Search Results
Wednesday, January 29th, 2025
(Beyond Pesticides, January 29, 2025) A team of researchers recently discovered the benefits of using natural biofertilizers and biostimulants in the production of tomatoes, the results of a two-year study featured in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. When the researchers added a biofertilizer consisting of fungi and bacteria, and/or a biostimulant made of algae, the tomato plants grew bigger, faster, and produced significantly more (and sweeter) fruit than plants that received neither treatment. This research, published in August 2024, adds to a growing body of evidence that non-synthetic, natural fertilizer alternatives can support a global transition away from the toxic chemical treadmill of modern commercial farming. [A note about the definition of plant biostimulants. They are substances or microorganisms that enhance natural plant processes, improving resource efficiency, stress tolerance, and overall growth without directly providing nutrients or controlling pests. There is ongoing confusion regarding a lack of a set definition, as some biostimulants overlap in function with fertilizers or biocontrol agents. The definition of biofertilizersâalso referred to as inoculants, bioinoculants, or bioformulationsâare products containing beneficial microorganisms in active or inactive forms. These microorganisms, applied singly or in combination, colonize the rhizosphere or plant tissues to enhance […]
Posted in Agriculture, Alternatives/Organics, biofertilizers, Biofertilizers, Biostimulants, Fertilizer, Integrated and Organic Pest Management, Microbiome, NOSB National Organic Standards Board, Plant growth promoting microorganisms (PGPMs), Regenerative, soil health | No Comments »
Thursday, January 23rd, 2025
(Beyond Pesticides, January 23, 2025) According to reporting by Bangor Daily News, âStarting in 2025, the Miâkmaq Nation, [Upland Grassroots], [University of Virginia], the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station and Central Aroostook Soil and Water Conservation District will use a four-year, $1.6 million EPA grant to continue hemp planting at [the former] Loring [Air Force Base] and testing potential ways to extract PFAS [per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances] from harvested hemp.â This grant will support an existing initiative led by members of the Miâkmaq Nation to remediate this contaminated Superfund-designated land purchased from the U.S. government in 2009 based on interviews of the Nationâs Vice Chief Richard Silliboy. Â PFAS, colloquially known as âforever chemicals,â persist in various petrochemical-based pesticides, chemicals, and other consumer products. Beyond Pesticides, in coordination with national coalitions and local communities, continues to act against the proliferation of PFAS and PFAS-contaminated products through grassroots organizing and litigation. The use and associated public and environmental exposure to PFAS as pesticide active ingredients in pesticide products and a wide range of consumer products (including containers holding pesticides targeting mosquitoes and sewage sludge fertilizers) represent a grave threat as a result of their use in homes, emergency rooms, health care facilities, […]
Posted in Biosolids/Sewage Sludge, Indigenous People, Maine, PFAS, Sewage Sludge, soil health, State/Local, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Thursday, January 16th, 2025
(Beyond Pesticides, January 16, 2025) In Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, researchers highlight a multitude of studies on endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and endocrine disrupting pesticides (EDPs) showing epigenetic effects from exposure. These EDCs imitate the action of endocrine hormones and lead to gene damage and multigenerational adverse effects to health. âThese chemicals can interfere with the normal functioning of target tissues by altering their response to hormonal signals, thereby affecting various physiological processes including reproduction, development, the nervous system, the immune system, and even the process of carcinogenesis [causing cancer],â according to the authors from Hebei Agricultural University and Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences. Â In causing epigenetic modifications, the authors describe that EDCs can create changes âat the nuclear and mitochondrial DNA (nDNA and mtDNA) or RNA levels, without changing the underlying DNA sequence. These alterations modify the structure or conformation of DNA, influencing gene expression and, consequently, cellular function.â They continue, âThe mechanisms of epigenetics include changes in DNA methylation, chromatin modifications and the involvement of certain noncoding RNAs.â In reviewing over 80 studies on EDCs, predominantly fluorinated compounds such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), the researchers provide a summary of linkages between pesticide exposure and the […]
