of the poorest and most vulnerable people will not be able to access sufficient food, even though staple food prices have fallen from their very high 2008 levels.
The national HIV prevalence rate is ranked seventh globally at 12.7 percent, and chronic malnutrition prevalence for children under age five is ninth highest in the world at 45.4 percent. Some 53 percent and 46 percent of Zambian children have Vitamin A and iron deficiency respectively, compromising their long term development
Standard national statistics for malnutrition levels amongst under-fives are 5 percent wasting, 28 percent underweight and 47 percent stunting (low height for age).
WFP activities in Zambia are implemented as an integral part of the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) and in line with the ‘Delivering as One’ mechanism under which UN agencies in selected countries have pledged to work together to ensure a more coordinated and effective level of action in areas of development, humanitarian assistance and the environment.
The WFPs Strategic Plan is aligned with both the Sixth National Development Programme (2011-2016) and The UNDAF (2011-2015). The overarching goal of the strategy is to support the Government's priorities to reach the MDG hunger targets and ensure long-term solutions to hunger, consistent with the Government of Zambia's "Vision 2030
WFP programme activities in Zambia operate within the framework of a Country Programme (CP 2011 to 2015).
Country Programme CP (DEV 200157) contributes to WFP's Strategic Objectives (1, 2, 3 and 4) and United Nations Development Assistance Framework Outcomes 1 to 5, as well as towards the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The CP focuses on:
Improving human capital through food based safety-nets;
Improving Government preparedness to respond to and mitigate disasters as a way of reducing vulnerability; and
Expanding market opportunities for smallholder farmers by leveraging local food procurement..
Home Grown School Feeding Programme
The World Food Programme in collaboration with the Ministry of Education has been jointly implementing a School Meals Programme from 2003. A meal is provided to more than 861,000 children across the country every school day.
The programme aims at improving the quality of learning through improved enrolment, retention and reduced absenteeism. The programme targets districts with higher levels of food insecurity and low education achievement also taking into account high HIV, poverty and malnutrition rates. The programme also aims to enhance smallholder farmer’s productive capacity by linking them to a predictable market – in this case the school. Farmers are reached through cooperatives, given skills in crop aggregation to guarantee quality assurance
Purchase for Progress (P4P)
Purchase for Progress (P4P) is a WFP global pilot project aimed at supporting smallholder farmer to improve their marketing arrangements through increased access and better linkages to more lucrative markets. Through P4P, WFP Zambia is supporting the Zambian Government to strengthen its capacity to provide social safety nets to assist poor and hungry households and is committed to purchasing Zambian grown commodities for food assistance interventions in the country and the region.
WFP has linked up with FAO which is implementing the Conservation Agriculture Scale Up program funded by the EU targeting 315,000 farmers. The partnership will focus on the pulses value chain and provide a market for the farmers adopting Conservation Agriculture through a network of aggregation centers. These centers will be designed in such a way that they could evolve into multi service centers for smallholder farmers through strong partnerships with a range of private rural stakeholders. The lessons learned from P4P will be critical in the design of the value chain. Through its Smallholder Agribusiness Promotion Program, IFAD is supporting the project implementation reflecting true RBA collaboration.
Mobile Delivery and Trucking
The Mobile Delivery and Tracking (MDT) originally started to roll out the electronic food voucher program known as “Splash” has transitioned to providing specific technical support for Agriculture, Education, Health, and Social Protection programs. The unit supports the Government of Zambia (GRZ) through the Food Reserve Agency, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, and Ministry of Community Development Mother and Child Health.
The MDT unit participates in several Mobile Technology (M-Tech) Technical Working Groups with the GRZ, and is a vital member of the Cooperating Partner’s group, which includes UNICEF, DFID, and Irish AID, among others
Disaster Risk and Management
Under the Delivery As One WFP has continued to be technical lead in DRR related activities. Through the Capabilities Partnership Programme (CAPRO) WFP provides technical support and capacity building to the DMMU on strengthening disaster preparedness capacities at sub national levels done through comprehensive hazard identification and analysis, early warning which also includes risk and vulnerability analysis as support to bigger national disaster response planning. In addition WFP also Provides technical and financial support in designing and implementing a Comprehensive Vulnerability Assessment and Analysis (CVAA) which contains comprehensive hazards profiling on the basis upon which the resilience building activities are based on | 农业 |
2017-04/4169/en_head.json.gz/20690 | Tomato Wars Ahead? U.S. Dubious On Extending Mexico Trade Deal By Bill Chappell
Sep 28, 2012 TweetShareGoogle+Email A worker separates tomatoes at a market in Mexico City. The Commerce Department says it might act to end a 16-year-old trade deal governing fresh Mexican tomatoes sold in the U.S.
Gregory Bull
Originally published on September 30, 2012 8:09 pm Talk of a Tomato War is simmering in agricultural circles, after the U.S. Commerce Department issued a report Thursday that recommends ending an agreement on how fresh tomatoes grown in Mexico are sold in the United States. The issue could create an expanding trade conflict; Mexican officials have said they would retaliate to defend the tomato growers. Produce news source The Packer says the deal "appears to be doomed." The New York Times says that Mexican officials believe tomato farmers in Florida — a swing state — might have the Obama administration's ear this election season, as they complain that Mexican tomatoes have too large a share of the U.S. market. "We cannot sustain an agreement that is tilted very heavily in favor of the import industry," Reggie Brown, vice president of the Florida Tomato Exchange, tells The Packer. But before fear of a price hike sends you running out to buy all the fresh tomatoes you can find, two things are worth noting. First, the Commerce ruling is only preliminary. And second, it has recommended ending the tomato agreement before. So there's a chance the agency, as well as U.S. and Mexican growers, are merely staking out strong bargaining positions at this point. The team at NPR's The Salt blog say they're following the story. And it turns out the story is a convoluted one, because the Commerce Department's stance isn't so direct as to say, "This trade deal is now null and void." Instead, the agency is recommending (bear with me) the end of the suspension of an investigation into Mexican exporters' "dumping" tomatoes on the U.S. market. That inquiry started in 1996, the same year it was suspended and an agreement on prices that were not "lower than fair market value" was reached. Since then, the agreement has been slated for the chopping block several times, only to be continued under new terms after the antidumping investigation is suspended anew. When that has happened in the past, a new minimum price per pound of tomatoes is set, for both the warm and cool seasons. For instance, the 2008 agreement lists a minimum bulk price of just over 17 cents a pound for fresh tomatoes during the summer months, and nearly 22 cents per pound from October to the end of June. Once the terms are agreed upon, dozens of tomato growers in Mexico then sign the agreement. The Commerce Department must allow public comment on its preliminary ruling; it has until May to reach a final decision. In the meantime, U.S. retailers and exporters of goods to Mexico are hoping that their businesses don't suffer from the fallout of a potential tomato dispute. "I think the fact that groups like Wal-Mart, (the Food Marketing Institute, the National Restaurant Association) and U.S. Chamber of Commerce have weighed in certainly puts the Department of Commerce on notice that everyone is watching," Lance Jungmeyer, president of the Fresh Produce Association of the Americas, tells The Packer. Does it surprise you that the tomato is covered under its own trade covenants? Consider that back in 1887, U.S. tomato imports sparked what became a Supreme Court case over whether tariffs on "vegetables" also applied to what is botanically a fruit. According to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, agricultural imports from Mexico to the United States totaled $15.8 billion in 2011, making America's southern neighbor its second-largest supplier. In the same year, Mexico was the third-largest market for U.S. agricultural products, at $18.4 billion.Copyright 2013 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/. TweetShareGoogle+EmailView the discussion thread. © 2017 KVNF Public Radio | 农业 |
2017-04/4169/en_head.json.gz/21244 | EPA Approves 28% Increase in Biodiesel Mandated for 2013
Shane McGlaun (Blog) - September 19, 2012 8:43 AM
Biodiesel producers rejoice at new mandate for 2013
The renewable energy industry is applauding President Obama and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency after the EPA approved a 28% increase in the amount of biodiesel mandated for use in trucks on the nation's highways for 2013. Biodiesel is made in a process that uses soybeans, while the production of ethanol is based on corn.
The president of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association, Brad Albin, said, "I want to thank President Obama and his staff for listening to our concerns and recognizing the value and potential of America’s Advanced Biofuel—biodiesel.”
The biodiesel industry is celebrating because unlike mandates for the use of ethanol in the nation's fuel set forth in the 2007 Renewable Fuels Act, biodiesel didn't have a mandate until last year. That mandates set a goal of 800 million gallons. The new mandate for 2013 has been expanded to 1 billion gallons, and fell short of the 1.28 billion gallons that biodiesel producers wanted.
“This was an incredibly important decision, and the Obama Administration got it right,” said Joe Jobe, CEO of the National Biodiesel Board, the industry trade association.
“It will allow biodiesel plants across the country to invest and expand, creating thousands of jobs. At the same time, it sends a strong signal that the U.S. is standing firm behind its commitment to producing clean, American-made energy to strengthen our energy security and break our dependence on petroleum.”
When the mandate was introduced in 2011 at 800 million gallons, it helped prevent the closure of several of the nation's biodiesel plants.
Ethanol production has come under fire for driving up prices on the food crop, however, there is no indication that the same will happen for soybeans. Source: Desmoines Register "And boy have we patented it!" -- Steve Jobs, Macworld 2007
EPA's Corn Ethanol Quotas Could Spell Death for Cattle Farms | 农业 |
2017-04/4169/en_head.json.gz/21858 | South Carolina cotton, peanut meetings set for Jan. 24, 26 Jan 12, 2017 Should we rethink fertility for new, higher-yielding cotton varieties? Jan 12, 2017 Big farm-related tax changes proposed by Republicans, Trump Jan 10, 2017 Peanuts versus enough off-target dicamba can cost yield, timing matters Jan 10, 2017 Regulatory>Legislative Joe Bostick wins Farm Press High Cotton Award for Mid-South Region
Elton Robinson, Farm Press Editorial Staff | Jan 06, 2006
Nestled into a corner of northeast Mississippi, cotton producer Joe Bostick must sometimes feel like a forgotten man. There is no irrigation here to bump cotton yields to super-high levels. Soils are thin and not always forgiving. This past year, the only rain of any consequence came on the heels of three hurricanes that blew through the Gulf of Mexico. But success isn’t always built on what we have, or what Mother Nature doles out. Rather success is measured by what we do with what we’ve got. And Joe Bostick is doing some good things with his 1,050-acre cotton operation near Golden, Miss. And for these accomplishments, Bostick has been named the 2006 High Cotton Award winner for the Mid-South. Bostick farms with his two sons, Ryan and Nathan, who help out at harvest and planting. There is full-time hand Dale Ray and part-time hand, Josh Brown helps out after tending to his job as a football manager at the University of Mississippi. Moral support comes from Bostick’s fiancé, Teresa Singleton, a seamstress at the La-Z-Boy factory in nearby Belmont. Bostick graduated from Mississippi State in 1971, then taught agriculture to high school students full-time while farming part-time with his father. When his father retired in 1982, Bostick took over the cotton operation. Bostick took cotton out of his crop mix in 1978 after the local gin closed, turning his attention to grain and soybeans. “We didn’t have Pix and cotton would just get too big on us,” Bostick explained. In 1991, he started producing cotton again. He’s been at it ever since. “He came back to his bread and butter,” said his consultant Homer Wilson, who has been working for Bostick since 1996. The return to cotton production was made without Bostick’s father, Charles, who died in an automobile crash in 1985 at an intersection a hundred yards from the farm headquarters. Soon after his return to the crop he loved, Bostick emerged as a conservationist and top-notch cotton manager, eager to increase efficiency on the cotton farm. He began with water and soil, building and maintaining terraces, grass waterways, improving drainage and converting to no-till to conserve soil, fuel and labor. “One of the greatest benefits of no-till is the increase in organic matter,” Wilson said. “There was a train of thought here in the Hills that the ground was supposed to do what it was supposed to do. We really never used to give much thought to how our practices were affecting our yields.” In fact, Bostick’s topsoil is very thin — just a few inches thick before running into barren red clay. Many of his fields are highly erodible, making his soil conservation efforts even more important. “You have to take care of it or you’re going to be in trouble,” Wilson said. Trouble often came in the form of stunted plants. “We were putting out so many of the yellow herbicides that those thin places with no organic matter could not handle it. Joe tried to build organic matter with corn, but in some cases, corn would die if we tried to rotate on some of this land,” noted Wilson. “No-till has provided us with the organic matter in the soil to handle these herbicides,” said Bostick. “Of course, we don’t have to use as many of them now that we have herbicide-resistant crops. But that was a great plus, and has boosted our overall yields. It brought yield between poor land and good land closer together.” He continues to rotate cotton with corn on a field-by-field basis. “We notice when the cotton yields start falling during the year, and we try to rotate it with corn the following year. The soil needs a rest from the cotton,” Bostick said. The producer can usually count on a 150-pound yield increase in cotton following corn. No-till has helped from a labor perspective as well, according to Bostick. “Dependable farm labor is almost non-existent in this part of the country.” Controlling and slowing down the flow of water on cotton fields is an ongoing project for the producer. During rains, Bostick will often travel around the farm to get a better understanding of how surface water moves across his fields. Bostick’s operation sits on a divide between the Tennessee-Tombigbee and Tennessee River waterways. Some of his land drains into the Tombigbee basin, but most drains into the Tennessee basin. He’s built parallel terraces on larger fields, diversion channels and wide grass waterways. Drainage pipes built into the terraces take the water off the fields into a ditch, lake or a wooded area. To keep the soil on the farm, he’s put in grass turnrows on most of the field edges. The grass — some seeded, some volunteer — also does a good job of keeping dust down. He’s known for rescuing some tough ground from potential ruin and making it profitable. For example, he acquired one field in 1991 where erosion, “had torn it up pretty bad. I signed up with the Soil Conservation Service. We built them up with terraces and ran the drainage pipes.” He has dramatically improved yields on the field, too. “In the long run, you make more cotton with the terraces.” In 1995, Bostick took advantage of USDA’s Environmental Quality Incentives Program to help pay for converting to no-till cotton production on a couple of 50-acre fields. The cost-share program helped him purchase no-till equipment, and helped launch a 100 percent conversion to no-till. A conservationist and a good farm manager have a lot in common, noted Wilson. “One thing that impresses me most about Joe is that he carries out recommendations quickly and accurately. From time to time, I might see a low spot that might need some drainage or some dirt work. I’d tell Joe about it and it wouldn’t be long before it got done. He doesn’t put things off.” “Conservation can be aggravating sometimes, but in the end, it’s worth it,” said Bostick, who does his own dirt work. “If you have a weak spot in the field, if you let it continue to wash, it gets worse. If you’re willing to go the extra mile to do it, it will pay.” The producer has won several local awards for his conservation work and serves as chairperson of the FSA county committee. He’s also served as commissioner of the Tishomingo County Soil and Water Conservation District in the county. In nominating Bostick for the award, Wilson noted, “He has many fields with a 50-foot, fringe wildlife area that also catches runoff and prevents stream pollution. He uses these practices to protect the land for future generations, specifically his sons’ future livelihood.” Phillip A. Horn executive director of the Alcorn/Tishomingo County FSA office, noted, “Joe has set the benchmark on all aspects of Hill farming, and through his example, showed others that it can be done.” There is no age limit on the beneficiaries of Bostick’s efforts. One afternoon in late September last year, he hosted a group of first graders from nearby Tishomingo Elementary School. Each had a small sack for picking a few bolls of cotton. He and his hands stopped the cotton harvesting operation long enough for the kids to fill their sacks and ask a few dozen questions about the crop. It was hard to tell who was having more fun — the kids, or Bostick. e-mail: [email protected] | 农业 |
2017-04/4169/en_head.json.gz/22521 | Report from the Commission on Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change April 4, 2012 by Renata Brillinger Leave a Comment Guest Blog:
Doreen Stabinsky is a Professor of Global Environmental Politics at College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, ME. She is also a consultant and advisor on agriculture and climate change
“On a planet with sufficient food for all, a billion people go hungry. Another billion over-consume, increasing risks from chronic diseases.”
Last week, yet another high-level report on a topic of global concern was published by yet another group of eminent experts – this one on food security and climate change. The eminent experts – the Commission on Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change – were assembled by a group of donor countries and the World Bank for the one-year task of producing the report and its recommendations.
High-profile attention to an issue as urgent as climate change impacts on agriculture is certainly welcome. With countries globally lagging in their attempts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to levels that will prevent dangerous temperature increases and the Kyoto Protocol gasping its last breaths as industrialized countries jump ship from legal obligations to reduce their emissions, someone needs to ring alarm bells about what increased temperatures and changing precipitation patterns mean for global food supplies.
Researchers at Stanford University last year published in Science magazine findings that global yields in maize and wheat had already decreased 3.8 to 5.5% respectively due to increasing temperatures. Current projections are for average global temperature increases of between 2.5 and 5° Celsius (4.5-9° Fahrenheit) before the end of this century. The Commission warns that: “Climate change above 3°C risks overall decreases in the global food production capacity that would be profoundly destabilizing even in places where food production remains adequate locally.”
For those looking for a brief, comprehensive introduction to the impacts of climate change on agriculture and food security, the report provides a well-referenced, solid and more-or-less balanced treatment. Industrial-scale, chemical-dependent agriculture (albeit disguised as “sustainable intensification”) has its place in the report, as do resource-conserving technologies and agroecological methods of production. As indicated by my opening quote, the report considers the food security challenges of both poverty and affluence. Notably, the Commission takes on the issue of food waste, writing for example that in the UK, “approximately 22% of household food and drink is wasted.”
Yet after a very thorough establishment of the problems to be addressed, the report proposes some oddly non-sequitur recommendations. The number one recommendation? Establish a “work programme” on agriculture under the Subsidiary Body on Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The lead on food security and climate change policy at the global level isn’t to be taken by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization and its Committee on World Food Security (which aren’t even mentioned in the list of possible relevant international institutions). It’s to be handled by an obscure, hyper-politicized subsidiary body of the climate change convention.
Expert reports are not immune to global political squabbles. In fact, expert commissions are sometimes established in order to obscure the politics behind conflicts through unbiased, objective, “expert” advice. With the bizarre prioritization of its recommendations, the Commission on Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change provides hints that such an end is indeed at least part of its raison d’être.
At the global political level there is an ongoing fight between rich and poor countries on taking responsibility for action to stem the global climate crisis. Rich countries and the World Bank (the donors for the work of the Commission) are keen to have a work program on agriculture under the UNFCCC. They want to establish a mechanism through which poor countries do the work of reducing greenhouse gas levels through storing carbon in their soils and rich countries are relieved of the burden of reducing their own agricultural emissions. Up to this point, poor countries are not agreeing to that mode of “burden sharing,” not least because permanent emission reductions on the part of major emitters are essential to stemming the threat of climate change and soil carbon sequestration will only ever be uncertain and temporary.
(In addition to funding the Commission, the World Bank paid for a series of meetings over the course of 2011, all of which coincidentally concluded that a UNFCCC SBSTA work program was necessary. The findings of all these “expert” meetings have been exhaustively reiterated by rich country governments in the climate negotiations on a work program.)
Putting recommendation 1 and its obscure political messages aside, the report does provide useful recommendations, though means of implementation are less clear. Some of the recommendations are even bold and novel (for international policymakers anyway), such as recommendations to reshape food access and consumption patterns and to reduce loss and waste in food systems. In recommendation number two, the Commission highlights the need to significantly raise the level of global investment in sustainable agriculture.
Undoubtedly, however, given the seriousness of the challenges ahead of us, the most important message of the report lies in its final call to action: “Without a global commitment to reducing GHG emissions from all sectors, including agriculture, no amount of agricultural adaptation will be sufficient under the destabilized climate of the future. While change will have significant costs, the cost of remaining on the current path is already enormous and growing. Given the already intolerable conditions of many livelihoods and ecosystems, and the time lag between R&D and widespread application, urgent action must be taken now.”
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2017-04/4169/en_head.json.gz/23239 | Drought and conflict are the main factors that have exacerbated the problem of food production, distribution and access. High rates of population growth and poverty have also played a part, within an already difficult environment of fragile ecosystems. The fact that almost 80 percent of the population of the countries of the region is rural, and depends almost exclusively on agriculture for its consumption and income needs, means that measures to address the problems of poverty and food insecurity must mainly be found within the agricultural sector.
The Horn of Africa presents perhaps the most difficult challenge anywhere in the world to achieving the goal set out in the UN Secretary-General's Millennium Report -to halve the proportion of people living in extreme poverty by 2015. At the FAO World Food Summit in 1996, world leaders committed themselves, in the Rome Declaration and Plan of Action, to reducing by half the numbers of hungry and undernourished people in the world by 2015. Today, it is estimated that more than 50 percent of the people in the region survive on less than US$1 per person per day.9 In each country, different poverty lines have been set, reflecting in monetary terms the resources needed to purchase a diet that provides the minimum acceptable energy requirements, but the overall picture is similar and it is one of very widespread and deep deprivation.
The connection between poverty and food insecurity is important. Food production is significant because, for the majority of the poor, agriculture is the main source of livelihood and some 76 percent of the IGAD population is classed as agricultural. However, it is only when poverty can be alleviated or diminished that the level of food insecurity is reduced. Consequently, the long-term solution to food insecurity lies beyond the production of additional food and includes the need to address rural livelihoods in general. Social safety nets of various sorts are also part of the solution to absolute poverty and food insecurity, not only in exceptional circumstances such as drought, but also over the long periods required to arrive at socially inclusive sustainable solutions.
Drought and other climatic extremes are major factors contributing to vulnerability to food insecurity. In the Horn of Africa there is no year or season in which the whole region receives normal rainfall and is free from climatic anomalies such as flood or drought. Drought is the most catastrophic natural event that causes widespread periodic famine in the region, but it is by no means the only natural hazard facing the people of the area. Periodically, floods afflict localized parts of even the driest areas (as was the case at the outset of the current crisis), and the threat of locust swarms is often present. For example, during 1997/98 severe floods were observed over many parts of the region, and were followed by the drought that has persisted over parts of the Horn since late 1998.
Drought is a fact of life in many parts of the Horn of Africa - it has been recorded from as far back as 253 B.C. Large parts of the region are arid and semi-arid, with annual rainfall of less than 500 mm and subject to a high degree of unreliability, both from year to year and in the distribution within each year. In the last 30 years there has been at least one major drought episode in each decade. There were serious droughts in 1973/74, 1984/85, 1987, 1992 to 1994 and, now, 1999/2000. In Ethiopia alone, the 1984 drought affected 8.7 million people, about 1 million died and 1.5 million livestock perished. In the Sudan 8.5 million people were affected by the same drought, and about 1 million people and 7 million livestock died. In 1987, about 2 million people in the Sudan, more than 5.2 million in Ethiopia, 1 million in Eritrea and 200 000 in Somalia were severely affected. The current drought, which started in 1998, is affecting about 16 million people in the Horn of Africa (see Map 2). Drought is, therefore, a recurring phenomenon in the region and there will always be certain locations experiencing localized drought conditions.
Drought-affected area
As well as the well-known and documented cyclical nature of drought, there is also evidence of increasing climatic instability in the Horn of Africa. Drought is becoming more frequent and the cycles more severe. Floods are also common in the region. In countries where the infrastructure is less well developed, even moderately sized floods, such as those that can be expected on average once every ten years, can lead to disruption of road and rail transport, cuts in telecommunications and the breakdown of electricity and water supplies. The major direct impacts of flooding are the destruction of crops, the drowning of animals and the siltation of reservoirs. In some parts of the region, periods of above-average rainfall are triggered at certain times by the warm phase of the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), while droughts are associated with the cold phase disturbance, or La Niña.
Drought has a perhaps unique impact on agricultural systems because of its duration, which often extends over several seasons. The people of the region have, over centuries, evolved mechanisms for coping with the risks of the environment in which they live. Farmers have, up to a point, learned to cope with late rains or with the mid-season cessation of rains, spreading risk by planting different crops and at different times, through on-farm storage and by resorting to hunting and gathering at times of stress. For the pastoralists, travelling with their herds and flocks to follow the rains and the growth in pasture is a natural part of their system, while setting areas aside for grazing reserves and splitting herds to minimize risk are elements of their coping mechanism. Increases in population have, however, disturbed the equilibrium between people and natural resources.
The overall degradation of the natural resource base, in particular land and vegetation, has led to increasing rainwater losses through runoff (and associated soil erosion), which in turn has exacerbated the impact of drought. This downward spiral of environmental degradation has resulted in further land productivity decline, loss of biodiversity and continuing desertification.
The Horn of Africa has been plagued by conflict since time immemorial. Although the war between Ethiopia and Eritrea has attracted the most media attention, the region has suffered from almost continuous civil conflicts over the last 30 years in Ethiopia (as formerly defined), the Sudan, Somalia and Uganda, and these have spilled over into Djibouti. The countries of the region devote between 8 and 50 percent of central government expenditure, or between 2 and 8 percent of gross national product (GNP), to the military, totalling US$2 billion in 1997. These figures rise substantially, of course, whenever conflict flares up. Conflicts in the region undoubtedly exacerbate the famine and food insecurity triggered by drought. Even before the recent hostilities between Ethiopia and Eritrea, more than 1 million people from the region were refugees. Large populations of internally displaced persons (IDPs) were to be found in the Sudan, Somalia and Uganda. Conflict removes able-bodied men from agricultural production and, incidentally, places an extra work burden on women. It also diverts resources, directly and indirectly, from more productive and socially beneficial uses, and tests the willingness of the international community to provide assistance.
Transboundary conflicts hit the headlines but, especially in areas where the pressure on available natural resources is intense, local conflicts abound. Pastoral areas, which are under pressure from the expansion of cropping into marginal areas and increasingly degraded rangelands, are especially susceptible to local conflict and cattle raids, which break out when people have ready access to modern weapons. Northern Kenya and northern Uganda have been particularly prone to prolonged outbreaks of such violence. Such tendencies are exacerbated when drought hits and the scramble for limited grazing and water intensifies. Poor countries, which have few resources to allocate to minorities, to the regions and to remote areas, are particularly vulnerable to internal conflict. Consequently, any measures that promote growth and reduce food insecurity are also likely to help conflict prevention.
Conflict, whether transboundary or internal, exacerbates the vulnerability of poor people, displacing them from their homes and depleting their assets. It makes emergency relief operations directed towards IDPs difficult and dangerous for those involved. Conflict also has a much more insidious impact on long-term development efforts, diverting scarce resources, both national and external, away from development activities and into war. The fungibility of funds means that donors face the risk of funding conflict when their intention is to alleviate poverty through development programmes.
The population of the Horn of Africa has more than doubled since the first of the major droughts of recent times hit the region in 1974, and it is projected to increase by a further 40 percent by 2015. The population dynamics of the region are not encouraging (see Table 1). Population growth rates have historically been high, at 2.5 to 3.5 percent, and are still at least 2 percent everywhere. The momentum for future increases in population remains strong because of the age structure and youthfulness of the population. Fertility and mortality rates are high and the low prevalence of contraception use almost everywhere means that there is little chance of a decline in fertility in the immediate future. Family sizes are large, especially in rural areas, and the dependency burden 10 is high, exacerbated in many countries by the devastating impact of HIV/AIDS, which strikes the working-age population hardest.
Demographic indicators
Country Average annual population growth 1995-2000 (%)*
Total fertility rate 1995-2000
(%)*
Dependency * ratio, 1997*
Population per ha of arable land or permanent cropland*
Contraceptive prevalence (%)**
Djibouti n.a.
Eritrea 3.8
Ethiopia 2.5
Kenya 2.0
Somalia 4.2
Sudan 2.1
Uganda 2.8
Sources: * UNFPA. 1999. The state of world population. ** UNDP. 1999. Human development report.
Over the last 25 years, there has been considerable rural-urban migration, the rate of which is projected to increase. However, there has also been an increase in the number of people dependent on agriculture. Population increase has led to a dramatic increase in energy demand and this has been met mainly by wood (from range and forest) and organic matter such as animal manure. The natural resource base has, if anything, declined as a result of land degradation and urban encroachment on arable land. To the extent that there has been any increase in the area of land being farmed, this has taken place largely in marginal areas, using systems that may not be sustainable. Shrinking land resources have not been compensated for by increases in land productivity. Average cereal yields are a mere 860 kg/ha and, where comparative data are available, statistics confirm the general impression that yields are declining. For example, in the Sudan and Uganda, average yields have dropped by 12 and 18 percent, respectively, over the last decade.
The result is that, throughout the region, farmers have to cope with reduced productivity and less land from which to feed themselves and to supply food to the ever-expanding cities. In many parts of the region, the pressure of the human and livestock populations on the resource base has increased to the point where land use, employing currently available technology and management systems, is not sustainable. This is particularly true in the arid and semi-arid lands which make up 70 percent of the region and where the resource base is fragile. A FAO study from 1982 11 shows that, even then (with data from the mid-1970s), for most of the region population exceeded estimated long-term carrying capacity (see Map 3).
Human population carrying capacity
9 Figures for the proportion of the population living on less than US$1/person/day are available for: Ethiopia (46 percent), Kenya (50 percent) and Uganda (69 percent) (UNICEF. 1999. The state of the world's children, 1999. New York.).
10 The population aged less than 15 years and more than 64 years as a proportion of the working population..
11FAO. 1982. Potential population-supporting capacities of lands in the developing world. Technical Report FPA/INT/513.. | 农业 |
2017-04/4169/en_head.json.gz/23240 | Although millet represents less than 2 percent of world cereal utilization, it is an important staple in a large number of countries in the semi-arid tropics, where low precipitation and poor soils limit the cultivation of other major food crops.
Millet utilization is mostly confined to the developing countries, even more so after production and utilization fell sharply in the CIS, the largest producer in the developed world. Accurate data are not available for most countries, but it is estimated that about 80 percent of the world's millet (and over 95 percent in Asia and Africa) is used as food, the remainder being divided between feed (7 percent), other uses (seed, beer, etc.,) and waste (Table 3).
Table 3. Millet utilization by type, region and selected countries, 1992-94 average.
Direct food
('000 tons)
Other uses1
Per caput food use (kg/yr)
1. For seed, manufacturing purposes and waste.Source: FAO
Food use
Per caput food consumption of millet varies greatly between countries; it is highest in Africa, where millet is a key food staple in the drier regions. Millet represents about 75 percent of total cereal food consumption in Niger and over 30 percent in most other countries in the Sahel. It is also important in Namibia (25 percent of total cereal food consumption) and Uganda (20 percent).
Outside Africa, millet food consumption is important in parts of India, China and Myanmar. Utilization is negligible in Latin America, the Caribbean and all the developed countries. The exception was the former USSR until the late 1980s. However, under the economic transition process and the removal of price subsidies, utilization in the USSR/CIS fell sharply.
Millet is a high-energy, nutritious food, especially recommended for children, convalescents and the elderly. Several food preparations are made from millet, which differ between countries and even between different parts of a country. These consist primarily of porridge or pancake-like flat bread. However, because wholemeal quickly goes rancid, millet flour (prepared by pounding or milling) can be stored only for short periods.
Millet is traditionally pounded in a mortar, but mechanical dehulling and milling are increasingly used since they eliminate a considerable amount of hard labour and generally improve the quality of the flour.
Worldwide, millet food consumption has grown only marginally over the past 30 years, while total food use of all cereals has almost doubled. Millet is nutritionally equivalent or superior to other cereals2. However, consumer demand has fallen because of a number of factors, including changing preferences in favour of wheat and rice (cheap imports are available in several countries), irregular supplies of millet, rising incomes and rapid urbanization. Particularly in urban environments, the opportunity cost of women's time has encouraged the shift from millet to readily available processed foods (milled rice, wheat flour, etc.,) that are far quicker and more convenient to prepare.
[2. Protein contents in pearl, proso and foxtail millets are comparable with those in wheat, barley and maize. Finger millet has a slightly lower protein content, but is in fact nutrition-ally superior because the protein quality is generally as good or better than in other cereals. Finger millet is also high in calcium and iron, and contains fairly high levels of methionine, a major limiting amino acid in many tropical cereals.]
Utilization of millet grain as animal feed is not significant. It is estimated that less than 2 million tons, (about 7 percent of total utilization), is fed to animals, compared with about 30 million tons of sorghum (almost half of total output). In the developing countries, use of millet grain for animal feed is concentrated in Asia; very little is fed in Africa. However, millet fodder and stover are a valuable and critical resource in the crop/livestock systems where millet is grown.
Feed use estimates are heavily influenced by assumptions made for China, the world's third largest producer. In fact, little reliable information is available on feed use in this country. Based on very rough calculations of feed use in the CIS, it is estimated that about 1.0 million tons per annum are currently used as animal feed in the developed countries (Table 3). Western Europe, North America and Japan together use slightly over 200,000 tons, almost exclusively as bird seed. Recent increases in the use of pearl millet as a lower-cost substitute for maize feed in aquaculture and dairy and poultry farming in India and the southeastern United States are not well documented, and, in any case, at the moment represent only a small fraction of overall feed grain utilization.
Feeding trials have shown that pearl millet grain compares favourably with maize and sorghum as a high-energy, high-protein ingredient in feed for poultry, pigs, cattle and sheep. Nevertheless, very little millet is used as feed. First, as millet is grown mostly on marginal lands and production is barely sufficient to satisfy food requirements, little surplus is left for animal feed. Second, millet production fluctuates widely from year to year because of rainfall variability and drought in the main production areas. This deters a closer integration of millet production with intensive livestock operations. Third, millet yields are generally lower than those of other crops produced commercially in more favourable environments. Thus, production and transport costs are often prohibitive compared to alternative ingredients of compound feeds.
There are few other uses of millet. Small quantities of finger millet are used in Zimbabwe for commercial brewing and opaque beer. Food technologists have experimented with the incorporation of pearl millet into composite flour, but the commercial application of this technology is limited. | 农业 |
2017-04/4169/en_head.json.gz/23893 | Ohio Senate approves livestock standards board
Published: March 29, 2010 4:00 AM
By MARC KOVACDix CommunicationsCOLUMBUS -- The Ohio Senate approved legislation establishing the new Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board, about two weeks after the House did the same.Substitute House Bill 414 passed on a vote of 32-0. The House later concurred on changes made in the Senate, sending the bill to Gov. Ted Strickland for his signature.Ohio voters approved a constitutional amendment in November to establish the board, but lawmakers have to act to create the 13-member board and outline how it will operate.[Article continues below] "I think it's really important to get this board up and running," said Sen. Bob Gibbs, a Republican from Lakeville. "... They're going to have public hearings around the state. ... We really need to get this board up and running and developing the standards. Voters last November overwhelmingly supported this."The new board would meet at least three times each year and would establish standards for livestock care that would cover hogs, cows, sheep, goats, poultry and llamas.The Ohio Department of Agriculture would administer the process and investigate complaints of livestock mistreatment. Farmers who violate the rules would face civil penalties.Lawmakers' efforts are occurring at the same time the Humane Society of the United States and other animal welfare groups are collecting signatures to place an issue on the November ballot to force the Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board to implement specific rules on confinement and slaughter.The proposed constitutional amendment would require killing livestock in a humane manner, prohibiting the strangulation of cows and pigs as a form of euthanasia. It would also stop farmers from confining veal calves, egg-laying hens and pregnant pigs in a way that prevents them from lying down, fully extending their legs or turning around freely.n Marc Kovac is the Dix capital bureau chief. E-mail him at [email protected] or on Twitter at Ohio Capital Blog.
Robin's Nest Consignment LlcTammy KlineVisit Marketplace | 农业 |
2017-04/4170/en_head.json.gz/193 | « Today's Agriculture and Food Security Headlines |
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Today's Agriculture and Food Security News
May 3By Sung Lee
Today's top stories on global agricultural development and food security issues.
Food Outlook: Global Market Analysis, FAO, May 2012Global food prices seem to have stabilized at a relatively high level of around 214 points as measured by the FAO Food Price Index. Although the outlook for the second half of this year and into the next indicates generally improved supplies, demand remains strong and global food import bill in 2012 is expected to fall only slightly from the 2011 record.
Poll: US voters support funding UN health efforts, The Hill, May 3Nine in 10 U.S. voters say it's important for the United States to support the global health efforts of the U.N.'s World Health Organization, according to a United Nations Foundation/Better World Campaign poll released Thursday. The poll found that 89 percent of respondents believe the United States should be supportive of U.N. programs that improve access to vaccines and maternal healthcare. World Food Prices moved lower in April, Wall Street Journal, May 3World food prices fell in April following three consecutive months of gains, pressured by declines in sugar, dairy and cereal prices that offset increases in oils and meat, the United Nations’ FAO said, but it warned that soybeans and corn could still drive prices higher later this year.
Pan-African trust fund to tackle food security, Food Navigator, May 2An African-financed, FAO directed trust fund will provide resources needed to drive sustainable food production across the continent and the oil sector will play a crucial role, according to FAO’s director-general. The FAO will now engage in consultations with involved nations to draft a detailed proposal of the fund for final approval of participating member states. Kenya: New EU support to strengthen food security among vulnerable mothers and children, European Union, May 2EU Commissioner for Development, Andris Piebalgs, announced new support to address food security in Kenya, which is often affected by recurrent drought. Up to €40 million will be dedicated to nutrition, water supply and livelihood support. Mothers and children will be in particular focus of this initiative, as they are the first victims of drought and hunger. The funding comes as a part of the new €250 million EU initiative, called "Supporting Horn of Africa Resilience", to support the people in the Horn of Africa to recover from the recent drought and to strengthen the population and regional economy to better withstand future crises. Posted at 11:24 AM in News Updates | Permalink | 农业 |
2017-04/4170/en_head.json.gz/466 | And Unto the Farmer...
...shall be given...what?A great deal of attention has been paid to the possible consequence of the DPJ's following through on its campaign promise to not support an extension of the anti-terrorism special measures law. Equal attention should be paid attention to the consequences of the DPJ trying to follow through on its promises to the nation's small farmers.Japanese agriculture faces a plethora of crises. It has a demographic time bomb : half of farmers are over 60 years of age, with the median age of the full-time farmer at around 58. Most farms are too small for economies of scale, most indeed are little more than income-producing gardens, with the main family income coming from construction, factory or office work. For tax, inheritance, sentiment and ideological reasons, land sales to other farmers remain low. Corporations were prevented from farming, shutting off another avenue for land consolidation. Finally, with the liberalization of air and ship trade in agricultural products, Japanese growers find themselves in competition not only with the factory farms of the U.S. and Australia but the dirt poor peasantry of China.In an effort to encourage the rationalization of the agriculture sector, the government began providing large scale growers of rice and four other staples with "market stability support payments." While laudable in terms of ends--the establishment of a professional class of farmers growing crops on large enough plots for economies of scale--the subsidy program was tone deaf in terms of politics and social justice.Paying large-scale farmers to squeeze out small- and medium-sized farmers may make sense on an Excel graph or a consultant's Powerpoint slide--but small- and medium-sized framers still vote, a fact not lost on Ozawa Ichirō. He promised to extend the subsidy program to small- and medium-sized farms--negating the entire purpose of the exercise, of course. The owners of small- and medium-sized farms saw the opportunity to beat the system ...and on July 29, they did--punishing the LDP for the government program.Having won the votes of these farmers and control of the House of Councillors, will the Emperor of Iwate Prefecture force the government to follow through on his promises?It is hard to see what could stop him. Rice farmer and the shadow of the Koiwa Line trainIchihara City, Chiba Prefecture,August 11, 2007Consider that the DPJ is riding high in the polls, trouncing the LDP in theoretical House of Representatives contests. Consider that the DPJ, with help from the Socialists and popularizers of right-wing nostalgia, has spliced white- and blue-collar worker resentment for not receiving a share of the increase in corporate profits from this last recovery together with the declining economic relevance of the countryside into a single concept--shakai kakusa no akka--"the worsening differences in society"--camouflaging the enormous differences between the two issues (indeed, the expansion of subsidies to farmers will only worsen the status of the workers and mid-level management due to the increase in taxes necessary to pay for the subsidies).Given the number of LDP bigwigs in the House of Representatives with their home districts in rural constituencies, is it at all plausible to believe that the LDP will hold the line, restricting the subsidies to large-scale growers?Ridiculous.Of course, if small-scale, part-time farmers refuse to sell out and move to town, leaving agriculture to those willing to specialize in it (comparative advantage) then agriculture in Japan will slowly choke itself to death...and the Japanese government in the meanwhile will find itself unable to sign a single major free trade agreement requiring concessions on agricultural products.For more, see the Asahi Shimbun editorial of August 19, 2007 政治と農政―改革につながる提案を (sorry, no translation available) .
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What are we going to do about Shinzo? | 农业 |
2017-04/4170/en_head.json.gz/819 | 17 Best New Agriculture Apps For 2017 Anti-Biotech Arsonist Sentenced February 24, 2009 EmailPrintFacebookGoogleTwitterLinkedIn Marie Mason, an activist who helped set a fire to protest research on biotech crops was sentenced last week to nearly 22 years in prison. Mason was deemed responsible for the explosion and fire that caused more than $1 million in damage to Michigan State University’s (MSU) Agriculture Hall on New Year’s Eve 1999.
U.S. District Judge Paul Maloney said the case, which was prosecuted as domestic terrorism, was “about an abandonment of the marketplace of ideas.”
Mason targeted an MSU campus office that held records on research related to moth-resistant potatoes for poor parts of Africa. The 47-year-old woman had acted on behalf of the radical group Earth Liberation Front (ELF), which has been implicated in a wave of similar crimes, mostly in the Western part of the world.
(Source: Agricultural Retailer Association’s Retailer Fact$) | 农业 |
2017-04/4170/en_head.json.gz/1423 | Labeling bill raises modified food debate
Published: Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2013 1:15 a.m. CST
CHICAGO (AP) – Over the past 16 years, biotechnology has helped Ron Moore grow crops that could survive drought, produce higher-quality grain to feed his livestock and yield sweet corn so plentiful his family has donated extras to the church and local food pantry.
"People have said it's the best sweet corn they've ever eaten," said Moore, 57, whose family farms a few thousand acres near the western Illinois community of Roseville.But the same scientific advances that have so greatly altered the agriculture industry also have made some consumers nervous about what they are putting in their bodies and what long-term effects it could have.Now that battle has now come to Moore's home state.Illinois Sen. David Koehler, a Democrat from Peoria, says those concerns are behind legislation he proposed that would require the labeling of food produced with genetic engineering – often called "GMOs," or genetically modified organisms. Koehler, chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, convened a panel of lawmakers for three hearings on the bill over the summer to try to educate the public and the committee on the issue.Koehler's bill would require farmers and manufacturers to label any food that's available for retail sale in Illinois and that contains more than 1 percent of genetically engineered ingredients. The front or back of the package must clearly state "Produced with Genetic Engineering" or "Partially Produced with Genetic Engineering." The law would be enforced by the Department of Public Health, and producers could be fined for not properly labeling their products."For me it's a consumer transparency issue," Koehler said. "Do consumers have a right to know? I obviously believe they do."GMOs are plants whose DNA has been manipulated in a lab to resist drought, disease and insects and to increase yields. The European Union largely bans them, but most of the corn, soybean, cotton and sugar beets cultivated in the U.S. today contain plants that were genetically modified. They are particularly common in animal feed and processed foods.More than 60 countries have GMO labeling laws, according to the Center for Food Safety, a non-profit advocacy group. As efforts to pass a federal law in the U.S. haven't gained much traction, supporters have turned to state legislatures. The Center for Food Safety says labeling measures currently are pending in more than two dozen states. Only two – Maine and Connecticut – have approved them.Advocates say Illinois is a key piece of the state-by-state approach because it's the nation's fifth most populous state and one of the biggest agricultural producers."We're obviously the belly of the beast," said Jessica Fujan, the Chicago-based Midwest director for the consumer advocacy group Food and Water Watch.Fujan said the majority of consumers – herself included – want to know what they're eating and are bothered by the fact that some farmers and food industry giants don't want to be required to tell them.But opponents of the measure say labeling could unnecessarily scare off consumers, burden farmers and other producers and ultimately drive up the cost of food. They also say if labeling cuts into profits enough, it could discourage companies from conducting further scientific research.
"It will reduce the technological advances we've enjoyed in Illinois for the last 50 years," said Moore, president of the Illinois Soybean Association. "It'd be like going back to the rotary phone."At the core of the debate is whether genetically engineered food is safe for human consumption. Most studies say it is, and the Food and Drug Administration has generally recognized them as safe. Moore notes that his own family eats the genetically modified products they grow on their farm and "I'm not concerned about it at all."But Fujan and other opponents say there hasn't enough independent testing, particularly of the long-term health effects.Opponents also are concerned about the impact GMOs could have on the environment, and they say consumers already absorb increased costs when a company wants to change packaging to promote a new flavor or put a professional athlete on the front of a cereal box.Koehler said the subcommittee of lawmakers that have been holding hearings on the issue will meet in Springfield during the fall veto session later this month to discuss what they heard. He doesn't expect to move further with the measure until the Legislature meets again early next year.
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2017-04/4170/en_head.json.gz/1750 | RSS Eroding homes and Farmland
Drains constructed by Shehu Shagari in 1983. Destroyed by flood few years after.
In the few past decades, no fewer than 35 families in Amucha Community, Njaba in Imo State, Nigeria, have had to move to new homes. Not because they wanted a change, but because huge gullies of up to 120 metres deep and 40 meters wide – formed by heavy rainfall and erosion – have swallowed up homes and farmlands. Desmond Nworji is a lecturer who was born and raised in Amcha. He says his village environment has been turned upside down. “It (erosion) has actually caused a lot of damage to our village,” he laments. “In fact, my father’s house is the first that went into the gully. We bought the place we are presently residing, where we built our house, from the neighbouring kindreds.” Other villagers like Humphrey Njiagwu says there is no way they can make a living now on the degraded land. “We don’t live there because of the erosion. We don’t have land to farm, and we don’t have where to build. The places destroyed are where our children should have lived. We are refugees. This is not our land,” Njiagwu discloses. But it was once a fertile area, he recalls. “Before the Nigerian civil war, we had a big river where we go to catch fish because I am a good fisherman. Then, there was nothing like erosion. Now those rivers that we used to go and catch fish have almost dried up, and you hardly see those fish now. We discovered that there’s now a lot of changes in climate in this our place. Even some of the fruits, the right time they produce are no longer the time .We used to plant on our farms very well, and yield was good. But, all of a sudden, it started getting eroded. You can see how the ones we planted now look scanty and empty. “It has affected agriculture, because many times when you plant the erosion will wash away what you have planted. It has affected agriculture seriously. Things have changed. This isn’t how it used to be two or three months into the beginning of the year. When the harmattan is still had, nothing works except it rains. Farmers have cleared their lands but they are still waiting for the rain. And the sun is extreme.”
