| Organic
community split over synthetics—and who holds
the power
The debate on synthetics in organic production quickly
became the topic of the moment for organic producers
and consumers after a worried industry rushed in language
to the agriculture appropriations bill that keeps dozens
of synthetics in organic production. The rider, prompted
by the
Harvey decision, has come under attack from consumer
groups. Critics, worried less about the synthetics on
the list and more about the shift in power from the
organic community to the “politically-appointed
Secretary of Agriculture,” say the rider opens
the door to the erosion of the standards by profit-driven
corporations. The Organic Trade Association, the sponsor
of the rider, stands behind the precedent of their action
arguing that synthetics have been safely used in organics
for decades. For now Senators are listening to the people.
After receiving nearly 70,000 letters against the action
they have decided to postpone a vote on the rider even
after passing the rest of the appropriations bill.
http://newstandardnews.net/content/?items=2441&printmode=true
Ag cuts imminent
The Senate Agriculture Committee has rescheduled the
final vote on Chairman Saxby Chambliss plan for $3 billion
in cuts from the appropriations budget for next Wednesday.
Despite including major cuts to conservation and food
aid it seems like the only major opposition to the plan
will come over the dairy subsidy.
http://today.reuters.com/investing/financeArticle.aspx?type=bondsNews&storyID=2005-10-12T220012Z_01_N12581725_RTRIDST_0_FOOD-USDA-CUTS.XML
Conservation
programs chopped even as subsidy programs offered to
world trade
In the name of world trade, the U.S. has offered to
cut farm subsidies by 60 percent and tariffs by 90 percent
before 2010. The offer was made on the condition the
European Union and Japan follow suit with cuts of their
own. The E.U. quickly countered by throwing 50 percent
cuts on their highest farm import tariffs on the table.
No word yet from Japan. The current round of World Trade
Organization talks are scheduled to resume in December.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4325914.stm
Cotton yields
hold priority over worker health in Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan, a small former-soviet republic on the
Northern border of Iran, is sacrificing its citizenry
in the name of higher cotton yields. Each year woman,
children and even competing small farmers are forced
to harvest the crop on big collective farms. Under presidential
mandate to show a yearly increase in cotton yields government
officials have reportedly threatened to end the livelihood
of small-scale growers who refuse to help. A recent
Environmental New Service story reports threats to withhold
next year’s seeds, give the arid land to those
that followed orders or to cut off an absent farmer’s
water. Of even greater concern is the health risks caused
to those in the fields. In order to increase efficiency
and yields farmers are relying on a whole array of chemical
products and are often unwilling to stop harvesting
to let workers out of the fields while the crop is being
sprayed. Pregnant woman, who are not exempt from harvest
labor and children are at greatest risk. One health
ministry employee was quoted by ENS as saying, “One
thing is certain. The number of people suffering from
disease of the upper respiratory tract during the harvest
and ripening of cotton increases by dozens of times.”
http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/sep2005/2005-09-30-01.asp
The potato
finds its home in Peru
Scientists have pin-pointed the origin of the potato
to a single region in southern Peru. The broad distribution
of the potato across many region and habitats had led
some to hypothesize that the potato in fact had multiple
origins but after studying over 350 DNA markers scientists
are confident in their single origin conclusion. “Our
DNA data shows in fact all cultivated potatoes can be
traces back to a single origin in southern Peru,”
David Spooner, USDA research scientist who led the study
was quoted by the Environmental New Service as saying.
The discovery has agricultural potential to plant breeders
and researchers who will now be able to use the information
to pinpoint and select for desirable traits, such as
disease resistance.
http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/oct2005/2005-10-06-09.asp#anchor7
And elsewhere around the web... Grass
farming and the environment... Hurricane-Struck
Farmers to Receive $29 Million... Minnesota
Implements Statewide Biodiesel Requirement... Bird
Flu spreads to Turkey, EU bans imports of live Turkish
birds
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