Posted in Body Burden, Cyfluthrin, DDT, Endocrine Disruption, Endosulfan, Epigenetic, Fipronil, Glyphosate, hexachlorobenzene (HCB), Imidacloprid, Metolachlor, PFAS, Sulfoxaflor, Trifluralin | No Comments »
Thursday, December 19th, 2024
(Beyond Pesticides, December 19, 2024) As The New York Times reported last month, the government in South Africa declared a national emergencyâ23 children died and nearly 900 people were sickened from pesticide poisoning in Johannesburgâs Soweto township. The illnesses and fatalities have been traced to small amounts of highly neurotoxic pesticides, including the insecticides terbufos and aldicarb, found in local food items. These chemicals, described by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa as âstreet pesticides,â are being increasingly used (legally and illegally) for pest infestations in the townships and informal settlements of South Africaâs poorest communities, where poverty and inadequate waste collection exacerbates the pest management challenges. Without formal electricity, running water, or municipal garbage collection, many residents rely on highly toxic pesticides for pest infestations in their homes and makeshift markets, resulting in food inadvertently being contaminated with pesticides. The announcement highlights the dangers of allowing these highly toxic agricultural chemicals to be used in farming, with tragic consequences for vulnerable communities when they are diverted for use in urban settings. This tragic situation also draws attention to the elevated threat that pesticides pose when stringent enforcement mechanisms are not in place to ensure compliance with pesticide restrictions, even with […]
Posted in Agriculture, Aldicarb, Bayer, Children, contamination, Death, Environmental Justice, Farmworkers, Food Borne Illness, Imidacloprid, Monsanto, organophosphate, Paraquat, Pesticide Regulation, Pests, Poisoning, Rodenticide, Rodents, terbufos, thiacloprid, Uncategorized, United Nations | No Comments »
Monday, November 25th, 2024
(Beyond Pesticides, November 25, 2024)Â When the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced at the end of October a $15 million program to expand access to organic dairy products in schools, it added funds to an agency effort underway that is intended to support and incentivize farmers to grow organic and make organic food more widely available. While the millions being invested is a fraction of what organic advocates say is necessary, Congress and USDA have established a framework that recognizes the need to address the current health, biodiversity, and climate crises with accelerated adoption of organic. The issue now is whether organic will garner the support necessary to meet the life-sustaining challenges in the next Farm Bill, which may not be taken up until the next Congress is sworn in and the new administration is inaugurated. The U.S commitment to organic has been building since the adoption of the Agricultural Productivity Act in 1983, which established the Low Input Sustainable Agriculture program (later becoming the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program) at USDA, and then the passage of the Organic Foods Production Act in 1990. However, among the articles published on the subject, research reported in Environmental Science & […]
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
Monday, November 18th, 2024
(Beyond Pesticides, November 18, 2024)Â With the reported appointment of former U.S. Representative Lee Zeldin (R-NY) to the position of Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Senate confirmation hearings will be an important process that is intended to shine a light on individual nominations, the policies of an administration, and the science (or lack thereof) behind them. There have been reports in the media that the Trump administration may attempt to circumvent the âadvice and consentâ rule of the U.S. Senate by making recess appointments. Alexander Hamilton wrote in the Federalist Papers: No. 76 that Senate confirmation hearings act as a safeguard against the appointment of âunfitâ officials. Numerous interviews and critiques are painting a picture of what the future holds for environmental protection and all that means for addressing the serious catastrophic threats of ongoing and escalating health, biodiversity, and climate crises. âMr. Trump, who has called climate change a âhoax,â has targeted âevery oneâ of Mr. Bidenâs policies designed to transition the United States away from fossil fuels,â according to The New York Times reporting on June 26, 2024. The Guardian reported on October 1 after Hurricane Helene, âAs the hurricane continued to ravage the region over […]
Posted in Alternatives/Organics, Biodiversity, Climate, Climate Change, Disease/Health Effects, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Take Action, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Thursday, October 31st, 2024