Many of those in the community believe the erosion – and change in weather patterns – was brought by the gods as some form of a punishment to community dwellers. Celestine Ndukwu used to work for the local government office. “Traditionally here, people believe that one man ate a python, what we call eke njab. In the entire area, it is a big taboo to eat such a snake. So nature reacted. Njaba, the god of that area, reacted by bringing about that erosion. He brought about a curse by the deity and that curse was erosion, to punish us all,” says Ndukwu. But others insist that the problems are as a result of a combination of natural and man-made factors. Boniface Emenalo, who used to be a leader with the Amucha Development Organisation, emphasises that when colleges tried to develop some areas years ago, some local forest was destroyed. “Those forests control erosion, and as a result there was no break again when the rain falls so that encouraged erosion. So floods from neighbouring villages like Okwudo, Nkume, Eziachi now flow freely down to Amucha,” he states. Speaking in a similar vein, Nnaemeka Ikegwuonu who works with small holder farmers in the state, suggests, “I believe there is a direct connection between the erosion menace and climate change. This is because the intensity of the rainfall has increased. And with the intensity of the rainfall comes a lot of rainfall run off. And because there is a lot of rainfall run-off more than we used to see before, it means that a lot of the soil is being washed away. And that is why we are seeing this erosion menace in several communities.” Dr. Damian Asawalam is a soil scientist at the Michael Opkara University of Agriculture, Umudike. He once worked in Amucha. He agrees that deforestation is a major cause of the erosion. His words: “We have seen in the course of our work that this level of erosion is principally controlled by water. What has happened was that, in the past, we didn’t experience this because there was vegetation cover for a greater part of the area. There is a lot of deforestation taking place. The intensity with which people are cropping their farm increased and these activities removed the cover that is covering the soil. Now annually as rain falls and drops on this, they loosen the soil and with a result that a greater part of the soil are now exposed in many areas.” According to the village chief, Eze Ofoegbu, the government headed by Alhaji Shehu Shagari constructed drains in 1983 but abandoned the project mid-way. The drainage helped a little but the heavy floods broke down most of the ditches and nothing has been done by subsequent governments, he notes, adding that the villagers had tried to stop the erosion themselves. “They threw in bamboo trees, and carried out a clean-up so the water stops flooding our homes, yet it did not stop. When the flooding and the erosion increased, we planted an avalanche of trees, Indian bamboos and even cashew trees as well as oil bean trees were planted within the areas to help control the erosion.”
Mama lost her farm. She still lives a few meters from a deep gully.
As a way out, Nnaemeka Ikegwuonu suggests that communities should adopt new farming techniques to adapt to the changes and ensure their livelihood is secure. “One of the ways that small farmers and rural communities can use in controlling erosion is terrace farming. It is a form of agriculture whereby farmers can cultivate agricultural beds on sloppy areas. Farmers can make a bed of three to four feet in width and 10 to 30 feet in length. They can now start cultivating vegetables on this bed. The second one is the cultivation of veteva grass. Veteva grass is a fast-growing grass like the elephant grass. It does a simple thing: it stabilises the soil. So when the rainfall run-off tries to wash off the top soil and makes it bare, the veteva grass holds the soil and helps in stabilising it. The third one is the construction of simple waterways in sloppy areas and channeling it into an underground tank. This is called rain water harvesting. So the level of rainfall run off during the season, we can save the water and use it to dry season vegetable cultivation. These are the three ways farmers can use to control soil erosion at the first instance while they lobby for government attention to build bigger water channels.” These new farming methods may well prove a lifeline – as, there are people like Mary Nworji a mother of five, who has no choice but to stay in the land most affected by the erosion. She says the erosion took most of her farm land yet she stays in the house very close to a gully and almost getting swallowed up because she could afford a buy land and a build a new house. “Before the erosion came, this used to our road, when everyone lived here. When it now started, others moved upland, we are among the few left. We cannot afford a land to build and move. We still live here. Lots of times, the flood entered our home, carried away our properties and destroyed things. I don’t have an alternative,” she discloses, close to tears. The ecological challenges notwithstanding, the villagers are still very much into farming and every new home comes with drainage to create a path for the heavy floods. Ironically, they also have to cut trees to clear new areas to build when they relocate. The villagers expressed their fears further. “Of course, I am afraid. If it gets closer, we relocate. If not, I will be grateful to God. This much is enough. If we have the wherewithal, if we have an alternative to leave this environment completely, it is better. We need government presence to stem it, to eradicate it completely. As it is now, government does not show presence again. So, I am not comfortable in this place at all. There is nothing I can do. But if I have a choice, all of us can move out of this place,” one of them prayed. We hope that the Lord God, as well as the government, answers the Amucha Community dwellers’ prayers.
Please listen to the feature here:
http://panos.org.uk/features/nigeria-eroded-earth-swallows-up-homes/
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One Response to “Eroding homes and Farmland”
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its sad and even sadder when it touches home, i hope this can be fixed somehow, someday…seeing as the present governor is appointing offices that makes no sense, he needs to appt me for SA on Amucha Erosion! #nonsense! lol.. | 农业 |
2017-09/0201/en_head.json.gz/196 | MEMO/10/443Brussels, 24 September 2010Preparation Agriculture/Fisheries Council of September 2010The Agriculture & Fisheries Council will meet in Brussels on Monday 27 September (starting at 10 a.m.). It will be chaired by of Mrs Sabine Laruelle, Belgian minister for SMEs, the Self-Employment, Agriculture and Science Policy, for the Agriculture and Health issues and Mr Kris Peeters, Minister-President for the Flemish Region and responsible for Fisheries, for the points on Fisheries. Commissioners Maria Damanaki, John Dalli and Dacian Cioloş will represent the Commission at the meeting. Fisheries and Health points will be dealt with in the morning. Over lunch, Ministers will have a discussion on "Financing of animal health policy". In the afternoon, the Agriculture points are on the agenda.The points on the agenda are:HealthGenetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) On 13 July, the Commission proposed a revised legal framework regulating genetically modified (GM) food and feed in the EU. This framework pursues the global objective of ensuring a high level of protection of human health and welfare, environment and consumer interests, whilst ensuring that the internal market works effectively. The proposal confers to Member States the freedom to allow, restrict or ban the cultivation of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) on part or all of their territory. While keeping unchanged the EU's science-based GM authorisation system, the adopted package consists of a Communication, a new Recommendation on co-existence of GM crops with conventional and/or organic crops and a draft Regulation proposing a change to the GMO legislation. The proposed regulation amends Directive 2001/18/EC to allow Member States to restrict or prohibit the cultivation of GMOs in their territory. The Council will have an exchange of views on the Commission documents.For the documents and more information please see:http://ec.europa.eu/food/food/biotechnology/index_en.htm AOBLatvian request to get authorisation to amend BSE monitoring programmesFisheriesAOBManagement of mackerel in the North-East AtlanticThe European Commission has asked the Belgian presidency to put the issue on the agenda of the Council in order to discuss further options as regards the ongoing discussions with Norway, the Faroe Islands and Iceland on this issue.AgricultureReport on the High Level Group on MilkThe Commission will present the report and recommendations of the High Level Group on Milk. Ministers will have an exchange of views on the report. Following the difficult market situation for milk last year, the Commission established a High Level Expert Group on Milk (HLG) last October with the purpose of discussing mid-term and long-term arrangements for the dairy sector given the expiry of dairy quotas on 1 April 2015 (see IP/09/1420). While respecting the outcome of the Health Check, the HLG was asked to consider regulatory issues which might contribute to stabilizing the market and producers' income and enhance transparency on the market. 10 meetings were held from October 2009 until June 2010. A draft report summarising the outcome of the discussions and with certain recommendations was adopted unanimously on 15 June (see IP/10/742).The recommendations to the Commission from the High Level Group relate to:Contractual relations between milk producers and milk processors,Collective bargaining power of producers,The possible role of interbranch organisations in the dairy sector,Transparency in the dairy supply chain, Market measures and futures,Marketing standards and origin labelling,Innovation and researchThe full 50-page report (with annexes) is available at:http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/markets/milk/index_en.htmThe Belgian Presidency will propose Council conclusions on the report of the High Level Group.Quarterly report on the dairy marketThe Commission will present an updated quarterly report on the situation of the dairy market. Food aid for most deprived personsOn 17 September, the Commission adopted an amended proposal to improve the current food distribution programme for the most deprived persons in the European Union. It builds on a 2008 proposal allowing the scheme to use market purchases on a permanent basis, to complement available intervention stocks. Member States would choose what food to distribute and food distribution plans would be established for three-year periods. Food would continue to be distributed in cooperation with charities and local social services. Every year, more than 13 million European citizens benefit from this programme. The amended proposal provides stable and more favourable rates of national co-financing and puts an annual ceiling of € 500 million on the EU's contribution. It makes a number of other adjustments to the original 2008 proposal and aligns it with the Lisbon Treaty. The 2008 proposal was not adopted by the Council, despite the supportive stance of the European Parliament. Commissioner Dacian Cioloş will present the amended proposal to the Ministers.Outermost regions of the European UnionThe Commission will present a report on the effects of the 2006 reform of the Programme of Options Specifically Relating to Remoteness and Insularity (POSEI) regime as well as a proposal to modify the Regulation laying down specific measures in the outermost regions of the Union. Ministers will have a first exchange of views on this subjectSpecific measures for agriculture in the outermost regions (OR) were introduced in 1991 for the French DOM (POSEIDOM) and in 1992 for the Canaries (POSEICAN) the Azores and Madeira (POSEIMA).For this purpose the main instruments of the POSEI scheme were established:The Specific Supply Arrangements (SSA), aiming to mitigate the costs for the supply of products used as inputs for the everyday consumption or manufacture of certain essential foodstuff, by providing for the exemption of duties on products imported directly from third countries or aid for products originating in the rest of the Community within the limits of the local needs;Measures to Support Local Production (SLP), aiming to maintain or develop certain products by supporting the production, processing and/or marketing of these products or the structuring of the sectors involved;Accompanying measures:The POSEI scheme was reformed in 2001 and 2006. Now the Commission adopted a report on the effects of the 2006 reform and proposes a modified Regulation. AOBSituation of the EU processed tomato sector (Italian demand)Prolongation of temporary State aid (€ 15 000) in favour of agricultural producers (Hungarian demand).Situation on the cereals market and its impact on animal production (Polish request)Situation on the cereals market – Measures requested for the stabilisation of the markets (Greek request) | 农业 |
2017-09/0201/en_head.json.gz/1407 | New Study Shows How Existing Cropland Could Feed Billions More
University of Minnesota Report pinpoints key food systems 'leverage points' that hold the greatest the potential to boost global food security and protect the environment
Feeding a growing human population without increasing stresses on Earth's strained land and water resources may seem like an impossible challenge. But according to a new report by researchers at the University of Minnesota's Institute on the Environment, focusing efforts to improve food systems on a few specific regions, crops and actions could make it possible to both meet the basic needs of 3 billion more people and decrease agriculture's environmental footprint.
The report, published today in Science, focuses on 17 key crops that produce 86 percent of the world's crop calories and account for most irrigation and fertilizer consumption on a global scale. It proposes a set of key actions in three broad areas that that have the greatest potential for reducing the adverse environmental impacts of agriculture and boosting our ability meet global food needs. For each, it identifies specific "leverage points" where nongovernmental organizations, foundations, governments, businesses and citizens can target food-security efforts for the greatest impact. The biggest opportunities cluster in six countries — China, India, U.S., Brazil, Indonesia and Pakistan — along with Europe.
"This paper represents an important next step beyond previous studies that have broadly outlined strategies for sustainably feeding people," said lead author Paul West, co-director of the Institute on the Environment's Global Landscapes Initiative. "By pointing out specifically what we can do and where, it gives funders and policy makers the information they need to target their activities for the greatest good."
The major areas of opportunity and key leverage points for improving the efficiency and sustainability of global food production are:
1. Produce more food on existing land. Previous research has detected the presence of a dramatic agricultural "yield gap" — difference between potential and actual crop yield — in many parts of the world. This study found that closing even 50 percent of the gap in regions with the widest gaps could provide enough calories to feed 850 million people. Nearly half of the potential gains are in Africa, with most of the rest represented by Asia and Eastern Europe.
2. Grow crops more efficiently. The study identified where major opportunities exist to reduce climate impacts and improve the efficiency with which we use nutrients and water to grow crops.
Agriculture is responsible for 20 to 35 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, largely in the form of carbon dioxide from tropical deforestation, methane from livestock and rice growing, and nitrous oxide from crop fertilization. The study found that the biggest opportunities for reducing greenhouse gas production are in Brazil and Indonesia for deforestation; China and India for rice production; and China, India and the United States for crop fertilization.
With respect to nutrient use, the study found that worldwide, 60 percent of nitrogen and nearly 50 percent of phosphorus applications exceed what crops need to grow. China, India and the U.S. — and three crops, rice, wheat and corn — are the biggest sources of excess nutrient use worldwide, so offer the greatest opportunity for improvement.
With respect to water, rice and wheat are the crops that create the most demand for irrigation worldwide, and India, Pakistan, China and the U.S. account for the bulk of irrigation water use in water-limited areas. Boosting crop water use efficiency, the researchers found, could reduce water demand 8 to 15 percent without compromising food production.
3. Use crops more efficiently. The third major category of opportunities characterized for boosting food production and environmental protection relate to making more crop calories available for human consumption by shifting crops from livestock to humans and reducing food waste.
The crop calories we currently feed to animals are sufficient to meet the calorie needs of 4 billion people. The study noted that the U.S., China and Western Europe account for the bulk of this "diet gap," with corn the main crop being diverted to animal feed. Although cultural preferences and politics limit the ability to change this picture, the authors note that shifting crops from animal feed to human food could serve as a "safety net" when weather or pests create shortages.
In addition, some 30 to 50 percent of food is wasted worldwide. Particularly significant is the impact of animal products: The loss of 1 kilogram of boneless beef has the same effect as wasting 24 kilograms of wheat due to inefficiencies in converting grain to meat. The authors illustrate how food waste in the U.S., China and India affect available calories, noting that reducing waste in these three countries alone could yield food for more than 400 million people.
"Sustainably feeding people today and in the future is one of humanity's grand challenges. Agriculture is the main source of water use, greenhouse gas emissions, and habitat loss, yet we need to grow more food," West said. "Fortunately, the opportunities to have a global impact and move in the right direction are clustered. By focusing on areas, crops and practices with the most to be gained, companies, governments, NGOs and others can ensure that their efforts are being targeted in a way that best accomplishes the common and critically important goal of feeding the world while protecting the environment. Of course, while calories are a key measure of improving food security, nutrition, access and cultural preferences must also be addressed. But the need to boost food security is high. So let's do it." | 农业 |
2017-09/0201/en_head.json.gz/1511 | Scrapping regulations calls for discretion Feb 10, 2017 Stronger safety net is goal for National Cotton Council Jan 27, 2017 Oklahoma Peanut Expo March 23 in Altus Feb 08, 2017 Cattle industry 'very concerned' about Trump's pledge to renegotiate NAFTA Feb 06, 2017 Cattle Raisers pass animal disease traceability policy
The Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA), the state's largest and oldest livestock association, passed policy regarding the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) new animal disease traceability plan. The policy was passed Friday at the association's summer meeting. On Feb. 5, USDA announced a new framework for animal disease traceability in the U.S. USDA will publish the rule which will open it for comment in December. The new framework replaces the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) that was strongly opposed by numerous livestock industries and associations, including TSCRA. TSCRA supports an animal disease traceability program that adheres to the following criteria: 1. Additional costs to the beef and dairy industry must be minimized. 2. Any information relative to cattle identification information should be under the control of state animal health officials and kept confidential. 3. The system must operate at the speed of commerce. 4. The priority livestock for participation in the framework is the individual identification of adult cattle. 5. Producers must be protected from liability for acts of others after cattle have left their control. 6. The purpose of the animal disease traceability system should be solely animal disease surveillance, control and eradication. The only data required to be collected should be that necessary to accomplish this goal. 7. Support the flexibility of using currently established and evolving official identification methods. 8. Full compliance with the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) and Codex Alimentarius Commission international standards for animal identification and traceability. 9. The animal data management system does not replace or impede existing TSCRA brand inspection activities. TSCRA passed additional policy supporting good surface water quality standards based on sound science, landowner input, an emphasis on voluntary management practices, water quality protection and sustainable economic development. Policy was also passed that supports removing the 150 mile restriction on livestock and farm operators from federal and state motor vehicle laws. Under current law, livestock or farm operators who operate their equipment, not for hire and without a commercial driver's license, for the transport of livestock or farm products cannot exceed 150 miles. | 农业 |
2017-09/0193/en_head.json.gz/24717 | Patna Rice : Every grain has a story to tell
Patna rice, a variety of the species Oryza sativa. It is a long-grain white rice with a mild flavour which does not loose its shape on cooking. Ideally suited for the western style of cooking. It is extensively cultivated in the Indo-gangetic plains in and around Patna, capital of Bihar state, India. Patna rice is known for its elongated kernel with grain length greater than 6 mm, and has been used as staple food by the local people for thousands of years
Patna Rice: Gem of Nineteenth Century Trade in Patna
Well into the late nineteenth century Patna remained one of the premier entrepôts of north India. Registered "internal trade" figures, which generally underestimated interdistrict trade, such as that between Gaya and Patna, in fact reveal that Patna had the largest trade of any district in Bengal. In 1876-77, registered exports were valued at Rs. 36,222,400, or 11.1 times the value of goods sent out in the 1810s; total imports were estimated at Rs. 44,651,000, or 6.8 times the 1810s value. This trend accords perfectly with the now well-established pattern of increasing trade in the late nineteenth century, particularly of certain kinds of medium- and low-value agricultural goods. From nearby districts flowed grains of all sorts, appearing as both exports and imports because they were transferred in and out of the city. Rice came from Purnia, Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga, and Saran; high-quality Patna rice, "celebrated throughout Bengal for its fineness," was sent out to Murshidabad and Calcutta as well as to Banaras.
Mayank Krishna
Patna Rice
Mughal Emperor Akbar and Patna Rice
Mughal emperor Akbar (جلال الدین محمد اکبر) came to Patna in 1574 to crush the Afghan Chief Daud Khan. Akbar's Secretary of State and author of Ain-i-Akbari refers to Patna as a flourishing centre for paper, stone and glass industries. He also refers to the high quality of numerous strains of rice grown in Patna famous as Patna rice in Europe and America.
Rice Cultivation In India
1.High Productivity > 2,500 Kg/Hectare.2.Medium Productivity = 2,000-2,500 Kg/Hectare.3.Medium-Low Productivity = 1,500-2,000 Kg/Hectare.4.Low-Productivity = 1,000-1,500 Kg/Hectare.5.Very-Low Productivity <>
Ajit Chouhan
Patna Rice,
Rice Cultivation
Patna Rice on Telegraph
Found this on Telegraph.UK linkQ Years ago, one was always advised to use "long-grain patna rice" for everything except puddings and risottos. Is it still available today? RJ, London W6 A Patna is simply a variety of long-grain white rice, grown extensively around Patna, the capital of Bihar state in India. It has a longer grain than basmati and a much milder flavour. Posted by
Classical Cultivation of Patna Rice
Rice has been cultivated in the Gangetic plains of India for millennia. The cultivation of rice here is not just any other grain cultivation, but it's a process that has moulded the culture of the people like no other. There are songs specific for each activity - ropnigeet, katnigeet; there is merriment, there are festivals, in fact it would not be an exaggeration to say that the whole life of people revolves around the cultivation of rice.The process of cultivation of rice starts around the first week of June when the harsh Indian summer is at its peak. The last feasting of the lagan (marriage season) is over and the summer has left everyone exhausted. The seasonal high points of summer, the mangoes, the lichees, and the kharbujas and tarbujas have all come and gone. Even as the sun is still mercilessly beating down on the Gangetic plains and heat waves have parched the normally humid landscape totally dry, sucking out the last drops of water from every crevice, the cultivator starts to bring out his implements - his plough, chaas, and other implements. Taking stomach full of traditional drinks made from ground gram (sattu) and occasionally saunf, and keeping full onion in his pocket, he has to leave the cool environs of his thatched hut and start venturing into the unforgiving hot and dry weather. Functional literacy, handed through word of mouth over generations has taught him how to survive the extreme weather with minimum of appurtenances.Pre-cultivationHe takes his implements to the village artisans - the blacksmith and the carpenter - to make them ready for the busy season ahead. He knows that once the rains fall, there would be no time to tend to his implements. It is also the time to spread the cow-dung, which was allowed to rot in ditches for the whole year. Unlike the other fertiliser, this manure has to be spread on his best field, as he knows that there is no manure better than this organic manure for his tender seedlings.Spreading the seedlingsThe first drops of rain fall around mid June heralding the monsoon. The first rain is normally accompanied with strong cool winds and sometime also hailstorm. As the first drops of water quench the thirst of the parched earth, it oozes an intoxicating earthy (saundha) smell that can be found in only this part of the world. The earth acquires a greenish hue - it is as if the no nonsense tomboy has turned all feminine grace on getting married. Now there is no time to loose and the cultivator has to quickly plough the Beehan Kiyaris (Seedling fields) where the manure has already been spread. In less than a week, those fields have to be ploughed, seeds spread and flattened again for the seed to start germinating in the hot and humid soil just under the surface.Ploughing the LandOnce the seedlings spread, all the agricultural fields in the village good enough for rice cultivation have to be ploughed. It would be barely six weeks when the seedlings would be ready for transplantation and the ploughing has to be accomplished in this period. By this time, the monsoon is in full flow and the urgency of the first few days has given way to the humdrum of the busy agricultural season. There are still not enough hours to do all that needs to be done, but life assumes a routine.TransplantationThe humdrum of ploughing follows the extreme physical activity of the transplantation phase. Transplantation is a very intricate process that has to be accomplished very quickly. If the seedlings are allowed to get over-ripe before being transplanted, it would be very harmful for the quality for the rice. No cultivator has the resources to accomplish this alone and all of them have to depend on others to achieve this. This is the time when old rivalries and petty differences have to be forgotten as this once in a year opportunity cannot be missed. All able bodied men and women are out in the field. Elderly help with household chores like cooking and children help by transporting the meals to the field as there is no time to loose in commuting between the field and the house. Men may not rest for days and children may bunk school. Even the teachers may leave the school to give a helping hand during this crucial phase.There is some respite from hard physical labour once the transplantation is done, but no time to be lax. Now is the time to tend the field and protect it from all enemies, both natural and human. Machan may be put in the field to keep a watchful eye day and night. The male members may not have a chance to come home for weeks. There has to be just enough water in the field for the rice to grow; if you don't drain the excess water, it would become flooded and destroy the crop. If water is less, the paddy may start to die. The same village neighbour who had helped him in the crucial transplantation phase may now not hesitate to leave his cattle loose for grazing in an unattended field. If the neighbour had not helped when all were watching, the animosity would have come out in the open; in the cover of darkness, one can always settle a few scores without too much damage to one's reputation. In any case, the petty differences, probably festering for generations, were merely papered over, not by any means settled.Mid season Break and the festivalsAround October, the paddy has grown to waist height and needs less tending. Monsoon has somewhat slackened and there is festivities everywhere, for now is the festival (puja) season. : Dushshra, Divali and Chath are celebrated in this period. The all round greenery adds to the festivities. Other than keeping a watchful eye to keep the cattle and the thief away, which brothers and friendly neighbours can take turns to do, it is a time of comparative physical rest but mental alertness.HarvestingHarvesting starts as soon as the last araghya to the Sun god has been given. This is another period of intense physical activity when the paddy has to be harvested and transported to the Kharihaan for processing. When we see Indian software professionals slogging during crucial phases of a project like go live or testing, and barely managing to keep office timings during "normal" office days, one cannot help thinking if they have got it in their genes from their agriculturist forebears who had to work seasonally like this. It is this perhaps which helps him in his direct march from the agricultural age to the information age, bypassing the evolution of the industrial age and its clockwork precision.ProcessingAs the temperature starts to dip with the onset of the winter, the processing of the grain starts in the Kharihaan. After the first offering to the gods - the gram devi (village deity), the fruits of the labour is ready to savour. Certain varieties of rice may be boiled with the husk to prepare the parboiled rice. After this, the rice husk is removed in the wooden "dheki", a process greatly enjoyed by the ladies of the house and accompanied with much merriment.Rice has always been a symbol of plenty in Hindu tradition. According to the custom, married women in India are honoured and wished a life of plenty by presenting them with a handful of rice, turmeric and grass saplings (Khoincha) on all festive occasions. The throwing of rice is associated with all pious Hindu rituals include weddings.Patna Rice, the king of all rice, comes to you from the intricate handcrafted process described above, perfected over generations.
FAQ's on Patna rice.
What is Patna rice?Patna rice is a variety of long grain rice originally grown in Patna (Bihar State), India where it has been used as a staple food for thousands of years. Patna rice is known for its elongated kernel with grain length greater than 6mm and mild earthy aroma.This mildly flavored rice comes from the Gangetic plains of Bihar state in India. It has a robust, long and narrow, opaque grain that keeps its shape well after being cooked. Patna rice is one of the premium qualities of rice available in UK and USA and is the highly valued for its unique taste and mild aroma.How does one classify rice?Rice can be classified based on various factors like length, color, region, quality, texture etc. A brief description is given below;Length: One of the most common methods of classifying rice is by length. The United States is the only country that uses three sizes - short, medium, and long-grain - for classifying the length of rice grains.Color: Rice can also be classified by color: brown or white. Brown rice consists of the entire kernel minus the hull, while white rice is the result of processing to completely remove the bran layers. White rice is often enriched with nutrients (especially in Western nations), such as iron, niacin, thiamin, and riboflavin, to help restore some of the lost nutritional value.Region: Rice may be grouped or classified according to the area or country in which the rice is cultivated or used. Although many countries export rice to other areas of the world, the majority of rice is used in the area where it is grown. This is especially true in Asia where rice is such an important part of the diet. In the United States, over half of the rice crop is exported.Quality: The quality of Rice is classified by the quality of the grains, usually according to the quantity of broken grains that are included per standard measure.Top Quality Rice: The quantity of broken grains is no more than 5 percent of the total. Standard Rice: A maximum of 15 percent broken grains.Household Rice: There are two groups under the household category - a maximum of 25 percent broken grains and a maximum of 40 percent broken grains.Broken Rice: a minimum of 40 percent of the rice contains broken grains.Texture: The texture of rice after cooking may range from very sticky and soft to very firm and fluffy. Sticky rice is often referred to as glutinous rice. In spite of the name, glutinous rice contains no gluten, but some varieties have gluten-like properties.What is the difference between Patna rice, Basmati rice and Carolina rice?Basmati Rice is grown in the foothills of the Himalayas in India. When cooked,the grain rice doubles, partially splits lengthwise, and is curved. Basmati rice is the least glutinous of all rice; once cooked, the grains remain separate.Patna rice is a close relative to basmati, but is mildly aromatic. It is grown in the gangetic plains of Bihar. It is believed that Patna rice was the first type of rice cultivatedin the USA . The seeds of Patna rice were taken to America, cultivated in Carolina and exported to Britain before the American civil war, and acquired the name Carolina rice. Thus the term Carolina rice is also sometimes used to denote this variety of rice.What are some of the premium long grained rice preferred in the USA?Basmati Rice: Long-grain rice that is approximately four times longer than it is wide. Basmati is one of the most popular long-grain rice varieties due to its fragrance, flavor, and texture. Much of the basmati rice is cultivated in India and Pakistan. The rice is fluffy and dry and the grains do not stick together after it is cooked.Patna rice aka Carolina rice: A brand name for long-grain rice that is approximately four times longer than it is wide. It is one of the most popular varieties in the USA and was first cultivated in Carolinas during the 17th Century. It is now cultivated mostly in Arkansas, Texas, and California. Patna rice is fluffy and dry when cooked and the grains do not stick together. Steaming and baking are excellent preparation methods for Patna rice, which can be used in pilafs, salads, and a variety of cooked dishes. Patna rice is also known as Carolina rice and it is available in many large food stores.Himalayan red rice: A long-grain variety of rice with red bran that is cultivated in Nepal. Himalayan red rice has a rich, nutty flavor and a deep red color when cooked. Himalayan red rice has a firm texture that makes it a good choice for salads and various pilaf recipes.Indian red rice: A long-grain un milled variety of rice with red bran that is cultivated in India. Red rice has a nutty flavor and is reddish-tan in color.Kasmati rice: Long-grain variety of aromatic rice developed in the USA. that is considered to be similar to Basmati in taste and texture. It is generally used for Indian and Middle-Eastern food dishes.Texmati rice: A variety of Della rice, which is a cross between basmati and other long-grain rice varieties grown primarily in the southern United States. When cooked itexpands widthwise, but maintains the same length. It is not as aromatic as basmati rice, but is more flavorful and aromatic than other long-grain rice from the U.S. It is fluffy dry rice that does not stick together after it is cooked.What is the USP of Patna Rice?Apart from the inherent characteristics, Patna rice is grown in the Patna region, which has produced premium quality rice for eons. The special characteristic of soil in the Ganges plain, along with the weather conditions and the traditional method of cultivation result in the uniqueness of Patna rice.We plan to market rice from farms using organic (traditional) method of cultivation. In addition, the product is hand picked and almost all the steps taken from the planting to packaging is done manually. Patna rice is old, internationally renowned, aromatic, long grain rice which evolved to its present form in the climatic richness of gangetic plains of Patna in the state of Bihar, India.How is it going to help the farmers in Bihar? Which section of farmers would benefit from it? What are the criteria for choosing the target group of farmers?The revenue that is generated will be primarily spent on development of farming infrastructure, establishing local nodal export cells, bringing more product from Bihar on the export list and research and development. It will help us in promoting Brand Bihar as a land of agro-based opportunities. We will be able to offer a basket of agro based products which will include world famous Rice, Maldah mango, Shahi litchee, Malbhog banana, etc. This will also help us in reviving the agro-based industries in Bihar which will have multiplier effect on the overall economy of the state.It will also generate positive publicity and sustained media attention, investor’s attention and International attention. All these will lead to an improved investment in the agricultural sector of Bihar which could be economically, socially, and politically rewarding for one and all.The regions best suited for its farming would be the rice belt of Bihar i.e. districts of Patna, Ara, Buxar, Rohtas, Bhabhua, Mohania and Jehanabad.Is quantity the criteria for export or is it quality?Quality is the main criteria. We want to create a niche market for genuine premium Patna rice, grown organically in the region of its origin. We want to tap the niche market that currently exists for this product.What do you envision happening two years from now?We have a good case for global recognition for Patna rice. We will be very close to getting it two years from now. In the meantime we will be streamlining the procurement, packaging, quality control and export components of the program. Apart from the things related to Patna Rice, our efforts will also help in generating positive publicity for Bihar on both national and international front. This will helping projecting Bihar as an agricultural hub and will generate interest among investors.
Chandan
Patna Rice connection of J. W. Fiske & Co.
The firm of J. W. Fiske and Company was one of the preeminent makers and retailers of ornamental iron and zinc objects in New York City in the second half of the nineteenth century, producing a wide range of garden fountains, statues, urns, and furniture. And the amazing thing is that Mr. Fiske has a PATNA RICE connection. During one of his travels abroad on business, he is said to have purchased 13 tonnes of PATNA RICE from India."Another account records the purchase of thirteen tons of Patna rice from India..."Source: Findarticles.com
Atul Kumar
Patna Rice: Gem of Nineteenth Century Trade in Pat...
OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF PATNA RICE
Wiki on Patna Rice
Patna Rice Yahoo Group
Rice Patna
Patna Daily | 农业 |
2017-09/0193/en_head.json.gz/24908 | Strategic Commodities
Americans used to behave as though offshore drilling was a painful dental procedure: They wanted to avoid it at all costs.
In Washington, lawmakers were so eager to ban it that they banned it twice. First Congress outlawed most of it, in 1981. Then the first President Bush outlawed it again, in 1990.
But the soaring price of energy is now driving everyone to, ahem, extraction.
Last week, our current president lifted the executive ban that his father had put in place. Senator John McCain recently announced that he supports offshore oil and gas exploration as well--a change of heart for him. Polls show that most Americans now support the repeal of federal bans, too.
These shifting views are the result of rising gas prices and environmentally safer technologies. The cost of fuel has never been higher and the risk of off-shore exploration has never been lower. Farmers have a stake in this debate, and not just because they need to fill up their gas-guzzling combines and tractors. They’re also enormous consumers of natural gas—for energy and the production of fertilizer. Like so much else, the price of fertilizer has shot up in recent months for a number of reasons, including increased global demand. Keeping the cost reasonable is in the interests of everybody, from the farmers who spread fertilizer on their fields to increase yields to the consumers who purchase what they grow.
Fuel, natural gas and food are strategic commodities, and so is fertilizer.
Earlier this month, the G8--the world’s eight wealthiest countries--met in Japan. “We are deeply concerned that the steep rise in global food prices coupled with availability problems in a number of developing countries is threatening global food security,” they said in a joint statement. They called for aid to famished people as well as for increased production.
It will be difficult to increase food production if the affordability and accessibility of fertilizer becomes a challenge. Farmers will have to spend more of their resources just to maintain their current production levels. And that’s not good enough: We need to break food production records every year just to keep pace with the demands of a growing global population.
Without fertilizer, food production around the world would drop by at least 40 percent and possibly more. The terrible result would be rampant malnourishment and mass starvation--a horrific dead zone, if you catch my drift.
Pulling natural gas from the bottom of the sea won’t work as a panacea, but it will begin to address a problem of added demand that’s having a big impact on burgeoning food prices.
Although estimates vary, federal geologists think that the U.S. continental shelf may hold 10 billion barrels of oil and 16 trillion cubic feet of natural gas in areas where exploration currently is banned. When these resources come on the market, they’ll do nothing but help the cost of energy, fertilizer, and food.
More research is needed as well. Dozens of projects are now underway to help us maximize the advantages of fertilizer. Different types of crops and soil have different needs. Farmers must know how much fertilizer to apply, when to put it down, and precisely what kind of mix to use. On our farm we do a complete scientific lab analysis of our soils every year and determine what nutrients are needed for a balanced exact fertilizer application program for the intended crop to be grown. At the same time, seed companies are working to develop crops that make the most efficient use of nitrogen.
Scientists always have known that fertilizer’s main benefit involves yield. But that may not be the only benefit. The fertilizer industry recently helped endow a professorship at Oklahoma State University.
“It is our hope that this professorship will encourage the expansion of an untapped and important area in academic research,” said Harriet Wegmeyer of the Nutrients for Life Foundation. “If, as predicted, a correlation between fertilizer and healthier foods is established, imagine the impact. An increasingly health-conscious public will finally regard fertilizers for what they truly are ... nutritious--for both plants and, in turn, people.”
To have enough fertilizer, though, we need enough natural gas. To have enough natural gas, we need offshore production. Maybe we really do need to think about this issue in terms of dentistry. As with a bad toothache that won’t go away, we should let the drilling start as soon as possible.
Terry Wanzek grows corn, soybeans, and wheat on his family farm in North Dakota. Mr. Wanzek serves as a North Dakota Senator and board member of Truth About Trade and Technology (www.truthabouttrade.org) | 农业 |
2017-09/0193/en_head.json.gz/25027 | Gov. Brown asked to reconsider zero-water allocations
A California state senator has asked Gov. Jerry Brown to consider alternatives to the State Water Project's zero-water allocation for agriculture, which he said would be devastating to farmers and the economy.
Published on March 11, 2014 11:13AM
California state Sen. Jim Nielsen (right) looks at papers held by soon-to-be U.S. Rep. Doug LaMalfa during a rally against a fire prevention tax in late 2012. Nielsen has asked Gov. Jerry Brown to seek alternatives to a zero-water allocation for agriculture.
Buy this photo SACRAMENTO — A California state senator wants Gov. Jerry Brown to consider alternatives to a zero-water allocation for agriculture, which he said would be devastating to farmers and the state’s economy.Sen. Jim Nielsen, R-Gerber, told the governor the state’s 80,500 farms and ranches earned a record $44.7 billion for their output in 2011 and that their productivity would be affected by a denial of water from the State Water Project.“Given your family’s roots in the North State, you know the importance of farming and its significance to the region and the state economy,” Nielsen, a rancher, told Brown, whose family owns ranchland in Colusa County.“Water is a scarce resource, and California is suffering from an historic drought,” Nielsen wrote. “All users must share the scarcity equally. This is a much more equitable way to divide the allocation of water for the benefit of all users – farmers and residential.”Should the no-water policy go into effect, farmers will not be able to water their trees, crops and livestock and dairy and cattle herds would be reduced, Nielsen told the governor. As a result, consumers still recovering from the recent recession will face higher prices at the grocery store, he wrote.The senator plans to work with those affected by the shutoff and wants Brown to hold “collaborative meetings” with farmers and others “to present constructive alternative solutions to zero supply,” Nielsen spokeswoman Nghia Nguyen said in an email.The state Water Resources Control Board has already approved a petition by project water users to temporarily forgo a requirement that enough water be let out of storage to meet fish standards, chairwoman Felicia Marcus said.However, the state must be certain that enough water remains in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta for salinity control, Marcus said.“If salinity control were lost, water in the Delta would be too salty for any uses in the Delta or for export, so it is in everyone’s interest that the projects figure this out, which is what they are now doing,” she said.The State Water Project announced in late January that most agricultural customers would get no deliveries in 2014 if dry conditions persisted and that Sacramento Valley water districts with long-standing water rights may only get 50 percent.As expected, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation followed suit in late February, announcing it expects to have no water available for farms without senior water rights either north or south of the Delta. Senior rights holders along the Sacramento River are slated to get 40 percent.OnlineSen. Jim Nielsen: http://district4.cssrc.usGov. Jerry Brown: http://gov.ca.gov/home.phpState Water Resources Control Board: http://www.swrcb.ca.gov | 农业 |
2017-09/0194/en_head.json.gz/265 | Groups Want Comprehensive U.S.-EU FTA
An ad hoc coalition of 40 food and agricultural organizations led by the National Pork Producers Council in a letter sent today to the Obama administration and Congress expressed concern that a proposed free trade agreement between the United States and the European Union might fall short of long-established U.S. objectives for trade pacts. "Some non-agricultural members of the business community have suggested that a U.S.-EU FTA negotiation should not be pursued as a single undertaking' with success in one area dependent on success in all the others," said NPPC President R.C. Hunt, a pork producer from Wilson, N.C. "The agriculture community, however, believes that, rather than creating a high-standard 21st century trade agreement that is central to the administration's trade policy efforts, approaches other than a single undertaking would assure the perpetuation of trade barriers to many U.S. products and sectors, including agriculture." "The EU's free trade deals with other countries do not meet the high standards of U.S. trade agreements," added Nicholas Giordano, NPPC's vice president and counsel for international affairs, "and we doubt that the EU would ever agree to open its market to agricultural commodities unless it was obliged to do so as part of a comprehensive trade agreement." Had it embarked on any of its existing FTAs using the approach being suggested by some for an agreement with the EU, the United States would not have in place the comprehensive agreements it has today, according to the coalition letter, and the administration would not be pointing to the ongoing Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade talks as the model for all future agreements. "The United States is right to insist that the three countries seeking to join the TPP talks Canada, Japan and Mexico agree to meet the same TPP standards as the existing members, and if the EU were to ask to join the TPP, it should have to meet them as well," said Giordano. "So a new agreement with the EU should be no different." The coalition letter makes clear that the removal of unjustifiable EU sanitary and phytosanitary restrictions on U.S. food and agricultural products would have to be an important part of the overall goal of improving the bilateral U.S.-EU relationship. The letter also points out that keeping agriculture in trade deals is a way for governments around the world to help keep the price of food affordable. "We need to see this as the critical national security issue that it surely is," the agricultural groups stressed. NPPC's Hunt said that for all of the reasons mentioned in the letter, the United States must continue to take the lead in insisting that its trade deals be comprehensive. "We must not backslide and embrace the type of trade agreement favored by the EU, which, like other EU FTAs, would fall well short of WTO requirements that FTAs cover substantially all trade," he said. "We must be consistent and pursue TPP-type FTAs." To read the letter, visit www.nppc.org or click here. 3.21.2012
Scholarship Available for Agriculture Students Pursing MBAs! Next National FFA Members Connect with Local Farmers to Win Over $275k in Chapter Prizes From Monsanto | 农业 |
2017-09/0194/en_head.json.gz/559 | Are USDA Microloans Reaching Farmers Across the Country?
Earlier this year, USDA announced a new microloan program that would specifically target the smaller credit needs of beginning farmers and other small farm operators selling to local and regional food markets. Launched in January 2013, the program has so far made over 3,400 loans in all 50 states, including the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Western Pacific Territories.
Over the past nine months, local Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices across the country were able to provide over $66.8 million in micro farm loans to help beginning, minority, and small farmers pay for annual operating expenses such as seed and feed, rent and insurance costs, and minor improvements such as hoop houses. Many of these farmers have relied on high-interest credit cards in the past in order to pay for ongoing farm expenses.
As of the close of the fiscal year on September 30th, a total of 3,433 microloans were made, accounting for 25 percent of the total number of loans made by FSA through their Direct Operating Loan program. The number of loans made varied widely from state to state, ranging from one to 231 micro loans, and the average micro loan amount was $19,273. Some of the key findings from reviewing USDA program data for the microloan program include:
Every state across the country made at least one microloan, but there is much room for further improvement;
The Appalachia and Southern region in general are doing the best job reaching small and beginning farmers;
Beginning farmers are finding this program to be a valuable resource and the microloan program is helping to bring these farmers into FSA offices for the first time; and
More outreach is needed to minority farmers across the country.
States Making Highest Number of Microloans
While the vast majority of states made fewer than 100 microloans to farmers in their states, there were several states and regions that made more. At the top of the list, were six states in the Appalachian and Southern region, including Mississippi, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, West Virginia and North Carolina. In total, these states accounted for almost a third of all microloans made in the entire U.S., which is perhaps not surprising given the high numbers of small farmers in this region. The average size of a farm across these six states is just 180 acres, compared to the national average of 418 acres.
In addition to these southern states, there were two Midwestern states (Wisconsin and Iowa), and two Great Plains states (Texas and Oklahoma) that also made a high number of microloans.
A particular congrats goes out to the FSA offices in these counties who managed to get the most number of microloans in the hands of farmers: Nowata, OK (43 loans), West Liberty, KY (39), Green, WI (33), DeKalb, AL, Mitchell, NC, and Bonham, TX (31), and Attala, MS and Tuscaloosa, AL (30).
States Making Highest Percentage of Microloans When looking at the number of microloans made as a percentage of the total number of loans made by FSA in a given state, only Mississippi and West Virginia remain at the top of the list in both number of loans and highest share of their state’s total lending portfolio. These states are clearly doing a great job not only training state and local FSA offices about how to administer this new loan program, but also in getting the word out to farmers.
When looking at the other states that made a high percentage of microloans, it is clear that the new microloan program as a great fit for New England. New Hampshire, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Rhode Island all made over a third of their total loan portfolio to farmers through the microloan program, although these states typically made relatively few number of loans, with the exception of Maine and Massachusetts.
Geographic Disparities
While geographically, agriculturally, and demographically very similar, some states made far greater loans than other states in their region. For example, Alabama made almost 100 fewer loans than neighboring Mississippi, and similarly Minnesota made half the total amount of loans as Wisconsin, and Michigan and Ohio made roughly only a quarter. This may signal that some states are doing a much better job at reaching out to farmers or training FSA agents.
In general, many states in the Intermountain West and Great Plains made the fewest number of total loans and lowest percentage of microloans, which is not all that surprising considering that many of these farms and ranches are much larger in size and subsequently have much larger credit needs. Nonetheless, there are certainly smaller and beginning farmers in these regions as well, and NSAC will continue to work with our member groups in these regions and across the country to raise the visibility of this program to all farmers.
Beginning and Minority and Veteran Farmers
Although there is no explicit priority or set-aside for microloans made to beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers, given the often smaller credit needs for these farmers who typically operate smaller-scale operations, it is not surprising that over 68 percent of all microloans made this year went to beginning farmers. In total, over 2,300 beginning farmers benefited from this new streamlined loan program, and were able to secure over $44 million to invest in their up and coming farming operations this year.
The states that made the most microloans to beginning farmers include Kentucky, Texas, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Tennessee. For the majority of farmers that received a microloan this year, this represented their very first FSA loan – which is a clear signal that the microloan program is an excellent way for USDA’s Farm Service Agency to serve farmers who may not be able to secure credit from other sources.
Over a third of all microloans made this year went to socially disadvantaged farmers, which FSA considers to include “women, African-Americans, Alaskan Natives, American Indians, Hispanics, Asians, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders.” However, only half of these loans – or 17 percent of all microloans – went to minority and tribal producers. The states that made the most microloans to minority farmers include Oklahoma, Alabama, Puerto Rico, Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Georgia and New Mexico.
There is clearly much room for improvement in conducting outreach to farmers of color about this new credit resource and being successful in getting more of these farmers in the door of FSA and applying for microloans. This has been a perpetual issue and one of the underlying reasons for the formation of the Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers Program, which is unfortunately stranded without funding since the farm bill expired last fall.
Veteran farmers received 6.8 percent of all microloans. Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, and West Virginia led the way.
The Farm Bill and Microloans
While NSAC is generally very pleased with the success of USDA’s new microloan program to date, there are several legislative improvements that need to be made to the program as part of the farm bill that is currently being hammered out by congressional agricultural leaders from the House and Senate.
Statutory changes that are included in the House bill, but not the Senate, would allow FSA to better target these microloans to young, veteran and beginning farmers. The House bill would lower the interest rate on microloans to the same rate as the Down Payment Loan Program – a highly popular program among beginning farmers – and would also exempt microloans from the term limits that are placed on all other direct loans made by FSA. This would ensure that young farmers are not discouraged from seeking a microloan for fear that doing so would limit their eligibility in the future to receive much larger loans from FSA once they have established and grown their operations.
Perhaps the most important change included in the House farm bill is giving USDA the authority to partner with private, non-profit and other public institutions in order to take advantage of the expertise and technical assistance from NGOs, Community Development Financial Institutions, and State Departments of Agriculture who are already engaged in making microloans. One of the barriers that may be an obstacle for some local FSA offices in making more microloans is the ability of their already overextended loan officers to make and service their existing loans, let alone be able to provide the technical assistance to the increased number of first-time borrowers who would be attracted to microloans. The House provision would allow USDA to work with an intermediary lender to provide and service microloans, as well as provide technical assistance to borrowers and assist in outreach and financial education to prospective borrowers.
This provision is modeled after other successful programs that utilize an intermediary lender, such as the very successful Intermediary Relending Program and the Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program. Currently, USDA’s ability to expand and promote the microloan program is limited and goes hand in hand with total staff resources at the Farm Service Agency – resources which have been dwindling over the years as regional and local offices have been shut across the country. That’s why it’s critical to include the House intermediary language in any final farm bill that is reported from the Conference Committee, and to ensure that USDA’s fledgling microloan program is truly able to be successful and become a longstanding resource for beginning farmers in future generations to come.
To learn more about FSA’s microloan program, click here.
Beginning and Minority Farmers, Commodity, Crop Insurance & Credit Programs 3 responses to “Are USDA Microloans Reaching Farmers Across the Country?” Checking in on the FSA’s microloan program | Farmer and Rancher One Stop Shop says: November 26, 2013 at 1:29 pm […] National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition has an interesting article that delved into the microloan statistics. Most pertinent for Nebraska […]
Happy Thanksgiving! And Microloans!? says: November 28, 2013 at 6:00 am […] Right. So, some readers may recall that USDA introduced a new microloan program earlier this year. What’s the status of this program? The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) wanted to find out, and asked: “Are USDA Microloans Reaching Farmers Across America?” […]
Service Blog says: December 6, 2013 at 10:33 am Credit Service Agency Of Maine
[…] her public institutions in order to take advantage of the expertise and technica […] | 农业 |
2017-09/0194/en_head.json.gz/679 | Noble News and Views RSS
By: The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, Drovers
The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation is an independent, nonprofit institute headquartered in Ardmore, Okla. Founded in 1945, the Noble Foundation conducts direct operations, including assisting farmers and ranchers, and conducting plant science research and agricultural programs, to enhance agricultural productivity regionally, nationally and internationally. www.noble.org
Wheat Research Benefits Producers
Mark Newell
Stocker cattle producers in the Southern Great Plains grow winter wheat for pasture grazing. However, most available wheat varieties being used in southern Oklahoma today are at least 30 years old. To provide producers with the newest cultivars, the Noble Foundation and Oklahoma State University (OSU) have created a five-year collaboration to expand grazing wheat cultivar research and development.
The ultimate goal of our collaboration is to create a new cultivar for producers to graze in the southern Oklahoma and northern Texas region. Ideally, the cultivar would be dual purpose, producing a high grain yield after grazing. OSU has a rich legacy of producing quality wheat cultivars for grain production, especially for north and west Oklahoma. However, some of these cultivars would fit well in the southern Oklahoma and northern Texas region as a grazing cultivar, but there has not been an outlet for those lines until now.
Brett Carver, Ph.D., wheat breeding and genetics professor at OSU, explained: "We have access to the latest research and technology to dig deeper into other traits within genetic backgrounds that were previously underexplored. In the long run, we are able to develop and cultivate a better relationship and make better use of our complementary missions. We are better utilizing all of our resources for a better product."
The first set of genetic materials received from OSU consisted of 36 lines and was planted at the end of October 2012. These vary from lines that are primarily grain types and would not be available for release. Some are potential grazing types, and others are varieties that are currently being used by producers in the region. All of the cultivars are being evaluated under grazing conditions.
This first trial will end in late spring 2013, and a new trial year will begin with new experimental lines in the fall of 2013. However, some lines that have potential as grazing releases may be evaluated in further research, such as testing under heavier grazing conditions and experiments that explore animal daily gain. | 农业 |
2017-09/0194/en_head.json.gz/1041 | Naturalizing Belizeans in times of elections The PUP have been making a lot of noise about those persons who the Auditor General report mentioned as having received Belizean Nationality in the months leading up to the 2012 General Election. They have been trying to portray that those persons go...Read More Naturalizing Belizeans in times of elections ANNUAL CRISIS: Pamona’s 300 takes on the Mighty Banks Empire 1
Written by Shane D. Williams Thursday, 01 November 2012 00:00 Like the in the movie, Sparta where King Leonidas led his 300 to face the mighty Persian Empire, Eccleston Irving led a group of about 300 citrus growers in a march to challenge those seeking to oppress them in Pamona Valley on Tuesday, October 30th. Leonidas said, “A new age has begun, an age of freedom. And all will know that 300 Spartans gave their last breath to defend.” Irving is the Chairman of the Belize Citrus Growers Association (CGA). While their lives may not be on the line, the livelihood of 450 citrus farmers and their family is as the growers are being offered almost $6 million less for their products than they believe they deserve. The perceived villain in this story is the Banks Holdings of Barbados Limited, and what they lack in numbers, they make up for in corporate strength. Banks owns approximately 47% of the shares of the Citrus Products of Belize Limited (CPBL) and the growers own 51%, yet Banks continues to operate the company unilaterally and often completely against the will of the “owners”. Unlike the Greeks, the CGA has elected not to fight with swords. Instead, they will fight with words - words to Almighty God, words to their membership, words to Banks Limited and words to the Government of Belize. It seems like every year there is a crisis in the citrus industry. That is because the CGA and Banks are engaged in what appears to be an ugly overextended divorce process. It is clear that the relationship between the two parties is beyond repair and unless there is a mutual agreement to focus on reaching acceptable parting terms, the industry will never be able to flourish. In January of 2010, Belize had the opportunity to capitalize on an Arctic air attack on Florida’s citrus plantations. The cold temperature caused massive damage to Florida’s crops - more than 5% of orchids were destroyed. That unfortunate situation meant that Belize would benefit from Florida’s woes, which resulted in higher market prices for citrus products. Instead, the CGA and Banks were fighting over prices then dividends and finally, control of the Board of Directors. In 2011, Belize could have benefited from an early boom that was one positive result of Hurricane Richard. Instead, CPBL refused to accept early delivery of oranges despite the fact that there were thousands of boxes of oranges ready for processing. That again led to wrestling for control of the Board of Directors of the company between the CGA and Banks. 2012 now stands as no exception to this annual saga. The faces are the same and so are the subjects of dispute - prices and control of the company.CPBL commenced delivery of fruits last week. However, almost all of CGA’s 450 members have decided not to participate. That is because, according to Irving, CPBL is offering growers $8.31 per box of oranges. The association is asking for a price closer to $12 per box, citing record world prices as a basis of their request. According to Irving, “Last year, growers in Florida got $28 dollars for every box of oranges sold and Belizean farmers only received $14.50.” More than the low prices being offered, the CGA is upset at the way at which the price was established. Because of disputes over pricing in previous years, the Prime Minister of Belize intervened, and the Government acted as mediators in an effort to reach an agreement between both parties on issues such as price setting. Both parties agreed that before the opening of a season CPBL should send a memo to the CGA and a committee should then be selected to discuss and determine prices and sales strategy. Instead, CPBL acted unitarily in declaring the season open and announcing that they are now accepting deliveries at a set price. The CGA refers to this act as not only disrespectful to the Association but disrespectful to the law and authority of the country as well because CPBL signed an agreement in which Government acted as mediators and now they are operating in direct contrast to that agreement. In response, the CGA, whose members produce 30% of citrus crop in the entire country, will continue to hold out until CPBL cease its operations and meet at the negotiation table as was promised. While they could have been making money on delivering their citrus crops, growers marched past the CPBL main headquarters on the Stann Creek Valley Road. While uniformed police officers guarded the compound, the demonstrators stretched out their hands and prayed. They prayed for God to bless the company; they prayed for God’s intervention in the dispute and they prayed for strength to take on their oppressors. Denzil Jenkins is a CGA appointed member of the Board of Directors of CPBL. He is a man of faith, a peaceful man however, he said, “There can be no peace without justice. Where there is injustice there certainly cannot be lasting peace." Jenkins continued, "I'm not here to try and get somebody's company. I'm here to get what is ours." Home | About Guardian.bz | Advertising | Privacy Policy | Terms | Contact Us | 农业 |
2017-09/0194/en_head.json.gz/2114 | A Challenging Summer
Farmers this summer were presented with another challenging growing season as Mother Nature had plenty to offer in the form of extreme heat, severe drought, record flooding and severe thunderstorms. An unusually warm air mass established itself over Missouri during the first ten days of June with oppressive heat impacting the state and several high temperature records being broken. Temperatures averaged 8-10 degrees above normal during the period and it was the hottest June 1-10 period since 1934. Springfield, Joplin and West Plains had their 6th, 4th and 4th hottest June on record, respectively.
Above normal rain fell during June across the northeastern half of the state with below normal precipitation occurring over southwestern sections. Some of the highest June rainfall totals occurred in Scotland, Lewis and Clark counties where the communities of Memphis, Monticello and Kahoka reported 13.29, 15.47 and 17.88 inches, respectively. Dozens of roads were flooded and cropland was inundated across the area. The Fox River, near Wayland, MO, reached record levels during this time. Alternatively, abnormally dry conditions were confined to far southwestern sections where several counties reported less than 1-inch for the month. A different kind of flooding, induced by record reservoir release in the northern Plains, was impacting bottomland along the Missouri River. Numerous impacts were being felt, especially across northwestern Missouri, including flooded residences, closed roads and thousands of acres of inundated cropland. During July a ridge of high pressure over the southern Plains intensified and expanded northeastward, bringing hot and dry conditions to Missouri and adversely impacting people, animals and vegetation. Missouri witnessed its hottest month in more than 30 years and it was the 6th hottest July on record. Southwestern Missouri experienced its fifth hottest July on record with crops and pastures taking a severe hit from the extreme heat. Springfield and Joplin, MO experienced 8 and 19 days, respectively, of triple digit heat. Hot temperatures and high humidity combined to produce very uncomfortable and life threatening conditions during the month. Another feature of the prolonged heat wave was high minimum temperatures. The average July minimum temperature for most areas of Missouri was between 72-74°F. Many locations broke records for longest continuous string of minimum temperatures not dropping below 70°F. This occurred from mid July into the first week of August and induced crop stress, especially on corn, where it didn’t have an opportunity to “rest” at night. Above normal summertime temperatures persisted throughout much of August, wrapping up another hot summer for the Show Me State. The hottest day of the summer occurred on August 2 when triple digit heat impacted much of the state. Numerous locations, especially across west central and southwestern sections, witnessed their hottest temperatures in more than 25 years. Some high temperature records include 108°F at Springfield and Columbia, 110°F in downtown Kansas City, as well as several locations in southwestern Missouri. The southwestern communities of Eldorado Springs and Protem reached 111° and 113°, respectively.
By the end of the August, moderate to severe drought conditions had evolved across northeastern Missouri, generally from St. Louis to the Iowa border. Some counties in far northeastern Missouri had transitioned from exceptional wetness to severe drought when less than 2-inches of rain fell between July and August. Persistent moderate to severe drought conditions continued to plague southwestern Missouri for the entire month of August. Flooding along the Missouri River persisted throughout the summer as upstream reservoir releases remained high during the period.
A notable and unusual severe weather event occurred across parts of northwestern Missouri during the evening of August 19th. A large supercell thunderstorm moved southeastward out of southwestern Iowa and impacted Nodaway, Gentry and Daviess Counties with 70-80 mph winds and quarter to golf ball sized hail. The storm caused widespread crop damage with reports of thousands of acres of flattened corn and completely defoliated soybean fields. Preliminary numbers indicate average June-August temperatures for the state were slightly below 79°F, assuring its spot in the Top 10 for hottest summers on record in Missouri. The summer of 2011 will likely go down as the 7th hottest on record, slightly warmer than the summer of 2010.
With summer over, and harvest season now in full gear, there’s always the concern for the first fall freeze. Most sections of the state will experience their first fall frost during October. Using climatology, the northern quarter of Missouri and eastern Ozarks will experience a light freeze (32° or cooler) as early as October 10 on 5 out of 10 years. Central Missouri and the western Ozarks will experience a light freeze on 5 out of 10 years by October 15. The Bootheel will have a light freeze on 5 out of 10 years by October 30. A map displaying the average date of first fall frost in Missouri can be found at the following web link: http://agebb.missouri.edu/weather/frost2.htm | 农业 |
2017-09/0194/en_head.json.gz/3451 | http://www.sfgate.com/food/article/Greek-winemakers-best-chance-to-grab-U-S-market-2366434.php
Greek winemakers' best chance to grab U.S. market
Talia Baiocchi, Special to The Chronicle
Photo: Courtesy Kir-Yianni
Vineyards at the Kir-Yianni estate in Naoussa, Greece. The winery, one of the most important in northern Greece, specializes in the red Xinomavro grape, which stands to become one of the country's defining varieties. less
Vineyards at the Kir-Yianni estate in Naoussa, Greece. The winery, one of the most important in northern Greece, specializes in the red Xinomavro grape, which stands to become one of the country's defining ... more
Mantineia, -- Greece This should be the time to be a Greek winemaker. The country is amid a quality revival of world-class wine regions from the islands to Greece's northern border. But no matter the centuries since Sophocles ruled the stage, the Greeks still remain disposed to a good old ancient bout of reversed fortunes.
The trouble this time? The economy. Wine sales within the country are down more than 40 percent over the past 12 months, threatening a newly revived industry that, until recently, sold 90 percent of its production at home. Yet this pinch might provide a push for Greece to make a lasting impression elsewhere in the world. Potential tragedy may well be averted.
"Before (Greek winemakers) wanted to see wines exported, but there wasn't enough of a reason to put that much effort in," says Markus Stolz, an export agent in Greece who is working with several U.S. importers, including Oakland's WineWise.
Now there's certainly a reason. Greek producers looking to pivot on the economic decline have adopted a new focus on exports. At the same time, high-profile American importers have taken a new interest in Greek wines. According to the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in 2010 the value of Greek wine exports to the United States went up more than 12 percent over 2009. While that may not be enough to balance the 40 percent drop at home just yet, it suggests that Greece's unfortunate circumstances may offer the best chance it's ever had of capturing the U.S. market.
Didn't know the market
"For many years Greeks were not truly exporting, it was just Greeks transporting the wines to the Greek communities abroad," says Yiannis Paraskevopoulos, winemaker for Gaia Wines and a mentor to many of Greece's up-and-coming winemakers. "They didn't expose the wines to the Americans; they were very self-restricting in a way, and they did not know what the market was after."
And the wines weren't being treated like serious fare, insists Ted Diamantis, owner of Diamond Wine Importers, one of the country's top Greek portfolios. Importers, he says, "didn't care about what they were selling or how it was stored. They were just dumping it off to their buddies at the Greek restaurants."
That's changed. Diamantis' Greek wines are now distributed by Michael Skurnik Wines, one of the most respected U.S. importer/distributors. This is a huge psychological leap for Greek wines in the United States, and it demonstrates well the trend of larger, nonethnic distributors and importers seeing a gap in their portfolios they hadn't noticed before.
Importers' portfolios
"I've had numerous (job) offers from importers looking to build Greek portfolios," says Kamal Kouiri, wine director at Molyvos in New York, home to the country's largest Greek wine collection. "You see a lot of that right now."
In some ways, Greece's breakneck rise to legitimacy in the U.S. market mirrors that of southern Italy. By lowering yields, rediscovering their ancient roots, and paying careful attention to growing areas, the Italians were able to buck their bad reputation as bulk producers and educate the world on the wonders of everything from Aglianico to the wines of Etna.
With hundreds of indigenous varieties, a wine history that dates back more than 8,000 years, and no shortage of unique terroirs, Greece faces a similar opportunity.
Consider Santorini, one of the few volcanic islands in the Aegean Sea and perhaps Greece's most well-known growing region. The island's famous basket-trained Assyrtiko vines are some of the oldest in the world (many root systems date back more than 400 years), and the almost total lack of rainfall (grapes must rely on the morning mist off the ocean for hydration) makes it one of the most extreme places to grow wine. The resulting whites are high in acid and intensely mineral-driven, with the potential to age like German Riesling.
On the Peloponnesian peninsula there's Nemea, the spiritual home of Agiorgitiko, which drinks like a love child of Sangiovese and Merlot, with its own unique brand of brooding rusticity.
Just southwest of Nemea, on a plateau about 3,000 feet above sea level, lies the region of Mantineia, home of Moschofilero - a gray-skinned grape that produces floral, nervy white wines that are among Greece's finest.
North, in Naoussa and Amyndeon, the Xinomavro grape is increasingly touted as "the Nebbiolo of Greece" for its aromas and formidable tannins. It may not become a rival for Barolo, but it has rapidly defined itself as the country's standout red grape.
The point is that Greece could easily compete with its more famous neighbors.
While there's a burgeoning interest from U.S. importers and distributors, there are still some issues.
Marketing for Greek wines abroad has been notoriously disorganized. Two U.S. trade efforts have both been small and narrowly focused, and so the one crucial thing Greek winemakers need to do - educate their potential customers about the country - largely hasn't happened. Without a guide, Greek wine is still, well, Greek to consumers.
All of which leaves Paraskevopoulos trying to figure out how to tackle the market. Can't use Italy's model
"We're a tiny country; we produce 15 times less than Italy, which means we cannot adopt their model," he says. "They also have, for one, many Italian restaurants that act as vehicles for the wines abroad. Greeks do not have that."
Plus, with a restriction on new vineyard plantings under European Union law, Greece's production isn't getting any bigger. As much as the country might seek to parallel southern Italy, Greece must carve a different path. Now is the time. With the growing U.S. interest in Greek wine, a consistent rise in quality, and a new eagerness by Greek winemakers to look abroad, Greece - in spite of its economic hardships - is in a prime position to make its case.
A taste of Greece 2006 Gaia Estate Nemea Agiorgitiko ($35, 14% alcohol): A polished, skillful take on Agiorgitiko. Bright Sangiovese-esque black cherry and plum framed by dust, pepper and anise. Nicely structured, with tannins that suggest longevity and acid that practically rings the dinner bell. (Importer: Athenee Imports) 2007 Kir-Yianni Ramnista Naoussa Xinomavro ($25, 14.5%): A traditional take on Xinomavro from one of Naoussa's standard-bearers. Dark cherry fruit, a pleasant dose of funk, herbs, and the grape's trademark tannic grip. (Importer: VOS Selections) 2006 Mercouri Estate Domaine Mercouri Vin de Pays des Letrinon ($28, 13%): Located on the western side of the Peloponnese, Mercouri is one of Greece's oldest estates. The Refosco, which makes up 85% percent of this blend, was originally brought to the estate from northern Italy in 1870. The remainder goes to Mavrodaphne, an indigenous red grape more often vinified sweet. Dense, brooding fruit; tobacco leaf; flowers; vibrant acidity; and fine tannins. (Importer: Athenee Importers)2010 Sigalas Santorini Assyrtiko ($22, 13.5%): Though white Assyrtiko can take a few years to show its bones, this is a peek into the charms of this noble variety from one of Santorini's greats. Intensely mineral-driven, with a core of stone fruit to balance the tongue-lashing acidity. (Importer: Diamond Importers)2010 Skouras Peloponnese Moschofilero ($15, 12%): George Skouras is one of the pioneers of modern Greek winemaking, and his wines are still among the best representations of variety and place. A classic Moschofilero nose of rose water, pear and minerals with a touch of white pepper. Racy on the palate. (Importer: Diamond Importers) - Talia Baiocchi
Talia Baiocchi is a freelance writer in New York and wine columnist for Eater.com. E-mail comments to [email protected].
Pop-ups and how to find them | 农业 |
2017-09/0194/en_head.json.gz/3705 | Bill McKibben speaks out.. Tag Archives: Community Supported Agriculture
Even in winter, local food economy is growing
Posted on May 27, 2012 by BethanyMDunbar by Bethany M. Dunbar
copyright the Chronicle January 19, 2011
Even in the middle of January, in the middle of an essentially stagnant economy, the local food movement in northern Vermont is showing signs of not only life, but growth as well.
Barb Judd at the Mountain View Stand in Newport is operating a winter market for the first time.
“The more stuff that goes bad in the big world, it pushes people back — back to their roots,” she said. She said more and more, people want to know who grew their food and where it came from.
“People are sick and tired of not knowing.”
She decided to try a winter market and see how it went. She opened up the week before Thanksgiving in the same space where Cinta’s bakery is located just outside of Derby Village. Not all of her food is from Vermont — especially this time of year — but she buys as much local produce as she can find, Vermont chicken and other meats, and she gets wild seafood directly from Massachusetts.
She didn’t have sales statistics on hand during a recent impromptu interview at the store, but she said the response has made her know the timing was right. It took her usual summer customers a while to find her — up Route 5 a bit from her summer location — and she said they sometimes come bursting through the door expressing enthusiasm to have found her again.
“Five years ago, I remember thinking, I am on the edge of something.”
Based on the response, she is considering making renovations to her summer farm stand to make it into a year-round business.
Alicia Knoll, one of the owners of Montgomery’s Café and Newport Natural Foods, said they have seen enough growth in the past five years to hire about three more employees than the businesses used to have.
“I think that people are cooking more,” she said. “We don’t really have prepared foods in our store, we have ingredients.”
She said Steve Crevoshay and Madeleine Winfield built up the store for years. The core base of customers is still coming back, plus more.
“We like to think we haven’t lost that many,” Ms. Knoll said.
“There’s a certain number of people who will always go to Price Chopper.”
On a recent Friday, Gerard Croizet of Berry Creek Farm in Westfield stopped in at Mountain View, and Ms. Judd discussed getting some spinach from him.
Mr. Croizet and his wife, Rosemary, sell organic vegetables, honey, beeswax candles, and strawberries in the summer. They have a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) group with 60 members.
People who want to buy directly from the farm join the CSA and are guaranteed a weekly box of food for 20 weeks. Mr. Croizet said their CSA group has grown by ten people each year (which is more than 10 percent). He has had to turn people away because he wanted to make sure he could grow enough food for all the members, plus continue to supply the Berry Creek farm stand, Newport Natural Foods and Mountain View.
On a freezing cold Sunday afternoon, spinach was growing inside one of his unheated greenhouses. The greenhouse has double plastic walls, and the spinach growing inside is covered by a white light cloth row cover. Underneath the cloth, spinach is green and growing.
Mr. Croizet said sometimes it freezes and looks pretty bad, but after a day or two of sunshine it perks up and grows again. By March there will be enough heat from the sun inside the greenhouse to start more vegetables.
He agreed with Ms. Judd that there is growing demand for local food.
“There’s a consciousness — people are more conscious about what they eat,” he said.
Dairy farming has for years been the driving force in agriculture in Vermont, but in recent years dairy farms have struggled to survive. According to a report recently released by the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund, the Farm to Plate Stategic Plan, the number of dairy farms in Vermont has decreased by nearly 91 percent over the last 60 years. The value of milk and other dairy products in Vermont is $493,926,000, according to the report, and the total value of Vermont agricultural products is $673,713,000.
Dairying is not gone but it’s changing. Large farms have bought up smaller ones or leased their land. Some have installed methane digesters as a way of making their own electricity.
The fact that dairy is still a big part of the economy is evidenced by the recently-released list of the top 100 businesses in Vermont, compiled by Vermont Business Magazine.
St. Albans Cooperative Creamery is number ten on the list with revenues of $320-million. Poulin Grain is number 41 with $68-million.
Green Mountain Coffee, which has recently bought a coffee company on the west coast and one in Canada, is the second largest business in Vermont and the second one to have more than a billion dollars in revenues at $1.3-billion. The largest company listed in Vermont is National Life Group with $1.5-billion.
Alternative dairying and artisanal cheese making is a growing area of the dairy economy in Vermont.
The Northeastern Vermont Development Association (NVDA) is running an advertisement looking for someone to “provide outreach to farmers in the Northeast Kingdom region about the benefits of a fluid goat milk producers’ association.”
The position is half-time, for two years, funded by a Rural Business Opportunity Grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture “working closely with the Vermont Butter and Cheese Creamery.”
Vermont Butter and Cheese is also looking for a quality control and lab worker, and two other small cheese and yogurt makers in Vermont are hiring as well. Bob-White Systems in South Royalton just announced a new line of equipment and supplies for farmstead cheese makers.
The potential for growth in Vermont’s food economy is good, according to the Farm to Plate Strategic Plan just released by the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund. After a series of meetings and research into Vermont’s agriculture and food systems, the report was created.
“Vermont’s food system is a significant part of the state’s economy, with total economic output of $2.7-billion annually, employing over 55,500 people at nearly 11,000 private sector businesses across the state. And the state can expect 1,500 new private sector jobs over the next ten years if Vermonters double their consumption of locally produced food from just 5 percent to 10 percent of their total food purchases,” according to the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund’s web site, where the full report is available.
Brothers Mateo and Andy Kehler of Jasper Hill Farm in Greensboro — and their families — are part of the changing face of dairying.
“If we want things to remain the same, then something’s going to have to change,” says Mateo Kehler.
Dairy farmers who ship to the commercial market — not organic — are getting a better milk price than they did in 2008, but the basic price paid under the antiquated federal system is still just under the average cost of making milk in Vermont.
Organic dairy farmers get about $31 for a hundred pounds of milk (about $2.66 a gallon). That is about $13 a hundredweight ($1.12 a gallon) more than the conventional price.
Meanwhile the Cellars at Jasper Hill — a system of cheese caves where the Kehlers age their own cheese, along with Ploughgate, Cabot, and others — is a business that has seen dramatic growth. Jasper Hill makes 80,000 pounds of cheese a year.
In 2010, Mr. Kehler said, the company grew 50 percent from the year before. By the end of the first quarter the company will have 29 employees. Four years earlier it had four.
Jasper Hill cheeses do not all sell locally. But the word “local” could include Vermont to consumers from Boston or New York.
Mr. Kehler said the cellars are about 40 percent full, and they could fill them right now with cheeses from all over the U.S. and Europe. But their mission is to fill them with Vermont cheeses and help more local farms add value to their milk in hopes of keeping more working farms on the land.
In a region in France called Comté, 3,000 dairy farms are producing a type of cheese named after that region. Their price is based on a team of experts who taste the product of each farm and decide on pay based on quality. Mr. Kehler would love to see something like that happening in Vermont.
Jasper Hill has agreed to lease a section of the new Food Venture Center under construction in Hardwick. Jasper Hill has already hired five employees to work there because they had to be trained. Mr. Kehler said Jasper Hill made a commitment to this project when people were first discussing it, and he is excited to see it coming together.
Louise Calderwood is the interim director of the venture center. It will have five production cells and a warehouse. The meat and cheese cells will each be leased for five years, and there will be cells for people packing wet products such as salsas and jam, a cell for vegetables, a bakery, and possibly dry mixes.
Before construction is complete, demand is exceeding space available.
“I recognize that neither the meat cell nor the dairy cell are going to meet the needs of everybody,” said Ms. Calderwood, who will step down once the facility is up and running. “We already see that the needs are broader than the existing facility.”
The venture center is advertising to find a permanent manager and an operations manager.
More information about the venture center will be available at a meeting at the North Country Union High School Career Center on Saturday, January 22, at 10 a.m.
Another local food project in the planning stages is a Northeast Kingdom Tasting Center, which would offer retail spaces for local farmers and food producers and be a tourist destination. This project, led by Eleanor Leger of Eden Ice Cider in Charleston and Gloria Bruce of the Northeast Kingdom Travel and Tourism Association, is currently under study for its economic feasibility.
The power of the Vermont brand is well known by Bill Stenger at Jay Peak. He said consumers expect Vermont products to be “clean, healthy, safe and authentic.”
The new restaurants at the mountain, Alice’s Table and the Tower Bar, feature Vermont apple cider, Cabot cheddar, Vermont bacon and burgers, and a beer made especially for Jay Peak by Long Trail called Jay Peak Tram Ale.
The chefs have started a garden just outside the new restaurant, and plan to expand it.
He said Jay Peak has always supported the area’s farmers, recently through the Green Mountain Farm to School program, and Jay Peak will continue to look for more ways to do so.
“The relationship with the farm community is pretty indelible, and it goes deep.”
Pete’s Greens in Craftsbury has seen steady growth. The barn fire at his farm on Wednesday, January 19, was a huge setback. But it’s clear that Mr. Johnson will rebuild and his customers will see him through this difficult time.
Mr. Johnson has more than 350 CSA members. His business has seen 15 to 20 percent growth in gross sales in recent years, he said in an interview last fall. Earlier the growth was faster. That’s plenty of growth per year. He doesn’t want it to grow so fast he loses control over quality.
“It’s not like you’re just making widgets,” he said. He has seven full-time employees and 13 in the growing season. He raises 40,000 pounds of beets, 70,000 pounds of potatoes, and 50,000 to 60,000 pounds of greens.
Andrew Meyer has seen growth in both of the agriculture-related businesses he’s got in Hardwick. Vermont Soy sells its products to local independent stores and around New England and New York City. He also sells to food services, including the University of Vermont and Middlebury College.
“We’re starting to introduce products with a longer shelf life,” he said. The company grew 50 percent in 2010 and employs six people.
Vermont Natural Coatings, which makes paints and stains of whey, doubled its sales in 2010.
Mr. Meyer, who is one of the people who started the Center for an Agricultural Economy in Hardwick, sees potential for more growth in the agriculture-related economy if and when more infrastructure can be added.
For example, he would like to see a system for farmers who sell at farmers markets and who have extra produce. A distribution system could be established to sell the rest of their produce in a larger market by getting some farmers together, he suggested.
He’d also like to see a central facility where soy beans and other Vermont-grown grains could be stored, milled, cleaned, and distributed. That way each farm would not have to buy the expensive equipment needed for those tasks.
Curtis Sjolander, who raises vegetables and trout at his farm in Wheelock, is one of the managers of the Caledonia Farmers Market group.
Mr. Sjolander said despite the fact there are more farmers’ markets around than there were in the past, the Caledonia market (St. Johnsbury and Danville) has 50 vendors and is approaching a gross annual sales figure of $350,000. It has been increasing by 10 percent a year.
“Each one of us does better than we ever would alone,” Mr. Sjolander said.
contact Bethany M. Dunbar at [email protected]
Posted in Editor's Picks | Tagged Alicia Knoll, Andrew Meyer, Andy Kehler, Barb Judd, beer, Berry Creek Farm, Bethany Dunbar, Bethany M. Dunbar, Bill Stenger, Bob-White Systems, Cabot Creamery, Caledonia Farmers Market, Cellars at Jasper HIll, Center for an Agricultural Society, cheese, Cinta's Bakery, Community Supported Agriculture, CSA, Curtis Sjolander, dairy farms, Eden Ice Cider, Eleanor Leger, Farm to Plate Strategic Plan, Farm to School, farmers and food Alice's Table, Food, Food Venture Center, Gerard Croizet, Glorica Bruce, Green Mountain Farm to School, Jasper Hill Farm, Long Trail, Louise Calderwood, Mateo Kehler, milk price, Montgomery's Cafe, Mountain View Stand, Newport Natural Foods, Northeast Kingdom Tasting Center, Pete's Greens, Ploughgate Creamery, Tower Bar, Vermont Soy, Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund Categories Editor's Picks | 农业 |
2017-09/0194/en_head.json.gz/3720 | ILRI archive
Tsetse control: Recent successes in Tanzania and Ethiopia
Vreysen, M.J.B.
Leak, S.G.A.
Equator;8(2): 2-7
Trypanosomiasis remains the most important constraint to livestock production on the African continent. Chemotherapy, using curative and prophylactic drugs, is the main method of control of the disease in cattle. The exploitation of the trypanotolerance trait of some breeds of large and small ruminants provides a solution in certain production systems. Immunological approaches to control the disease through vaccination are still under investigation. Only the eradication of the tsetse fly vector can remove the treat of the disease. By coincidence two biologists defended their PhD theses on aspects of tsetse control almost at the same time at two universities in The Netherlands. On 19 December, 1995, Marc Vreysen from Belgium defended his thesis entitled: 'Radiation induced sterility to control tsetse flies. The effect of ionising radiation and hybridisation on tsetse biology and the use of the sterile insect technique in integrated tsetse control' at Wageningen Agricultural University. Three months later, on 22 February, 1996, Stephen Leak from the UK defended his thesis: 'A contribution to the epidemiology and understanding of tsetse-transmitted trypanosomiasis' at Utrecht University. In this article some of the results of these studies will be discussed. Emphasis will be on the applications of the control measures under field conditions at the respective study locations: Unguja island of Zanzibar, Tanzania and the Ghibe Valley in Ethiopia. For further reading a list of references is provided and readers who are interested in more details are invited to write to the authors.
ETHIOPIA; TANZANIA; GLOSSINIDAE; INSECT CONTROL; TRYPANOSOMIASIS; LIVESTOCK; INSECTICIDES
CATTLE; LIVESTOCK; DISEASE CONTROL; Countries
ETHIOPIA; TANZANIA
ILRI archive [4955] | 农业 |
2017-09/0194/en_head.json.gz/5477 | Resistance management even more critical with new herbicides Feb 06, 2017 Plan for strong disease, nematode pressure early this year Feb 02, 2017 US cotton moves to rebrand its promise to the world Feb 02, 2017 David Blakemore to lead National Cotton Ginners Association Feb 14, 2017 Regulatory>Legislative Senate passes House emergency assistance bill
Forrest Laws Farm Press Editorial Staff | Aug 15, 2001
Saying the White House and OMB “held a gun to their heads,” Senate Democrats caved in and passed the House version of a $5.5 billion emergency assistance bill for farmers just before leaving for their August recess. The Senate action should mean that farmers will receive a supplemental AMTA payment before the end of the current fiscal year on Sept. 30, albeit at 2001 rather than at 1999 rates as Senate Democrats and most farm organizations had hoped. (The difference is slightly more than one cent per pound for cotton farmers, for example.) Secretary of Agriculture Ann Veneman said President Bush would sign the House measure, paving the way for USDA to begin issuing checks sometime in the next few weeks. “Last year was a 15-year low for some crop prices and only because livestock receipts are up the overall picture is looking better. Crop farmers are the ones that are hurting and yet the bean counters at OMB don't see what's happening out there.” Senate Democratic leaders were trying to work out a compromise proposal for a bigger Agricultural Market Transition Act or AMTA payment when time literally expired on their efforts on Aug. 3. The Republican-controlled House recessed, making it impossible to convene a conference committee on the measure. With the growing prospects that the funding might be lost if the Senate could not complete action on a bill in time for USDA to issue the payments in this fiscal year, Democratic leaders brought the House version to the floor. It passed on a voice vote. Later, they vented their frustration at what they saw as the White House role in blocking their version of the emergency assistance bill, which included higher AMTA payments and funds to continue several conservation programs through the end of the current farm bill. Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, the chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee and the author of the $7.5 billion Senate version, took to the Senate floor and complained that the White House and Office of Management and Budget “held a gun to our head.” Harkin said he had talked to Secretary Veneman, OMB Director Mitch Daniels and White House Chief of Staff Karl Rove “to see if they would at least meet with us to see if there was any room for compromise. I asked the chief of staff to request a meeting with the president to lay out our case as to why the House bill was inadequate. That meeting was denied.” Harkin and Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., had been engaging in a war of words with the White House and House Agriculture Committee leaders for most of the week, arguing that the House of Representatives' $5.5 billion assistance package would not provide the help needed. But from the president on down, the administration maintained that any amount more than $5.5 billion would “break the budget,” as Bush said in a meeting with Republican leaders at the Capitol. On at least two occasions, Budget Director Daniels sent letters to the Senate leadership, citing improvements in farm income in 2001 as reducing the need for emergency assistance payments. Democratic leaders disagreed. “Last year was a 15-year low for some crop prices and only because livestock receipts are up the overall picture is looking better,” said Harkin. “Crop farmers are the ones that are hurting and yet the bean counters at OMB don't see what's happening out there.” Harkin cited letters from most of the major farm organizations, saying that the $4.62 billion for AMTA payments in the House bill was not sufficient given the low commodity prices and higher energy costs farmers have encountered this year. But most of those same organizations were urging the Senate to pass the House version with its lower amount as Congress approached its Aug. 3 recess date. The National Cotton Council joined the National Association of Wheat Growers, the National Corn Growers Association and the American Soybean Association in a letter to Harkin that said the Senate's efforts to respond to the severe economic crisis facing agriculture would be unsuccessful unless emergency agricultural legislation is enacted prior to the August recess. “With the House of Representatives already in recess, the only course available to the Senate to insure that farmers receive $5.5 billion of funds earmarked for 2001 is to pass H.R. 2213 as passed by the House,” the letter stated. “U.S. agriculture cannot wait any longer, the Senate must act,” NCC Chairman Jim Echols said. “We hoped the Senate would pass its own version of the assistance in a timely manner, but now the only practical option for getting this much-needed aid to farmers is for the Senate to pass the House bill.” Besides the $4.62 billion for the supplemental AMTA or market loss assistance payments, the House bill provides the following benefits: Oilseed producers — $423.5 million to those eligible to receive 2000 crop year oilseed assistance. Specialty crops — $159.4 million in the form of grants to the states to support activities that promote agriculture. Of that, $133.4 million will be awarded to each state based on the proportion of the value of its specialty crop production compared to a national value. Peanuts — $54.2 million to producers who received 2000 crop year peanut payments. Cottonseed assistance — $84.7 million paid to ginners or growers who received 2000 crop year payments. Tobacco — $129 million paid to producers who received 2000 tobacco payments. Wool and mohair — $16.9 million paid to producers who received 2000 marketing year wool and mohair payments. Emergency Food Assistance Program — $10 million in grants to states to cover administrative costs related to processing, transportation and distribution of food through community food banks. e-mail: [email protected]. | 农业 |
2017-09/0194/en_head.json.gz/6305 | Newbie Urban Gardeners Don't Realize How Much Soil Is Contaminated By editor
Apr 5, 2014 TweetShareGoogle+Email Graze the Roof is a community-produced garden that grows vegetables on the rooftop of a church in San Francisco.
Sergio Ruiz/Flickr
Originally published on The majority of Americans now live in cities, which means we have very little to do anymore with the production of our food. But there's a reversal of that trend afoot, as more city people decide that they want to cultivate crops and raise some livestock. After all, there are few things more satisfying that biting than a bunch of tender, red radishes you grew yourself, or a fresh egg from the backyard. According to figures just released by the National Gardening Association, the number of American growing food in urban areas increased 29 percent between 2008 and 2013 from 7 million to 9 million people. But many of these city-dwelling gardeners still aren't aware of how to grow food in urban soil safely, according to a study by researchers at Johns Hopkins University's Center for a Livable Future. Most gardeners understand that the soil in big cities is often contaminated with lead — and know to get their soil tested. But the researchers' interviews with 70 urban gardeners in Baltimore revealed that most are pretty clueless about how to avoid other types of contaminants — like heavy metals and asbestos — from getting into their vegetables. Part of the problem is that "there might be contaminants that [gardeners] can't test for," says Brent Kim, a program officer at the Center for a Livable Future. Most soil tests look for lead, cadmium and arsenic, he tells The Salt. But they don't test things petrochemicals left behind by cars, or cleaning solvents, which might have seeped into the soil from an old laundromat. Many of these chemicals — including the cleaning solvents lautromats used back in the day, and chemicals found in the exhaust of cars — are carcinogenic, and they're dangerous to ingest or even breath in. Asbestos left over from a building demolished years ago cause lung problems, as well. And children are especially vulnerable to all of these substances, Kim says. So if you're thinking of starting an urban garden, Kim says, once you've have found a plot of land, you should learn its history. What's now an empty plot or a backyard might once have been a parking lot, a gas station or the site of a chemical spill, he says. "Knowing the site history will give you some clues about what might be in that soil," Kim says. And testing the soil and investigating the land's history are crucial whether or not you're planning on using raised beds. "People tend to think raised beds are going to solve their contamination problem," Kim says. But contaminated soil could easily get kicked onto your plants, especially if the beds are low to the ground. "Another consideration is you have to be careful about the materials that you're using to build a raised bed," Kim says. Recycling wood from an old construction site might seem like a good, eco-friendly idea. But that wood could be treated with chemicals you don't want touching your fruits and veggies, Kim says. Even after taking all those precautions, gardeners can never be 100 percent sure that they're in the clear, Kim says. So it's always a good idea to use gloves while gardening, and wash all your produce thoroughly. And if your young kids like to help out in the garden, you might want to clean them up as well. All of this advice applies to all urban gardeners, Kim says, whether you're in charge of a small backyard plot, or a giant operation, like 140-acre Hantz Farms in Detroit. According to the report, in Baltimore, over a quarter of the gardeners were relative newbies, with less than five years of experience. Kim says there's no quick way to bridge the knowledge gap. But providing gardeners with the right resources is a first step. He and his colleagues have created an urban gardening guide. Baltimore residents can also check out an interactive map of the city, which highlights sites where the risk of contamination is high. Other great resources include the U.S. Department of Agriculture's online guide. "I see these urban growing spaces as these oases in the middle of these urban environments," Kim says. They bring communities together, and they help people save money on fresh produce. "Urban growing spaces are amazing," Kim says. "Let's keeping doing this, but let's do it safely."Copyright 2014 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/. TweetShareGoogle+EmailView the discussion thread. © 2017 Jefferson Public Radio | 农业 |
2017-09/0194/en_head.json.gz/6632 | URI Master Gardeners offer free soil pH testing
As home gardeners begin to think about their spring plantings and renewing their lawns, they should also put some thought into the quality of their soil. The University of Rhode Island is making that easier for gardeners by offering free testing of soil pH throughout the growing seasons.
“You need to understand your soil if you’re going to have much success at growing a healthy garden or lawn,” said Rosanne Sherry, who directs the URI Master Gardener Program. “And the first step to understanding your soil and solving any problems it may have is learning its pH.”
pH is a measure of soil acidity or alkalinity. The pH of native, uncultivated soils in southern New England is typically 4.5 to 5.5, which is ideal for growing native plants like blueberries, rhododendrons and azaleas. But most cultivated garden plants, vegetables, and lawn grasses grow best when the pH is between 6 and 7, according to Sherry. When pH is too low, the soil ties up all the nutrients and plants struggle to grow. The addition of lime to the soil – about 50 pounds per 1,000 square feet - will make the nutrients more available to plants and enable the growing of a lush garden. Sherry noted that it takes about two or three months for pH to change after the addition of lime, so it is best to apply lime in the fall. Spring lime applications don’t kick in until the beginning of summer.
URI Master Gardeners will conduct the pH tests for Rhode Islanders who bring a sample of their soil to the URI Outreach Center on URI’s Kingston campus between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Monday through Thursday. The test takes about 15 minutes, and gardeners are asked to wait for the results rather than dropping off the sample and returning later. Mail-in samples will not be accepted.
A total of about one cup of soil should be collected from several locations in the garden at a depth of about six inches and placed in a plastic Ziploc bag. Along with the results of the test, the Master Gardeners will also provide a recommendation for the quantity of lime that should be administered, if any.
“And while you’re there, we hope you’ll stay and ask questions of our Master Gardeners,” Sherry said. “They are a wealth of knowledge and will enjoy sharing their expertise.”
For more information about soil testing, call the URI Gardening Hotline at 1-800-448-1011 or 401-874-4836. The URI Outreach Center is located at 3 East Alumni Ave., Kingston. | 农业 |
2017-09/0194/en_head.json.gz/6807 | Industry Commentary: In praise of factory farming
By Angela Bowman
June 22, 2011 | 10:32 am EDT
I encountered a typical complaint the other day, one that over the years I’ve heard more variations on than a chess master has openings.
“I don’t really like to eat meat, because those animals are just so abused.”
The speaker was an otherwise intelligent, well-educated young woman with enough smarts and savvy to have risen to the managerial ranks in her company at an age my biggest accomplishment was blowing my measly paycheck—and my weekend—on the futile pursuit of whatever girl du jour I had no chance of landing.
This particular young woman was a sucker for the “pumped full of antibiotics and hormones” rhetoric that anti-industry activists are so adept at disseminating. Even though she admits to being underweight and anemic, she vowed to gain her way back to a normal BMI by increasing her consumption of—wait for it—peanut butter.
I’ll grant you, George Washington Carver was a genius who created some 300 uses for the peanut, but none of his patents involved the reversal of anemia. Although highly nutritious, a jar of Skippy isn’t going to take anyone to a place, nutritionally speaking, that lean meat can’t go more efficiently and, truth be told, contributing far fewer calories and fat to one’s diet (a single cup of peanut butter delivers more than 1,500 calories, two-thirds of them from fat).
That’s the predictable part of the discussion I had with this young woman. The interesting part, however, was that her objections to eating meat centered not on how animals are killed, but on how they lived. It’s not about humane slaughter, it’s about humane lifestyle, if that term can be properly applied to farm animals.
Interesting, because her objections echo the more recent positioning of the activist community. Ten years ago, there were high-profile campaigns against inhumane slaughter, and lots of accusations about animals being skinned alive and chickens getting manhandled at the plant, and pigs jammed into overheated trailers on their way to slaughter.
Those issues, however, have largely subsided, and for the past five years or so, the thrust of both the activist community’s propaganda and its campaign funding has been focused squarely on living conditions, not slaughter. Thus, the referenda launched against gestation stalls and battery cages and veal crates, and the concurrent marketing of the benefits of free-range production, open housing systems and the outdoor access that many alternative agriculture participants preach to their customers.
Pushing back on the issues
In some ways, it’s just easier for the groups invested in promoting vegetarianism to attack producers on the confinement issue. Most people still harbor romantic notions of a now non-existent farmstead with chickens running loose, a couple pigs covered in mud and a docile cow in the barn munching on hay as their conceptual framework for food production.
It’s also a far better source of the angst activists prey on to drive their fund-raising, and focusing on living conditions allows those holier-then-thou groups to hide behind a reform banner, rather than admitting their ultimate goal is a meat-free society.
So how does the industry push back? On two fronts.
First, by pushing forward in the evolution of production systems that incorporate the key concerns consumers have bout food animals: open, or group housing systems and access to the outdoors. In the end there is no inherent conflict, no technical barriers to adding those elements to production that cannot be overcome. Just the necessary determination and the appropriate investment.
Second, the looming specter of a world population plagued by food shortages—even in our own lifetime—represents a real awakening for the very people, like the young woman I spoke with, who are intelligent enough about the larger issues of resource limitations and climate change to appreciate the urgency of maintaining, if not increasing, global farm productivity.
There is fertile ground, I believe, to discuss the merits of so-called industrial agriculture. Without the efficiencies inherent in modern food production, there would be starvation in many places around the world. Although we like to believe that could never happen here, the specter of soaring food prices does hit home, and it’s there that traction can be gained for establishing not just the justification for, but the necessity of factory farming.
I know activists love that phrase, but I think it’s time for producers and farmers to demystify it and drain it of its pejorative context. Nobody objects to the concept of a factory, if—and that’s a big if—the working conditions are satisfactory. And few people complain about the concept of mechanized farming when it applies to commodities such as corn, wheat and soybeans. Heck, there wouldn’t be a veggie activist alive today to protest production agriculture without the availability and affordability of soy protein in its many culinary incarnations.
It’s only animals that are seen as victims in the farming and food production systems that have evolved so dramatically over the past 50 years.
And as long as industry maintains the efficiencies, and mitigates the deficiencies, there is no reason that even the more critical consumers can’t be eventually persuaded to skip the Skippy and return to meat-eating.
Dan Murphy is a veteran food-industry journalist and commentator
factory farmingagriculturedan murphy About the Author:
Angela Bowman | 农业 |
2017-09/0194/en_head.json.gz/6858 | Management Grain Transport Blues | Transportation Infrastructure Threatens U.S. Competitiveness
Edith Munro 1 | Feb 01, 2012
In the middle of the 2011 harvest, a 220,000-lb. guard gate fell into Lock 19 at Keokuk, IA, which plugged commodity movement down the Mississippi to New Orleans for six days. While Lock 19 was closed, 35 tows were backed up – which idled 27.6 million bushels of corn-hauling capacity.
Corn and soybean growers have long feared a major blockage on the Mississippi, a fear heightened in 2005 when Hurricane Katrina closed the lower river and commodity prices plummeted. But the Mississippi locks aren’t the only pinch points that could restrict U.S. corn and soybean shipments. Even as Asian demand and the Panama Canal expansion remake the export scene, transportation experts warn that other infrastructure problems are making it harder to deliver the goods.
The first pinch point begins at the farm gate. The U.S. road system now ranks 20th in the world, behind countries like France and South Korea, according to the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report. The report’s rankings are calculated from public data and the results of a comprehensive annual survey of research institutes and business organizations.
With increased yields and consolidation in the elevator industry, that means farmers truck more corn and soybeans over longer distances on aging rural roads and bridges. Federal Highway Administration bridge statistics reveal more than 30,000 structurally deficient or functionally obsolete bridges in rural Corn Belt counties.
Peter Friedmann, executive director of the Agriculture Transportation Coalition, points to truck weight limits and hours of service as additional limiting factors: “There’s a cap on what we can sell our agricultural products for, and that means there’s also a cap on what we can pay for transportation.”
More soybeans, in particular, are moving by container, he says, and the U.S. truck weight limit of 80,000 lbs. increases the number of trips and therefore transportation costs to get them to the rail heads, on their way to the ports. In contrast, Canada and the European Union allow 96,000-lb. truck weights, reducing the per-bushel cost of shipping.
New regulations that reduce the hours truckers can drive (from 11 to 10 hours) also makes U.S. products more expensive, Friedmann says.
Railroads, on the other hand, report progress both on anticipating future shipping volumes and on removing pinch points within the current rail system.
“We look at what the constraints are today, what we will need in the future, and will we have enough traffic to pay for it,” explains Tom Lange, director of corporate communications for Union Pacific (UP). “We are trying to increase both rail capacity and velocity.”
Currently UP has surge capacity in its system to meet unexpected demands, including 600 locomotives in storage, and the people and equipment to increase weekly carloads by 20,000, according to Lange.
The railroad is also spending an unprecedented $3.3 billion this year on capital improvements, including strategic projects like a shift from a single line of track to double tracking through Blair, NE – an improvement that will allow UP to run east-bound and west-bound trains simultaneously between the West Coast and Chicago.
Increasing capacity on a rail line does not necessarily require additional track, railroaders note. Other industry improvements include growing networks of grain shuttle facilities to feed cars into the rail system and the introduction of a new generation of 55-ft. hopper cars with the same carrying capacity as the old 61-ft. cars. As a result, trains can increase their tonnage by hauling 118-car trains without increasing overall train length.
Rail sources also note that some Midwest elevators are undertaking significant expansion projects in response to the expected growth in corn and soybean shipments from Pacific Northwest (PNW) ports to Asia.
“We have a strong relationship with the grain-export trade and have been forecasting this demand for quite some time,” says one industry representative. “This is not a surprise to the railroads.”
PNW port capacity is also expanded with this year’s completion of the first new export grain terminal built in the U.S. in more than 20 years. The joint venture by Bunge, Itochu and STX Pan Ocean can handle four 110-car trains at a time, drawing grains, oilseeds, and protein meals from the Pacific Northwest, the Midwest, and western Canada for shipment to Asia.
When fully operational, its capacity will top 8 million metric tons (MT) per year, according to Bunge officials.
Mississippi River system
The Mississippi system is a different story. While deteriorating locks on the Illinois and Upper Mississippi rivers present an ongoing restriction, the need for sustained dredging in the lower river is expected to become a limiting factor when the Panama Canal expansion opens in 2014.
Unlike the 50-ft. depths in some PNW ports, the Mississippi must by dredged to maintain a 46-ft. draft in its Southwest Pass.
Currently, Panamax ships transiting the Panama Canal are restricted to a 39.5-ft. draft, but in 2014 the expansion will allow for a 49.9-ft. draft. Even at the Mississippi’s current 46 ft., South Louisiana grain terminals will be unable to make full use of the canal improvements.
Meanwhile, the Army Corps of Engineers dredging funds aren’t adequate to maintain that 46-ft. depth, according to Paul Rohde, vice president of the Waterways Council. In fiscal 2010, for example, the Corps received $63 million to conduct $104 million worth of dredging south of Baton Rouge. This winter, just five dredges will work the lower river, compared to the nine normally needed for Southwest Pass alone.
“Without additional funding this year, we will see additional restrictions on draft. A 3-ft. draft loss means carrying 1,500-2,800 tons less cargo/foot,” says Sean Duffy, executive director of the Big River Coalition.
“This has real world implications, but reliability is an even bigger issue,” explains Rohde. If Japan and China want U.S. soybeans and we can’t get them out, or if our transport costs triple, that’s a real problem.”
A new Soy Transportation Coalition (STC) study suggests just how the pressures to move more commodities may grow with the Panama Canal expansion.
“The total volume of U.S. soybeans and grain moving through the canal to export markets could increase by 30%,” says Mike Steenhoek, STC executive director. “The average area that draws soy and grain to inland terminals for barge shipment down the Mississippi will expand from 70 miles to 152 miles.
“Each vessel will be able to accommodate 13,300 additional MT of cargo – about 490,000 bu. of soybeans, adding approximately $6 million to the cargo’s value and saving about 35¢/bu. in transportation costs for elevators within range of Gulf ports.”
But there’s a hitch, according to Steenhoek. U.S. growers and elevators will see those benefits only if port and channel depths are dredged to the federally mandated depth of 45 ft. – and if there’s no catastrophic breakdown in the lock system that feeds commodities down the river. | 农业 |
2017-09/0194/en_head.json.gz/7436 | Share India Should Be More Wary of GM Crops, Parliamentary Panel Says
By Pallava BaglaAug. 9, 2012 , 6:07 PM
NEW DEHLI—A high-profile Indian parliamentary panel on agriculture has urged a retreat from genetically modified (GM) food crops and is seeking the mandatory labelling of all GM foods. The report from a 31-member standing panel of parliament, delivered today, concludes that GM “field trials under any garb should be discontinued forthwith” and that future research and development should “only be done under strict containment.”
The panel undertook their review, the authors say, because of “serious differences of opinion amongst stakeholders and the controversies surrounding transgenic food crops.” The furor intensified after a government review gave its blessing to genetically modified brinjal (a type of eggplant).
The panel’s deliberations, designed to include many interested parties, gathered 15,000 pages of testimony and 50 oral depositions. The 2-year effort produced a 492-page analysis, “Cultivation of Genetically Modified Food Crops—Prospects and Effects.”
The panel chair, Basudeb Acharia, a member of parliament representing the Communist Party of India (Marxist), said in a statement that “India should not go in for GM food crops.” He also suggested that “there is a connection” between Bt cotton, a GM product that includes genes from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) to make it pest-resistant, and farmers’ suicides, referring to thousands of farmers who have committed suicide in the last few years due to indebtedness, mostly in cotton growing regions. The panel report deplores the fact that 93% of the cotton crop in India is now Bt cotton, which rapidly replaced traditional cotton in most areas. The panel argues that farmers now have “no alternative” but to buy more expensive Bt cotton seed. The panel concludes that “the experience of last decade has conclusively shown that while [transgenic agriculture] has extensively benefited the industry, as far as the lot of poor farmers is concerned, even trickle down is not visible.”
No company or industry group has responded at this time.
The GM review panel also sought to investigate a government regulatory panel’s 2009 decision to permit an Indian company to release Bt brinjal. This action “was indicative of collusion of a worst kind,” the report charges. The report quotes a former official saying that he felt he was pressured by industry and other officials to approve the release of Bt brinjal. Former environment minister Jairam Ramesh held a countrywide series of public hearings and in February 2010 imposed an indefinite moratorium on the release of Bt brinjal. The report will now be examined by the relevant ministries, which will consider whether and how to implement the recommendations. These agencies will submit responses back to the panel on actions they have taken.
Posted in: Environment | 农业 |
2017-09/0194/en_head.json.gz/8585 | Program Roundup — Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Program
Editor’s Note — Each SARE region operates independently, setting their own policies and priorities. They also solicit proposals and award grants at different times of the year. This is the first in a series of periodic blog posts on the latest happenings in each SARE region as they roll out project solicitations and announce grant awards.
What is SARE?
SARE is a farmer driven research and education competitive grants program designed to help advance sustainable agriculture across the whole of American agriculture. SARE is administered through four regional councils of producers, researchers, educators, and government representatives that set SARE policies and make grants.
SARE’s four regional offices administer three primary grant programs, Research and Education, Professional Development and Producer Grants. Some regions also offer additional grants for community innovation, graduate student research, agricultural professional conducting on-farm research, and region-specific initiatives.
North Central SARE News
On August 11, North Central SARE announced a call for grant proposals for Partnership Grants and Research and Education Grants. Partnership Grants can last up to 2 years and can be funded at up to $30,000. These grants are focused on connecting agricultural professional and farmers to conduct on-farm research.
Research and Education Grants can be funded at up to $200,000 and last up to 3 years. This grant is focused on research, education, and outreach involving farmers and scientists in multiple professions such as economic and plant sciences.
NSAC encourages farmers and organizations that work with farmers to consider applying. Eligibility is not limited to academic institutions and non-profits and for profit businesses are not excluded.
On July 31, the North Central SARE announced the award of its 2014 Research and Education and Graduate Student competitive grant programs. These two grant program awarded funding to more than 25 projects in the Midwest. In total more than $1.7 million was awarded. NSAC congratulates the awardees.
Research and Education Grants:
National Bison Association, for a bison outreach and education project
University of Wisconsin – Madison, for a tomato variety trial to increase direct marketing opportunities
University of Wisconsin-Madison, for a project to increase resilience and flexibility in organic potato production in the Midwest
Purdue University, to evaluate the impact of Biochar on soil fertility using farmer led research
University of Minnesota, to study the benefits of legume cover cropping in the northern Midwest
Renewing the Countryside II, for “Reweaving the Economic Fabric to Support Sustainable Farms and Ag-based Businesses”
Michigan State University, to study the use of insectary plants to enhance beneficial insects.
Iowa State University to study the use of cover crops and strip tillage to increase soil quality and sustainability benefits
Lincoln University to study ways to prevent Footrot outbreaks in Sheep and Goats
The Graduate Student Grant awards are listed here.
Southern SARE News
The Southern SARE recently announced that in September 2014 it will release requests for proposals for Producer Grants and On-Farm Grants. Producer Grants can be funded at up to $15,000 and are aimed at farmers that want to test a research idea. On-Farm Grants can also be funded at up to $15,000 and are focused on research conducted by academics in partnership with at least one farmer.
Western SARE News
On July 1, 2014 the new regional director for the Western SARE, Dr. Teryl Roper, assumed his post. The appointment of Dr. Roper was announced in March, but his appointment did not take effect until July 1. Dr. Roper is replacing the retiring Dr. V. Philip Rasmussen. Dr. Rasmussen has been with Western SARE for 20 years, the majority of the time the 26-year-old SARE program has been in existence. NSAC thanks him for his service and for his dedication to NSAC and to the movement.
Dr. Roper comes to Western SARE from the faculty of Utah State University, the host institution for Western SARE. He earned his Ph.D. in horticulture from Washington State University.
North East SARE News
On August 27, North East SARE will be hosting a Pollinator Conservation Short Course in Kingston, RI. This course will teach attendees how to attract native pollinators through a science-based approach. Attendees will learn about pollinator biology, field identification of bees, how to assess pollinator habitat, and how to enhance pollinator habitat. The class is made possible with SARE funding and the participation of the Xerces Society.
The deadline for North East SARE’s Partnership Grants is approaching; applications are due November 13, 2014. Partnership Grants from North East SARE can be multi-year in length and are capped at $15,000. These grants are focused on connecting agricultural professional and farmers to conduct on-farm research.
General Interest, Grants and Programs, Organic, Research, Education & Extension Comments are closed. | 农业 |
2017-09/0194/en_head.json.gz/8692 | Agweb HomeDrovers HomeNewsAn Online Presence
An Online Presence
By Top Producer Editors
By Keena Lykins
Build relationships with landowners through a top-notch farm website.
Young producers seeking a competitive edge in gaining and keeping land-rent contracts are adopting a proven technique from the business world: branding.
Most farm websites are designed to educate or sell products to consumers; business-to-business websites are still relatively new. But Rachel Cutrer, president and print creative director of Ranch House Designs Inc., in Wharton, Texas, says her firm has seen a marked increase in producer websites during the past two years.
"In 2005, we created 16 new websites," Cutrer says. "In 2008, that number increased to 82. In 2010, we put up 123 new websites for farmers and ranchers."
Most of her customers are multigenerational operations that have tasked the younger generation with being the primary contact for the website, Cutrer says. Most spend between $400 and $1,000 a year for design and upkeep of their website.
"For example, maybe the farm owner gets his college-age daughter to work with us on sending in pictures or text for the site," she says. "We also work with a number of farm and ranch wives." Build a Brand for Your Operation
Brent Johnson, 32, of Ashland, Ill., uses a website to build a business identity for his family’s farming operation and to keep Johnson Family Farms top-of-mind with current and potential landlords.
"Basically, we’re building a brand of who we are," Johnson says. "We use the website to position ourselves with potential landlords and business associates. It gives them a more professional view of our operation."
The website, designed and updated by Ranch House Designs Inc., of Wharton, Texas, takes a 30,000-ft. view of the operation, which farms more than 3,500 acres in central Illinois.
Johnson says he drew on his own experience as well as his wife’s marketing expertise when designing the website almost three years ago. The Johnson Family Farms website consists of a blog, field notes and photos, contact information and a list of the operation’s six key competencies: technology, experience, location, relationships, land stewardship and entrepreneurial spirit.
Because of the high cost of land, cash-renting is how many young growers acquire land, Johnson says. While sometimes this still involves neighbors renting to neighbors based on an individual relationship, he says, "80% to 85% of land movement in our area" comes down to a bidding process. Branding his family’s operation is one way to stay competitive.
In 2010, reported cash rents in Illinois averaged $169 per acre but varied widely by location, according to the Farm Business Management Report, issued by the Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. The highest rent was $242 per acre in Macon County and the lowest was $72 in Pope County.
"Rarely will we be the highest cash-rent-per-acre bid, but we’re the people who are going to mow and trim your roadsides and keep your farm looking good," Johnson says. "You’re going to be proud of your farm."
Keep Landowners and Farm Managers Informed
Dave Nelson, 35, of Fort Dodge, Iowa, launched a website for his farming operation this past November. He says the Nelson Family Farms site is an integral part of his family’s marketing plan. In addition to offering the basics, such as contact information and a photo gallery, the site will soon include an overview of strip-till farming, which is the predominant tillage method the Nelsons use, and a password-protected section for landowners and farm managers to help them keep up with details concerning their land.
"It’s a great way to show what we’re doing," Nelson says. "The site is often the first image people get of who we are and how we operate. It provides instant credibility for the farm," which is now in its sixth generation.
In Iowa, cash rents for soybean and corn acres average $184 per acre, according to the Cash Rental Rates for Iowa 2010 Survey, issued by the Iowa State University Extension. The reported per-acre average varies from a high of $232 in Ida County to a low of $123 in Wayne County.
Nelson and his father rent more than 2,000 acres in central Iowa, growing corn and soybeans. He’s prepared newsletters for his business partners for several years and believes the website is a logical extension of that practice.
"It’s branding our operations," he says. "It helps with public relations efforts and relationship building."
Share the Family's Business and Farming Philosophy with Visitors
Matt Danner, 33, of Templeton, Iowa, says his family’s farm operation has used a website for about 18 months. Like the Johnson and Nelson family sites, the Templeton Family Farms site shares the family’s business and farming philosophy with visitors. The site includes a mission statement, a value statement and a stewardship statement, as well as contact information, a photo gallery and a history of the farm.
"It’s a conduit to reach landowners, to get ahold of family and for local people to get ahold of us," Danner says.
Danner, who farms several thousand acres with his parents and brother in west-central Iowa, says he’s found that local service people use the website to get addresses and phone numbers. When he has equipment for sale, he uses a short newspaper ad to drive people to the website, where he posts photos and detailed descriptions.
Landowners and farm managers receive updates on field conditions and harvest data through a newsletter, but Danner also posts that information in a password-protected area of the website for those who want it sooner. He says he’s looking forward to the next technological advancement he can use to differentiate Templeton Family Farms from other operations.
"Someday I’ll probably be sending it right to their Blackberries," he says. "Or maybe they’ll be able to see it live from the field." | 农业 |
2017-09/0194/en_head.json.gz/8869 | Food Economics
El Nino threatens to return, hit global food production
Friday, 21 Feb 2014 | 7:58 AM ETReuters
The El Nino weather pattern that can trigger drought in some parts of the world while causing flooding in others is increasingly likely to return this year, hitting production of key foods such as rice, wheat and sugar. El Nino—the Spanish word for boy—is a warming of sea-surface temperatures in the Pacific that occurs every four to 12 years. The worst on record in the late 1990s killed more than 2,000 people and caused billions of dollars in damage. A strong El Nino can wither crops in Australia, Southeast Asia, India and Africa when other parts of the globe such as the U.S. Midwest and Brazil are drenched in rains. (Read more: Chart of the Day: Cost of food at home)
While scientists are still debating the intensity of a potential El Nino, Australia's Bureau of Meteorology and the U.S. Climate Prediction Center have warned of increased chances one will strike this year. Getty Images
Workers drill for water for a farmer on February 6, 2014, near Bakersfield, Calif. Now in its third straight year of unprecedented drought, California is experiencing its driest year on record, dating back 119 years and possibly the worst in the past 500 years.
Last month, the United Nations' World Meteorological Organization said there was an "enhanced possibility" of a weak El Nino by the middle of 2014. "The world is bracing for El Nino, which if confirmed, could wreak havoc on supply and cause prices of some commodities to shoot up," said Vanessa Tan, investment analyst at Phillip Futures in Singapore. Any disruption to supply would come as many crops have already been hit by adverse weather, with the northern hemisphere in the grip of a savage winter. (Read more: Delish!Entrepreneurs promoting food made with insects) The specter of El Nino has driven global cocoa prices to 2-1/2 year peaks this month on fears that dry weather in the key growing regions of Africa and Asia would stoke a global deficit. Other agricultural commodities could follow that lead higher if El Nino conditions are confirmed. Bad boy "Production estimates for several crops which are already under stress will have to be revised downwards," said Phillip Futures' Tan. "Wheat in Australia may be affected by El Nino and also sugar in India." In India, the world's No.2 producer of sugar, rice and wheat, a strong El Nino could reduce the monsoon rains that are key to its agriculture, curbing production. "If a strong El Nino occurs during the second half of the monsoon season, then it could adversely impact the production size of summer crops," said Sudhir Panwar, president of farmers' lobby group Kishan Jagriti Manch. El Nino in 2009 turned India's monsoon patchy, leading to the worst drought in nearly four decades and helping push global sugar prices to their highest in nearly 30 years. Elsewhere in Asia, which grows more than 90 percent of the world's rice and is its main producer of coffee and corn, a drought-inducing El Nino could hit crops in Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines and China. And it could deal another blow to wheat production in Australia, the world's second-largest exporter of the grain, which has already been grappling with drought in the last few months. El Nino could also crimp supply of minerals such as gold, nickel, tin, copper and coal if mines flood or logistics are disrupted. In North America, crops in the U.S. Pacific Northwest could suffer as El Nino tends to cause rain to the area, with the major white wheat region already abnormally dry. But El Nino doesn't spell bad news for all farmers. It could bring rain to drought-hit California's dairy farms and vineyards. (Read more: Fast food CEO: How govt regulation is driving us abroad)
"El Nino has a bad connotation, undeservedly so in the U.S.," said Harry Hillaker, state climatologist in Iowa. "Given the water supply issues they are having in California, more rain would be helpful." And in Central America, while dryness associated with El Nino would curb coffee production, it would also help drive back the leaf rust that has blighted crops in the region. By Reuters | 农业 |
2017-09/0194/en_head.json.gz/9568 | Midwest Wine Industry Needs New Herbicide-resistant Grape
Posted October 15th, 2008, 12:10 PM by SundanceTV
CHAMPAIGN, Illinois, October 14, 2008 (ENS) – An herbicide that effectively kills broadleaf weeds in corn, but also has wiped out most of the grapes in Illinois and other Midwestern states, may finally have met a grape it cannot kill.
Researchers at the University of Illinois have developed a new grape called Improved Chancellor which is resistant to the popular herbicide 2, 4-D.
“In 1946, 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic or 2, 4-D was introduced. It was a wonder herbicide,” said Robert Skirvin, plant biologist in the College of Agriculture, Consumer and Environmental Sciences. “It works really well in corn and wheat and grass crops because it kills the broadleaves, so the grasses are resistant to it, but grapes are incredibly sensitive to it.”
Skirvin said that 1/100th of the amount of 2, 4-D commonly used on corn to kill broadleaves, will kill grapes. Today, more than 50 years after it was introduced, it is still the third most widely used herbicide in the United States.
“A grape resistant to 2, 4-D would be a huge plus to our industry,” said Kansas grower Rebecca Storey. “As a vineyard and winery owner we have suffered losses from this chemical that runs in the tens of thousands of dollars – not to mention the time and effort to identify the sprayer and prove the damage in a court of law. This grape would be a gift to our industry.”
The Chancellor grape (Photo courtesy Cornell University)
The Chancellor grape was once widely planted in France for table wine production.
The discovery of the gene that makes Improved Chancellor resistant to 2, 4-D came about by accident.
“The USDA found a soil bacterium that had a gene that breaks down 2, 4-D,” Skirvin explained. “Someone noticed that after spilling 2, 4-D on the ground, something in the soil broke it up – metabolized it. They were looking for something to control pollution and discovered this soil bacterium instead.”
Skirvin received permission to use the bacterial gene and began in 2002 to transfer it to a grape that would ultimately be resistant to 2, 4-D.
He and his graduate student Richard Mulwa followed standard genetic engineering techniques in order to transfer the gene to grape cells.
“Selecting the transformed cells is the most delicate stage of the process because out of hundreds of thousands of cells, there may be only 25 cells that actually contain the gene,” said Skirvin.
He explained that in order to locate the cells that have the gene, another gene is inserted as a marker.
The cells are then placed onto a medium that is comfortable for the cells with the marker gene. All of the normal cells die. The only ones that will live are the ones with the marker, which are also the cells that contain the 2, 4-D resistant gene.
Stephen Farrand, a University of Illinois microbiologist, assisted in all aspects of the gene transfer and Margaret Norton oversaw all of the tissue culture operation.
“Then we have to take the cells and regenerate them into plants. We use a tissue culture media and start the cells growing. After about two years in the lab, we had tiny seed-like shoots that developed from the transgenic grape cells,” said Skirvin.
“These were grown until they were big enough to be transferred to a limited access greenhouse where they were allowed to mature and produce fruit,” he said.
From these experiments, eight Chancellor plants were obtained.
DNA testing showed that only three of them had the herbicide resistant gene. Cuttings were taken of those three and planted. The plants were then sprayed with 2, 4-D. Each of the three Chancellor plants was tested, along with one of the original Chancellor plants as a control.
“It was quite an accomplishment to get the gene into the plant,” said Skirvin. “This grape could help salvage the wine and grape industry in the Midwest.”
If all goes well, Skirvin hopes that in about five years they’ll be able to work with a grape grower to produce wine using their new patented cultivar Improved Chancellor.
Because the new grape is genetically modified it has not yet been tested outside the greenhouse. Skirvin hopes to get permission to grow it in an isolation plot outdoors by spring 2009.
“We have to do tests to make sure that there aren’t any poisonous compounds that would get into the grape or the wine,” Skirvin said.
“After the grapes have been tested and found safe to eat,” he said, “I think it’s going to be beneficial to Minnesota, Nebraska, Illinois and other Midwestern states – anywhere grain is grown and 2, 4-D is sprayed on the crops.”
The research for this project was funded internally by the University of Illinois, which holds the patent for Improved Chancellor. View This Story On Eco–mmunity Map.
Tags: broadleaf weeds / champaign illinois / college of agriculture / cornell university / Ecommunity News / grass crops / plant biologist / skirvin / soil bacterium / table wine / wine production Recommended by Most Popular Production on Fourth and Final Season of RECTIFY Begins With New Cast Members | 农业 |
2017-09/0194/en_head.json.gz/10773 | HomeNewsDairy Plant in the Works for SE Kentucky
Dairy Plant in the Works for SE Kentucky
A dairy processing plant planned for southeastern Kentucky intends to develop a low-calorie, lactose-free skim milk produced from Kentucky cows.
Kentucky Dairy Product Innovations will open its plant in Laurel County where it has a lease-purchase agreement to acquire a 12,000-square-foot facility. Gov. Steve Beshear's office says the company plans to hire up to 20 workers and invest nearly $4 million into the project.
The company expects to be operational by the end of the year.
Beshear's office says the company's initial customer will be Fizza, which is also based in London, Kentucky. It produces a sparkling dairy nutrient beverage approved for sale at middle and high schools. The beverage is being co-packed by Prairie Farms Dairy of Somerset.
The state has approved tax incentives of up to $200,000 for the project. | 农业 |
2017-09/0194/en_head.json.gz/10945 | News Print Email Font ResizeHemp comes out of the shadows this weekend with country's first legally sanctioned growsFarmers in Colorado can register to grow hemp for commercial, R&D purposesBy John AguilarCamera Staff WriterPosted:
02/27/2014 09:19:39 PM MSTIf you goWhat: Hemp Meeting Boulder County
When: 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Saturday
Where: Boulder Public Library, Canyon Theater, 1001 Arapahoe Ave. On the web: To find out more about hemp farming and to register with the Colorado Department of Agriculture, visit colorado.gov/ag. There will be no lines around the block. There will be no TV news crews nosing in for interviews. There will be no pot-puffing customers celebrating their newfound freedom.
But the dawn of legal hemp in Colorado, which begins Saturday, is as significant — if not more so — as were the first sales of recreational marijuana two months ago.
Saturday marks the first day farmers interested in growing industrial hemp for commercial purposes or for research and development can register with the Colorado Department of Agriculture to do so legally. "It is no exaggeration to say that Colorado will be leading the nation, and even the world, in the hemp revolution," said Doug Fine, a New Mexico author and journalist who spent the last two years researching and writing his soon-to-be-released book, "Hemp Bound." "Colorado, by pushing ahead, the state is going to be the vortex of a major agricultural industry in this country."
And it's an industry that is virtually limitless, given the numerous products hemp — the non-drug variant of the marijuana plant — can be added to or turned into, including paper, coffee, shampoo, salad dressing, building materials and paint.Advertisement
Fine will appear with a slew of other hemp advocates at Hemp Meeting Boulder County, scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday at the Boulder Public Library. Members of the nascent industry, the state agriculture department and law enforcement will be on hand to answer questions.
Department of Agriculture Deputy Commissioner Ron Carleton said he's not certain how many people in Colorado plan to register this weekend, but interest has been high.
"We've had a lot of expression of interest all over the state," he said. The cost for industrial hemp farmers to register is $200 plus $1 an acre, while the cost for R&D operations is $100 plus $5 an acre. The state forbids hemp to have more than 0.3 percent THC content. THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is the chief psychoactive ingredient in pot plants. The registration period ends May 1.
Carleton said Colorado is on the cutting edge of bringing back an industry that thrived in the United States until drug laws that were passed in the early 1900s drummed the versatile plant underground.
"It's returning something that should never have been outlawed in the first place," he said. "And because there has been such a long gap between now and when it was first cultivated, I think we're going to have a learning period."
Farmers need to figure out what hemp seed varieties — or cultivars — work best in Colorado's high and dry climate and do so before other states begin to make their own headway into the industry, said Lynda Parker, who maintains the Agricultural Hemp Initiative website. As attitudes relax and laws are eased regarding marijuana and hemp nationwide, she said, Colorado may not for long hang onto the significant head start it was given by the passage of Amendment 64 in 2012. Earlier this month, President Obama signed into law a farm bill containing a stipulation that allows universities in the nine states that permit industrial hemp cultivation to conduct research into the plant without jeopardizing their federal funding. But even with those changes, there are still anti-hemp federal laws in place that will slow — at least for now — the progress of large commercial hemp grows in Colorado, Parker said. "Farmers are very reluctant to grow large acreages if they think they won't get crop insurance, for example," she said.
Even so, research on cannabis will proceed and the industry will mature, and that can only mean good things for Colorado, Parker said, especially for those able to take the versatile plant and turn it into useful products.
"I see manufacturing in Colorado like the state has never seen," she said. Contact Camera Staff Writer John Aguilar at 303-473-1389 or [email protected]. | 农业 |
2017-09/0194/en_head.json.gz/10995 | Industry Dairy applauds strategy for methane emission reduction
By Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy
America’s dairy farmers, cooperatives, processors, manufacturers and other industry leaders applaud today’s announcement by the White House of a Biogas and Energy Roadmap to reduce methane emissions from agriculture.
In its announcement, the White House formally cited the work of the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy’s Sustainability Council, whose efforts in part include a partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to proactively reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including methane. The announcement states its strategy for agriculture includes a commitment of cost-effective, voluntary actions to reduce methane emissions.
“This announcement validates the path the dairy industry is on – one focused on proactive incentives that can increase farm income, not punitive regulations that would add more costs,” said Jim Mulhern, president and chief executive officer of the National Milk Producers Federation, which develops and carries out policies that advance the well-being of dairy farmers and the cooperatives they own. “Because of our recent efforts and farmers’ long-standing environmental stewardship, the White House strategy for agriculture includes a commitment to cost-effective, voluntary actions to reduce methane emissions through partnerships and programs.”
A Biogas and Energy Roadmap will be developed in partnership with the dairy industry to accelerate the adoption of biogas systems and other cost-effective technologies. For example, the recovery of nitrogen and phosphorus, valuable soil nutrients, has the potential to make these systems revenue-enhancing for dairy farms of all sizes. The roadmap will help the industry seize these opportunities by:
• Breaking down inter-governmental agency barriers, providing dairy operations access to resources because it formally recognizes biogas systems as a proven and effective technology to mitigate environmental risks;
• Stimulating and accelerating research to advance technologies, such as for extracting nutrients from food waste and manure; and
• Attracting additional third-party investment, both financial and technical, to support the U.S. Dairy Sustainability Commitment.
Through the Innovation Center, the dairy industry ramped up its efforts to build business value while reducing environmental impact across the value chain more than five years ago. These efforts provide a way for dairy farm families to turn environmental risks into new revenue streams, and demonstrate farmers’ ongoing commitment to being even better neighbors.
“This is great news for America’s dairy farm families of all sizes across the country,” said Tom Gallagher, chief executive officer of the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy, which brings together leaders of dairy farmer organizations, cooperatives, processors, manufacturers, and brands to foster innovation. “For decades, dairy farmers have demonstrated a commitment to environmental stewardship, and adopting new practices and technologies along the path to continuous improvement. Our work continues.”
In 2009, the dairy industry established a voluntary goal to reduce its carbon footprint by 25 percent by 2020, and projects are underway across the value chain to accomplish the goal.
Biogas systems have been singled out because of the significant potential they have to help address methane, which are the single largest source of dairy’s greenhouse gas emissions. These systems recycle cow manure and food waste into valuable co-products like fertilizer, renewable energy and cow bedding. New technologies can optimize this potential and deliver economic benefits to dairy farms and those they work with, as well as the communities in which they operate.
“The roadmap makes good sense – not just for dairy, but for rural communities that realize economic benefits, including job creation, through innovation,” Gallagher said.
To learn more about the U.S. Dairy Sustainability Commitment, the reduction goal or the projects and tools currently available, visit USDairy.com/Sustainability.
### Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy® is a forum for the dairy industry to work together pre-competitively to address barriers and opportunities to foster innovation and increase sales. The Innovation Center aligns the collective resources of the industry against common priorities to offer consumers nutritious dairy products and ingredients, and promote the health of people, communities, the planet and the industry. The Board of Directors for the Innovation Center includes dairy industry leaders representing key producer organizations, dairy cooperatives, processors, manufacturers and brands. The Innovation Center is staffed by Dairy Management Inc™. Visit USDairy.com for more information about the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy.
dairywhite housemethane emissionsinnovation center for u.s. dairy About the Author:
Make the decision to treat (almost) obsolete | Dairy Herd Management | Dairy Herd Management Texas Goliath impact will bring total to 40,000 lost Southwest dairy cattle | Dairy Herd Management Are you clearing all of the bases with your calf program? | Dairy Herd Management NEWS FROM AGWEB The NFiles: Upward Momentum Builds Posted On Feb. 22, 2017 | 农业 |
2017-09/0194/en_head.json.gz/11130 | Lou Colameco III, CEO of Wellshire Farms
High Personal Standards Grow Company Success
By Suzanne F. Kaplan
As CEO of Wellshire Farms, entrepreneur Lou Colameco III has built an all-natural, premium meat company, selling to Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s and more. Operating in all 50 states and Canada, sales have grown from $100,000 in 1996 to over $80 million in 2013. What stands out about this fast-growing organization is that every aspect of his company holds true to Colameco’s core values and belief that Wellshire is one family and partnership, with social obligations to everyone touched by the business. The Beginning
Lou Colameco III has always been a hard worker, growing up in family businesses focused on produce and landscaping. Working before school and after football practice, 60 hour workweeks were the norm. Concerned about nutrition, he left the family food business and started a sole proprietorship in 1996. He thought that his children were eating way too many over-processed meat products with little nutritional value. He wanted them to eat well so they could live well. Before starting the new company, he did something monumental to his future success: for 9 months, he thought about work itself—what he liked, didn’t like, and what could be improved. For the company he was about to launch, he asked. “If I worked here what would I like, what would make me happy?” He wanted to structure the company in ways that counted to keep good employees.
He started with just a few thousand dollars, a pager, and no financing. His philosophy was the same then as it is now: “Stay the right course and the money will come; don’t start counting before the money’s in hand.”
Building Values Into Success
Looking in the mirror every morning. Colameco asks himself, “What good can I do today?” As an entrepreneur, he sees one of his roles as helping his employees grow and better themselves. So if an employee wants to leave for a better opportunity, Colameco is OK with that.
His honesty with people translates across everyone with whom he deals. He has never lost a vendor partner but also expects the same honesty from the vendors—any one of whom can destroy Colameco’s reputation by operating improperly.
After just 18 years, the company is headed to over $100 million in sales—with only 22 employees. Those employees are engaged, committed and expend maximum discretionary effort.
As part of the hiring process, employees interview prospective candidates first and then recommend those that will fit into the culture. There are no cubicles, and every employee sits by a window.
Core values also have resulted in a green company that is eco-friendly, preserves trees when expanding buildings, uses solar panels, pays 100% of employee health insurance and contributes generously to community needs.
Many successful entrepreneurs have trouble taking advice from others—they are proud of what they have achieved and believe they know best what their company’s future needs are. Colameco is different. As he considers his challenges in growing to the next levels of $130-150 million, he reviews his perceived weaknesses and strengths. He looks to a psychologist/business coach he has consulted for years and discusses options with others, without preconceived outcomes.
Wellshire remains competitive even as larger companies pursue their customer base. Wellshire customers are loyal because of the company’s values, integrity and solid relationships.
In Leadership Insights, Suzanne F. Kaplan, President of Talent Balance and GPSEG colleague, interviews and writes about outstanding leaders to share their stories and experiences. Although we've all probably read some of the thousands of publications on leadership, it's the personal insights that Suzanne will be capturing for our benefit.
We welcome your comments and suggestions of other CEOs and leaders, including those not well known to GPSEG, whom you would like to see featured in future columns. more | 农业 |
2017-09/0194/en_head.json.gz/11259 | No-till pioneers continue to break new ground
During the past 10 years, Bob Schrock switched his farm in South Central Kansas from a full tillage cattle grazing enterprise to a no-till, grain-only system while pioneering the successful introduction of a new crop, winter canola.
Candace Krebs
KIOWA, Kan. — During the past 10 years, Bob Schrock switched his farm in South Central Kansas from a full tillage cattle grazing enterprise to a no-till, grain-only system while pioneering the successful introduction of a new crop, winter canola.“I’ve been experimenting with six crops (wheat, canola, corn, milo, soybeans and sesame) in different rotations, but I have found that a wheat-canola rotation fits best in our area, especially with the weather conditions we’ve had recently,” he said.At one time he ran as many as 7,000 head of stocker cattle annually, but he has since left the cattle business entirely.“I could not get my no-till crops to the level I was satisfied with by grazing them,” he said. He adds, “I can teach someone to ride a combine or a tractor, and that’s a lot easier than to get someone to feed and doctor cattle when it’s over 100 degrees outside.”These days, he is generating more revenue from the same farm with less labor. He runs a thriving custom seeding, scouting and harvesting business that is helping pay for his investment in specialized air-seeding and harvesting equipment.He doesn’t miss the cattle and can’t imagine going back to his old ways, joining the growing ranks of farmers who describe the shift away from traditional tillage as “life changing.”Maverick mindsetNo-till came late to the Plains after first taking off in the Corn Belt.When “Iowa farm boy” Bill Carpenter moved to Enid, Okla., 23 years ago, he recalls that no-till and rotational cropping were virtually unknown in the area. He soon took on the reputation of a maverick. After all, not many farmers can say they’ve made headlines around the world for colliding with a stampeding elephant — the roadside pachyderm had escaped from a traveling zoo — or provided part of a field to a local funeral home to create a “green” cemetery where the deceased are buried in a simple linen shroud.Farming-wise, Carpenter was among the first in the area to forego continuous wheat and begin instead a no-till rotation of corn and beans that even extension specialists said couldn’t be done. “I couldn’t understand why,” he recalls. “I just knew we could do it.”Carpenter proved the naysayers wrong. Last year, he harvested a “tremendous wheat crop,” followed by double-crop soybeans. Despite a punishing summer, yields on the second crop, while low (in the range of 10 to 15 bushels to the acre) grossed nearly $175 an acre (bean prices were roughly $15 a bushel at the time). He also grew some corn that was “fair at best,” but benefited from equally high demand and a strong basis price. This winter, wheat that’s been no-till drilled into corn stubble looks good, despite dry conditions.He credits crop rotation and the proper management of tillage, crop residue, soil liming and fertilization with the ability to succeed even in a challenging environment. For example, he harvests wheat with a stripper header that removes only the heads. “It leaves the stubble taller, so it protects and shades the ground,” he said.Carpenter went on to help found the Oklahoma Pioneer No-till Association (now operating under the auspices of Oklahoma State University) that encouraged a transformation of farming practices across the Great Plains that continues today.“In our local area, the amount of farmers going no-till has skyrocketed,” Schrock said. “It’s all because of moisture conservation and labor savings. Herbicide costs have also come down from years ago. It improves your quality of life — it’s amazing how much more time you have.”Still, the switch isn’t without trade-offs. “It’s an ongoing learning process,” Schrock said. “If you’re not all in and all focused, it will hurt you financially. You need to be up for the challenge.”Bill’s son Wayne Carpenter, who along with his brother Ken has taken over much of the day-to-day farming from his dad, observes that ironically the original hotbed of no-till — the Midwest and Northern Plains — is in some cases reverting back toward more tillage.“Where they get a lot of rainfall, it doesn’t work as well,” he notes. “But in the drought we are having, it’s perfect, because any time we do get moisture, we’re holding onto it better.”Learning, growing, building characterWinter is traditionally when farmers and agronomy specialists from near and far share their successes and challenges during a series of regional no-till meetings. Upcoming events include the No Till on the Plains Conference, Jan. 29-30 in Salina, Kan.; the High Plains No-Till Conference, Feb. 5-6 in Burlington, Colo.; and the No Till Oklahoma Conference, Feb. 19-20 in Norman, Okla.New trends in recent years have included a push to re-integrate livestock grazing with crop production and to plant cover crop “cocktails” made up of multiple species.Neither Schrock nor Carpenter will endorse those ideas, saying any advances need to be weighed against their suitability to the local microclimate. (Intensive cover cropping is also proving questionable in Northeastern Colorado and Western Nebraska, due to high water requirements.)The weather is already testing them like never before. “We farm across 16 miles, but last year we had hail on every acre,” Schrock recounted. “We still had some 80-bushel wheat even with a 40 percent yield loss. But that was a tough one to deal with.”Good rains late last spring convinced him to double-crop aggressively last summer. “It looked really good for the first three weeks,” he said. Then the region was hit by what meteorologists call a “flash-drought.” The summer crops failed, and since then it’s been so dry some of the fall-planted crops have yet to emerge.“You can’t do anything about it,” he said. “I tell myself it builds character.”Indeed, one thing unique to these no-till pioneers is their tendency to remain upbeat and thrive on challenges. Schrock conducts numerous on-farm trials at his own expense. He also works with John Deere to tweak planting equipment to make it more effective at obtaining “good seed-to-soil contact.”“I don’t think we’ve tapped into the true potential of what’s the best thing to do here in our part of the world,” he said. “I think it’s wheat and canola, and it’s no-till. But beyond that, there’s still a lot we don’t know.”“It’s been an adventure,” he added. “It still is.”Carpenter has a similar attitude.“We all need challenges in our life to keep us growing,” he said. | 农业 |
2017-09/0194/en_head.json.gz/11356 | National Hog Farmer Newsletters Jump to: National Hog Farmer Daily | Pork Industry Express | Nutrient... Missouri Senate confirms Chinn as ag director Feb 14, 2017 Emerging Salmonella isolated from Midwest swine Feb 14, 2017 Registration now open for April Pork Management Conference Feb 13, 2017 Agenda>Business Veterinary Group Honors Five Members
The American Association of Swine Veterinarians (AASV) honored five of its members at its March annual meeting in Phoenix, AZ Mar 10, 2011
The American Association of Swine Veterinarians (AASV) honored five of its members at its March annual meeting in Phoenix, AZ: Marlin Hoogland, DVM, was presented the Young Veterinarian of the Year award. Hoogland is a 2005 graduate of Iowa State University and practices with Murphy-Brown’s western operations based in Algona, IA. He is a 2009 graduate of the University of Illinois’ Executive Veterinary Program. Dale Polson, DVM, Ankeny, IA, received the Technical Services/Allied Industry Veterinarian of the Year award. Polson is the senior veterinarian, Technical Resources for Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. Over the years, he has directed the implementation of several large farm PRRS control and elimination projects. He was instrumental in the development and subsequent gifting of the PRRS Risk Assessment Tool to the AASV, used to understand internal and external PRRS risks to farms. Amy Vincent, DVM, received the Howard Dunne Memorial Award for her work in furthering the understanding of the 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza outbreak and its potential impact on the swine industry. Vincent, research veterinary medical officer at the USDA-ARS National Animal Disease Center in Ames, IA, currently serves on the AASV Influenza Working Group. Warren Wilson, DVM, was named the recipient of the Meritorious Service Award. He has served as an associate veterinarian in practices in Minnesota and Wisconsin and worked for Bayer Animal Health. He currently works as a senior swine technical service veterinarian with Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health. He has been an active member of AASV since 1973 and served recently as president of the AASV Foundation. John Baker, DVM, was named the Swine Practitioner of the Year. Baker is the owner and founder of Warrick Veterinary Clinic in Boonville, IN, which includes three other clinicians in a mixed-animal practice. He has been an active member of the AASV since 1981. He currently serves as the swine representative to the Indiana Board of Animal Health where he serves as chairman of the board. He also belongs to the Indiana Veterinary Medical Association, the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Indiana Swine Group and the Southwestern Indiana Veterinary Medical Association. RelatedSmithfield Foods introduces Pure Farms antibiotic-free product lineFeb 21, 2017Are 2016 commodity prices the new normal?Feb 20, 2017Margins every pork producer should haveFeb 15, 2017NPPC joins coalition backing petition on demurrage feesFeb 13, 2017 Load More | 农业 |
2017-09/0194/en_head.json.gz/11572 | Resistance management even more critical with new herbicides Feb 06, 2017 Plan for strong disease, nematode pressure early this year Feb 02, 2017 US cotton moves to rebrand its promise to the world Feb 02, 2017 David Blakemore to lead National Cotton Ginners Association Feb 14, 2017 U.S. takes tire 'iron' to Chinese dumping practices
Forrest Laws 1 | Sep 28, 2009
You have a $2-million loan at a local bank. You and your lender are on good terms, or as good as that type of relationship normally allows. A few years ago, your bank began branching into other businesses. He started making widgets and selling them at a low price even though your neighbor, Fred, had been making widgets for decades. Because your lender has access to relatively low-cost money and labor and owns land he foreclosed on years ago, he has continued to cut his price. The quality might not be as good as Fred’s but it was passable. After watching Fred and his company edge ever closer to bankruptcy, you decided you didn’t like his practices and you would no longer buy your lender’s widgets at cut-rate prices. Gutsy decision or a foolhardy one? That’s a simplified version of what the administration did when it announced it was imposing tariffs on Chinese tire imports. The tariff will amount to 35 percent the first year, 30 percent the second and 25 percent the third. Free trade advocates chastised the president for his decision, which was based on an International Trade Commission ruling. (The ITC recommended significantly higher tariffs.) The Wall Street Journal referred to Obama as the first protectionist president since Herbert Hoover. But U.S. manufacturing groups and labor organizations saw it differently. Leo W. Gerard, president of the United Steelworkers, wrote an article, headlined “Finally, a President with the Guts to Enforce Trade Laws.” The Chinese government agreed to abide by a set of rules, known as Section 421, of the agreement allowing them to join the World Trade Organization. ITC had recommended four times that action be taken against Chinese tires, but nothing was done. “We demanded penalties against China because it has smothered the U.S. market with tires,” said Gerard. “In 2004, its share of the U.S. market was 4.7 percent. Four years later, it was 16.7 percent as the number of tires it sold rose from 14.6 million to 46 million. As a result, 5,100 workers lost their jobs.” U.S. Manufacturing groups say the Chinese government has taken over traditional U.S. markets because it keeps the cost of fuel and electricity low, provides free land and hands out low cost loans to industries it has targeted for growth. The ITC currently has 61 orders against Chinese products it says violate trade rules. The Chinese government warned the administration action may set a “dangerous precedent” and threatened possible retaliation against U.S. exports. U.S. farm groups said those could include American soybeans and pork. Some worry that China may stop buying U.S. Treasury securities. (It now holds around $700 billion in U.S. debt.) But then where will China put all the money it reaps from its growing trade deficit with the United States? e-mail: [email protected]
TAGS: Legislative 0 comments Hide comments | 农业 |
2017-09/0194/en_head.json.gz/11892 | Lindsey Coyan - April 8, 2013
An up close look at President Paul Shoemaker Leave a Comment
Paul Shoemaker has been a member of the Gallia County Farm Bureau for 30 plus years. He has worked in some form of agriculture his entire life. When Paul was young, he lived with his parents, along with his grandparents on a small hillside farm. “My grandfather worked at the Hobson Railroad yard as a blacksmith repairing railroad cars, and my dad worked as a farm hand for different farmers in the area, he said.
Paul and his family moved to Rutland from Meigs County in 1940 from his grandparent’s farm to a farm of their own. They had sheep, hogs, dairy cows, and a small herd of Hereford beef cattle. When Paul and his family moved to this farm, they didn’t have any electricity. They had to wait until 1947 until they did finally get it. Paul said, “I did my school lessons by kerosene lamp for many years, and I can remember how they learned the right of way for the lines by hand and strung the lines with horses.”
Paul said that he always looked forward to cutting and harvesting wheat. He said after the wheat was cut and shocked, they would leave it in the field to ripen, and then the farmers would get together with horses and wagons and help one another with the threshing. After the wheat was threshed, the straw was blown into a large pile. When it was time to bale the straw, they used a stationary baler. Paul said to use this type of baler, it would take 10 or 15 young men to move the straw into the baler. It took four men to operate the baler — one person to feed the straw into the bailer, and the other three people worked at the rear of the machine. “My job was to poke the wires into one side of the bale and another person on the other side tied the wires that held the bale together. Then the straw would be removed from the baler and stacked on the wagon to be hauled away. While the men were working in the field, the wives would all get together and cook a big meal for everyone. Paul said that those were “some of the best meal you ever ate. This was a time when you helped your neighbor.”
In the winter months, Paul and his family worked in timber. “We would cut locust posts, and sell them to truckers that hauled them up to the western part of the state for farmers to use to build fencing.” Paul said at that time, they sold the posts for 35 cents each and considered that a good price. Today a pine post that you would use for the same job would cost you anywhere from $8 to $10.
Paul graduated from high school in 1955. “I stayed at home and worked in large timber until I was married in March 1959, and then my wife Katie and I moved onto our own farm.”
On June 24, 1963 the Shoemaker’s son Michael was born. Paul worked at a sawmill until December 1959, and then went to work for the Gallipolis State Institution. When Paul started working for them in December 1959 he started out milking cows. “When I started out, we milked 175 cows in can milkers, no pipeline!” he said. Paul worked milking cows until June 1960. It was then that he was drafted into the Army. Paul spent two years in the army, six months in the states and 18 months in Germany. When he came back home, Paul went back to milking cows until February 1976. At that time they transferred Paul from milking cows to farm manager. Paul was the farm manager until 1978.
“We raised hay and grain, dairy beef and slaughter hogs. We were hauling milk to five other institutions, because our institution had reduced its population from 2,400 in 1959 to 400 in 1978.” Paul said, “They just didn’t need the farm any longer.”
At that point, they asked Paul to go to work for the institution as a maintenance supervisor. Paul stayed in that position until he retired in December 1995. After Paul retired, his son Mike and daughter-in-law Sharon bought a small farm with a two-story house, barn, and tool shed that had not been cared for and needed a lot of work. Paul and his son remodeled the house and rebuilt the tool sheds. They also made repairs to the original barn. “My son teaches school, so I help them get their hay harvested and raise a few pigs for the children to take to the fairs, and we raise feeder pigs. I enjoy helping them with the animals and any farm related jobs. It keeps me busy, and helps them out too.”
He also enjoys spending time with his grandchildren Kaci and Briggs. Both of his grandchildren are active in agriculture. Besides being a longtime member and board member of the Farm Bureau, Paul also has been a 4-H adviser for 36 years. He serves on the 4-H extension advisory board, ag Extension advisory board, County planning commission and Gallia county fairboard. When Paul can find a free minute, he loves to do carpenter work, horseback riding, and deer hunting. Paul loves spending time with his family.
“My wife Katie and I have enjoyed Farm Bureau very much, and have gained many friends over the years,” he said. | 农业 |
2017-09/0194/en_head.json.gz/12317 | USDA official promises farmers help
09:14 PM, Saturday, July 28 2012 | 752 views | 0 | 6 | | OSCEOLA (AP) — The deputy U.S. secretary of agriculture wound up a three-state tour with a visit to northeast Arkansas, where he told farmers that he’s certain they will receive financial assistance following back-to-back years of natural disasters.“I’m confident there will be a disaster bill approved, but the question is when,” Deputy Secretary Karis Gutter told farmers at a meeting Friday in Osceola.The Jonesboro Sun reported Saturday (http://bit.ly/vvccUu ) that Gutter told farmers he and other Agriculture Department officials are touring the nation to survey damage from disasters that included flooding in 2011 and drought this year. He said he and the others will report their findings to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, who will then take the findings to Congress in hopes of securing financial aid for struggling farmers and ranchers.David Hodges, who farms near Brookland in Craighead County and at Athelstan in Mississippi County, told Gutter that the expenses of farming “have gone through the roof” this year as farmers deal with the effects of drought and the rising cost of everything used in farming.About one-third of Arkansas is in exceptional drought, the worst category listed by the U.S. Drought Monitor, and most of the remainder of the state is in either the second or third worst categories.“We’ve had several years of pretty tough conditions,” Hodges said. Gutter noted that there is a series of disasters around the nation and that the drought affecting Arkansas agriculture is just one of them. More than one-third of the counties in the United States, about 1,300 out of 3,144, are already included in a nationwide disaster declaration, he said.Gutter’s trip to Arkansas is the last leg of a three-state tour that included Kentucky and Tennessee.Farmers at the meeting also called for the opening of additional markets, including Cuba, for American-grown rice.Arkansas leads the nation in rice production. | 农业 |
2017-09/0194/en_head.json.gz/12511 | Hydroponics is no dirt farming
By Molly Hadfield
Updated: May 20, 2014, 5:19 pm
GREAT BEND, Kansas – Since Rita Taylor co-founded Four Star Hydroponics in 1999, her company hasn’t had to battle Mother Nature to grow heirloom tomatoes, kale, basil and mint.
“I don’t have a drought,” says Taylor. “And the good news is, is we can control all the aspects of the environment.”
The company can grow up to 350,000 plants at a time, and some are harvested in as little as two weeks by using a water system instead of soil to nourish their crops, which provides a consistent environment.
“The nutrients go in that end of the trough system, and they come back to this end, this pipe right here, is carrying all of the nutrients back to the greenhouse, so it goes into a tank, it’s filtered, and it’s re-circulated,” says Taylor.
Because the water re-circulates in all four of these greenhouses, over the course of a year it uses a little over 800,000 gallons of water which is less than a city pool uses over a summer.
We can grow 25 times the amount of plants in this small facility than we could grow outside, but we would only use a quarter of the water,” said Taylor.
The farm already distributes to Dillon’s stores and will start to send produce to Walmart soon.
A growing business for Rita, but one she thinks will be farming choice of the future.
“I’m considered a farmer, but it’s alternative agriculture and I think you’re going to see so much more of that in the future with our water problems.”
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2017-09/0194/en_head.json.gz/12863 | Industry Scientists creating plants that make their own fertilizer
By Washington University
August 22, 2013 | 2:49 pm EDT
Since the dawn of agriculture people have exercised great ingenuity to pump more nitrogen into crop fields. Farmers have planted legumes and plowed the entire crop under, strewn night soil or manure on the fields, shipped in bat dung from islands in the Pacific or saltpeter from Chilean mines and plowed in glistening granules of synthetic fertilizer made in chemical plants.
No wonder Himadri Pakrasi’s team is excited by the project they are undertaking. If they succeed, the chemical apparatus for nitrogen fixation will be miniaturized, automated and relocated within the plant so that nitrogen is available when it is needed and where it is needed and only then and there.
“That would really revolutionize agriculture,” says Pakrasi, Ph.D., the Myron and Sonya Glassberg/Albert and Blanche Greensfelder Distinguished University Professor and Director of the International Center for Advanced Renewable Energy and Sustainability (I-CARES) at Washington University in St. Louis.
Engineering with biological partsMuch of modern agriculture relies on biologically available nitrogenous compounds (called “fixed” nitrogen) made by an industrial process, developed by German chemist Fritz Haber in 1909. The importance of the Haber-Bosch process, as it was eventually called, can hardly be overstated; today the fertilizer it produces allows us to feed a population roughly a third larger than the planet could sustain without synthetic fertilizer.
On the other hand, the Haber-Bosch process is energy intensive, and the reactive nitrogen released into the atmosphere and water as run-off from agricultural fields causes a host of problems, including respiratory illness, cancer, and cardiac disease.
Pakrasi thinks it should be possible to design a better nitrogen-fixing system. His idea is to put the apparatus for fixing nitrogen in plant cells, the same cells that hold the apparatus for capturing the energy in sunlight.
The National Science Foundation recently awarded Pakrasi and his team more than $2.3 million to explore this idea farther. The grant will be administered out of I-CARES, a university-wide center that supports collaborative research regionally, nationally, and internationally in the areas of energy, the environment, and sustainability. This award is one of four funded by the National Science Foundation jointly with awards funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council in the United Kingdom. The teams will collaborate with one another and meet regularly to share progress and successes.
A proof of principleAs a proof of principle Pakrasi and his colleagues plan to develop the synthetic biology tools needed to excise the nitrogen fixation system in one species of cyanobacterium (a phylum of green bacteria formerly considered to be algae) and paste it into a second cyanobacterium that does not fix nitrogen.
The team includes: Tae Seok Moon, PhD, and Fuzhong Zhang, PhD, both assistant professors of energy, environmental and chemical engineering in the School of Engineering at Washington University, and Costas D. Maranas, Donald B. Broughton Professor in the Chemical Engineering Department at Pennsylvania State University.
“Ultimately what we want to do is take this entire nitrogen-fixation apparatus—which evolved once and only once—and put it in plants,” Pakrasi says. “Because of the energy requirements of nitrogen fixation we want to put it in chloroplasts, because that’s where the energy-storing ATP molecules are produced.” In effect, the goal is to convert all crop plants, not just the legumes, into nitrogen fixers.
Amazing cycling chemistryAll cyanobacteria photosynthesize, storing the energy of sunlight temporarily in ATP molecules and eventually in carbon-based molecules, but only some of them fix nitrogen. Studies of the evolutionary history of 49 strains of cyanobacteria suggest that their common ancestor was capable of fixing nitrogen and that this ability was then repeatedly lost over the course of evolution.
The big hurdle to redesigning nitrogen fixation, however, is that photosynthesis and nitrogen fixation are incompatible processes. Photosynthesis produces oxygen as a byproduct and oxygen is toxic to nitrogenase, the enzyme needed to fix nitrogen. This is why most organisms that fix nitrogen work in an anaerobic (oxygenless) environment.
Cyanobacteria that both photosynthesize and fix nitrogen separate the two activities either in space or in time. Cyanothece 51142, a cyanobacterium Pakrasi’s lab has studied for more than 10 years, does it through timing.
Cyanothece 51142 has a biological clock that allows it to photosynthesize during the day and fix nitrogen at night. During the day the cells photosynthesize as fast as they can, storing the carbon molecules they create in granules. Then, during the night, they burn the carbon molecules as fast as they can. This uses up all the oxygen in the cell, creating the anaerobic conditions needed for nitrogen fixation.
Thus the environment within the cell oscillates daily between the aerobic conditions needed for capturing the energy in sunlight and the anaerobic conditions needed for fixing nitrogen.
A single mega transferThe scientists have chosen their proof-of-principle project very carefully to maximize the odds it will work.
Cyanothece 51142 is particularly attractive as a parts source for the project because it has the largest contiguous cluster of genes related to nitrogen fixation of any cyanobacterium. Roughly 30 genes are part of the same functional unit under the control of a single operating signal, or promoter.
The scientists hope this cluster of genes can be moved to another cyanobacterial strain in a single mega-transfer. The one they’ve picked as the host, Synechocystis 6803, is the best studied strain of cyanobacteria. Not only has its genome been sequenced, it is naturally “transformable” and able to integrate foreign DNA into its genome by swapping it with similar native strands of DNA.
But it’s actually the next step in the project that will provide the greater challenge for Pakrasi and his team. The scientists will need to figure out how to connect the transplanted nitrogen-fixing gene cluster to Synechocystis’ clock. “Like every cyanobacterium,” Pakrasi says, “ Synechocystis has a diurnal rhythm. But how to tap into that rhythm we don’t know yet. We have some ideas we’re going to test, but that’s where the challenge lies.”
Overcoming the challenge of sustainably producing food for a world population of more than 7 billion while reducing pollution and greenhouse gases will require more than luck. Odds are it will take a daring, “out of the box” idea like this one.
nitrogen-fixingreactive nitrogenAgriculturefertilizersynthetic fertilizer About the Author: | 农业 |
2017-09/0194/en_head.json.gz/12919 | Cover crop cocktails are more than a salad bar Feb 15, 2017 5 ways to celebrate National FFA Week Feb 17, 2017 Seedstock Directory Dec 28, 2015 Directing nature? Gene editing offers big potential Feb 16, 2017 brought to you by
Do We Take The High Or The Low Road?
Troy Marshall 2 | Jul 01, 2011
While the Cattlemen’s Beef Board (CBB) debacle came to a head this week with the resignation of CEO Tom Ramey, it really began with letters delivered in the last two weeks as state cattlemen’s organizations and beef councils started weighing in. Several months ago, the letters were telling the CBB leadership to merely get their act together and knock off the political games. The letters that began arriving more recently – from Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Florida, Colorado, Ohio, Nebraska, Georgia and numerous other states – were pretty hard to ignore. They essentially carried two messages: • One focused on the Rules and Responsibilities document and the serious concerns state leaders had over it. • The other raised concerns about the radical restructuring and asked for the resignation of the CEO and chairman of the CBB in light of what had transpired. Almost universally, the Rules and Responsibilities document was condemned as a significant overreach by the CBB Executive Committee. It was seen as an attempt to usurp power from state beef councils and their representatives as well as to consolidate that new power under the authority and control of the CBB Executive Committee. To his credit, CBB CEO Tom Ramey made the decision to resign. Meanwhile, CBB Chairman Tom Jones has been out of the country so it’s not known how he will respond to the demands for his resignation. This was a step that had to be taken for there to be a chance at rebuilding trust and moving forward again. While most consider it a positive first step, it merely begins the process of putting us in a position to start moving forward. There are still important issues to be resolved. The resignation(s) merely returns us to the crossroads; as an industry we still have to decide whether to take the high road or the low road. The high road is to begin to focus, once again, on building beef demand and making the environment better for beef producers. The low road is to degenerate into another political war that ultimately leads to the destruction of the checkoff. While the overwhelming majority of the industry is demanding the industry move forward and look ahead in a positive manner, a minority still is intent on pushing their political agenda regardless of the ultimate consequences. While there are emotions and bitterness that only time will heal, we are at the point where we either decide to quit fighting or decide to fight to the death. After being forwarded the response letters sent to state cattlemen’s associations by certain CBB members who are ardent opponents of policies of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), it’s obvious that some believe that damaging NCBA is worth any cost. Thankfully, most have rejected these attempts to divide the industry and are rejecting these games, seeing them for what they are. This whole fiasco has been filled with ironies. The first is that no one believes there was any type of attempt to use checkoff funds inappropriately or that the CBB failed in its primary goal of assuring compliance. Secondly, no one believes the work done by NCBA or the state beef councils on behalf of the beef industry in building demand has been anything but exemplary. The results have been phenomenal. It’s ironic that we have always worried about checkoff funds being used for political purposes, and guarded that firewall fiercely, but didn’t anticipate that other groups would use the checkoff as a political weapon. There are other ironies as well: • We were always worried that NCBA would somehow benefit from being the primary contractor, but never anticipated that its role in building beef demand would be used as a means to damage its brand. • We worried about having enough producer control of the program and avoiding the power the government asserted in other commodity checkoff programs, yet we are seeing efforts to consolidate power with an Executive Committee that is politically appointed. • We worried about efficiency and duplication of efforts, yet a return to the structure that created those very inefficiencies is now being advocated. • We were always aware of those groups that wanted to destroy the checkoff and even challenged it in court, yet those very groups were embraced while the biggest long-term supporters of the checkoff were ostracized. But perhaps the greatest irony is that some people were somehow able to convince others that demand building was political by its nature and thus justified the inclusion of political games in the administration of the checkoff. Perhaps this irony is also the most damning. When one takes a step back and tries to analyze all that’s transpired, there are only a couple of results – damage to NCBA and the checkoff brands. Neither outcome should be considered a worthy goal. One thing that needs no explanation is that we all have a stake in building beef demand. A rising tide raises all ships. Yet, we advanced a radical restructuring of the checkoff under the false assumption that building demand has political ramifications. I asked leader after leader for examples of where one project designed to build beef demand helped one region over another, or one size of producer over another, or even one segment over another. They could not cite a single example. There’s no escaping the conclusion that this sad episode was always about policy, and those who oppose NCBA’s policy positions believing they could hurt NCBA by attacking it through the checkoff. Further, there was irony in attempts at consolidation of power to the Executive Committee by taking it away from the state beef councils and operating committee. We voted down two referendums because we didn’t want government appointees running the checkoff. Yet, had that consolidation of power been successful, the result would have taken power away from volunteer leaders. Lastly, nobody believes such a change would have altered who the primary contractor is or would be. There simply is no other organization other than NCBA with the skill sets or desire to undertake the work. NCBA operates its checkoff-funded efforts on a cost-recovery basis; there is no profit in it. And, NCBA doesn’t get paid until the job is done, so NCBA must bear the cost of carrying out all the projects before it gets paid. Though it’s taken awhile to get here, we’re now approaching the critical crossroads. Without question, there will be lingering bitterness for quite some time, and it will take time to rebuild this fractured trust. However, for the good of the industry, there must be a point where both sides put down their weapons and return to the business with which they are charged. This isn’t the end but rather a beginning. As an industry, we can’t allow ourselves to be dragged down this road again. If it isn’t about building beef demand, then it shouldn’t be part of the checkoff discussion. The CBB, the Federation of State Beef Councils, NCBA and individual producers have made it clear they don’t want to go down this path again. We must do what is right for the industry, and it’s time to ensure that a radical fringe of politically motivated individuals never again use the checkoff as their own personal political weapon. I salute all those individuals who stood up and made their voices heard. It’s allowed us to reach this critical juncture. There is only one way that the industry wins, and that is if we all decide that now is the time to retake the high road.
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2017-09/0194/en_head.json.gz/14927 | Cover crop cocktails are more than a salad bar Feb 15, 2017 5 ways to celebrate National FFA Week Feb 17, 2017 Seedstock Directory Dec 28, 2015 Directing nature? Gene editing offers big potential Feb 16, 2017 Livestock>Beef Quality Supporters Of BPI's Product Say, "Dude, It's Beef!" Media hype over the quality and safety of lean, finely textured beef used in hamburger sold by Beef Products, Inc., has resulted in misrepresentation of the quality and nutrition of the product, supporters say. By Loretta Sorensen | Mar 30, 2012
A host of governmental officials and beef industry leaders gathered in the Midwest this week to tour the South Sioux City, NE, beef processing company, Beef Products, Inc. (BPI), and address the media in regard to their disappointment with the recent media frenzy over what has been widely referred to as “pink slime.”
Governors Rick Perry of Texas, Terry Branstad of Iowa, and Sam Brownback of Kansas, as well as Lieutenant Governors Rick Sheehy of Nebraska and Matt Michels of South Dakota, toured the BPI facility and then took part in a subsequent nine-member panel featured at a press conference to express their support of BPI. The company has recently experienced serious economic fallout from what it says is an inaccurate and unsubstantiated accusation that BPI is adding unsafe and unhealthy products to its hamburger.
Among the industry officials also taking part in the tour and panel were Gary Acuff, director of the Texas A&M University Center for Food Safety; Elisabeth Hagen, USDA Undersecretary for Food Safety; and Nancy Donley, past president of STOP (listen to Donley's comments here), a non-profit organization she has spearheaded since her six-year-old son Alex died due to an E. coli poisoning in 1993.
Acuff noted that sensationalized reports about the process used to obtain lean finely textured beef (LFTB) products for processing and the nutritional quality of the end product were a “misrepresentation of the characteristics of lean beef trimmings.”
“It’s being called a cheap, low-quality product,” Acuff says, but it's a safe, sustainable product borne from consumer demands over the past 30 years. It helps ensure that consumers have the lean products they desire. The process makes use of advanced intervention technology to reduce the risk of food-borne disease. It is a responsible use of as much use as possible of the lean meat from a beef carcass.”
Governors mobilize
Brownback noted that the media hype (listen to Brownback's comments here) has already resulted in closure of a BPI facility in Kansas, which idled 300 employees. BPI facilities in Waterloo, IA, and Amarillo, TX, were also closed this week. Perry commented that he was uncertain as to why the subject of LFTB had become such a focal point.
“In Texas, beef is a $7.5-billion-dollar industry,” Perry said. “When we have these kinds of false rumors that have the potential to take down an entire company (like BPI), that really hits close to home. If the media feels that one of its responsibilities is to protect the public, it’s important for the media to be responsible to answer to the public. It is the public that’s being hurt here. I advise media leaders to ask and answer the question as to whether one individual has been poisoned, become sick or died from a product that came out of (BPI).”
“Pink slime” is a term coined in a 2002 e-mail that former USDA microbiologist Gerald Zirnstein sent to his colleagues, expressing his concern over the quality of the beef products resulting from the use of ammonium hydroxide in the processing method. Ammonium hydroxide is ammonia combined with water. The compound is used extensively in food processing, including baked goods, cheeses, chocolates and puddings. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration affirmed use of ammonium hydroxide in 1974 after extensive review of scientific literature about the compound and a detailed rule making process.
Use of ammonium hydroxide elevates pH in finished product. This is important, BPI says, because bacteria, especially gram-negative bacteria, like E coli 0157:H7 and salmonella, prefer an environment with a lower pH. By raising the pH, the odds of any pathogenic bacteria in the finished product are greatly reduced.
Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver’s name is connected to at least some of the YouTube “pink slime” videos. Oliver is a British chef who began campaigning in the UK nearly 10 years ago to raise awareness of the obesity epidemic in children. Oliver’s mission brought him to Huntington, WV, in 2010 to launch a movement to transform U.S. eating habits and produce and star in his first U.S. primetime network series (featured on ABC), “Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution.” The show received an Emmy for Outstanding Reality Series.
Media misrepresentation charged
Acuff noted that “much harm” has been done to consumers through the use of the derogatory “pink slime” term and “documentaries” misrepresenting LFTB as a “filler.”
“We would like to see the media stop misrepresenting LFTB,” Acuff said. “When there are so many legitimate issues to concern ourselves with regarding food safety, it amazes me how we choose to ignore those hazards of greater significance and focus on issues that can be sensationalized to get attention, regardless of the reality of the concern. If the same amount of time and effort were focused on directing consumers how to properly cook foods, we might actually save some lives.”
Hagen noted that the USDA will not eliminate hamburger containing LFTB from school food choices, primarily because of the nutritional, low-fat quality and cost-effectiveness of the meat. Schools, however, will be able to choose whether or not they purchase hamburger containing LFTB, although alternative products are more costly.
Sheehy expressed concern over the potential beef price increase the hysteria could initiate. He also noted that the public may opt to purchase a higher fat product, which would have an undesirable impact on obesity issues.
“Over the past 20 years, we’ve worked to encourage people to consume leaner beef,” Sheehy said. “This unwarranted scare could drive up prices and cause consumers to purchase higher fat products. I hope the ‘Dude its beef!’ slogan catches on. That’s what this is, beef.”
Sally Greenberg, National Consumers League executive director, provided a written statement to conference attendees. She noted that, “food scientists and consumer organizations agree that LFTB is safe. BPI pioneered food safety interventions to significantly reduce the risk of pathogens in the meat they produced. Their use of ammonia in small amounts was used to reduce the risk of pathogenic E. coli in their product, and these levels never have posed a health risk to consumers.”
More information about LFTB is available at www.beefproducts.com; www.beefisbeef.com and www.nclnet.org.
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2017-09/0194/en_head.json.gz/15583 | dansk Deutsch español Français italiano Nederlands norsk português suomeksi svenska The Organic Center to Unite Industry Influencers for 7th Annual VIP Dinner at Natural Products Expo West
from The Organic Center Featured speakers Andrew Weil, M.D., Sara Snow, Horst Rechelbacher, Margaret Wittenberg and Dr. Charles Benbrook to address guests on critical health benefits of organic food and farming
BOULDER, Colo., Feb. 23 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Organic Center (the Center), a leading research institute focused on the science of organic food and farming, will hold its 7th annual VIP dinner during Natural Products Expo West at the Anaheim Marriott's Platinum Ballroom on March 12, 2010. The cocktail reception will take place from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. with the dinner following from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased on the Center's website at: https://www.organic-center.org. A press briefing on 'the state of the organic industry' will be held at 6 p.m.
The event celebrates the Center's advances in understanding the science behind the benefits of organic food and farming and will raise funds for 2010 research initiatives. The dinner will be attended by a cross-section of industry leaders, environmental advocates, health care leaders, business innovators, government officials and academics. Guests will hear from key speakers Dr. Andrew Weil, renowned pioneer in integrative medicine, Sara Snow, green lifestyle author and TV host, Horst Rechelbacher, author and founder of Aveda and Intelligent Nutrients, Margaret Wittenberg, author and Global VP of Quality Standards and Public Affairs for Whole Foods Market, and the Center's chief scientist, Dr. Charles Benbrook, on the critical health and environmental benefits of organic food and farming. In addition, guests will experience a gourmet organic menu created by Chef Sandy Gendel of Pace (pronounced PAH-chay), a Los Angeles-based restaurant specializing in rustic Italian cuisine created from locally sourced organic ingredients. "We find ourselves at a critical point in time where climate change and human health are increasingly pressing issues that can be positively affected through the adoption of organic farming methods and the consumption of its output," said Joan Boykin, executive director for The Organic Center. According to Mark Retzloff, Chairman of the Board. "The Center's VIP Dinner is designed to celebrate everyone from newcomers to long-time advocates who have supported our mission of advancing and communicating credible science to help individuals live more healthfully."
In advance of the cocktail reception, the Center will host a press briefing where Dr. Charles Benbrook and key speakers will share insights on 'the state of the organic industry,' giving a recap of critical moments in the past year and projected trends. Specific emphasis will be given to the Center's upcoming research focus, which includes the mounting evidence of health risks associated with pesticide exposure in the diet, food safety, and the role of organic farming practices in mitigating global warming. To RSVP to the press briefing, please contact Mia Herron at [email protected]. To host a table for 10 guests, become an event sponsor, or make a tax-deductible donation, contact Steve Hoffman at [email protected] or (303) 499-1840. For opportunities to donate product to the dinner, please contact Jamie Kelly at [email protected]. About The Organic Center
The Organic Center's unique mission is to advance scientific research on the health and environmental benefits of organic food and farming, and to communicate those benefits to the public. As an independent nonprofit 501(c)(3) research and education organization, we envision improved health for the Earth and its inhabitants through conversion of agriculture to organic methods. All of The Organic Center's research reports, publications, consumer guides and videos are available free of charge on our website, www.organic-center.org.
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2017-09/0194/en_head.json.gz/15752 | Follow @thecattlesite News & Analysis Features Markets & Reports Sustainability Knowledge Centre Directory Events Our Shop NewsPeter Kendall New President of World Farmers Organisation31 March 2014 GLOBAL - Former NFU President Peter Kendall has been named the new President of the World Farmers Organisation.Mr Kendall was elected during the final session of the WFO General Assembly in Buenos Aries, Argentina, and succeeds the American Robert Carlson.
The WFO is made up of more than 50 national farmers’ organisations and agricultural co-operatives and was formed to improve the livelihoods of farmers and the viability of rural communities as well as ensuring coherence with other agriculture related activities, such as forestry, aquaculture, the environment, trade, research and education.
NFU President Meurig Raymond, who has been attending the five-day conference, said: “I would like to congratulate Peter on his election as President of the WFO. Over the past eight years he did an outstanding job for the NFU in promoting British agriculture, not just at home, but to a worldwide audience.
“I know that in this role he will show the same effort and enthusiasm to help develop key agricultural policies, including food security, climate change and trade.”
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2017-09/0194/en_head.json.gz/15875 | ABC invests $4.7 million for next gen almond farming, sustainability Feb 16, 2017 California wine grape industry seeks no-touch vineyard Feb 10, 2017 Jimi Valov: a proud ambassador of farming, community and pistachios Feb 13, 2017 Former Ariz. ginner Charlie Owen posthumously awarded Lifetime Achievement Award Feb 14, 2017 International partnership to develop a global plant gene bank information system
The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and Bioversity International are partnering with the Global Crop Diversity Trust to develop a powerful, but easy-to-use, Internet-based information management system for the world's plant gene banks. The nucleus of the system will be ARS's existing Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), a database that already houses information about the more than 480,000 accessions (distinct varieties of plants) in ARS’s National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS). In addition to serving as the information backbone of the NPGS, GRIN has been adopted by Canada’s national gene bank system as their information management system. ARS has a long-term commitment to maintaining and enhancing GRIN, which it began developing more than 20 years ago. As more genetic and agricultural data are generated about the wide range of plants preserved in gene banks around the world, the huge amount of information is increasingly difficult to manage and make accessible. This is especially the case for smaller gene banks in the developing world that may lack the capacity and resources to develop their own information management systems. Now, thanks to the partnership between the Global Crop Diversity Trust, ARS and Bioversity, software upgrades will enable the GRIN system to be used by gene banks of all sizes, making more information about more plants available to researchers. The new system will help gene banks conserve and use precious genetic resources more effectively, and also help researchers, farmers and producers make the best possible use of information. For example, ARS recently screened a key part of the U.S. wheat and barley collection to find genes that provide resistance to a new rust fungus, Ug99, that could threaten 80 percent of the world's wheat. Ug99 first surfaced in Uganda in 1999, and has since been found in Kenya and Ethiopia. The Global Crop Diversity Trust will contribute a $1.4 million grant to support this three-year project. ARS will contribute the equivalent of more than $900,000 in in-kind co-financing. Bioversity is providing its expertise in information systems and its strong links with gene banks, particularly in the developing world. ARS is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief scientific research agency. The Global Crop Diversity Trust is an independent international organization whose mission is to ensure the conservation and availability of crop diversity for food security worldwide. Bioversity International is the world's largest international research organization dedicated solely to the conservation and use of agricultural biodiversity. | 农业 |
2017-09/0194/en_head.json.gz/17736 | Speakout Progressive Picks About Us Submission Guidelines Contact Newsletter Sign-Up Job Openings Donate How to Give Why Donate? FAQ Testimonials Planned Giving More Ways to Give Colonialism and the Green Economy: Villagers Defy Pressure to Forfeit Farms for Carbon-Offset
Sunday, January 13, 2013 By Daniel C Marotta and Jennifer Coute-Marotta , Truthout | Report font size
Biofuel refinery in new industrial zone in Tapachula, an exporting city on the coast of Chiapas. With plans for expansion, there is a coffee plant to its left and an oil refinery being built on its right. Mexico is currently laying the foundation of a biofuel exporting industry. (Photo: Jennifer Coute-Marotta)
All names are fictitious as sources requested anonymity out of fear of retaliation. Anonymity and people's requests that no pictures be taken were prerequisites for attaining interviews. No one wanted to go on record in connection to a new, politically charged, government program. Consuela's identity, like most indigenous farmers of the Americas, is strongly connected to the heirloom maize seeds her family plants on their milpas every year. She is from one of the most isolated parts of Mexico, called Marques de Comillas, within the state of Chiapas. It is bordered to the northwest by the Montes Azules, or Blue Mountains, and by the Guatemalan border on the other three sides. It is a low-lying area dominated by wetlands, tropical forests and mosquitoes and gives way to the Peten rainforest as it sprawls out across Guatemala and northward into the Yucatan Peninsula. Truthout interviewed Consuela as part of an investigation into the growing biofuel industry, and she talked with dignity and defiance about the reasons why she and her village refuse to plant African Palms for biofuels on their land.
Biofuels are fuels derived from plants, with African Palm and Jatropha the two main biofuel crops in Chiapas. African Palm is a plant used widely as a foodstuff, especially in the developing world, while Jatropha is not. While the use of food crops for biofuels has been connected to increases in food prices and shortages, non-foodstuff biofuels should be implicated, too. Productive agricultural land is a scarce resource, and the more humanity relegates to biofuels, the less goes to the cultivation of food.
Biofuel plantations could double the monetary benefit for Mexico. The refined fuel can be exported, and the growing trees themselves may generate carbon credits. Through biosequestration, these African Palms take in carbon, which Mexico can then sell on the various carbon markets. (Photo: Jennifer Coute-Marotta)Biofuels are increasingly being viewed as a "green" source of energy as depleting oil and gas reserves are becoming harder to find and extract. Mexico plans to have 15 percent of its national demand for aviation fuels sourced from biofuels. Additionally, the country is laying the groundwork for a biofuel exporting industry. In Tapachula, an exporting city on the coast, a new industrial zone was created in which a biofuel refinery was recently built. It is sandwiched between a coffee packing plant and an oil refinery.
Mexico sees itself as a future leader in the fledgling "green" economy, and biofuel plantations could double the monetary benefit. Not only can the fuels be used and exported, the plantations themselves may be able to generate carbon credits. One ton of carbon "sequestered" in the palm trees as they grow would be equal to one carbon credit. The Mexican government could then sell those credits on the market to private entities interested in offsetting their carbon footprint. In an effort to spur this new economic frontier, Chiapas has been subsidizing farmers and landholders to plant African Palm or Jatropha plantations.
Accordingly, the villages surrounding Consuela's are said to be contributing to climate change mitigation by converting their agricultural plots and forest tracts to biofuel plantations. California, which has an agreement with Chiapas to monitor its carbon credit-generating activities, is deciding on whether to accept them as legitimate offset credits in its cap-and-trade scheme.
REDD protocol neither permits or denies monoculture plantations as acceptable projects for carbon credit generation. Yet, it most likely will. How is it that plantations of palm trees for oil production can be accepted under a mechanism designed to conserve forests of the Global South? (Photo: Jennifer Coute-Marotta)Truthout interviewed Anne Petermann, the executive director of Global Justice Ecology Project. GJEP is an organization researching the impacts of biofuels on indigenous populations in Chiapas. "The use of palm oil plantations as carbon offsets," she said, "will allow the world's biggest polluters to continue emitting greenhouse gases while pretending to mitigate them through offsetting. At the same time, communities that have traditionally cared for the land are being faced with forced evictions or economic pressure to convert their lands to biofuel plantations. Chiapas is yet another example of the dangers of putting too much emphasis on forest carbon offsets and biofuels as a means to mitigate climate change." Such carbon credit-generating projects may soon find a home in an international climate change mechanism known as REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation). REDD creates a financial incentive to conserve forests through the marketization of trees' natural ability to store carbon as biomass. Originally taking the form of individual carbon offset projects, REDD is morphing into national government programs in the Global South as the World Bank, other multinational institutions and the United Nations funnel money toward their creation.
Currently, REDD protocol neither permits nor denies biofuel plantations as an acceptable option for carbon credit generation. It likely will, however, considering that the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change includes plantations under its definition of a forest and views them as legitimate offset projects for countries signed onto the Kyoto Protocol (the United States is not a signatory). But how can a monoculture plantation of African Palm be accepted under a practice, the mission of which is to conserve forests? Until the problems surrounding the definition of a forest are resolved and unequivocally deny monoculture plantations as fitting that definition, attempts to save the world's forests will be subject to the interests of industry.
It is important to note that the European Union's Emissions Trading Scheme does not permit such offsets because "[these] projects cannot deliver permanent emissions reductions." Trees simply do not live forever.
Human-Induced Emissions: LULUCF
REDD attempts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions originating from a sector known by the acronym LULUCF. This sector covers emissions into and removals out of the atmosphere of greenhouse gases resulting from direct, human-induced Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry activities. When forests are cleared for agricultural land or paper production, for example, the carbon stocks in the forests are released into the atmosphere. Conversely, reforesting land previously used for agriculture sequesters carbon in the trees as they grow. LULUCF accounts for at least 18 percent of all global greenhouse gas emissions. It is important to note, however, that this does not include emissions related to agricultural practices themselves, such as fertilizer use or methane release from livestock, both of which are covered under a sector called agriculture (and which accounts for roughly 13 percent of global GHG (Greenhouse Gas) emissions.
Within the state of Chiapas, LULUCF accounts for 61.74 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions. While the clearing of forest land for agriculture accounts for roughly 2,000 Gg (gigatons) of in-state CO2 emissions per year, conversion of forests to land for pasture accounts for 6,000 Gg of CO2 emissions per year. This is telling because, unlike indigenous subsistence farmers, ranchers are backed by large-scale agribusiness interests and generate revenue for the state.
As of the publication of this article, there are no known REDD projects subsidizing Chiapan ranchers to reforest their pastures or convert them to African Palm plantations. This is surprising when one considers the fact that Mexico's first-listed "target" for 2020 is zero emissions related to land use change.
LULUCF accounts for 61% of all emissions in Chiapas, Mexico. 2/3 of them come from converting forests to make way for pastureland. However, there isn’t a single carbon offset project in Chiapas converting ranchlands to forests or biofuel plantations. (Photo: Jennifer Coute-Marotta)
Truthout attempted to interview the financial director of Mexico's REDD program, Mr. Jose Carlos Fernandez Ugalde. Although he initially agreed to answer e-mailed questions, none of them were returned with an answer. Mr. Ugalde declined to comment regarding whether biofuel plantations were intended to generate carbon credits and whether REDD projects were being developed for ranchlands. Since Mexico is still developing its overall national REDD strategy, it may not be known what projects its carbon credits are being generated from until they are placed on the market.
Like many other indigenous peoples in the state, Consuela believes Mexico's national REDD program is designed to fold Chiapas' indigenous populations into international markets, thereby "modernizing" the state. In this way, indigenous peoples, most of whom do not generate revenue for their governments, can become "productive members of society." By agreeing to plant African Palms, Consuela believes indigenous farmers are effectively cut off from an identity based on the land they cultivate, the cyclical nature of agriculture and the maize seeds they once planted. "And besides," she added, "what happens when the price of food goes up or the price of palm oil goes down?"
Wave of the Future
Truthout interviewed an agricultural scientist called "Juan Ignacio." He insisted on a pseudonym and no photographs for this report because he didn’t feel comfortable speaking on the record about a new government program he was a part of creating. He is part of a team at an experimental agricultural site working to create more productive biofuel sources. Citing some drawbacks, he stated there is an abundance of biomass waste (i.e. carbon released back into the atmosphere through burning) from the cultivation of African Palm. Also, Jatropha, which produces very good quality oils, produces yields much too low to make it economically viable. "A farmer can make more selling black beans at the market," he stated, "than by growing Jatropha for biofuels." Yet, he maintained that biofuels are the wave of the future as fossil fuels are phased out as humanity's primary source of energy.
Government sponsored experimental plantation of Jatropha, located in Tapachula. Many indigenous farmers are opposed to plantations on grounds that it ruins their way of life. A moot point, says an agricultural scientist, because corn can be planted between the rows of trees. (Photo: Jennifer Coute-Marotta)
But are biofuels really that benign when compared to their petrochemical counterparts? While it is true that biofuels can significantly reduce the amount of carbon pollution when compared to fossil fuels within specific situations, they can easily be more detrimental to the environment. According to a 2009 report by the United Nations Environment Program, "[The] indirect impacts of biofuel production, like the destruction of natural habitats . . . to expand agricultural land, may have larger environmental impacts than the direct effects."
Take, for example, Indonesia. It is the third highest emitter of carbon dioxide in the world, with roughly 90 percent of it coming from the LULUCF sector. It is the world's largest producer of palm oil, supplying over 40 percent of the world's market. Thousands of hectares of peat swamp forests, a forest type with one of the highest stores of carbon, are lost every year to make way for African Palm plantations.
A study published in 2008 in the Journal of Conservation Biology compared carbon emissions between biofuel use and the use of fossil fuels. The study found that if the biofuels were derived from peat swamp forests deforested to make way for African Palm plantations - as happens in Indonesia - it would take 692 years for the emissions saved from converting to biofuels to account for the emissions lost through the deforestation. While peat swamp forests are not present in Chiapas, Mexico, rainforests are. The same study found that it would take between 75 and 92 years for the deforestation of rainforests to be made up by the use of biofuels derived from those deforested lands. Neither of these statistics accounts for other emissions in the life cycle of palm oil, such as the environmental costs of shipping or those released through their actual use.
Additionally, African Palm is economically productive for about 25 years. After that, the trees have to be cut down and new ones planted, thus releasing the carbon they sequestered over the production period. Also, as Consuela noted in our interview, the farmers who agree to grow palms are more dependent on food sources from outside the area, as they no longer make their own tortillas or grow their own vegetables. That, and the newly created dependence on industrial fertilizers and pesticides work to both reduce the amount of net CO2 reductions and destroy a way of life.
We Want Out
Besides their environmental impacts, monoculture plantations of palm oil, or any other crop, have social impacts as well. Consuela is opposed to biofuel plantations on grounds that they ruin the environment and a way of life. Yet, Juan Ignacio believes that opposition to biofuel plantations based on the preservation of an indigenous identity is a moot point. Through intercropping, or the growing of foodstuffs between rows of African Palm, the identity of indigenous farmers can be preserved while at the same time offering a source of income that could lift them out of poverty. The issue is made worse, though, he asserted, because the Mexican government is not explaining intercropping, or at least the extent of opportunity it could bring to the indigenous people who are presented with a contract to convert their lands to plantations for biofuels.
Consuela, again, had a different story to tell. When presented with an unsigned contract by the Mexican government to grow African Palms, intercropping is, in fact, explained to the farmers. It is described as an integral part of the cultivation cycle. Consuela was told she'd be able to plant corn and vegetables, while at the same time adding a new source of income for her family. The planting of African Palm was portrayed as all gain and no loss by representatives of her government.
When the African Palms start growing, there is plenty of space between the rows. Farmers receive the subsidy while at the same time growing their own food. But after a few years, the palm trees grow high and the crowns fill out enough to block sunlight from sufficiently reaching the crops growing in between. The lack of sunlight, along with the degradation of the soil through intense chemical use, makes it so their crops can no longer grow.
Consuela told Truthout about a man from a neighboring village who, after realizing that intercropping was not a feasible option, decided to burn down his African Palm plantation. He was arrested, charged with breaking his contract and put in jail. It was only through the arrest and court proceedings that he learned his plantation was generating carbon credits. He had never heard of the carbon market before. Now, as other farmers are realizing the same things, they wonder what they're going to do. Many wished they hadn't entered into the contract, but at the same time, they don't want to go to jail. They feel they've been tricked, and they want out.
An indigenous farmer destroyed his plantation when he realized the palms destroy his soil and prevent the growing of corn and vegetables. He was arrested and, only through court proceedings, learned of his plantation generating carbon credits for the Mexican government. (Photo: Jennifer Coute-Marotta)
According to REDD protocol, people participating in the generation of carbon credits are supposed to be fully informed of what they are doing, and why. It is a human right dedicated specifically to indigenous peoples, and is called Free, Prior, and Informed Consent. It is based on the basic premise that we all have a right to decide what happens on our own lands and, as indigenous peoples often inhabit lands rich in natural resources and traditionally engage in collective ownership and decision-making practices, it is especially important for them to be protected. Yet, by failing to be educated on the carbon market and by inaccurately being informed of the practical consequences of entering into the contract, the human and indigenous rights of the people of Marques de Comillas have been violated.
But as long as there is a market for carbon credits, indigenous people like those surrounding Consuela's village will continue to lose out. As long as societies in the Global North continue to seek offsets for their carbon footprint, instead of learning ways to reduce it, communities in the Global South will continue to be forced into changing their way of life for the sake of "sustainable development." And this will continue to happen regardless of the dubious effectiveness of these projects in the mitigation of climate change.
The foresight of Consuela's village paid off, but it's surely a small consolation as they watch their neighbors lose their land and indigenous identity for the sake of those who pollute the Earth at vastly higher proportions than they. Copyright, Truthout. May not be reprinted without permission of the author.
Daniel C Marotta and Jennifer Coute-Marotta Jennifer Coute-Marotta is a photographer and journalist exposing life through her lens. Her work can be viewed here.
Daniel C. Marotta is a writer and journalist working on a collection of short stories. Related StoriesBiofuels, Speculators Driving Food Price SurgesBy Amanda Wilson, Inter Press Service | ReportBiofuels and the Right to Food: Time for the US to Get its Head Out of the SandBy Timothy A Wise, Triple Crisis | Op-Ed Show Comments
Colonialism and the Green Economy: Villagers Defy Pressure to Forfeit Farms for Carbon-Offset | 农业 |
2017-09/0194/en_head.json.gz/18260 | Future Farms Of America Might Not Include Much Family By Jessica Stoller-Conrad
Jan 31, 2013 TweetShareGoogle+Email Honey, what if the kids don't want it?
Goran Ljubisavljevic
It may sound like a line from The Godfather, but some agricultural specialists advise that farming isn't personal; it's business. And family farms need to think and act more like a business to survive in a competitive world, says Bernie Erven, professor emeritus in the department of agricultural economics at Ohio State University. Last week, Erven spoke to farmers at the Growing Michigan Agriculture Conference about how to improve their practices to recruit, hire and keep the best employees by using modern methods, like social media. But the message may be a tough sell. Family farms are an iconic American institution, and they make up nearly 96 percent of farms in America, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. And it's hard for some folks to hear that the best hire might not be your sister's kid who needs a summer job baling hay. "If you hire a family member who isn't qualified, who doesn't fit the position, and maybe doesn't even want the position, then it's ... unlikely the person would succeed," Erven says. "Thus [it's] not helping the business and not helping the family." If family farms don't approach hiring in a professional way, there are some uncertainties for both the farm and its employees, he says. "[Will] they treat adding employees as a family matter or is it a business decision?" he says. According to the 2007 USDA Census of Agriculture, U.S. farms spend a total of $21.9 billion per year employing 2.6 million hired workers. Streamlining and standardizing hiring processes on family farms could have a significant economic impact. New outside hiring practices could even help farm families alleviate the expectations of both parents and children. "This argument that you owe it to your children to have a place for them in the farm business, I have trouble with that. Because the other side of that coin is that then your children owe it to you to stay home, even if they don't want to," Erven says. Additionally, a diverse labor force can help boost the farm's main goal: efficient food production. For example, dairy workers who have experience working with different cattle breeds may bring fresh perspectives and new techniques — additions that can improve farming practices, Erven tells The Salt. But pushing the family out of family farms can have disadvantages, too, Jennifer Fahy, communications director at Farm Aid, says in an email. "The family farm is a place where kids grow up and learn responsibility and skills ... they're also learning values and traditions," she says. Fahy says that the American farming workforce is aging and in desperate need of young farmers to carry on the tradition. "A major factor in young people being interested in becoming farmers is the exposure they receive on their family's farm," she says. "That process of farmers passing down their life's work and traditions to the next generations is so important to the fabric of our food production system and culture." Farm managers might be able to find the most qualified employees outside of the family, but Fahy says that family tradition is also an important consideration. "There's something beyond experience and skills at work when a family farmer can involve the next generation," she says.Copyright 2013 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/. TweetShareGoogle+EmailView the discussion thread. © 2017 Alabama Public Radio | 农业 |
2017-09/0194/en_head.json.gz/18890 | 0 How farmers' field schools transform the lives of farmers in Zanzibar Friday, 01 July 2011 00:00 Teaching poor farmers better ways to produce poultry and vegetables helps them increase their incomes and improve their families’ living conditions - Image Credit : fhi.org
Teaching poor farmers better ways to produce poultry and vegetables helps them increase their incomes and improve their families’ living conditions Through farmer's field schools, small-scale producers learn new methods and share useful experiences, joining in groups to make the most of their agricultural potential. Two IFAD-funded programmes support more than 200 farmers’ field schools in Zanzibar, working to empower small-scale farmers to overcome poverty.
Over centuries, the Zanzibar Archipelago has been an important trading centre, where many types of commodities such as ivory and gold, mainly from the Tanzanian mainland, were traded on the flourishing local market and also found their way to foreign markets. Although the islands have been a magnet for trade, the profits have not benefited many islanders because the key business players were foreigners, mainly from Oman and other Arab countries. To date, a large proportion of the population of the archipelago remains poor.
Increasing productivity
To improve their livelihood and help increase agricultural productivity, an IFAD supported programme, the Agricultural Services Support Programme and the Agricultural Sector Development Programme - Livestock (ASSP/ASDP-L) implemented an innovative adult education approach, Farmer Field Schools (FFS). Unlike traditional approaches, which rely on extension workers providing advice to farmers, FFS enable groups of farmers to find out the answers for themselves. That means farmers can develop solutions to their own problems.
They are far more likely to put what they have learned into practice than if they had been presented with ready-made but possibly inappropriate solutions. FFS have proven to be a very useful approach for helping African farmers improve how they manage their land and water. Numerous projects throughout Africa have shown that they result in improved soils, better yields and higher income for farmers. The approach was first developed in Southeast Asia in the late 1980s for pest management.
Better seeds
In Zanzibar, FFS were set up for both livestock and crop growing to improve farming techniques. By the end of 2008, the ASSP/ASDP-L had established 217 farmer field schools, with a total membership of 4,192 farmers. The training is given by facilitators who are professional agricultural extension officers working with the ASSP/ASDP-L, and ranges from the management of farming activities in livestock to the selection of better seeds that will yield a good harvest.
The farmer field school’s members engage in a farming activity that depends on the type of crop grown in the area.
Half are women
Some schools are involved in cultivating bananas, paddy, cassava or vegetables, while others are engaged in livestock husbandry. Just over half of the farmers attending farmer field schools are women. “Most of these FFS are led by women, in an effort to ensure the high participation of women in economic activities,” said Zaki Khamis, coordinator for the ASSP/ASDP-L programme in Zanzibar.
Mwajina Hassan Nassib, the wife of a retired soldier, grows vegetables and keeps a dairy goat at her vegetable farm in Kitope, about 20 km north of Zanzibar Town. Her farm plot is about one hectare. She grows tomatoes, amaranth, onions, eggplants and other produce, which she sells locally to individual consumers and nearby hotels. She is one of the farmers who have benefited from the FFS training offered by ASSP/ASDP-L. Likewise, her neighbours have also adopted the new farming methods.
“I am earning more than before,” she said. “I can now pay school fees for my children and I am able to support other extended family members.” Mwajina’s goat provides manure for her farm, thus she does not have to buy industrial fertiliser. She earns money by selling vegetables, which she can use to buy medicine and feed for her goat. In her view, marketing is not a problem as the market is not saturated. But she faces other challenges. One is the scarcity of water to irrigate her farm during the dry season. “I sometimes use tap water for irrigation but it is too expensive, as I have to pay a monthly bill for it. And that reduces the profit margin on the produce,” she explained.
Poultry provides an important source of income for smallholders on Zanzibar. Farmers were previously using a free range method whereby chickens were free to roam about in search of food. They didn’t have proper housing and feed, resulting in low poultry production and loss of income. The FFS established groups of 15 to 20 farmers to provide them with the knowledge and skills to better manage their farming activities. They learnt to develop a semi-intensive system and build a poultry house.
Sharing skills
Mwashamba Alhaji is a poultry farmer. She also heads a farmers’ group named Nguvu Sawa, literally ‘Equal Opportunity for All’, based in Jumbi in the outskirts of Stone Town. “For years I have been practising a free-range system, but I did not make as much profit as I am now earning through the use of improved poultry farming technology,” she said.
“Under the old method, if you wanted to sell your chickens it was difficult to catch them. Now, the chickens are partially confined so it is easier to manage them. Likewise, if you keep them free range there are a lot of disadvantages, such as vermin, theft and even disease transmission,” she added. Her neighbours have become aware of the good income she is earning from poultry farming. They, too, have started to adopt the new method. “I organised my neighbours into a group, and collectively we gathered building materials for our poultry house, which serves as a training centre for the group where we learn new farming practices and share skills with others,” she explained. | 农业 |
2017-09/0194/en_head.json.gz/19274 | Farm profits boom as employment declines
Sat Feb 2nd, 2013 9:26pmNews Bloomberg News
The property Kevin Liefer and his son, Kirk, cultivate in southern Illinois has been expanding for decades without adding a single manager. These are boom times for farming and a bust for farm jobs.
The 3,600 acres of mostly corn, wheat and soybeans the Liefers hold were about 30 separate, individually operated farms more than 40 years ago, said Kevin. As families left, the homesteads near Red Bud, about 40 miles southeast of St. Louis, melded into one operation.
Older tractors were replaced with models that cultivate more ground and serve as miniature offices, complete with global positioning systems that allow them to steer themselves. Mobile phones enable communication while in the fields.
“There’s so much more you can do now without as much labor,” said Kevin, 58. “The consolidation has been rapid.”
A U.S. farm boom showing few signs of a let-up isn’t translating into more opportunities in one of the most robust areas of the economy. Farmers, ranchers and other agricultural managers will see the steepest decline of any employment category by 2020, losing a projected 96,000 jobs this decade out of 1.2 million positions, part of a broader trend toward less labor in the sector, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The drop comes even as agricultural managers have the highest median wage of any of the top 20 declining categories, at more than $60,000 a year. Farm owners like the Liefers are able to manage larger tracts of land without hiring overseers. Full-time farm managers hired by others can handle more property for more clients, said Jerry Warner, a past president of the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers, a farm- management organization based in Denver.
Many of the fastest-declining U.S. job categories result from industry contraction: post offices closing because of lower mail volume and textiles factories because of outsourcing, for example. Agriculture is an expanding sector with rising profits, even as overall employment, including laborers, is projected to drop 2.3 percent over this decade.
Total planted acreage has risen in seven of the past 10 years, the prices of corn and soybeans reached records last year, and profits for 2012 of $114 billion are estimated to be second only to 2011, even after the worst drought since the 1930s. Farmer debt is near its lowest in at least 60 years of record-keeping while land prices are at an all-time high. Still, all 291,000 of the farm-manager positions expected to become available in the decade up to 2020 – net of those lost – will be replacement jobs, according to the Labor Department.
Consolidation tells only part of the story. The number of U.S. farms, which fell by half in the three decades up to 1986, dropped by just 3.1 percent in the past quarter-century, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. About one- quarter have sales of less than $100,000 annually and don’t need a full-time manager, while larger farms are more easily overseen by one person, said David Anderson, an agricultural economist at Texas A&M University in College Station.
Effective farm managers need to have multiple skills, Anderson said. They must deal with buyers, sellers and regulators of agricultural products, manage complex finances for multimillion-dollar operations, understand chemical and crop technology and like working outdoors, he said.
“The hours aren’t necessarily 8 to 5, and it’s not office work,” he said. “It’s outdoors. It’s snow, ice. It’s being able to see the signs that an animal is sick. You may need to be able to ride a horse. Not just anybody can hop up and do that.”
Managers hired at Farmers National Co., a real-estate and farm-management company in Omaha, Neb., where Warner is an executive vice president, preferably come from farm families, he said. They need a four-year degree in an agricultural-related field and five years of experience in rural lending, insurance, or perhaps with a Monsanto Co. seed-seller or Deere &Co. implement dealer. Such companies are also paying well, making it tougher to attract talent to oversee farms, he said.
Ken Schmitt manages about 13,000 acres of land for Farmers National near Jefferson, Iowa, about 50 miles northwest of Des Moines, working with about 60 different absentee owners of land used mainly to grow corn and soybeans.
That’s about twice as much property as would have been manageable when he started in 1986, he said. “Some owners are more active than others, but I can handle a lot more of them than I used to,” he said.
Financial software, better farming equipment and telecommunications that keeps him in touch with the farm owners, who range from investors to heirs, all make him more efficient, he said.
“It’s a lot easier to get in touch with someone and solve a problem immediately,” said Schmitt, who spends much of his day checking how crops are growing, recommending proper herbicides and assessing weather effects on properties up to 60 miles on either side of his office.
In the past, he would have to wait for farmworkers in far- flung fields to return before contacting them, sometimes after dark. Now they’re always reachable, as are the seed-sellers, chemicals merchants and grain buyers he works with. “I wouldn’t want to go back to the way we used to do things,” he said.
Greater farm prosperity is likely to increase the trend toward more automation and fewer managers in much of the United States, said Kristi Boswell, who handles labor issues for the American Farm Bureau Federation, the largest U.S. farmer group, in Washington.
With the exception of California and other warmer states, where crops that are hand-picked require managers to oversee crews, ever-larger farms need fewer people, she said.
“Rather than hire a full-blown manager, a lot of farmers will rely on themselves day-to-day,” she said. “With the prices we’ve seen in the past two years, you’re seeing capital investment that wasn’t available in the past.”
The Liefers farm a third more land than a decade ago, relying on family, a part-time hired hand – and modern machinery. Every tractor, combine and spreader has monitors that can supply weather and market data in the middle of a cornfield, said Kirk Liefer, 35.
The GPS systems steer the tractors to the most efficient planting paths. That allows Kirk to take phone calls and send text messages while out in the fields. Kevin, less enamored with texting-while-tractor-driving, said that sometimes he sits back to “just enjoy being in the great outdoors.”
Farming practices themselves have also lessened labor needs, the Liefers said. Their adoption of no-till farming, which eliminates plowing soil and instead relies on herbicides from companies including DuPont Co. to kill weeds normally eliminated through tillage, has significantly reduced the need for workers and managers to oversee them. The technique, increasingly common in crop production, gives them more time to cultivate ever-larger acreage on their own.
Still, for all their expansion and automation, the Liefers still see themselves as a family farm – maybe not surrounded by as many families, yet still carrying on that tradition. Being one’s own manager has always had appeal, and the father and son are making room for two of Kirk’s younger brothers, who will oversee their own parts of the operation.
“There are still plenty of opportunities in agriculture,” Kirk Liefer said. | 农业 |
2017-09/0194/en_head.json.gz/19993 | Forest Service Proposes Planning Rule, Seeks Comment
The rule provides a collaborative and science-based framework for creating land management plans that would support ecological sustainability and contribute to rural job opportunities.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service recently unveiled its proposed Forest Planning Rule that would establish a new national framework to develop land management plans that protect water and wildlife and promote vibrant communities.
Forest Service land management plans guide management activities on the 155 National Forests and 20 Grasslands in the National Forest System. The proposed planning rule provides a collaborative and science-based framework for creating land management plans that would support ecological sustainability and contribute to rural job opportunities. The proposed rule includes new provisions to guide forest and watershed restoration and resilience, habitat protection, sustainable recreation, and management for multiple uses of the National Forest System, including timber.
“This proposed planning rule seeks to conserve our forests for the benefit of water, wildlife, recreation, and the economic vitality of our rural communities,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “The proposed rule will provide the tools to the Forest Service to make our forests more resilient to many threats, including pests, catastrophic fire, and climate change. Healthy forests and economically strong rural communities form a solid foundation as we work to win the future for the next generation.”
Publication of the proposed planning rule in the Federal Register kicks off a 90-day public comment period, ending May 16. The Forest Service will use comments to develop a final rule. To encourage public engagement, the Forest Service is hosting an open forum to discuss the proposed rule on March 10 in Washington, D.C. and on the Web. Additional public forums are planned. The proposed rule, meeting information, and additional information can be found at www.fs.usda.gov/planningrule.
Highlights of the proposed planning rule include:
A more effective and efficient framework that would allow adaptive land management planning in the face of climate change and other stressors. Increased requirements for public involvement and collaboration throughout all stages of land management planning. Improved ability to respond to climate change and other stressors through provisions to restore and maintain healthy and resilient ecosystems. Increased protections for water resources and watersheds. More effective and proactive requirements to provide for diverse native plant and animal species. Provisions to guide the contributions of a National Forest or National Grassland to social and economic sustainability. Updated provisions for sustainable land, water and air-based recreation. Requirements to provide for integrated resource management of a range of multiple uses and values including outdoor recreation, range, timber, water, wildlife, wilderness, energy, mining, and ecosystem services. New requirements for a local and landscape-scale monitoring program that are based on the latest science. The proposed rule would update planning procedures that have been in place since 1982, creating a modern planning process that reflects the latest science and knowledge of how to create and implement effective land management plans.
To develop the proposed rule, the Forest Service held more than 40 public meetings and roundtables across the country that drew more than 3,000 participants, and hosted a blog to engage the public. Additionally, the Forest Service reviewed more than 26,000 comments on the notice of intent to issue a new planning rule.
The USDA Forest Service manages 193 million acres of forests and grasslands across the country. Drinking water for approximately one in five Americans comes from the National Forest System. American forests, including those in the National Forest System, also capture and store enough carbon every year to offset 11 percent of the nation’s industrial greenhouse gas emissions. | 农业 |
2017-09/0194/en_head.json.gz/21144 | From Saccharin to GE Seed, Report Profiles Monsanto’s History Peddling Chemicals for Food, Agriculture, War
Wednesday, April 3, 2013 - 9:29amFood & Water WatchContact: Anna Ghosh, aghosh(at)fwwatch(dot)org, 415-293-9905From Saccharin to GE Seed, Report Profiles Monsanto’s History Peddling Chemicals for Food, Agriculture, War
WASHINGTON - From its beginnings as a small chemical company in 1901, Monsanto has grown into the largest biotechnology seed company in the world with net sales of $11.8 billion, 404 facilities in 66 countries across six continents and products grown on over 282 million acres worldwide. Today, the consumer advocacy nonprofit Food & Water Watch released its report, Monsanto: A Corporate Profile.
“There is a growing movement of people around the country who want to take on Monsanto’s undue influence over lawmakers, regulators and the food supply,” said Wenonah Hauter, executive director of Food & Water Watch and author of the book Foodopoly. “People need to know about Monsanto’s history as a heavy industrial chemical manufacturer; a reality at odds with the environmentally friendly, feed-the-world image that the company spends millions trying to convey.”
“At the end of March, the American public saw first hand the unjustifiable power that Monsanto holds over our elected officials when an unprecedented rider, dubbed the ‘Monsanto Protection Act,’ was tacked onto the spending bill to fund the federal government,” said Dave Murphy, founder and executive director of Food Democracy Now! “This is an outrageous interference with our courts and separation of powers and we cannot sit back and allow our elected officials to continue to take orders from Monsanto at the expense of family farmers and consumers.”
The report offers a timeline of milestones in the company’s history including chemical disasters, mergers and acquisitions, and the first genetically modified plant cell.
“Despite its various marketing incarnations over the years, Monsanto is a chemical company that got its start selling saccharin to Coca-Cola, then Agent Orange to the U.S. military, and, in recent years, seeds genetically engineered to contain and withstand massive amounts of Monsanto herbicides and pesticides,” said Ronnie Cummins, executive director of Organic Consumers Association. “Monsanto has become synonymous with the corporatization and industrialization of our food supply.”
The report concludes with recommended actions for the federal government to take to temper Monsanto’s anticompetitive practices and control over agricultural research and government policies. It also suggests steps that regulators should take to better protect consumers and the environment from the potentially harmful effects of GE crops.
“Even though you won’t find the Monsanto brand on a food or beverage container at your local grocery store, the company holds vast power over our food supply,” said Rebecca Spector, West Coast Director, Center for Food Safety. “This power is largely responsible for something else we cannot find on our grocery store shelves — labels on genetically engineered food. Not only has Monsanto’s and other agribusinesses’ efforts prevented the labeling of GE foods, but they spend millions to block grassroots efforts like California’s Prop 37 in order to keep consumers in the dark.”
“The chemical pesticide industry, with Monsanto leading the way, took over U.S. seed industry and engineered bacterial genes into food crops with the primary purpose of selling more weed killer that contaminates our food, water and bodies," said David Bronner, the CEO of Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps and leader in GE food labeling campaigns across the country. "Just like the citizens of Europe, Japan and China, Americans deserve the right to opt out of the genetically engineered food science experiment.”
Monsanto: A Corporate Profile can be downloaded here: http://fwwat.ch/MonsantoProfile
###Food & Water Watch is a nonprofit consumer organization that works to ensure clean water and safe food. We challenge the corporate control and abuse of our food and water resources by empowering people to take action and by transforming the public consciousness about what we eat and drink.Organization Links
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2017-09/0194/en_head.json.gz/21768 | Share New Center to Battle Future Food Crises
By Pallava BaglaOct. 6, 2011 , 11:03 AM
NEW DELHI—Hoping to kick-start another green revolution, the Indian government on 5 October announced the creation of a research center to develop wheat and maize varieties that thrive in warmer temperatures and on degraded land. Launched in partnership with the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT) in Mexico, the Borlaug Institute for South Asia will employ 300 researchers across three sites in India. The center's establishment is a "momentous event in the history of global food security," claims CIMMYT Director General Thomas A. Lumpkin. South Asia's population is expected to swell from 1.6 billion today to 2.4 billion by 2050. By that time, CIMMYT predicts, almost a quarter of South Asia's wheat yield could be wiped out by global warming. "We are faced with alarming statistics," says Lumpkin, who hopes the new center will "usher in a second green revolution." The center honors the 1970 Peace Nobel Laureate Norman Borlaug, a renowned wheat breeder who helped lead the first green revolution in the 1960s and avert widespread famine in India. The $125 million center will take root near agricultural universities in the states of Punjab, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh and is expected to open in 2 years. Posted in: AsiaEnvironment | 农业 |
2017-09/0194/en_head.json.gz/21812 | Joe Colgan remembers 54 years of horses to horsepower with John Deere
Worked at several dealerships
Wednesday’s column about John Deere Day, a popular winter get-together for farmers when it was too cold to do anything outside, brought a nostalgic note from an old friend, Joe Colgan of Wyoming.Joe, later joined by son Tim, ran the John Deere dealership in Wyoming for many years. We learned from his e-mail that if you want to go to a living source for the most history of John Deere tractors and implements, Joe’s your man.“In 1933, I went to work in the John Deere store in Wyoming,” Colgan writes. “In 1937, I went to work for the John Deere Plow Company (which I believe was in Moline) and my first job was emcee at John Deere Days for dealers in this area.“In 1947, I became the John Deere dealer in Wyoming. At our John Deere Days, lunch was a barbecue sandwich, baked beans, cake and a drink of coffee or milk. We gave door prizes of grease guns, pails of grease, or tools.” Colgan said in 1987, his last year as owner, everyone got a John Deere cap reading “Colgan Company 1947-1987.” Tim worked for other John Deere dealers in central Illinois for many more years and is also now retired.“I had been with John Deere 54 years. Times have changed. I am sending this message from the iPad that I received for my 99th birthday! Best wishes, Joe.”I don’t know if anyone keeps track of such things, but Joe has got to be the oldest living John Deere dealer, retired or working, in the United States, still sharp as a tack and plugged into technology. Take note all you oldsters out there who claim you can’t figure out how to turn on a computer!Kewanee John Deere enthusiast Brett Bennett tipped me off to a three-part video interview with Joe and Tim done two years ago by someone called “Machinery Pete,” in which they share stories about their John Deere years. Greg “Machinery Pete” Peterson details agricultural equipment prices and trends on his website, Machinerypete.com. He also writes columns for Successful Farming magazine, Implement & Tractor magazine and the Agriculture.com web site and appears on the Machinery Show on RFD-TV.He did the wide-ranging interview with the Colgans at the dining room table in Joe’s Wyoming home. His wife of more than 70 years, Majella, joined in with stories about raising their 12 kids.In the interview, Joe tells about taking horses in trade for a tractor in the 1930s and the “merge or close” mandate from John Deere in the late 80s which led to their decision to end a good run. He also talks about how there used to be six John Deere dealers within a 20-mile radius of Wyoming, and the year he got stuck with quite a few two-row tractor-mounted corn pickers when farmers quickly switched to the then-new combines with picker heads.He said every farm equipment manufacturer has had one product that every farmer had to have. For Case, it was a good two-bottom plow and for New Holland it was a square hay baler. For John Deere, he says, it was the 4020 tractor.After making more than 1.25 million two-cylinder tractors, John Deere switched to four-and six-cylinder engines in 1960. Announcement of the change came after seven years of development and $40 million dollars in retooling, which eliminated the “pop, pop, popping” sound associated with Deere since the beginning.Bigger machinery, more acres and the need for more power, however, finally forced the company to abandon the “Johnny Poppers” and create what were known as “New Generation” tractors, of which the 4020 was one of the first. The 4020 was hugely popular with farmers who didn’t care whether it “popped” or not. It was one of the company’s biggest sellers with 184,000 tractors going out the door between 1963 and 1974, according to one online site. Joe said he remembers when John Deere brought every dealer in the nation to Dallas for the unveiling of the new-style tractors. “The first thing one of the guys said was ‘Where’s the belt pulley? You can’t have a John Deere without the belt pulley.’” Up until then, most tractors had a round pulley mounted on the side which drove a wide leather belt used to operate grinders, corn elevators, hoists and other machines around the farm. It had been a basic tool of farming, but by the 60s, power take-offs were replacing belts as the way to make things run with a tractorJoe’s mention of the belt pulley gave an idea of why my dad bought a 1936 John Deere “B” at Taylor & Son in the late 1950s. We had two tractors — a 1944 Farmall “M” and a 1949 Case VAC.The Farmall was the “big” tractor on the farm and had a belt pulley but was used to carry a New Idea two-row mounted picker. The Case was a smaller tractor and had a side pulley but was used to haul wagonloads of corn from the field to the crib. He needed a stationary tractor at the crib to run the belt-driven gear box which raised the wagon hoist and the elevator which transported ear corn up and into an opening on top of the crib.The “B” was perfect. It was small and fit well in a tight spot, but powerful enough to run two pieces of equipment as it effortlessly sat and chugged away.If you want to see Machinery Pete’s interview with Joe and Tim Colgan, type “joe colgan wyoming illinois” into your search engines. All three segments should pop up. They are posted on several ag-related sites and on YouTube. | 农业 |
2017-09/0194/en_head.json.gz/22484 | Posts tagged: soybean
USDA Science Unlocks the Genetic Secrets of the Soybean
1 Comment By , Today, the work of scientists from the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), our State Land Grant Universities, and the Department of Energy (DOE) is featured as the cover story in the prestigious science journal, Nature. I am very proud and excited that USDA science played an important part in unlocking the genetic secrets of one of the world’s most important crops, the soybean.
Together these scientists have compiled a “blueprint” of all the genetic material contained in the soybean plant. The soybean “blueprint”, which is freely available online, will allow scientists from around the world to locate genes that control and enhance important quality traits in soybeans, like protein and oil, and agronomic traits like yield, drought tolerance, and the plant’s ability to resist pests and diseases.
This blueprint will let plant scientists find genes much faster and speed up development of different and improved types of soybean. With the basic genetic blueprint in hand, the next step will be for scientists to compare the basic design to others, looking for genetic variations associated with particular traits. This is where USDA’s collection of more than 20,000 different types of soybeans will be crucial. Researchers can compare different cultivars to the blueprint, searching for genes associated with desirable traits. Once new genetic associations are identified, scientists can use the information to create better soybeans. Soybeans that can extract more nitrogen from the atmosphere, which means less fertilizer and fewer greenhouse gas emissions. Soybeans with more protein for livestock feed and better nutrition for consumers. Better soy oil for food processors; soybeans with less linolenic acid that doesn’t require hydrogenation, a process which produces unhealthy trans-fats. And even soybeans with more oil designed specifically for biodiesel or biobased applications.
An important food crop in Asia for thousands of years, today soybeans are the largest source of protein and the second largest source of vegetable oil in the world so improving soybeans has important implications for food security. Soy products are found in numerous foods including milk and meat substitutes, soy flour, and tofu. Soybeans also have many non-food uses including environment-friendly plastics, inks, lubricants, and solvents.
Although soybeans have only been commercially grown in the U.S. since the 1920s, we are now the world’s leading soybean producer and exporter. The U.S. soybean crop has a farm value of about $27 billion, the second-highest value among U.S.-produced crops, second only to corn. Soybeans are also an important export commodity for American farmers accounting for about 43 percent of production in 2008. And while our research on the soybean genome has great potential to improve food security, it will also help keep American farmers competitive.
The research to decode the soybean genome is the product of a multiagency, multi-institutional effort led by scientists at the DOE Joint Genome Institute, the University of Missouri-Columbia, USDA, and Purdue University, with additional financial support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the National Science Foundation (NSF).
Other USDA and university scientists involved include USDA scientists from the ARS Soybean Genomics and Improvement Lab in Beltsville, Maryland, and researchers at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln.
Since the first plant, Arabidopsis thaliana, a small flowering plant in the mustard family, was sequenced in 2000 and the human genome was first sequenced in 2003, scientists have learned a great deal about the role of genes. However, sequencing the genome is but a first step. The genome of an organism is no more than a list of parts. More research is needed to discover the functions and interactions of the genes in order to understand the workings of the entire organism.
The soybean genome project is one of many genome sequencing projects of agriculturally important plants and animals being carried out by USDA and other scientists. Other projects include sequencing corn, rice, wheat, sorghum, cow, pig, sheep, and honeybee genomes. Just this week USDA scientists and others announced they had sequenced the genome of the woodland strawberry, a model system for a group of plants within the Rosaceae family which includes many economically important fruit, nut, ornamental and woody crops, such as almond, apple, peach, cherry, raspberry, strawberry and rose.
Research to understand genomes is a vital investment in our future to ensure our farmers can continue to meet the world’s needs for food, feed, fiber, and bioenergy in the face of climate change, emerging pest and disease threats, and a growing population. The knowledge from this research will translate into new technologies and products that will benefit not only farmers and producers but also people the world over. USDA science will be crucial to our success.
Molly Jahn is USDA’s Acting Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics Related PostsSeptember: A Nice Time to Celebrate Rice Research
Genetic Studies Reveal a Tree’s History to Ensure its Future
Cutting Edge Genetics Research for Wildlife and Fish Conservation
Tags: Arabidopsis thaliana, genetics, soybean, USDA Science
Food and Nutrition, Science Newer » | 农业 |
2017-09/0194/en_head.json.gz/23155 | NewsletterKCB #648KCB #647KCB #646KCB #645KCB #644KCB #643KCB #642KCB #641KCB #640KCB #639 Donate
KEYCODE BAYER 394
Press Release, January 19, 2009
Coalition against Bayer Dangers
Take Glufosinate off the Market immediately!
Bayer´s herbicide among 22 most dangerous substances / Coalition also demands ban on glufosinate-resistant plants
The Coalition against Bayer Dangers demands an immediate ban on the herbicide glufosinate and a suspension of all approvals of glufosinate-resistant crops. European Parliament members voted last week to ban pesticides classified as carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic to reproduction. Permits for 22 substances, among them glufosinate, will not be renewed.
Philipp Mimkes from the Coalition against Bayer Dangers: “Pesticides such as glufosinate that have been proven hazardous for operators, consumers and the environment must be removed from the market straight away. The EU ban on glufosinate must also have consequences for the approval of GM crops: no more permissions for glufosinate-resistant plants must be granted in the European Union!
Bayer CropScience, based in Germany, sells glufosinate under the trademarks Basta and Liberty. The substance is one of the best-selling herbicides in the world, with sales in 2007 of 241 million. Bayer is currently expanding glufosinate production capacity in Germany.
A European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) evaluation states that glufosinate poses a high risk to mammals. The substance is classified as reprotoxic, with laboratory experiments causing premature birth, intra-uterine death and abortions in rats. Japanese studies show that the substance can also hamper the development and activity of the human brain. The new EU regulation declares a ban on all CRM (carcinogenic, reprotoxic and mutagenic) pesticides from categories I and II. Glufosinate is classified as falling in reprotoxic category II. Already in 2006 Swedish authorities demanded an EU-wide ban.
In the U.S. and Latin America the ingredient is widely used as a “super herbicide for genetically modified crops, mainly on rapeseed, maize, soy bean, cotton, rice and sugar beet. Bayer requested EU approval for several glufosinate-resistant plants, among them a genetically altered rice (LL Rice 62). In 2006 a similar rice (LL Rice 601) that was never approved was found in food supplies across the world and led to the largest GM contamination scandal so far.
The Coalition against Bayer Dangers also demands that BAYER publishes all studies on pesticides and chemicals. Jan Pehrke from the Coalition said: “Industry must not be allowed to hide unwelcome information. Full public access to health and environmental data about substances that are released into the environment and used on our food is necessary.
· Letter to EU Ministers (2006): Act now for a ban of Bayer´s glufosinate
· Reject Bayer's application to import genetically modified rice into the EU
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, January 26, 2009
Pitt expert's work targets pesticides' ecological risks
Next to Pymatuning Reservoir in northwestern Pennsylvania are 700 water-filled tanks that may provide the answer to just how risky pesticides are to the environment and human health.
The tanks are filled with tadpoles, and University of Pittsburgh ecologist Rick Relyea has used them over the past several years to show how lethal many of the most commonly used pesticides are, even in concentrations below allowable levels.
That's significant not just because frogs are an important part of nature's food web but because these delicate creatures may function as an early warning system for environmental threats to human beings.
Over the last four years, Dr. Relyea and his colleagues have shown how ubiquitous chemicals like the weedkiller Roundup, malathion and endosulfan kill off large proportions of some frog species and may be contributing to the worldwide decline in the amphibian population.
In 2005, he showed that Roundup, the most commonly used herbicide in the world, killed more than 70 percent of the tadpoles in his tanks when it was present in just a third of the maximum concentration expected in nature. The chemical also killed more than 80 percent of land frogs after just one day of exposure to the recommended dosage of Roundup Weed & Grass Killer.
Last year, his team demonstrated that malathion, which is used for mosquito and insect control around the world, was deadly for one species, the leopard frog.
Malathion didn't kill the leopard frog tadpoles directly. Instead, it obliterated tiny creatures known as zooplankton, which normally eat algae.
Without the zooplankton nibbling away, the algae in the tanks grew so thick that it blocked sunlight from reaching another type of algae that lived on the bottom of the tanks and is the primary food source for the leopard frog tadpoles.
The chain reaction starved many of the tadpoles and kept them from metamorphosing into frogs.
In another study last year, the Relyea team found that a "cocktail" of 10 common pesticides killed nearly all the leopard frog tadpoles in the tanks, even when each one was under the limits considered safe.
Closer analysis showed the main culprit in the cocktail was endosulfan, a nerve agent used to combat such insects as aphids and cabbage worms, but which is risky enough that it has been banned in the European Union and some Asian and West African nations.
Unlike other nerve agents, Dr. Relyea said, endosulfan works by overstimulating an animal's nerves. Tadpoles affected by the insecticide, he said, "would turn cartwheels. They would just spin and spin and spin and then die."
The same cocktail, however, had almost no effect on another common species, gray tree frog tadpoles. In fact, those tadpoles tended to thrive once their leopard frog competitors were wiped out.
Even though Dr. Relyea has focused much of his recent research on the dangers of pesticides, he doesn't consider himself "anti-pesticide."
"As a kid I grew up on a farm spraying all kinds of pesticides, so I recognize the benefits. But we really haven't put a lot of attention on the side effects they have on organisms that we're not trying to kill. We're not surprised when pharmaceuticals have unintended side effects, so we shouldn't be surprised when pesticides do."
And while his research hasn't proved the pesticides have human health effects, he said we should pay close attention to that possibility.
"I think what's clear is that pesticides have an immense potential for unintended impacts, and organisms -- humans or otherwise -- are immensely complicated, and those unintended impacts are really hard to predict," especially when you consider that today's commercial pesticides as a whole contain more than 800 active ingredients.
Dr. Relyea didn't start out to be a frog expert.
While doing his master's work in wildlife management at Texas Tech University, which largely involved putting radio collars on mule deer and tracking their movements, he came across the work of Earl Werner, an amphibian expert at the University of Michigan.
He became fascinated by frogs and decided to make an abrupt career switch, going to the University of Michigan to earn a doctorate under Dr. Werner's tutelage.
One of his first experiments was studying the way that gray tree frog tadpoles grew new tails when they sensed that predators were nearby.
When tadpoles are devoured, they release a smell into the water that the other tadpoles can sense, and some grow bigger, bright orange tails in response. The new tails not only let them swim away from danger faster, but if they are caught, the predators tend to chomp off their colorful tails, which can then grow back.
While working on a postdoctoral project in Missouri, Dr. Relyea said a fellow graduate student who was studying a pesticide suggested they should see whether the chemical would interfere with the tadpoles' ability to sense predators.
The resulting experiment showed that the only tadpoles that died were those that were exposed both to the smell of predators and the pesticide, which led Dr. Relyea to the conclusion that pesticides could be especially dangerous if amphibians were under stress.
Dr. Relyea's ongoing work already has had some real-world results. After the Roundup study was published, Congress demanded that the U.S. stop spraying the herbicide over wetlands in Colombia, where the government was trying to stop illegal coca cultivation.
In the future, he would like to see the federal Environmental Protection Agency start to use at least one amphibian species in standard testing of new pesticides.
Right now, the EPA tests pesticides on lab rats or mice, birds, fish and a small plankton called Daphnia. The fish are supposed to stand in for all 6,000 species of amphibians, Dr. Relyea said, but "sometimes that's not a reasonable stretch."
To those who might argue that he wants to save frogs at the expense of safe food for people, he said that's a "false trade-off."
"That assumes you either have amphibians or you have the use of pesticides, but we have lots and lots of pesticide options" that might not be nearly as dangerous as the ones now on the market, "so none of this is a trade-off between frogs and safe food."
Still, he admits to loving frogs. And he's not alone.
"My wife and I have a perpetual debate over the cutest frog species in Pennsylvania, because she's also an aquatic ecologist. She argues that the gray tree frog is the cutest, in part because it has the little suction cup toes so it can walk up the glass on your house, and I of course argue that the wood frog is the cutest because it has the little yellow stripe across the eyes and is called the bandit of the forest.
"We have this debate every year," he said, "but I'm certain like with most things, she's probably right." | 农业 |
2017-09/0194/en_head.json.gz/23507 | Vilsack: Farmers Must Respond to Rising Temperatures
Marilyn Geewax / NPR
The political debate over the causes of climate change will go on. And on.
But as far as Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is concerned, farmers, foresters and ranchers need to respond right now to the impact of climate change on their businesses.
"This problem is not going to go away on its own," Vilsack said Wednesday during a speech at the National Press Club. "You're going to see crops produced in one area no longer able to be produced, unless we mitigate and adapt now."
Vilsack said that higher temperatures have allowed invasive species, such as the pine bark beetle, to destroy trees and crops. The heat also has stirred up more severe storms and damaging droughts, he said.
Earlier this year, a U.S. Department of Agriculture report projected that average temperatures in the main U.S. growing regions may rise as much as 6 degrees Fahrenheit over the next four decades. In that kind of heat, "you're going to see a lot more stress" on crops, livestock and forests, he said.
With that report in mind, the USDA is stepping up its efforts to find coping strategies. For example, it will help develop more drought-resistant seed technologies, and promote practices that curtail soil erosion while conserving water, Vilsack said.
In addition, USDA is setting up seven "Regional Climate Hubs" to act as agriculture extension offices. At the hubs, farmers, ranchers and foresters will be able to get the latest "science-based risk management" advice about how to cope with changes in temperatures and insects, Vilsack said.
"We need to be ahead of the game," he said. Copyright 2013 NPR. To see more, visit www.npr.org.
Two For One: Subsidies Help Food Stamp Recipients Buy Fresh Food | October 4, 2014
California Drought Forces Farmers To Adapt | September 8, 2014
Iowa's Corn Farmers Learn To Adapt To Weather Extremes | August 12, 2014 | 农业 |
2017-09/0194/en_head.json.gz/24787 | The line is Goyder's Line, a boundary that marks the limit of sufficient rainfall for crops to grow in South Australia. In 1865 a surveyor named George Goyder set out on a remarkable journey by horseback to trace the point where grassland gave way to sparse bush country. Australia's settlers relied on Goyder's Line to demarcate arable land from land unsuitable for agriculture. Except when they didn't: Renmark, for instance, lay on the wrong side of Goyder's Line, but that did not stop two Canadian brothers named Chaffey from developing an irrigation system in Renmark two decades after the surveyor's warning.
As it turns out, the Chaffeys were three decades ahead of their time. The Australian government inaugurated its first "soldier settlement" scheme after World War I, offering land, water, and farm machinery to veterans. In the decades that followed, orchards and vineyards and wheat fields miraculously sprang up from former scrub desert north of Goyder's Line. Canal after canal was dug to deliver the Murray's water to the new farmland—and later, to sprawling irrigation districts dedicated to the nascent (and highly water-thirsty) rice industry. By the early 1970s, Australia was a major exporter of such crops, its farming lobby had emerged as a formidable political force, and the government was selling off water licenses to any bloke who fancied being his own boss and who wouldn't whinge when the odd drought came along.
Mick Punturiero's grandfather was a Calabrian émigré who bought his first acreage from a retiring World War II veteran, one of thousands more soldiers enticed by the government to develop the basin. The audacity of farming in such an arid area was not readily apparent to Punturiero's grandfather, who had no education other than in how to grow an exquisite grape. Soon the Murray began to run low, and fields started to salt up. Unfortunately, the prescriptions only helped spread the disease. Leakproof irrigation technology meant that less water returned to the system. Salt interceptors kept crops from being poisoned, but only by pumping out limitless quantities of water. In 1995 the Murray-Darling Basin Commission finally introduced a cap on how much water each state could draw from the river. But the binge didn't end. Farmers who owned water rights but had never used them proceeded to sell their now coveted "sleeper licenses" to others who would. Industrialists were offered tax incentives to create superfarms and introduced vast olive and almond groves to the basin.
Meanwhile, the governments of New South Wales and Queensland routinely flouted the extraction cap and continued to hand out licenses. "The increase in diversions from the Murray River in the late nineties was rather like drinkers in a bar," says Malcolm Turnbull. "The barkeeper says, 'Last orders, gentlemen.' And everyone rushes in to drink as much as they can before they get thrown out. That's what we were doing. Just as it became apparent that resources were overtaxed, there were more claims on it." Page [ 6 ] of 11« Prev | Next » | 农业 |
2017-09/0194/en_head.json.gz/24992 | Industry Improved habitat for the lesser prairie-chicken By USDA
Agriculture Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment Robert Bonnie last week announced a renewed and expanded partnership to provide expert habitat advice to farmers and ranchers managing land within lesser prairie-chicken range.
“Our goal is to deliver a win-win for agricultural producers and wildlife,” said Bonnie. “We want to help farmers and ranchers succeed for the long term while also protecting and improving habitat for the lesser prairie-chicken. Often, what is good for prairie-chickens is good for ranching.”
As part of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Lesser Prairie-Chicken Initiative (LPCI), the agency is partnering with Pheasants Forever, a national wildlife conservation organization, to jointly invest $5 million over three years to support technical assistance, including hiring non-federal field conservationists to help farmers and ranchers voluntarily maintain and improve lesser prairie chicken habitat in the Southern Great Plains.
The lesser prairie chicken is not on the Endangered Species List, but since 2010, farmers and ranchers participating in the LPCI have maintained or improved more than a million acres of habitat for the bird. The bird’s range includes parts of Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.
What has been hanging over the heads of landowners is rulemaking that USDA could invoke against farmers and ranchers should the species be listed as threatened or endangered. As part of the regulatory predictability plan agreed to by NRCS and USFWS, farmers and ranchers voluntarily applying lesser prairie-chicken-friendly conservation practices may be protected from additional regulations under the Endangered Species Act for up to 30 years.
More information on the Lesser Prairie-Chicken Initiative and how a farmer or rancher can work with NRCS to conserve habitat for the species, can be found by clicking here. | 农业 |
2017-09/0194/en_head.json.gz/25670 | U.S.|Across Corn Belt, Farmland Prices Keep Soaring
https://nyti.ms/TbVvzB
U.S. Across Corn Belt, Farmland Prices Keep Soaring
By RON NIXON and JOHN ELIGONOCT. 22, 2012
Jason Smith, an auctioneer, stood on land he sold near Minburn, Iowa, for $10,500 an acre.
Brian Lehmann for The New York Times EAGLE GROVE, Iowa — After initially trickling in slower than the auctioneer’s babble, the bids began picking up.“Get your hands up,” belted Marv Huntrods, the auctioneer, his baritone echoing from a raspy speaker in a plaid-carpeted Masonic lodge here last week. He chopped the air with one hand and drew out his vowels.“Grains up overnight.” “It’s only money.” “Just tell me, yes or yes.” “Last chance.”After about 15 minutes and a starting bid of $6,000 per acre, Mr. Huntrods, an agent with Hertz Farm Management, ended up with more than he had expected. A former John Deere dealer bought the 80-acre farm plot at a stunning price of $10,600 per acre. Mr. Huntrods had thought it would fetch less than $9,500 per acre. Continue reading the main story
Across the nation’s Corn Belt, even as the worst drought in more than 50 years has destroyed what was expected to be a record corn crop and reduced yields to their lowest level in 17 years, farmland prices have continued to rise. From Nebraska to Illinois, farmers seeking more land to plant and outside investors looking for a better long-term investment than stocks and bonds continue to buy farmland, taking advantage of low interest rates.
And despite a few warnings from bankers, the farmland boom shows no signs of slowing. Almost every year since 2005, except during the start of the recession in 2008, agriculture land prices have posted double-digit gains. In the same period, the Standard & Poor’s 500-stock index has had double-digit gains in only three of those years.An August survey by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago showed a 15 percent increase in farmland prices since last year across a region that covers Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Michigan. Another survey released at the same time from the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City showed even higher growth in the Great Plains states, where farmland prices have increased 26 percent since last year.The two Fed surveys and sales data have raised concerns from bank regulators about a potential farmland bubble, similar to the housing frenzy that helped set off the financial crisis. A year ago, rising farmland prices prompted regulators to warn banks not to relax lending standards. In July, the Kansas City Fed held a symposium to discuss concerns about a bubble.
Marv Huntrods, left, an auctioneer, with Gaylord Jones, who was a winning bidder at the Eagle Grove auction last week.
Stephen Mally for The New York Times “Any time you have an asset that doubles in value over a decade, there is cause for concern about how sustainable that growth is,” said Richard A. Brown, chief economist at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.For farmers in the land hunt, a potential bubble was barely a concern. Many said they needed to buy more land to expand their businesses so they can generate more income. And in this wobbly economy, they found safety in stashing their money in farmland.“What’s a C.D. at the bank? Half a percent,” said Clark Wadle, who attended the auction. “What’s the stock market? Unstable. Whether land prices go up or they go down again, you still have the property.”The winning bidder, Gaylord Jones of Eagle Grove, said that buying farmland was a way to invest on his own terms.“I don’t buy stocks,” he said. “This way, I make my own damn mistakes.”The worst drought in decades this summer seemed a distant memory here as about two dozen farmers escaped the cold and rain for the coffee-and-cookie-infused air inside the lodge where the auction was held.
In some cases, the drought has benefited farmers seeking land. Brent Kuehnast, who bought 190 acres this summer to add to the roughly 1,200 his family owns, said the drought helped him negotiate a below-market price on the property near his home in Humboldt, Iowa.
But the drought also caused some anxiety over his purchase.On a recent afternoon, as his pickup truck bobbed like a vessel in choppy water over the dirt of his new plot, Mr. Kuehnast, 44, smiled when asked how often he inspected his new land, which he will start farming next year.“All the time,” he said. “I like to find out where it needs to be improved.”No state has benefited more from the farmland boom than Iowa.According to an agriculture land survey by Iowa State University, prices have risen 32 percent since 2010. Statewide, farmland prices averaged $6,700 an acre, the highest ever, even after adjusting for inflation. Four years ago, prices averaged $3,900 an acre.
An auction attendee took a bidder number and a calculator in Eagle Grove.
Stephen Mally for The New York Times Because of the strong demand for farmland, banking regulators fear that farmers could take on more debt to make purchases, a repeat of the 1970s and early 1980s, when overleveraged farmers used their farms as collateral to buy up more land. The resulting debt led to a slew of bankruptcies and plummeting land values.Those days are fresh in the mind of John Kintzle, 68, who lives near Cedar Rapids and attended the auction here in north-central Iowa just to observe. Back then, he said, prices dropped from $3,000 an acre to $1,000 an acre in three years.“I’m a little gun-shy,” he said, though he added that he was open to purchasing. “My wife thinks I’m nuts.”Economists say that so far there are few signs of a repeat of those days.Agriculture Department data show that net farm income is expected to increase to $122 billion this year from $117 billion in 2011, a 4 percent increase even with the effects of the drought. That’s the highest income level since 1973 on an inflation-adjusted basis. Economists say farmland values are getting a boost from corn and soybean prices, which had reached records highs because of the drought.Farmers are carrying less debt than they were 30 years ago, and low interest rates are also a factor because they make it less costly for farmers to borrow. The federal crop insurance program also plays a role in keeping farmland prices high, by covering a majority of losses in revenue or crop yields.
Regulators, however, say that despite the continued growth in farmland prices there are reasons to be cautious. Some lenders have reported that a number of farmers are taking out loans based on the current value of their land to take advantage of the farmland boom.Fed officials and some real estate brokers said these buyers could be in trouble if interest rates rose and crop prices fell. This could cause farmland values to drop by a third to a half, putting farmers at risk of default. Another risk is that if the drought stretches into multiple years, it could interrupt the boom in farmland prices, officials said.But that was not something to worry about, said Brian Wagner, who stopped his bidding at the auction because he thought values would eventually drop, allowing him to buy a better piece of land at a lower price.“That would be like me asking you, ‘When you get in your car or on the bus, do you think about getting into an accident?’ ” he said. “Accidents happen randomly. Droughts come and droughts go. They don’t come very often.”
A version of this article appears in print on October 23, 2012, on Page A14 of the New York edition with the headline: Seems as if Sky Is the Limit On Land Prices Across Farm Belt. Order Reprints| Today's Paper|Subscribe
Drought and Deluge in the Lower 48
Drought’s Footprint
A Drought’s Toll on Farm Families
Severe Drought Expected to Worsen Across the Nation | 农业 |
2017-09/0194/en_head.json.gz/25923 | Potatoes Spudmobile features new potato growing exhibit
By Chelsea Mies
Wisconsin, the third-largest potato-producing state, has a new “Potato-Growing Area” exhibit in the Spudmobile, a large, touring mobile home designed to educate people in the Midwest about potatoes and other vegetables.
The “Potato-Growing Area” is the fourth and final exhibit visitors see on the driver’s side of the Spudmobile, according to a news release. It will feature a map of Wisconsin that shows all the areas of the state where potatoes are produced on top of a photograph of a blooming Wisconsin potato field. One region that is featured is Portage County, Wisconsin’s top supplier of fresh potatoes, which grows approximately 17,000 acres of potatoes. Portage County produces just under 1 billion pounds of potatoes each year, according to the release. Langlade, Oneida and Forest Counties will also be on the map. The three counties supply more than 8,000 acres of seed potatoes each year.
“In addition to learning where potatoes come from on this exhibit, people will also be able to get to know some of the growers themselves with their pictures displayed,” Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers Association’s director of promotions, Dana Rady, said in the release. “It’s important for people to see the farmers who are committed to putting food on their dinner tables every night.”
spudmobilewisconsin potatoeswisconsin potato and vegetable growers associationwisconsin vegetables About the Author:
Chelsea Mies | 农业 |
2017-09/0194/en_head.json.gz/26437 | Pasteurization Without Representation
Corby Kummer
Raw milk is one of those issues that riles people (and inspires puns, "raw deal," "raw nerves" and the like). This week Massachusetts farmers and fans of raw milk were sufficiently agitated to bring a cow to Boston Common, in view of the State House, to demonstrate their anger at state laws banning the sale of raw milk anywhere but directly from farms certified to sell it.
That Massachusetts allows the sale of raw milk at all makes it unusual—only 28 states do, and laws addressing how and where it can be sold vary by state. The reason: raw milk can be deadly, and can cause severe illness with what Barry Estabrook, in a post defending raw milk, recently called a "rogue's gallery of bugs" (and he named quite a number). The Centers for Disease Control says that even if only 1 to 3 percent of the U.S. population consumes raw milk or raw milk products, 68 percent of disease outbreaks related to dairy products involve raw milk or raw milk products.[Update below.] Here's a FAQ page from the CDC with claims that would make raw-milk proponents mad: for instance, that there's no evidence that drinking raw milk can protect against illnesses like asthma and allergies, nor evidence that raw milk is any more nutritious than pasteurized milk. Don't tell people who want their milk raw! They'll gladly give you a long list of its disease-preventing qualities, and trump everything by calling it REAL MILK, milk that has been spared the depredations of industry that "feeds swill" to cows, "tampers with and harms" milk by mixing hundreds of batches together and homogenizing it "so you can't tell the cream from the fat from the milk," and wants to "be sure people have no idea where milk comes from."
All this was from a woman helping staff the table I found on the Common, where a farmer was pouring passersby tastes of raw milk. She had a shock of long, wavy, cream-white hair and looked like she'd spent most of her life on the farm. In fact I recognized her right away as the prominent local food activist Abby Rockefeller, who divides her time between Cambridge, across the river, and a farm in New Hampshire. We've met at Slow Food activities, and as always she was wonderfully outspoken. (Here's a paper she wrote on sludge; she's a strong supporter of composting toilets, and in the 1970s founded a company to sell them.)
Outraged, in fact. Rockefeller is one of the people who have banded together in buyer's clubs that, in essence, carpool milk by making a pickup for numerous customers at a certified farm and then deliver it. Because of direct-sale laws, anyone in and around Boston who wants raw milk has to drive at least 45 minutes each way to get it. Old-fashioned milk delivery isn't allowed. Rare as they are (I treasure the metal milk boxes on front porches in my neighborhood, awaiting deliveries in glass bottles from Thatcher Farms), existing residential milk-delivery services could help remedy the main objection the state Department of Public Health (disclosure, headed by my spouse, John Auerbach) has to selling raw milk off the farm: the risk of improper refrigeration. All milk is subject to deterioration and rapid bacterial growth the higher the temperature, but with raw milk the deterioration is rapid and dangerous, because of its much higher bacterial count before pasteurization. [UPDATE: The Boston Globe ran a lead editorial supporting the state. They must've read Barry, because they refer to the "rogue's gallery" of germs. Their conclusion: "By restricting raw-milk sales to licensed farms, the state can at least isolate the source of any outbreak. Creating a new licensing and inspection system to keep track of such milk and ensure its safety once it leaves the dairy is a burden the state should be spared."]
That high bacterial count is just what makes raw milk desirable and good, of course: those bacteria give milk and, particularly, cheese and yogurt their flavor. I wrote about my own advocacy of raw milk and inherent trust of it 10 years ago in a piece advocating raw-milk cheese in America and, unsurprisingly, Vermont, whose cheese has only gotten better and better in the years since. Then and now, it wasn't easy to get people to try drinking raw milk: It's hard to engage non-food people in urgent talk about raw milk, which seems like a dangerous relic of the pre-Pasteur past. It's even harder to get people to try a sip, as I discovered on a visit to Martha's Vineyard last summer, which began with stops at local farms to collect ingredients for a reunion lunch. One of the farms was a state-certified raw-milk dairy, and after lunch I proudly passed around a creamer full of raw whole milk to go with coffee. My friends, who I knew loved milk, suddenly decided that they'd really always preferred their coffee black.I couldn't blame them. But I happen to trust raw milk instinctively, having grown up in a dairy-farming town, and I remember as one of the greatest treats imaginable the tea a family friend served with milk warm from the cow.
On the Common the other day, a young man hesitated before taking a proffered paper cup of milk, closed his eyes with a what-the-hell expression, and after he swallowed opened them and said to no one in particular, "It's actually kinda good! It tastes like half-and-half." (If he'd read Barry's post, he would surely have agreed that "You've never tasted real milk in all of its rich, creamy, complex glory until you've tasted raw milk.")
In Massachusetts, it's being framed as a libertarian issue. As a farmer from Eastleigh Farms, in Framingham, 25 miles from Boston, said as he led the cow, Suzanne, back into his truck, "DPH should stay the hell out of this. It's none of their affair. Corporate milk is doing this." (The farm's website has a summary of coverage of the rally.) The Northeast Organic Farming Association Raw Milk Network is an active supporter of raw milk, and helped organize the rally; it lists the state's raw-milk dairies and provides updates on campaigners' efforts to keep buyer's clubs alive, urging state residents to "Please continue to buy milk from Massachusetts raw milk dairies, spread the word about this wonderful food, and keep speaking out about the importance of preserving food freedom."
"Food Freedom": it's reminiscent of the motto on New Hampshire license plates, "Live Free Or Die." Rockefeller echoed this New Hampshire passion, talking about the "wonderful deal" farmers get from the buyer's club that brings raw milk to her Cambridge home: "We pay between $8 and $12 a gallon. They can afford to live, and to keep their cows healthy. Those farms do well, and it's fantastic that people are willing to pay that now—they're frantic to pay that. We need to be eating living food. I've drunk raw milk my whole life. My father's father supplied his family and workers with raw milk. Raw milk doesn't go bad, you know. Take a quart, let it turn, and let a quart of pasteurized and homogenized go bad at the same time—or ultrapasteurized, which will give you the most disgusting stink. Raw milk is interesting the whole way—and completely edible, starting with curds and whey and then when it's ready for cheese."
There's not an easy answer. Marion Nestle, ever my guide, told me in an email,My position on raw milk has been that people have the right to consume it if they want to but they have to be responsible for the risk. I've argued that producers of raw milk MUST use HACCP plans, but experts on food safety assure me that HACCP, even with testing, is not protective enough. They say it's not possible to test enough samples to be sure. The cases are rare but they sure are nasty when they do occur. This is a tough one. For further information she recommends the website of Bob Marler, a liability lawyer in Washington State who has taken many raw-milk cases and provides frequent updates on the issue nationally.
For now, the state's Department of Agricultural Resources, which held the hearings the protesters marched to, is considering testimony and letters, and the public health department's recommendation that the name of the agricultural department's raw-milk certificate be changed from "Certificate of Raw Milk for Retail Sale" to "Certificate of Raw Milk for Direct Sale." Every state has its own options—"strict and even Byzantine regulatory guidelines," as Barry calls them, "that typically limit the amount a farmer can sell, prohibit advertising, and require that customers purchase directly from the farm." He's encouraged by one middle course that comes, no surprise, from Vermont. Maybe Massachusetts can look across the non-Live Free Or Die border and take a cue. It could even get more people where Massachusetts currently makes all raw-milk lovers ((legal ones, that is) go—a dairy farm.
Last summer, Vermont, the state in which I live, adopted a middle course that requires farmers who sell raw milk to adhere to strict standards of sanitation and animal health. Milk samples must be taken each day and preserved. Sellers must maintain a contact list of all their customers and can sell only to end users, not middlemen. The containers in which raw milk is consumed must bear a label clearly warning of its potential dangers. And—here's my favorite—customers must be provided with the opportunity to tour the farm from which their milk comes.
UPDATE: I started looking for that 68 percent figure soon after posting this, but only found the citation today, which is from an article last fall in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, summarizing food-borne illness outbreaks 2006; it was 71 percent, not 68, and the context is outbreaks that could be traced to a single-commodity food, like shellfish or meat. The most arresting fact in the report, though, was about baked good. What are those commercial bakeries doing?
Eleven multistate outbreaks, defined as outbreaks in which exposures occurred in more than one state, were detected; 10 of these were attributed to bacteria. One attributed to chemical agents was transmitted by baked goods contaminated by a floor sealant (11 cases). Four of the bacterial outbreaks were attributed to E. coli O157, of which three were transmitted by leafy vegetables (395 cases) and one was transmitted by beef (44 cases). Four were attributed to Salmonella, of which two were transmitted by tomatoes (307 cases), one by peanut butter (715 cases), and one by fruit salad (41 cases) (3). An outbreak of Vibrio parahaemolyticus infections was transmitted by oysters (177 cases). An outbreak attributed to C. botulinum toxin was transmitted by carrot juice (four cases) (4).
Public health officials identified a food vehicle in 528 (42%) FBDOs, of which 243 (46%) outbreaks with 6,395 (50%) cases were classified as having ingredients belonging to only one of the 17 commodities (Table 2). Among the 243 outbreaks attributed to a single commodity, the most outbreaks were attributed to fish (47 outbreaks), poultry (35 outbreaks), and beef (25 outbreaks), and the most cases were attributed to poultry (1,355 cases), leafy vegetables (1,081 cases), and fruits/nuts (1,021 cases). Pathogen-commodity pairs responsible for the most outbreak-related cases were Clostridium perfringens in poultry (902 cases), Salmonella in fruits/nuts (776 cases), norovirus in leafy vegetables (657 cases), STEC in leafy vegetables (398 cases), Salmonella in vine-stalk vegetables (331 cases), and V. parahaemolyticus in mollusks (223 cases).
Although the dairy commodity accounted for only 3% of single commodity outbreak-related cases (16 outbreaks and 193 cases), 71% of dairy outbreak cases were attributed to unpasteurized (raw) milk (10 outbreaks and 137 cases). A wide range of bacterial pathogens were associated with unpasteurized milk outbreaks, including Campylobacter (six outbreaks), STEC O157 (two outbreaks), Salmonella (one outbreak), and Listeria (one outbreak), resulting in 11 hospitalizations and one death.
Corby Kummer's work in The Atlantic has established him as one of the most widely read, authoritative, and creative food writers in the United States. The San Francisco Examiner pronounced him "a dean among food writers in America." | 农业 |
2017-09/0195/en_head.json.gz/87 | Brighter Green and the Global Forest Coalition (GFC) are partnering on an initiative to raise awareness of the negative impacts of rapidly expanding industrial livestock farming, large-scale cattle ranching, and production of livestock feed on the world’s forests and biodiversity. Industrial animal agriculture cuts across multiple sectors, affecting land use, water, food security, public health, animal welfare, and climate change. Too often these intersections are overlooked. Through the project, Brighter Green and GFC have produced a range of original research and documentation for use by NGOs, researchers, campaigners, policy-makers, and members of the media (below). We have also collaborated to raise awareness of this linked set of issues at global conferences and national and local meetings, and are partners in an emerging global alliance on unsustainable livestock and feed production (more details, below). The Global Forest Coalition is an international coalition of NGOs and Indigenous Peoples’ Organizations defending social justice and the rights of forest peoples in forest policies, Forest Cover In March 2016, GFC released its 49th issue of Forest Cover magazine, its biannual newsletter covering international forest policy. This issue is focused on Meat as a Driver of Deforestation. Mia MacDonald and Wanqing Zhou have featured articles in the issue. Mia discusses the lack of attention to the problems of industrial animal agriculture at COP21 (web version; PDF) and Wanqing writes about her Triangle research (web version; PDF). You can download the complete PDF in English here, French here, and Spanish here.
In January 2015, GFC and Brighter Green published a report called Meat from a Landscape Under Threat: Testimonies of the Impacts of Unsustainable Livestock and Soybean Production in Paraguay by Miguel Lovera.
Soybean Production in Paraguay and the Convention on Biological Diversity
Brighter Green and GFC published a case study in April 2014 entitled The Environmental and Social Impacts of Unsustainable Livestock Farming and Soybean Production in Paraguay as well as a new report and briefing paper on redirecting government support for unsustainable livestock production as the key to biodiversity conservation. The case study was presented at the Convention on Biological Diversity in Montreal, Canada, in June 2014, along with a joint article entitled “Implementing Aichi Target 3 in the livestock sector,” which was published in “Square Brackets: CBD Newsletter for Civil Society.” The study was also presented at an international strategy meeting on livestock farming and soy production in Paraguay, November 28–29, 2014.
Dialogue Sessions
Brighter Green and GFC also convened a number of dialogue sessions with Indigenous Peoples’ Organizations (IPOs), peasant movements like La Via Campesina, and women’s groups. The aim was to help these groups at U.N. environmental and climate change meetings to discuss sustainable alternatives to intensive livestock farming and formulate the strategies needed to promote such alternatives. Brighter Green and GFC published a report in April of 2015 of this meeting.
Industrial Farming, Livestock Farming, and Climate Change
Brighter Green and GFC have produced a primer about the negative social, environmental, and animal welfare impacts of the expansion of intensive livestock farming. The primer (which is also available in Spanish and Russian) aims to raise awareness of policy-makers, social movements, and the public in general. Livestock farming has been promoted by some actors in the climate debate as a promising climate change–mitigation strategy. The primer brings the links between deforestation, climate change, and industrial animal agriculture to the attention of policy-makers, including within the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) and the REDD+ negotiations.
For more information on Global Forest Coalition please click here. | 农业 |
2017-09/0195/en_head.json.gz/249 | Experts Identify The Game Changers for the Feed and Food Industry
Experts Identify The Game Changers for the Feed and Food Industry The 2011 Great Debate' held during the Alltech 27th Annual International Animal Health and Nutrition Symposium in Lexington, Kentucky, USA, saw three experts from the field of new media, economics and one of the largest food companies in the world, Nestlé, present their views on how agribusiness should respond to relentless commoditization and innovation for a growing world population. Offering insightful opinions, the panelists commented on a variety of issues with topics ranging from adopting new media technologies, building new connections with consumers to utilizing the power of the World Wide Web to talk about food and its ability to connect people to food sources. Tom Standage, business editor, of The Economist and author of A History of the World in Six Glasses and An Edible History of Humanity; Ben Self, Blue State Digital; and Hans Jöhr, corporate head of agriculture, Nestlé, each took to the stage to discuss their ideas on how we need to engage with the consumer. Standage commented that the opportunity for the food industry lies in new technology such as iPhone apps which communicate where food originates. "Today social media provides a tremendous opportunity for the food industry to build relationships with consumers in a way that no other industry can ... through farm-to-fork traceability. Consumers have an interest in where their food comes from," said Standage. Ben Self, Blue State Digital, highlighted the importance of each stakeholder in the food chain from the producer to the consumer to the retailer in telling the story through new media technologies thereby making it more interesting, memorable and relevant. Corporate head of agriculture at Nestlé and director of the Sustainable Agriculture Alliance (SAI), Hans Jöhr addressed how the industry and all the stakeholders in it from the farmer to the retailer have a real opportunity to create a sustainable agricultural platform. He referred to Michael E. Porter's theory on shared value and in the need to address wastage of food and feed as the globe is forecasted to reach 9 billion people by 2050. He said, "The real game changer is to understand that we are working in a finite world and that we really need to take care of our assets and how we utilize them so that we can produce nutritious food for everybody." Presented in front of more than 2,100 delegates from 72 countries, the debate also posed such timely questions as: What are the game changers as we move to feed 9 billion people? How can agriculture do a better job in communicating its great stories? How should companies use new media to communicate with the world? Commenting on the debate, Alltech vice president, Aidan Connolly, said, "Modern agriculture has many stories to tell but the challenge is how to effectively communicate these stories. There is a world of opportunities available through new media technologies, which will allow each and every stakeholder in the food and feed chain to communicate messages quickly that connect with people's emotions. This presents a real game changer as we feed a growing population on finite resources." For further information on Alltech's 2011 Symposium, please visit www.alltech.com/symposium . Alltech's Innovations blog is being updated throughout the Symposium to include photos from the event, video interviews with speakers, podcasts, and the most salient points from the specialized breakout sessions. Join in the conversation on Twitter by using the hashtag: #AlltechSymposium. Audio packages are available for free download via the links below: (mp3 format) Tom Standage Hans Jöhr Ben Self 05.25.2011
Register for Liquid Feed Symposium 2011
Next King Farm Dairy Mooseum to be Part of Montgomery County Heritage Days | 农业 |
2017-09/0195/en_head.json.gz/1397 | Africa should look East for lessons in development
Ahmed Dirie says African development initiatives need to be practical, step-wise, and draw on positive experiences in Asian nations.
Renewed interest in Africa's development is gaining momentum and various major initiatives are underway. These include UK prime minister Tony Blair's Commission for Africa, last weekend's 'Live8' concerts, and talks at this week's G8 summit, in which leaders of the world's eight most industrialised nations are expected to agreenew aid packages for Africa.
Through these and other activities, 2005 has been identified as the year for African development. This focus is long overdue. It is essential therefore that Africa seizes this opportunity.
Those creating action plans for African development have identified priority sectors, such as health, education, food security and scientific capacity building. But we have heard less about the concrete step-by-step measures that will be needed to achieve the goals being set. Addressing this is essential. If the present initiatives are not translated into tangible outputs, we may see our efforts wasted, and the African continent could continue to lie in neglect.
As an African scientist with experience of international agricultural development both in Africa and Asia, I recommend the following.
First, we must take no shortcuts in helping Africa move along the classic development path, from an agricultural, to an industrial, and finally a knowledge-based society. Although, some nations, such as Singapore, have skipped some of these steps, they are exceptions rather than the rule. If African nations miss a step on this ladder, it could cause problems in the future.
Second, we must look to Asian countries that are rapidly maturing into knowledge-based societies and employ the models that have succeeded there. Some of the Asian 'tigers' such as South Korea took just 30 or 40 years to achieve a high degree of development. The sad part for Africa, it that it is taking more than 300 years to even reach food self-sufficiency.
Asian countries have overcome food shortages — a problem that continues to affect Africa — through mass education, adopting appropriate technologies, and developing entrepreneurial societies. Indonesia, for instance, overcame rice shortages by training agricultural scientists and 'extension officers', who transfer scientific knowledge to farmers. International agricultural research centres and universities developed improved rice varieties, and millions of rice farmers attended 'farmer field schools', where they learnt to increase crop yields and profits by, for instance, reducing unnecessary pesticide use. Today, India is one of the fast growing economies. This is partly because the Indian government encouraged the development of appropriate technologies early on. In contrast, agricultural development policies in Africa have focused on importing expensive machinery for commercial-level farms and have rarely prioritised adopting and developing appropriate technologies for basic food production. In terms of entrepreneurial development, the success of Thailand’s baby corn industry, worth several million dollars, is worth mentioning. It is the result of a partnership between many parties including universities, private and public agencies, and farming communities. Although baby corn was introduced to Thai farmers in an effort to improve nutrition, it generated extra income, and a viable export market emerged. The example demonstrates how important it is to develop agro-industry and ensure that farming is profitable. If Africa can develop its agricultural industry, it will both solve its food shortage and jump-start its development in general. A final point: it might be tempting to focus development initiatives on African nations that have already made some progress, as an incentive for their efforts and because success stories might be more achievable in these countries.
I have firsthand experience of international agricultural development centres defining agricultural research institutes in developing countries as strong or weak, and opting to partner the strong ones ― mainly to avoid wasting limited resources, but also for the sake of good publicity.
Undoubtedly, success stories could lead to more investment and interest in Africa. But we should not be selective and neglect weaker African economies for political or publicity reasons. Ahmed Dirie is a life scientist and freelance writer based in San Jose, California, United States.
By Ahmed Dirie
Ahmed Dirie | 农业 |
2017-09/0195/en_head.json.gz/2285 | Related Program: All Things Considered on KAZU Heat, Drought Draw Farmers Back To Sorghum, The 'Camel Of Crops' By Daniel Charles
Oct 31, 2013 Related Program: All Things Considered on KAZU TweetShareGoogle+Email A test field of sorghum outside Manhattan, Kan., planted by Kansas State University.
Originally published on October 31, 2013 6:07 pm Much of the world is turning hotter and dryer these days, and it's opening new doors for a water-saving cereal that's been called "the camel of crops": sorghum. In an odd twist, this old-fashioned crop even seems to be catching on among consumers who are looking for "ancient grains" that have been relatively untouched by modern agriculture. Sorghum isn't nearly as famous as the big three of global agriculture: corn, rice and wheat. But maybe it should be. It's a plant for tough times, and tough places. Sorghum "originated in the northeastern quadrant of Africa," explains Gebisa Ejeta, a plant scientist from Ethiopia and professor at Purdue University. From there, it spread across Africa, India and even into China. "It's got a lot of characteristics that make it a favorite crop for the drylands of Africa and the semi-arid tropics." It's an essential source of food in those regions, but it's not typically a big money crop. In Africa, it's grown by subsistence farmers. It's never gotten much attention from seed companies or investors. But it is nutritious. It can grow in soils that other plants won't tolerate. Above all, it doesn't need much water. Compared with corn, for instance, it needs one-third less water, and it doesn't give up and wilt when rains don't come on time. It waits for moisture to arrive. It probably arrived in North America aboard slave ships. That traditional sorghum looks like an overgrown corn plant, up to 10 feet tall, with a head of seeds on top. Today, American farmers grow two kinds of sorghum. Sweet sorghum is tall; you can use it to make a sweet syrup or just feed the whole plant to animals. But most sorghum in the U.S. is grown for feed grain. That version of the plant is short, with seeds that come in several different colors. Steve Henry showed me some near Abilene, Kan., on our way to the farm where he grew up. Kansas is the biggest sorghum-growing state. Out here, they call milo. "You've got white milo, red milo, yellow milo," says Henry, scanning the field. "Basically, you have the little berries, and they're filled with starch, like like corn is filled with starch, and the starch is what we're after." Sorghum is used for the same things as corn: high-energy feed for pigs and chickens. It also gets turned into ethanol. But corn is far more popular. Corn produces a bigger harvest, and farmers earn bigger profits with it — at least when there's plenty of water. In the U.S., the amount of land in sorghum has been steadily shrinking. There are signs, though, of a sorghum revival on the high plains. The reason is water, or the lack of it. From Nebraska to western Texas, cornfields have been fed with rivers of water pumped from underground aquifers, and that water is starting to run low. Some farmers, such as Mitchell Baalman of Hoxie, Kan., are looking for crops that aren't quite so thirsty. "We're learning a lot about milo," says Baalman. "You know, nobody wants to grow milo out here; it's kind of a forgotten crop. But I tell you what, there's where our money's going to be made this year. It'll be on grain sorghum." Ejeta, who won the World Food Prize in 2009 for his work on sorghum, says that sorghum's renaissance may depend on the price that farmers pay for water. "If water is given its real value, and you limit irrigation, or people begin to pay for water, it would be economically smarter to grow sorghum in several areas of the United States," he says. In the latest twist to the sorghum saga, it's actually becoming somewhat trendy among consumers who are looking for something a little different, and maybe a little more healthful. "Sorghum is naturally gluten-free; it's an ancient grain," says Earl Roemer, who set up a company called Nu Life Market to sell sorghum flour to big food companies. Roemer's sorghum mill in Scott City, Kan., is busy. "Demand is exploding!" he says. "We're seeing 25 to 30 percent increase in demand, annually. We're doing all we can to increase production." His flour goes into gluten-free baked goods and is also used in breakfast cereals containing so-called ancient grains like quinoa, amaranth and spelt. Every week, he says, visitors from food companies large and small make the trek to western Kansas to talk about new opportunities. Next week, he says, he's traveling to Taiwan to explore international markets.Copyright 2013 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/. TweetShareGoogle+EmailView the discussion thread. © 2017 90.3 KAZU | 农业 |
2017-09/0195/en_head.json.gz/2567 | When China Spurns GMO Corn Imports, American Farmers Lose Billions By Daniel Charles
Jul 31, 2014 TweetShareGoogle+Email A corn purchaser writes on his account in northwest China in 2012. In November 2013, officials began rejecting imports of U.S. corn when they detected traces of a new gene not yet approved in China.
Peng Zhaozhi
/ Xinhua/Landov
Originally published on August 5, 2014 11:39 am For a while there, China was the American farmer's best friend. The world's most populous nation had so many pigs and chickens to feed, it became one of the top importers of U.S. corn and soybeans almost overnight. China also developed a big appetite for another corn-derived animal feed called "dried distillers grains with solubles," or DDGS, a byproduct of ethanol production. China's appetites for the stuff drove up global grain prices and filled Midwestern pockets with cash. This year, though, the lovely relationship has gone sour, all because of biotechnology. A couple of years ago, American farmers began planting a new type of genetically engineered corn invented by the seed company Syngenta. This GMO contains a new version of a gene that protects the corn plant from certain insects. Problem is, this new gene isn't yet approved in China, and Chinese officials didn't appreciate it when traces of the new, as-yet-unapproved GMOs started showing up in boatloads of American grain. The crackdown began in November 2013. China began rejecting shiploads of corn when officials detected traces of the new gene. By February of this year, U.S. exports of corn to China had practically ceased. At the time, some American grain exporters said that there was little to worry about. The Chinese move, they said, probably was intended to slow down imports temporarily in order to make sure that China's farmers got a decent price for their own corn harvest. As evidence, they pointed to the fact that China continued to accept imports of DDGS, which also contain traces of the unapproved gene. The U.S. sent $1.6 billion worth of DDGS to China last year. Well, last week, China expanded the ban to DDGS, shocking many traders. The price of DDGS plunged. According to the National Grain and Feed Association, the Chinese ban on corn and corn products may end up costing American farmers, ethanol producers and traders a total of about $3 billion. Max Fisher, director of Economics for the NGFA, who came up with that estimate, says the ban actually is hurting the Chinese, too. "They replaced [the U.S. corn] with more expensive grains," he says, such as barley from Australia. But one group of American farmers is benefiting: China is importing lots more sorghum. In an interesting twist, American farm groups seem unsure whom to blame. Some are angry at China. Others point their finger at Syngenta. A few days ago, the U.S. Grains Council wrote a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, urging his "immediate, direct, and personal intervention" with Chinese officials "to halt this current regulatory sabotage of the DDGS trade with China." The NGFA and the North American Export Grain Association, on the other hand, have called on Syngenta to stop selling the offending corn varieties until those varieties can be sold in major export markets. "They're being a bad actor here," says Max Fisher of NGFA, referring to Syngenta. "They're making $40 million" selling the new corn varieties, "but it's costing U.S. farmers $1 billion." Syngenta, for its part, rejects any blame for the debacle. "We want to get technology into the hands of farmers as soon as possible," said the company's CEO, David Morgan, in a video released on Syngenta's website. "We can't expect growers to wait indefinitely for access to technologies, based on what foreign governments decide to do." According to Morgan, China has failed to make a timely decision on the new gene, which goes by the name MIR 162. Even if China approved MIR 162, however, the ban might remain. That's because Syngenta began selling yet another new new type of GMO corn this year, which also is not yet approved in China. Syngenta has asked farmers to take that corn to specific grain processors, who will keep it from getting into export shipments. But Fisher thinks the new gene is likely to show up in exports. "Farmers are going to be farmers," he says, and sell their grain through the usual channels.Copyright 2014 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/. TweetShareGoogle+EmailView the discussion thread. © 2017 Tri States Public Radio | 农业 |
2017-09/0195/en_head.json.gz/2643 | Industry ARA testifies on EPA's regulatory overreach
By Agricultural Retailers Association
July 20, 2012 | 10:41 am EDT
Many agricultural retailers feel the impact and expense of unnecessary and burdensome regulations on a daily basis. A growing number of these regulations are the result of recent actions taken by EPA. ARA Chairman Billy Pirkle addressed several of these regulations and their negative impact on the U.S. agriculture industry and economy at a hearing before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. Pirkle also serves as the Senior Director for Environmental, Health and Safety for Crop Production Services (CPS). To begin his testimony, Pirkle explained the important role agricultural retailers play in the production of crops needed to feed the nation and the rest of the world. He explained the variety of crop inputs retailers provide to their farmer customers and the additional services and consultation they offer to help farmers make the most environmentally friendly choices on their operations. As Chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Congressman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) led the hearing and visited with ARA Chairman Billy Pirkle after the meeting. One of the first issues Pirkle raised before the House Committee was EPA's decision to counteract a longstanding regulatory exemption for agricultural retailers and support the decision of the agency's Region 4 office (covering the Southeast United States) when they began issuing citations to agricultural retail facilities for failure to report under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) when fertilizer was blended at the retail facility. The EPCRA statute actually applies to those who manufacture fertilizer and specifically exempts "fertilizer held for sale by a retailer to the ultimate consumer." However, now EPA stated that custom blending of fertilizer was the same as manufacturing fertilizer. "Nearly all agricultural retailers custom blend types of fertilizer at the retail site for farmer customers because farmers do not have the equipment to blend in the field. Furthermore, blending fertilizer is a different process than manufacturing fertilizer," explained Pirkle in his testimony. "In 1987, EPA concluded that Congress's intent with EPCRA was to exempt a retail facility from these provisions because the general public was already aware of the retail sale and application of fertilizers." Later, Pirkle also explained that if a retailer had to meet all EPCRA reporting requirements, their permitting requirements under other environmental laws could also change. Trying to comply with all these requirements could cost a retailer an additional $30,000 per year, plus a $6,000 annual update. Another key issue Pirkle addressed in his testimony was the requirement that pesticide applicators obtain a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Clean Water Act (CWA) permit to conduct any pesticide applications. Pirkle explained that this is unnecessary since pesticides are already evaluated thoroughly by EPA under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). The pesticide label, which includes use instructions for different crops, geographic regions and weather conditions, is approved by EPA, and the instructions are based on mountains of health and environmental data. "A new NPDES permitting system would result in little to no environmental benefit, but could cost the industry millions of dollars to comply with these new requirements and leave commercial applicators and their farmer customers vulnerable to citizen suits," stated Pirkle. "Legislation has been introduced called the 'Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act' (H.R. 872) that would exempt FIFRA-compliant pesticide applications from CWA permitting requirements." The Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act is currently part of the House version of the Farm Bill. Pirkle explained to the Committee that it is critical for the House to take action on the 2012 Farm Bill prior to the upcoming August recess to allow time to complete negotiations with the Senate on a final conference agreement. In Pirkle's role at CPS, he works with his company's staff and management to give direction for the regulatory support and oversight of regulatory programs for all of the company's retail operations. His first-hand experience and regulatory knowledge made his testimony to the House Committee extremely valuable. Other examples of EPA's Regulatory Overreach that Pirkle mentioned in his testimony included the following key issues under the Clean Water Act and Clean Air Act. Clean Water Act (CWA) IssuesEPA's proposed spray drift guidance document that changes the legal standard found in FIFRA to an essentially zero-tolerance spray drift standard.
EPA's proposed guidance document to expand jurisdiction of the CWA without obtaining the necessary statutory changes or going through the formal rulemaking process.
Numeric Nutrient Criteria regulations in Florida, Mississippi River Basin and the Chesapeake Bay Clean Air Act (CAA) IssuesDust regulation in the agriculture industry
Greenhouse Gas Regulations and the increased compliance costs to the suppliers of agricultural retailers, which would be passed along to the retailer and farmer. In conclusion, Pirkle spoke on behalf of agricultural retailers asking Congress to hold regular oversight hearings regarding federal agency regulatory and enforcement activities. He also requested that Congress take necessary legislative action to prevent EPA from over-reaching its statutory authorities in the areas highlighted in his testimony. ARA and its member companies are strong stewards of the environment and continue to operate in an environmentally safe manner. ARA welcomes the opportunity to continue to work with the Committee, Congress and EPA to provide any needed statutory clarifications to improve regulations.
regulationsag retailersepaoverreaching regulationsclean water actreducing regulatory burdens act About the Author:
Agricultural Retailers Association | 农业 |
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2017-09/0195/en_head.json.gz/2849 | Pretty maids and spring daysMar 17, 2014 - By Randy TuckerThere's a good reason the "farmer's daughter" became the feminine ideal.
The smell of spring is in the air, but it's the earthy, organic smell of early spring in Wyoming, not the aroma of blooming flowers on a warm day in late April or early May. The recent rise in the temperature and the accompanying thaw are among the most pleasant portends of things to come after a long winter.
The smell of our feedlot just north of the house reminded me of days gone by when the dairy industry was alive and well in Fremont County.
My parents' farm was a small dairy before we purchased it, and we were surrounded by operating dairies to the west, north and south. On any given week at this time of year you could catch the aroma of the Brubaker, Stowe, Jeffries or the two Sterns dairies wafting in. Depending on the direction of the wind you could easily identify which one was on the air.
When it dried out a few weeks later you could hear the distant sound of a tractor and loader as well, with an exponential increase in smell coming from the cleaning of their feedlots after a long winter.
There aren't operating dairies anymore in Fremont County. All of our milk comes from Utah, Montana, Colorado, or even farther away.
If you've ever worked at the time-consuming, unending, scheduled labor that is dairy farming, you soon realize that glamor is one of the last things that comes to mind when feeding, moving, striping, milking and cleaning up after a hundred or so brown Swiss, Holstein or Jersey cows. But it wasn't always like this.
An old English nursery rhyme titled "Where are you Going My Pretty Maid" tells a different story.
"Where are you going, my pretty maid? I'm going a milking, sir, she said. May I go with you, my pretty maid? You're kindly welcome, sir, she said. What is your father, my pretty maid? My father's a farmer, sir, she said. What is your fortune, my pretty maid? My face is my fortune, sir, she said."
Her face was her fortune. It didn't take the young men of the late renaissance and early colonial times to notice how beautiful the daughters of farmers were in comparison to other young women of more urban areas.
Pock marks from smallpox were a feature of nearly every person living in a European city, but farmers and their families rarely had the scars of this scourge of humanity. People living with cattle quickly gained immunity from smallpox by contracting a much less-virulent disease called cow pox. Where smallpox killed millions of people, (some experts estimate 300,000,000 and name it as the worst disease to ever afflict mankind) cow pox was largely innocuous, producing a mild fever, a pox at the sight of infection, usually on a finger, and little else.
The wealthy eventually made the connection and began to infect themselves and their children with cow pox long before anyone had the slightest inkling of the value of vaccination.
Jump ahead a few centuries, and you see a strange adoration of another fatal disease.Victorian England was a world of suppressed desires, ridiculous etiquette, and amazingly complex social mores. In this world a person with the "wrong" disease was ridiculed and banished, but someone suffering from tuberculosis was considered to be avant garde.
Tuberculosis victims were said to be more creative, more attractive and much more desirable when suffering from the ravages of the disease.
A list of TB victims reads like a "Who's Who" of 19th and early 20th century society. Edgar Allan Poe, Anton Chekov, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Frederic Chopin, Emily Bronte, D.H. Lawrence, Eleanor Roosevelt, Robert Louis Stevenson and George Orwell are among the more famous victims of the disease.
Women with TB were regarded as breathtakingly beautiful. Gaunt, pale, with a natural redness to their cheeks and red lips from constantly coughing up blood, they were the morbid fashion idols of their day.
It seems strange, but, then again, anorexic models are a modern example of the same vain need for irrational standards of beauty over the health of women.
For every author, composer or artist with the ailment, there were hundreds of thousands of others suffering in anonymity. Most of those were children.
Milk was the primary conduit of disease, although society itself was partly to blame. The English practice of taxing homes based on the number of windows created dark, stagnant dwellings that harbored the disease. Dairy cattle carried it in the squalid conditions they lived in prior to refrigeration. Dairies had to be close to urban areas to supply unspoiled milk, and the proximity to humans created a breeding ground for TB. Canned milk and, later, pasteurization and refrigeration ended one of the great plagues of childhood and greatly improved the life of children in America and in cities around the world.
There is more to that cold glass of 2 percent than just the expiration date.
It's all in a spring day.
Editor's note: Staff writer Randy Tucker is a retired educator. He farms north of Riverton. Get your copy of The Ranger online, every day! If you are a current print subscriber and want to also access dailyranger.com online (there is nothing more to purchase) including being able to download The Mining and Energy Edition, click here. Looking to start a new online subscription to dailyranger.com (even if it is for just one day)? Access our secure SSL encrypted server and start your subscription now by clicking here. County Weather Photo Gallery Twitter Feed (Follow Us!) Tweets by @TheDailyRanger | 农业 |
2017-09/0195/en_head.json.gz/3928 | Subscribing. Please, wait. Thank you for signing up. Não foi possível subscrever. About Esporão > Alentejo Alentejo
The Olive Groves
The olive tree is a Mediterranean symbol par excellence; an ancient tree that identifies the cuisine and traditions of the Mediterranean basin, producing one of the healthiest and most versatile natural fats for a varied and balanced diet. Esporão began producing olive oil in 1997 – the year one of the most modern olive presses in Portugal was built (in the town of Serpa), at a time when the company did not have its own olive groves.
To ensure the quality and absolute consistency of our olive oils, which are made almost exclusively from Portuguese olives, we decided to use the transitional area between the vineyards and the forested areas, using an intensive model that has a low environmental impact on ecosystems and water resources, to plant an 80-hectare olive grove employing organic production methods. There is also a small and very old grove, which also uses natural methods and processes that are entirely traditional.
In addition to our own production, Esporão also has 20 partner olive-growers, all located near the olive pressing plant in the demarcated area of Moura, who receive ongoing training and support throughout the year.
Because of its almost forest-like agricultural production, due to little intervention within the terrain, the diverse undergrowth and the layout of the plantation, which is pesticide and herbicide-free, the olive grove essentially functions as a transitional ecosystem with a wide range of flora that includes mint, rosemary and cistus. Here, pollinators, such as bees and butterflies, as well as insectivorous birds like the azure-winged magpie and chickadees, find shelter and food. Reptiles, like the ocellated lizard and ladder snakes, also hunt here, helping to control rodents. At night, the olive grove is visited by bats and the little owl, who perform the rest of the organic control, keeping the olive trees healthy. | 农业 |
2017-09/0195/en_head.json.gz/6777 | GMO apple takes another step toward approval
By Andy Nelson, The Packer
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is asking for public comment on a risk assessment of a genetically modified non-browning apple.
In August, the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service ruled that the Arctic Golden and Arctic Granny apples, varieties grown by Summerland, British Columbia-based Okanagan Specialty Fruits Inc., were unlikely to pose a plant health or environmental risk.
Arctics, which are genetically modified to prevent browning, have been grown in field tests in Washington since 2003 and in New York since 2005.
In a notice published in the Nov. 8 Federal Register, APHIS announced it was seeking public comment for its plant pest risk and draft environmental assessments of the Arctics.
Public comments will be received through Dec. 9. This is the second round of public comments on the Arctics. In 2012, in the first round of public comments, 1,935 comment were filed, overwhelmingly in opposition.
The Arctic has generated opposition in the U.S. because of its genetically modified status. On Oct. 31, baby food maker Gerber said it had no plans to use Arctics. On Nov. 1, fast food giant McDonald’s said it had no plans to use them.
In 2011, both the Vienna, Va.-based U.S. Apple Association and the Yakima, Wash.-based Northwest Horticultural Council urged the USDA to keep the genetically modified variety out of the U.S. over fears of marketing damage to the conventional and organic apple industry.
Neal Carter, Okanagan Specialty Fruits’ president, said that the company expects Arctics to be deregulated by the USDA in early 2014, paving the way for U.S. production.
"We have been advised that the final decision will come shortly after this comment period closes," Carter said. "And based on our conversations with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, we anticipate full deregulation in Canada in early 2014."
Carter said growers in both Canada and the U.S. have shown strong interest in planting Arctics.
"We already have commitments from companies to plant Arctic apples in 2014," he said. "We expect many more acres of Arctic apples to be planted in 2014 and beyond, with small quantities of commercial fruit available beginning in 2015."
gmo applenon-browning appleaphisusda About the Author:
Andy Nelson, The Packer | 农业 |
2017-09/0195/en_head.json.gz/7960 | End Poverty or Bust: One Man’s Plan to Feed the World
November 6, 2013by Paul Polak5 min read
Original Photo by EndPoverty2015
Why Give a Damn:
Five years ago, Steve Bachar and I decided to invest in companies capable of transforming the livelihoods of at least 100 million customers living on $2 a day, generating at least $10 billion in annual revenues and earning sufficient profits to attract commercial financial investment. There was only one problem. We couldn’t find any.
The author of this post, Paul Polak, has brought 22+ million farmers out of poverty. His work is dedicated to designing products for the Other 90% (the 2.6 billion customers who live on less than $2/day).
Five years ago, Steve Bachar and I decided to create a venture capital fund that would only invest in companies capable of achieving three goals:
Transforming the livelihoods of at least 100 million customers living on $2 a day or less,
Generating at least $10 billion in annual revenues; and
Earning sufficient profits to attract commercial financial investment.
There was only one problem.
We couldn’t find any companies to invest in that met these criteria. Among social entrepreneurs, design for scale is as rare as hen’s teeth. So my partners and I decided to launch such businesses on our own to prove the feasibility and set a course for ending poverty on a truly big scale. Five years later, we’ve created four new companies. The one that’s furthest along sells safe drinking water to $2-a-day rural customers in eastern India at a home-delivered price of 8 cents per day for a ten-liter jerry can. Eight cents a day, or $2.40 per month, is significantly less than what families now pay to treat the illnesses they get from drinking bad water. This company is fast approaching the tipping point of achieving both profitability and scale, and three other companies, addressing energy, education, and smallholder prosperity, are at various stages of early development.
Among social entrepreneurs, design for scale is as rare as hen’s teeth
Better still, Mal Warwick and I have just published a book called The Business Solution to Poverty: Designing Products and Services for Three Billion New Customers, which describes in some detail how to create such businesses. We hope to jumpstart a new generation of multinational companies capable of earning attractive profits while transforming the lives of 100 million poor customers at a time. We call the method we’re using zero-based design, a comprehensive approach to designing a business venture from scratch, starting with zero assumptions or templates, learning what customers need and want, and designing radically affordable technologies and services to solve customers’ problems and the last-mile distribution strategies to make them available at scale.
Creating the Runway
There are one billion $2-a-day customers with no access to electricity, clean drinking water, affordable health care, education & sanitation
With 2.7 billion people now living on $2 a day or less, any effort that truly hopes to achieve a material reduction in global poverty must be conceived to reach enormous scale. In my opinion, each business must set a goal of transforming the lives of at least 100 million poor people. To stimulate the creation of startup companies capable of reaching that scale, a reasonable starting point is to identify markets with a minimum of one billion prospective customers. If you assume that a 10% market share would be a reasonable goal, then gaining a customer base of 100 million over the course of a decade should be attainable for a successful multinational enterprise. But the existence of many markets with one billion or more $2-a-day customers is already well documented. There are one billion $2-a-day customers with no access to electricity, another billion without access to clean drinking water, a billion without access to decent affordable health care, a billion needing affordable education, and another billion without access to sanitation. A small, world-class executive team could fairly quickly identify a hundred opportunities to create transformative new markets serving poor customers and pick gifted entrepreneurs who could form scalable startup companies to take advantage of them.
A small, world-class executive team could fairly quickly identify a hundred opportunities to create transformative new markets serving poor customers
A $30 Million Fund to Create the Runway
What I propose is to form a $30 million “runway fund” to jump-start the process. After identifying 100 startup companies and lead entrepreneurs capable of transforming the livelihoods of 100 million poor customers, generating $10 billion in annual revenues, and earning profits attractive to commercial investors are identified, the fund would operate on the basis of three phases:
Phase 1: Proof-of-concept prototype of the technology and key elements of the business strategy for six months, with each startup receiving $75,000 in funding
Phase 2: Beta test of the technology and business strategy with potential customers for six to twelve months, with each startup company that successfully passes Phase 1 receiving $150,000
Phase 3: First-stage commercial rollout for three years with total funding of $1.5 million for those ventures that succeed in Phase 2.
I would estimate the fund’s budget at $30 million as follows:
100 startup businesses, proof of concept phase — $7.5 million
30 businesses pass successfully to beta test phase — $4.5 million
10 businesses go to commercial rollout — $15.0 million
Executive team $500,000 x 4 — $2.0 million
Total = $29.0 million
With 10 businesses in commercial rollout, we would launch a second investment fund of $100 million to finance their global expansion.
Investment Fund to Achieve Global Scale
A reasonable budget for the expansion fund would look something like this:
Three companies @ $25 million each = $75 million
Two companies @ $12.5 million each = $25 million
Total = $100 million
If five successful enterprises then each succeed in reaching 100 million customers, helping them to transform their lives, a total investment of just $130 million – a tiny fraction of the $2.5 trillion the rich countries have invested in traditional anti-poverty efforts – would result in 500 million people living on $2 a day or less to make their way into the middle class. That’s an investment of just 26 cents per person! If our projections are realistic, that could easily represent the best investment ever in its social impact. Facebook7 Twitter6 LinkedIn1023SHARES TOTAL
Watch What Inspired This Entrepreneur To Fight Malnutrition The Power of Language: Where Are Your Priorities? About the author
Dr. Polak is Founder and CEO of Windhorse International, a for-profit social venture leading a revolution in how companies design, price, market and distribute products to benefit the 2.6 billion customers who live on less than $2 a day. He is an author of The Business Solution To Poverty and Designing Products and Services for Three Billion New Customers.
Tammy Hartmann
Thank you, Paul, for sharing your informative article and heart to help to bring millions out of poverty. There is plenty of information and also many other interesting posts and resources on the Facebook page. You have done so
much for the world. I love your passion—keep it going.
ghilonipt09
I would have to agree with you Tammy this article is very interesting and poverty can be helped anywhere in the world but we cannot help everyone in the world today. I posted in a different comment that not everyone can end poverty because there is so much poverty in todays world.
Bangyan Zhang
I like the article and the opinion. Helping people out of the poverty is a really hard and long-term work. However, there are lots of people in the world who have a relatively good life. If they can contribute a little to help those poor people. I think it will be a long-term, but it is not hard to achieve.
mbah7
I love the fact that theres a company out there improving millions of lives while being able to turn a profit. If all companies had the same end goal there wouldn’t be 2.6 billion people living off of $2 a day
rhildner
This is the first I’ve ever heard of a investment model with such innovative goals and frameworks. If successful, this type of investment could seriously change the world. Amazing!
osonbol
The article was very magnificent, especially talking about helping people, and end poverty. There are many people that are working hard to contribute to end poverty, and make them feel that there is no longer poverty. Thus, i think it will be a long-term work life that will make them feel also more achievable.In one word, End poverty will be one of the biggest step.
AmberDraina
I like how when they didn’t find any companies that fit there goals that they went out and created one. they are truly doing life changing innovations that are going to affect thousands of people.
I love how the investors could innovative goals and frameworks. These kind of innovation would keep us more seriously to change into a better investment that would help to end poverty which is one of the largest step in the world.
This article sounds good in retrospect because these men want to start up companies that will ultimately benefit the poorer populations around the world with getting clean water, electricity, sanitation, etc. This is a wonderful group that is trying their best to make a change on a global scale when no one else was.
yencheskcj27
This article shows how much potential we have to better the lives of millions of people in the short future. I like how you brought up using zero-based design approach when creating solutions to global problems. I also could not believe how you broke down the math to investing just 26 cents per person to move them out of poverty. My only questions are, has anyone helped create the $30 million dollar fund to make this possible, and do you think this concept will change the way more wealthy countries approach aiding poorer nations?
sauerm29
I personally don’t like reading numerical values, but I am passionate about positively impacting the lives of others. Dr. Polak is using his knowledge and skills in business to try to make a large scale change. My mind, like many other people’s, is not wired for dealing with numerical values, but Dr. Polak’s is. He is applying his strengths to a cause that could better the lives of tens of millions and more. The point I am trying to make is that we all have unique skill sets. When we tap into them, it can have a major impact.
sergio moyano
this is very interesting and also very true, companies are helping others while making profit, not many have this mentality because they are greedy people, but this concept is great, helping people around the world its just amazing and setting goals on the amount of people helping is just a way to strive to success.
i think it will not, just look at how many corrupted governments are out there, unfortunately only a handful of people aid them selves while everyone else has to find different ways, i think like the people in the article, we have to start it ourselves and a few have already we just have to keep supporting them.
mmorris93
Thank you for this informative and detailed
piece. I agree that by creating a monetary incentive and investment in
businesses that the outcome can create a positive impact on those at the bottom
of the pyramid. I would add that I think this model would also see success at
the university setting, with undergraduate and graduate students competing to have
their small businesses win investments and start-up capital. I think we are
beginning to see a change in the way businesses operate, with much more
emphasis on social impact, and I think students are helping to lead the way.
scray2
This is an interesting article. Now the next step that would probably be challenging would be to find organizations to invest in that provide education, health care, and sanitation to those living on $2 per day.
My class has been studying how to develop sustainable businesses in developing countries. As I was reading this article, I wondered what need companies should address first: education, healthcare, sanitation, or clean water. I am curious if there is a trickle down effect that will result from addressing one of these issues first. I also appreciate the breakdown of investment costs, and how to utilize funds in a way that will actually have an impact, rather than throwing money at poverty without evaluating if the money is actually producing fruit. Making a prototype is key to testing a product’s effectiveness in the market, and determining what changes can be made to make it more useful. It is essential that entrepreneurs are local so they can identify the needs of their community, and provide proper feedback to the investors.
This is really interesting article, thank you for posting it. i think it will help me create and understand much more. one of the amazing articles i have read.
jrigau9
I really like your idea of bringing this to a university level. Allowing students to compete for spots with their ideas will generate many innovative ideas.
I really admire what you are doing in your efforts to try to decrease poverty. Starting a organization to help other people out is very selfless and i appreciate you willing to help other people. I hope there are companies out there that are willing to invest in the organization because we should do our best to try to eliminate poverty.
new jordan releases 2014
charlaharvey
Wow, I am so humbled by the company that sells water to people who make under $2/day for $.08 a day. That just warmed my heart, and at the same time reminds me how lucky we are in this country where water comes out of our sinks. I also really appreciate the model of starting a business venture from scratch and basically letting the customers decide the outcome. Thus, what they want is what the company provides, and it is affordable and beneficial to those customers. You say, “Each business must set a goal of transforming the lives of at least 100 million poor people.” I think a very common viewpoint is that any little amount of change for the better is good enough, but your perspective encourages people to step farther. Sure, we can make a small, beneficial change, but why not set the bar high enough to make at least 100 million peoples’ lives better? That is amazing and inspiring.
Thank you for this article. I have been overwhelmed by the amount of problems and unfair circumstances around the world, but your words have truly given me hope that things can actually be done to make so many peoples’ lives better. It just takes some innovation and entrepreneurship!!!
Anniep1023
It is astonishing to think that there are people in this world that are living on about $2 a day. What these two men did is incredible! By incorporating other businesses and companies, they were able to help so many people. These people are now given a chance to succeed and live without a few less worries every day. By fighting poverty, these two men and their companies are helping to improve other areas, such as the overall economy, education, and energy sources. By creating an incentive for companies to help, it motivates the companies to do all they can so both parties can be successful. Overall, this was an enlightening and informative article.
Katelyn Vaughn
I agree with your post. I believe that poverty can be helped throughout the world but it is impossible to help every individual who is struggling in poverty. I think that, as a society,we need to be more educated on the issue of poverty as a whole. Many people do not think that poverty is an issue because its not a topic that many people think about on a daily basis, especially in America. I do however, feel that with time and a lot of publicity on the issue of poverty (new paper articles, television, social media), poverty can be greatly improved.
Taysia Justus
I love the passion you have for our world! It’s truly inspiring to see someone do so much good for a community.
Bjackson5
Taking people out of their comfort zone is most difficult when it comes to donating money. Many feel that their simple dollars wouldn’t make a difference in the world around them. Even if the donation of every individual was organized in the most simplistic way for people to follow, it would still come up short because of the unknown decision making of the people in this world. Some would give their life, others would be afraid to hand over a cent because their friend didn’t agree.
ryanstorto
It is truly inspiring to see that they are some people who do so much to help the world. Doing good things will always get you a long way and seeing peoples efforts to end poverty is so amazing. This is really a great article.
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2017-09/0195/en_head.json.gz/8091 | Search this site: Global Post In Latin America, a growing backlash against genetically modified food
By Simeon Tegel | 01/02/13 LIMA, Peru — Are genetically modified crops “Franken-foods” or the answer to global hunger and climate change?That is the dilemma dividing Latin America, where vast quantities of GM crops are grown. Ecuador’s constitution actually prohibits them and Peru recently voted for a 10-year moratorium.Outside the US, no region has a greater expanse of agricultural land sown with genetically modified organisms (GMOs) than South America.Together, Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay have roughly 120 million acres of GM crops, principally soybean, but also significant amounts of corn.Advocates say they increase yields, allowing the world to feed a growing population, and will even help farmers adapt to climate change.But critics have long warned of the dangers, both to the environment and human health, as well as the way so-called GMOs can make farmers dependent on the corporations that provide the seeds and complementary products.Environmentalists are concerned that GM crops could trigger new allergies, or could cross-pollinate with nearby non-GM crops, allowing their manipulated gene sequences to enter wild plants, with unknown but potentially far-reaching results.The latter happened in 2003 in Mexico — where corn was first cultivated by humans and which still has an unrivaled diversity of wild and domesticated maize — when UC Berkeley scientists discovered DNA from GM corn had entered into local crops.“The impact has been brutal, not just because they are GMOs but because of the herbicides that they need,” Carlos Vicente, of the Argentine branch of Grain, a nonprofit that advocates for small farmers, told GlobalPost.“It is all about Monsanto selling more seeds and agrichemicals and hooking the farmer,” he added, in a reference to the St. Louis, Missouri-based corporation that has largely spearheaded the GM revolution.According to Vicente, 60 percent of Argentina’s entire agricultural surface — 48 million acres — is now used to grow GM soy, mainly for export for both human consumption and as livestock feed.For a country once known as the “breadbasket of the world,” that represents a huge departure from its traditional staples of beef and wheat. The change began in 1996, when — without any legislation or government oversight — the first GM soy was planted.According to Vicente, Argentina’s massive soy harvest in turn requires an annual dowsing of 50 million gallons of Roundup, an herbicide manufactured by Monsanto, which has provided many of the GM soy seeds to Argentine farmers.Meanwhile, the government of President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner has also agreed to Monsanto’s demands that farmers be banned from re-sowing seeds from its patented crops, a similar law to that in the US, where growers must buy more from the company after every harvest.That measure hangs in the balance, Vicente said, after a backlash from environmental groups and furious farmers, although Fernandez still hopes to pass it.But not everything is plain sailing for GMOs in Latin America. In November, Peru’s congress approved a 10-year moratorium on the import and cultivation of GM seeds after a protracted debate.The previous government of President Alan Garcia came close to allowing the sowing of GM crops in Peru after heavy lobbying from agricultural corporations.But Garcia was outflanked by the nation’s burgeoning gastronomic movement.Several of the nation’s leading chefs — a revered profession here — warned that GMOs would undermine the diversity of Peru’s native crops, on which they depend for their culinary creations, and its rapidly growing exports of organic produce.Instead, they argued, Peru should be looking to empower small farmers to continue producing a wide variety of high-quality, natural crops and effectively act as the custodians of that rich genetic reservoir. They also insisted that GM produce does not taste or look better than natural varieties.“There are a huge number of plants in Peru with all kinds of properties which we are not currently making the most of as it is, although we did previously and could again in the future,” top Lima chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino told GlobalPost.“What we should be doing is re-evaluating and rescuing them,” he added. “In a country as bio-diverse as ours, GMOs make no sense.”GlobalPost contacted several of the companies that market GM seeds in Latin America. Cargill and Monsanto failed to respond, and Dupont said its staff was too busy to discuss the matter.However, Richard Breum, a spokesman for German pharmaceuticals giant Bayer, did provide written answers. He described GM crops as being “the most intensively studied plants in the world.” That research has cleared them of being harmful to human health, he said.Breum acknowledged the criticism that GM crops have compromised genetic diversity but blamed that on modern large-scale agricultural techniques rather than GMOs. “Farmers can decide for themselves,” he added.Yet those arguments leave many unconvinced. Costa Rican Congressman Claudio Monge said he was increasingly confident that legislators there were on the verge of rejecting an application from a Monsanto subsidiary to grow GM corn.“Costa Rica is a small country that depends heavily on ecotourism,” Monge told GlobalPost. “We have 6 percent of the world’s biodiversity right here and all the genetic diversity of crops we need naturally. We should not be chopping down forest to sow GM corn or pineapples.”Both Peru and Costa Rica are known for their biodiversity, with each country earning valuable tourist dollars from their tropical rain forests, which are also a source of national pride.And they promote distinct agricultural models from Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay — and most of the US — where a single crop is grown on huge fields that stretch to the horizon.But with many of those vast areas dedicated exclusively to GM harvests, “Franken-foods” are now an integral part of the global food supply.Andit may only be time that tells what their effects on human health and the environment really are. Email
Related Tags: Latin America | 农业 |
2017-09/0195/en_head.json.gz/8724 | What Do You Want Them to Know?
I think that there are a lot of misconceptions about various jobs. In fact I can't count the number of middle school or high school students that have asked me what exactly I do all week as a "youth pastor". Farming seems to be one of those occupations where misconceptions exist, or even better, people just have a plain lack of knowledge about it. On one hand I could argue that this really isn't that big of a deal because people probably have a lack of knowledge about what a lawyer, doctor, or teacher does. But, on the other hand our entire country used to have a pretty intimate connection to the agricultural world so a lack of connection is a departure for our country.Let me give you an example of that detachment. My mom teachers 2nd grade in an Iowa "city" of about 60,000 people. This "city" (it is a city by my standards) is the home of "Cattle Congress" and multiple John Deere manufacturing plants. But, when she teaches the "farm" unit to her students and brings in all of my toys it is like she is showing them a foreign world. Not that they should be intimately acquainted with all things agricultural, but these kids in a "city" surrounded by agricultural don't have any connection with the farm.So, since I'm in the midst of reading "The Omnivore's Dilemma" and am in the middle of the section where Mr. Pollan spends a week at Polyface Farm I have had one question that keeps running through my mind. If there were just a couple of things that I could let the average food consumer know about farming and where their food comes from what would it be?Would I want them to know about the care and work that goes into producing high quality food ... would I want to share with them about the difference in production practices that various farms are using across the country ... would I want them understand some of the food/farm policy that drives much of food prices ... what exactly would I want to share with them?So, I pose the question to you. What are a couple of your main things about our agricultural world that you would like everyone to know?
Conventional Agricultre,
Small Scale Farming
Dave_Flora
Good question, Ethan! Here's mine:1. That McDonalds, Wendy's, etc. don't sell food..they sell product. There are 38 ingredients in a Chicken McNugget, by the way..2. Oranges and strawberries don't grow year round naturally.
1. I would like the average "Consumer", e., everyone, to know that nobody gets a free pass on agriculture. We're all in the ag business, and that means we all share in ag disasters, and we all all engage in the good things that ag brings. If we support cheapness over everything else, we are complicit in farm destruction. And we all share in the necessary animal deaths that we humans cause through agriculture, and should accept that.By all of this I mean that the millions who may feel comfortable in their own behavior by adopting a false psychological separation from agriculture I would like stripped of that illusion.There are many, many, who believe that they're morally superior for one reason or another in this area, such as they eat beef, but oppose hunting, or they are vegetarians, and oppose the killing of any animal for meat.Well, the most destructive human activity of them all is building cities, which themselves can only come about through agriculture, ironically (there's no cities in hunter gatherer societies). And the planting of row crops results in the death of animals, even for the vegetarians who believe they're saving something (I'll spare everyone the deer in the combine stories).I don't mean to sound harsh in all this, but I'd like people to know what the reality of being a human being and eating means. A lot less nonsense would occur, I feel, if people were aware of that. And it would be best for all if we all realized that we're not, and never will be, really separated from the soil.2. I'd like people to know that if they live in a country that's a food importer, they live in a country at its knees.The US is becoming a food importer. Historically, nations that were food importers went to great lengths to free themselves from that status. If we think it's bad to be at the mercy of oil exporting nations, just wait until that situation replaces itself with being at the mercy of food exporting nations.3. I'd like people to know that the business of human beings is living decently. That doesn't sound farm related, but it is. Americans seem to believe the business of human beings is material acquisition, an odd belief for us mortals. Get a lot of stuff and die. The government believes that its our business to be "consumers".It isn't. That's now what we're for.If we realized that, I think we'd get away from the idea that everything has to be based on big and cheap, to include farms. If we focused on families being able to support themselves, decently, and be decent families, we'd have a lot more family farms, and a lot more family enterprises of all types.4. I'd like people to know that farming is a vocation.We don't do this because we would like a bizarre hobby. And we don't do this because we're "dumb". We're not hicks. We do this, because we feel compelled to do it.Indeed, by and large, farmers are one of the few remaining jobs in the United States which is principally occupied by those who feel compelled to do it. Most lawyers are lost souls, who don't know what to do, and so they practice law. Most doctors, I'm sorry to say, are in it solely for the money. Most people who go to college are told to pick out a career that should be a "good career", rather than to study for something they feel compelled to do irrespective of the income.Farmers are different. Farmers and ranchers do this because we love it in a way that's hard to define.People should know that, as people who love a vocation should be encouraged. And those who engage in any one vocation shouldn't be looked down upon.
The recently retired mother of a good friend of mine taught at a grade school in Los Angeles. Apparently, she once asked her students -- I think they were 5th or 6th graders -- if they knew where milk came from. The answers were something like "the grocery store" or "the milk factory". When she told them that milk came from cows, they were surprised.Then she asked them if they knew where hamburger came from. They didn't know, and she told them that hamburgers also came from cows. This disgusted them to no end. Apparently, they thought that if milk was the liquid that came out of a cow, hamburgers must be the solid stuff that also comes out of cows -- cow turds.She corrected them, but it amazed her that they could know so little about where food comes from.It seems extreme, but what I really want other consumers to know is what food is, and where it comes from, and I want them to know that it's important that they teach their children these things. It's sad, but there are a lot of people out there for whom food production is as foreign a concept as the fabrication process used to manufacture the CPUs in their phones.I'd also like them to know that the vast majority of corn that the see when driving through Iowa isn't served on the cob, and I'd like them to know where it does wind up. For those who do know where food comes from, I'd like them to know that you don't have to pay a lot to eat well and to eat responsibly. When you buy processed foods, fast foods, etc., you're buying an industrialized product that's been through a pipeline that adds much more cost than it adds value. When you buy raw ingredients and prepare your own meals, you cut all those processing costs out of the equation. You cut out the "middleman," so to speak, and you can afford to buy good ingredients. And in the process of doing so, you can exercise greater control over what you do -- and don't -- consume.
I frankly regard it as a massive failure of our education system that people don't understand where food comes from. If people don't grasp that, they shouldn't be trusted with the vote.Food is the most elemental topic of all. After the topic of obtaining food and shelter, all other material topics are luxuries.Beyond that, the Disney concept of nature and animals that so many Americans have is inexcusable.So what I guess I'd also like to see is for somebody to grab American education by the throat and choke out the fluff. That kids do not know how things really work is appalling.
I gave some fresh milk to a friend of mine. His children wouldn't try it. They said it wasn't milk since it came from a cow! Their world-view tells them that milk comes from a store.They don't know the work that goes into producing a glass of milk. You raise a heifer to produce her first calf and she freshens (comes into milk). You train her to hand milk. You provide pasture or good hay. You milk her every day, twice a day, no matter what. You get her bred back. You dry her off (stop milk production) a couple months before she is due to calve. Next she has another calf and she freshens...There is a natural cycle for all food. It can't be forced without consequences. I fear that Big Ag is forcing that very scenario.
Incorporate farming aspects into children's education starting before preschool. I'm a farm girl aka town wife. My 3 yo daughter already know some of most basic food/farm aspects. She knows she's eating chicken, what chicken look like on a farm, milk comes from mama animals (including myself!), eggs from chicken... more complex aspects will come along with time.HAHAHA!! I just asked dd "where egg come from" point blankly, without any DVD or picture help. Her first reply? "ROOSTER" That tells me I need to work more on this, especially while cooking!"What do I want them to know"? GO LIVE ON A FARM FOR A YEAR! Wishful thinking, huh?
I think one big misconception that should be addressed is livestock producers care for their animals. Peta and alot of other folk's propaganda would have people believe that livestock producers derive thrills from neglecting and abusing their animals. While there are a lot of folks who abuse animals, abusers are seldom the farmers who makes their living from those same animals. Most livestock producers I know that stick with it for any length of time, have great respect and love for their animals. In fact, some are almost borderline psychotic in that regard!!!! :)For instance, my wife can't remember anyone's name at a church we've been attending for 6 months, but she knows the number, pedigree, and calving history of 60 cows on her dad's farm. sean
Sorry to double post, but Yeoman did it, so I will too.:)I was just making some pre-compost after lunch and read this quote in the Contrary farmer. Logsdon writes: "It seems to me that the garden is the only practical way for societies to come in close contact with the basic realities of life, and if that contact is not close, it is not meaningful at all." then later "I know of only two ways to move humans to become vitally interested in the very substance of life: By fascination or by starvation. Surely fascination is the better choice. Being thus entertained in the garden, urban and rural society would join hands in the preservation of nature and turn the earth into a garden of Eden."Though I disagree with Logsdon's belief that we can achieve a pre-fall Eden (as evidenced by the above statement and his stated proclivity towards gardening in the buff), I do think he's onto something.You can tell people all day long about the value of farming and the farmer's labor of love...but no one will get it until they do it or at least have their bellies rumble a bit cause no one else is doing it.sean
"So, since I'm in the midst of reading "The Omnivore's Dilemma" and am in the middle of the section where Mr. Pollan spends a week at Polyface Farm I have had one question that keeps running through my mind."Joel Salatin again.I'm not sure what to make of Salatin. I recently read about 1/3d of his book You Can Farm. I liked it, mostly. I quit reading it as a lot of the advice wasn't purely applicable to my situation. There's no local market here, there's no other crop other than beef I can really raise, etc.Anyhow, I like part of what Salatin writes.On the other hand, he's sort of snobbish, or in your face, or something, about it. There's something about a shrill writer that makes me want to think twice about what they write, and discount it a bit.And I really think that Salatin greatly discounts the fact that his parent established him on a farm. He wants to suggest, it seems to me, that this is irrelevant, or mostly so, but it isn't. His position on that is almost like what I'd be hearing from the Ford family if they told me that "hey, anyone can start a car company with hard work and sacrifice." Yeah. . .right.And then there's. . .something. I just don't know what it is. I agree with a lot of what I read of his, but there's something about him. I love reading Wendell Berry (who is saying the same things) and I like reading Gene Logsdon. But their writing seems more informed somehow. Does anyone else have these feelings about Salatin?
Oh my gosh, Yeomen, do you realize who you're questioning? :-) I'm just kidding. I agree that it's hard to get over the fact that Salatin inherited his land, and his "farm business" but he's got alot of very valuable advice and experience. I attended two of his talks this fall at a conference here in Missouri and I was really umm... fulfilled as opposed to being let down by the depth or real world knowledge. In one talk about how to keep your kids on the farm and in farming he told about how he got his farm. He said that when he was about 18 and expressed an interest in running it his dad stopped buying the "stuff" that makes it run. If the tractor needed a repair or a gate had to be purchase, etc. etc. his dad left it up to him. Yes, he was still given alot of land, but it's interesting to hear how the transition happened. It also may be of interest to know that his operation rents 3 or 4 other farms and has poultry on one of those already so he is able to make his business model work on rented land also. And... you may not desire to but I would imagine that you could raise hogs or poultry similar to the way that he does. I have a hard time believing that a population large enough to support a lawyer wouldn't have a customer base for a pasture based farm.
Isn't the fact that Salatin and his farm is featured in a number of recent books and articles a larger factor in his success than whether or not he inherited his farm?It seems like his cattle operation exploded after "The Omnivore's Dilemma" came out. Would that have happened without the book and the "advertising" associated with it?Of course, he has alot of good ideas, but I think many of them are simply old ideas that he has altered and adapted to his specific farming situation. A farmer should study his ideas and then adapt them to their specific conditions instead of using them without question or change regardless of the differing conditions on their own farm. The unquestioning adoption of his techniques and ideas by his "followers" is one of the reasons he seems slightly irritating or snobbish.
I doubt that without all the attention he would have so many people wanting to be apprentices, and probably not as many customers, who knows about the "local" fast food customer. But, we should remember that he does stick to a local area so for every 1000 people that read about him from Pollan's book there's probably only 1 person that's close enough to buy from him. If we're talking about his speaking and book business, that's another issue. All the attention has surely helped him out there. I think his #1 cause is to tell people that they can grow food and sell it at a profit and then encourage them to tweak his ideas and others to work for them. When I saw him speak there was a problem with his slide show so while they worked on his computer he had us go around the room and have everyone say where they were from and what their farm operation consisted of. It was really awesome to hear the variety of farms, market gardens, etc. that were represented. Some people had 12 chickens in the backyard and one guy had a few thousand egg layers on pasture. Some had 2 steers and a few sows and others had many cows. There were also people that sold ducks for meat, honey, veggies, persimmon pulp. One young man had hogs, a couple steers, hens, broilers, turkeys, etc. on 20 acres and was going to return to working construction for a couple months during the winter before going back to farming full time. This was his first year at the new farm, he is 32 and him and his wife are determined. :-) Sounds familiar.
Thanks for the interesting replies on Salatin. I posted a similar comment on the Wendell Berry list, and one of the fellows there actually knew him quite well. It was quite illuminating.I think the thing that actually probably bothers me about Salatin is simply his writing style. I think I probably agree with the gist of what he's saying (to the extent that I've read it), but his writing style bothers me. It comes across as excessively confrontational, in a way, where as Logsdon, Berry and Cochrane do not. But maybe that's part of the reason he's received so much attention saying things that Berry has been saying for a lot longer, and Cochrane longer than that.On Steven's notation about chickens here, I don't know much about chickens. I'm afraid that with pastured chickens, a person would have to live out in the pasture with them, as there's so many coyotes here. I have thought that quail might be a nice addition, as some folks here set them out for bird hunters (I stick to the native birds myself, which quail here are not), and make a fair amount doing that on the side, and I suppose chickens in the yard would probably do okay.
"...I have thought that quail might be a nice addition, as some folks here set them out for bird hunters..."In the past, I had a couple of bird dogs and had the thought of raising a few bobwhite quail to release on the farm to increase the native quail populations. While researching that subject, I found some information about raising chukars for bird dog training, preserve hunting, and the game bird meat market.Chukars were supposed to be hardier and easier to raise than quail or pheasants, had less wildlife department regulations and hassles, and produced a reasonably sized amount of meat.I'm not sure if a market for chukars would exist in many areas of the country, but I remember thinking that you could raise them similar to chickens.(in some sort of movable chicken tractor type system)
As Your New Ag Secretary...
A Busy and Broken Down Update...
The Christmas Pony
Whew ... We Made It!
A New Secretary
Back In the Saddle?
Only Corn
If You Want...
No Time Today...
A Couple of Pictures...
Update on an Outbuiding...
Playing Farm...
Looking to Upgrade My Saw
Firewood and a Follow-up
Are the Wheels Falling Off
Just Had to Share This Picture | 农业 |
2017-09/0195/en_head.json.gz/9573 | U.S. Seed Potatoes Gain Market Access in Brazil, Nicaragua
US Potato Board
After five years of work, the United States achieved official market access to export seed potatoes to Brazil. In 2005, the two countries established phytosanitary and certification criteria for shipping seed potatoes from the United States to Brazil. On February 8, 2006, Brazil published the Normative (law) announcing access for U.S. seed potatoes.This agreement was reached due to the efforts of USDA Animal Plant Health Inspection Service and the Foreign Agricultural Service working together to provide the Brazilian government with the information they needed.Leah Cochran, USPB International Marketing Manager for the Seed Potato Export program explained, "There were many people from both agencies involved and providing continual assistance, we are especially grateful for the diligence of Mark Knez, Bill Snell, Shirley Wager-Page, and Thereza Barros from APHIS and Alan Hrapsky and William Westman from FAS." The U.S. Potato board would also like to thank its Brazilian associate Marcos Bernardi and contractors Ed Missiaen, Peter Joyce, and Rick Zink for their dedicated efforts to open this market."All of these efforts could not have been possible if it were not for the US potato industry Phytosanitary Initiative supported by the National Potato Council, state potato grower organizations and the U.S. Potato Board and carried out by the firm of Bryant Christie Inc. in Seattle, Washington.The USPB initiated work in Brazil in 2001 by bringing Brazilian growers, importers and government officials to visit the Unite States and to view seed production areas. Year after year, different members of the Brazilian potato industry attended the USPB Seed Industry Tours, which are designed to prove the availability of high quality US seed potatoes and certification standards.In November 2004, Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture officials came on an official visit to inspect seed production areas and learn about the certification process as part of the negotiations. The USPB also hired a University Professor in Brazil to conduct the background work required for the Pest Risk Assessment carried out by Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture. All of these efforts were partially funded with USDA export development program funds including the Cochran Program, Market Access Program and Emerging Markets Program. "Having the Normative published is the first step in opening the market, but there is still a lot of development work to do," said Cochran. "For the past five years, Brazil's average seed potato imports have been about 2600 metric tons a year, with a value averaging over $1.5 million a year."
To build a strong foundation for United States seed exports, the USPB is potentially planning a trade mission to Brazil for US seed growers in 2007, so they can learn about market demands and build relationships. In the meantime, Brazilians will participate in the 2007 Seed Industry Tour.Additionally, the USPB will continue to conduct variety trials in different growing regions of Brazil to gather data for registration. Brazil requires variety registration prior to commercial sales occurring. Currently, there are less than five United States varieties registered.
SUCCESS IN NICARAGUA--
The Protocol for the Shipment of Certified Seed Potatoes from the United States to Nicaragua, requested by the U.S. Potato Board in December 2005, was signed by both governments on January 24, 2006. This formal agreement gives official market access for US seed potatoes to be exported to Nicaragua. It establishes the inspection and certification of quarantine and regulated non-quarantine pests, which will govern shipment of certified seed potatoes from the United States to Nicaragua. Additionally, it sets forth formal criteria exporters must adhere to for shipping certified seed potatoes to Nicaragua.If the outlined health and labeling criteria are met, exporters and certifying officials will not be required to review the import permit prior to certification of shipments.
"APHIS wants United States seed potato exporters to be especially mindful of soil, since the protocols states seed must be `free of soil,'" said Cochran. "The U.S. Potato Board thanks APHIS for their assistance with this and other seed potato issues."
For more information about the U.S. seed export program, please call Leah Cochran at (303) 873-2323 or e-mail [email protected] . You Might Also Be Interested In... | 农业 |
2017-09/0195/en_head.json.gz/10626 | Wheatbelt women's group secures future of agriculture businesses
WA Country Hour
Olivia Garnett
Olivia Grigson, Tessa Pearse, Narelle Millington, Vanessa McGinniss, Christine Gladki, Karin Day, Julie Alvaro
Supplied by Olivia Grigson
A group of zealous women from the eastern wheatbelt have taken charge of their future on the land and formed their own women's support network group.It's called Agricultural Women Wheatbelt East (AWWE) and it aims to equip women with skills to improve their faming businesses and capitalise on opportunities in their rural communities.Olivia Grigson farms with her partner north of Merredin and is one of the seven women who've created the group, which has attracted 140 likeminded members in just six months."It's about supporting the central role that women undertake in eastern wheatbelt farm businesses, we're all about getting a group of dynamic women together to push forward, build capacity and create a better agriculture industry out here for us all," she said.There are several existing rural women's groups in WA but Ms Grigson says this one is more accessible for those in the eastern agriculture region.Today, about 50 women from the region attended the first professional development workshop in Merredin, focussing on grain marketing.Ms Grigson, who has a background in accounting, says she's been blown away by the enthusiasm in the community."We are just overwhelmed and just so happy, it goes to show how much theses kind of workshops are needed in the eastern wheatbelt."It's really about tailoring the needs of the women.""The more you understand the more ability you have to contribute so I think it's also about the changing face of agriculture in Western Australia as well, it's not the way it used to be 20 years ago, there's that generations shift as well."After a string of tough seasons, Ms Grigson says the network is vital in building resilience in the community"It is about professional development but it's also about maintaining personal and family health and well being, resilience is the core of it all at the end of the day."
Rural women bind together | 农业 |
2017-09/0195/en_head.json.gz/10927 | Cover crop cocktails are more than a salad bar Feb 15, 2017 5 ways to celebrate National FFA Week Feb 17, 2017 Seedstock Directory Dec 28, 2015 Directing nature? Gene editing offers big potential Feb 16, 2017 Agenda Animal Science Heads Gather To Chart Future
Government funding for animal agriculture research has been dwindling for two decades or more. Now something is being done to reverse that trend. Burt Rutherford | Apr 25, 2012
This week, 12 animal science department heads met in Washington, D.C., to begin charting a coordinated and organized effort to boost federal funding for animal-related research.
“If you look at the trends in funding for animal agriculture from the federal government, and the states, over the last two decades, it’s alarming,” Russell Cross, head of the animal science department at Texas A&M University, told those attending the 2012 Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) annual meeting last week in Houston.
“In fact, if we keep going down this path, there will be a lot fewer departments of animal science in the next 10 years,” he predicts.
He says two years ago, when USDA made available $260 million in competitive grants, the animal sciences were only able to land $22 million of that. And, of USDA’s Ag Research Service budget of $1.1 billion, only $60 million was devoted to beef.
“So the bottom line is we’re under-budgeted. We’re a $200-billion industry and represent 60-70% of total ag in this country. We’re just underfunded and it’s our own fault. We have to get better organized and better focused to change that,” Cross says.
“The plant side has been focused and organized over the last two decades. We have not. But we’re going to be. We have got to get better focused and better organized to get this through Congress.”
During last February’s Cattle Industry Convention in Nashville, TN, Cross told BEEF that the livestock industries needed to cooperate to accomplish this goal.
“We’re going to have to be our own champion and do it with the beef, pork, lamb and poultry industries – all animal products. But we need to be careful also. We don’t want to go after the money that plant has; we want the pie to be bigger because plant is very important to animals. And so we don’t want to impact what they do and how they do it. We need a bigger piece of pie,” he said.
Given the current budget crisis on the federal and many state levels, Cross says the challenge is significant. “I think we need to be looking hard at the next farm bill, maybe as late as 2013. We need to look at beyond USDA, to other federal agencies; we need to be looking at private foundations like the Gates Foundation. We need to be thinking way out of the box on this,” he said.
This week’s inaugural meeting started the dialog on how to accomplish their goal of increased research funding. “Whatever it takes, we’ve got to have a process that gets us on the Hill, gets us in the farm bill, gets us in language for appropriations, gets the money to the various agencies in the executive branch of government,” he says.
Cross anticipates working closely with industry associations as they move forward. “I think the universities are going to have to lead it, but industry is going to be right there beside us, just like the plant industry has been right there beside the universities. Together, I think we have a chance.”
In addition, Cross challenged BIF attendees to prepare now for the next effort to cripple beef production. Using the debacle over lean finely textured beef as an example, he called it a lesson learned.
“The lesson learned is our critics are going to look at the success they had in the social and national media and they’re going to start looking for other things. So we need to get ahead of what those other things might be.”
Cross says the beef industry, over the last several decades, has used technology to great advantage to produce more beef with fewer cows in a sustainable manner. “But one thing we haven’t done, we haven’t informed our consumer about the technology we’re using. So if we’re not careful, that technology could be used against us,” he says.
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2017-09/0195/en_head.json.gz/10991 | Industry During drought, farmers must also manage stress
By Christine Souza, California Farm Bureau Federation
March 31, 2014 | 4:08 pm EDT
Times are tough. Drought and resulting water shortages leave farmers and ranchers looking at unplanted fields, dried-out pastures and the prospect of reduced production and income. And it is only March, meaning there's a long way to go to get through the summer months. Stress and worry may build.
California Farm Bureau Federation Rural Health and Safety Committee Chair Stacy Gore, a farmer from Butte County, suggests that farmers, ranchers, family members and friends recognize and alleviate stress associated with suffering through this prolonged disaster.
"This drought is a statewide problem. It is going to potentially affect us all," he said. "It's going to be hard and stressful."
For Gore, this year's drought means less income for his family and the possibility that he may not hire as many seasonal employees as he has in the past.
"The stress for me is, I'm not going to pull in as many total dollars for my family. If I run the rest of my life pretty efficiently, I think I'll be OK, but I don't know about those seasonal guys that I am unable to hire this year," Gore said. "We've got to watch out for our friends and neighbors. If they are feeling down, give them a word of encouragement."
Farmers and ranchers must pay attention to stress and find ways to alleviate it, he said.
"We in agriculture talk about taking care of our families, our communities, our schools and other responsibilities, but don't ignore yourself," Gore said. "You've got to start with you first. You've got to take care of your health."
Water is the key to success in agriculture, so having little to no access to such an important yet uncertain resource is troubling.
"Even for people who have said, 'I have a pump and a well,' we're finding out that some haven't run them in such a long time, they are worried that the pumps are not going to work properly or they worry constantly about the potential for breakdowns," said Barry Bedwell, president of the Fresno-based California Grape and Tree Fruit League.
Marc Schenker, University of California, Davis, professor of public health, science and medicine and Western Center for Agricultural Health and Safety director, said communication is an important tool.
"Facilitating that (communication) is quite valuable, so people don't feel isolated. It always helps just in a general sense with stress and isolation," Schenker said. "We know that isolation exacerbates, if not causes, the stress and depression that happen from things like this, and countering that is very important."
Sheep rancher Dan Macon of Auburn started a Facebook group, "Farmer-Rancher Drought Forum," to help farmers and ranchers cope with the drought.
"It is like a virtual coffee shop. There is a sense that, 'All of my neighbors are going through this, too, and it's hard on all of us,'" Macon said. "It can be very isolating if you are thinking you are the only one having to sell cows, sell sheep or fallow a field. When you start realizing that everybody else has to deal with the same stuff, it helps."
Macon also emphasized the importance for people to talk.
"Sharing what is going on not only helps other people realize that they are not in this alone, but it is therapeutic to talk about it," he said.
Talking to fellow farmers and ranchers, Macon added, can lead to idea sharing and problem solving.
"Part of the debilitating thing about drought is not making a decision. It really helps to see other people that are making decisions, even if they are tough ones, to know, 'That's what I need to be doing too,'" he said.
Impacts of drought or other natural disasters can strain a farming operation, but also individuals, their families and other relationships, said Robert Fetsch, professor and Extension specialist emeritus at Colorado State University, who has written about farm families affected by drought.
"Regarding the drought in California, we know from family stress research that if farmers and ranchers do nothing different than they usually do to address the drought, in three to five years about one-third will be better off, about one-third will be about the same and about one-third will be worse off than they are today," Fetsch said.
He said farmers and ranchers can improve their likelihood of being better off if they and their families do three things: manage the "pileup" of stresses and strains, use internal and external resources well, and shift negative perceptions and meanings of the drought to positive ones.
Fetsch's suggestions for coping with stress include: Make wise management decisions by choosing the best way to decide; draw strength from places of peace; make your relationship with a partner a positive strength you can count on; and listen to what others say and how they feel.
Past studies on the topic, Fetsch said, indicate farming is one of the top 12 high-stress occupations. In comparisons of rural and urban families, Fetsch indicated that rural husbands and wives reported that financial and business strains contribute to a majority of their stress, while urban families reported intra-family strains contributed to most of theirs. He also found that with unique stressors also come notable strengths in farm and ranch families.
"In addition to external support from family members, hardiness was identified as a characteristic of many resilient farm and ranch families," Fetsch wrote, adding that farmers have effective coping strategies such as "a sense of commitment to work together to manage and solve problems."
Among available online resources for recognizing signs of stress and ways to cope:
Farm and Ranch Family Stress and Depression: A Checklist and Guide for Making Referrals (Colorado State University)
Making Decisions and Coping Well with Drought (Colorado State University)
Drought stress information from the Disaster Distress Helpline (U.S. Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration)
(Christine Souza is an assistant editor of Ag Alert. She may be contacted at [email protected].)
droughtcaliforniastress About the Author:
Christine Souza, California Farm Bureau Federation | 农业 |
2017-09/0195/en_head.json.gz/11746 | Scrapping regulations calls for discretion Feb 10, 2017 Stronger safety net is goal for National Cotton Council Jan 27, 2017 Oklahoma Peanut Expo March 23 in Altus Feb 08, 2017 Cattle industry 'very concerned' about Trump's pledge to renegotiate NAFTA Feb 06, 2017 Regulatory>Legislative Economist receives lifetime achievement award
Kay Ledbetter | Feb 16, 2006
Steve Amosson received the Southern Agricultural Economics Association Lifetime Achievement Award at the organization's annual meeting in Orlando. Fla., on Feb. 2. Amosson is a Regents Fellow and a professor and economist with Texas Cooperative Extension in Amarillo. During the presentation, Amosson spoke on some of the highlights of his career, as well as what opportunities and challenges lie ahead for his profession. He is co-director of the national Master Marketer Program, director of the “Have Computer Will Travel” project and project leader of the High Plains Water Planning Team. He also has served as project director or principal investigator on more than 60 grants. Amosson outlined three areas of concern for the agricultural economics profession, starting with a need for a more streamlined approach to remain effective, “always keeping in mind what our clientele needs. Unbiased information needs to be delivered to our producers in a cost effective manner, primarily via the Internet.” Second, he said, there needs to be an emphasis on intensive educational programming taught at a high quality and applied level, and targeted to areas that producers have indicated they need help with. Providing producers with information is one thing. Teaching them how to process and interpret that information correctly is critical to improving their bottom line. “Finally, we need to be responsive to our industry in providing unbiased applied research to issues they have in all areas,” he said. “If we can accomplish these three objectives, the future of ag economics discipline in Extension will be bright.” A native of Eagle Grove, Iowa, Amosson earned a bachelor of science degree and a master's degree from Iowa State University, and a doctorate from Texas A&M. He has been with Texas A&M since 1977, and with Extension since 1985. His primary responsibility is Extension's education/applied research program in agricultural economics in 21 Panhandle counties. Most recently, Amosson was presented with the American Agricultural Economics Association's Distinguished Extension Award: More Than 10 Years' Experience. He has received more than 20 other awards for contributions in marketing, finance and policy from professional and clientele groups. Some were presented by: American Agricultural Economics Association, Western Agricultural Economics Association, Southern Agricultural Economics Association, U.S. Department of Agriculture and the National Association of Wheat Growers. | 农业 |