(Beyond Pesticides, October 31, 2024) Approximately four in ten private wells in the state of Wisconsin contain toxic pesticides and pesticide metabolites, according to findings released earlier this year from a 2023 survey, entitled Wisconsin Agricultural Chemicals in Wisconsin Groundwater, conducted by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection (DATCP) in partnership with U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). An analysis of the survey findings from Wisconsin Public Radio determined that âmore than half of 29 pesticide compounds detected are unregulated in groundwater.â Pesticides detected in this study include toxic herbicides atrazine, dacthal, metolachlor, and alachlor, commonly used by chemical-intensive corn and soybean growers throughout the United States, but they are particularly concentrated for use in Corn Belt states such as Wisconsin. Various neonicotinoid insecticides were also detected. Pesticide leaching into both surface water and groundwater continues to impose adverse health and environmental impacts on communities across the nation, leading to advocates pushing for organic land management principles and practices to avoid the continuous use of toxic pesticides. Methods and Findings âOf the 29 compounds detected, [Carla] Romano [groundwater specialist at DATCP] said 13 have established groundwater standards,â based on an interview conducted by […]
Posted in Clean Water Act, Drinking Water, Groundwater, Uncategorized, US Department of Agriculture (USDA), Water, Water Regulation, Wisconsin | No Comments »
Wednesday, October 30th, 2024
(Beyond Pesticides, October 30, 2024) STARTS TODAY at 2 PM EDTâNATIONAL FORUM: IMPERATIVES FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE. Beyond Pesticides has filed suit against The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company and GreenTechnologies, LLC for allegedly misleading consumers on the hazardous nature of their fertilizer products, which contain sewage sludge (often referred to as biosolids) contaminated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The group filed two cases, Beyond Pesticides v. Miracle-Gro Co. and Beyond Pesticides v. GreenTechnologies, LLC, in D.C. Superior Court on October 25, 2024. The complaint alleges that, as part of their marketing, these companies tell consumers that their fertilizers are âeco-friendlyâ and âsustainable,â when, in fact, the products contain hazardous substances. The complaint cites test results showing PFAS residues in the companiesâ fertilizers and numerous scientific studies on the adverse effects of PFAS to public health, wildlife, and pollinators.  PFAS, known as âforever chemicalsâ due to their ability to persist in the environment, are endocrine disruptors linked to developmental issues, cancers,âŻmetabolic, cardiovascular and reproductive harm, damage to the liver, kidneys, and the respiratory system, as well increased chances of disease infection and severity.âŻTheâŻchemicalsâ immunotoxic effects threaten human health. Beyond Pesticides alleges that consumers are, thus, misled by advertising in which Scotts Miracle-Gro […]
Posted in Agriculture, Alternatives/Organics, Biosolids, Biosolids/Sewage Sludge, contamination, Fertilizer, Lawns/Landscapes, Litigation, PFAS, Sewage Sludge, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
Monday, October 28th, 2024
(Beyond Pesticides, October 28, 2024) STARTS WEDNESDAYâNATIONAL FORUM: IMPERATIVES FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE. As scientific articles and regulatory reviews by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) focus on individual pesticides or families of pesticides and specific health outcomes associated with exposure, legislation introduced by U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), S. 5084, Safe School Meals Act (SSMA), proposes a holistic response to the protection of children by banning pesticides in school lunches. While focused on the elimination of certain individual pesticides and other chemicals of known concern, the bill unilaterally allows children to be served food from certified organic farms. The overwhelmingly large body of scientific findings on the adverse effects of pesticides in the food that children eat in schools and generally. For example, last week Beyond Pesticides commented on EPAâs Draft Human Health and/or Ecological Risk Assessments for Several Pesticides, citing scientific findings that, âNeonicotinoids . . .have been found to affect mammalian nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) [which] are of critical importance to human brain function, especially during development and for memory, cognition, and behavior.â (See more here.) This month, Jennifer Sass, PhD, et al., in Frontiers in Toxicology, published a review of  unpublished rodent developmental neurotoxicity (DNT) studies […]
Posted in Alternatives/Organics, Children, Children/Schools, Disease/Health Effects, neonicotinoids, Take Action, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
Thursday, October 24th, 2024
(Beyond Pesticides, October 24, 2024) When U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) introduced S. 5084, Safe School Meals Act (SSMA) in September, he identified four objectives: Directing the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to set safe limits for heavy metals in school meals. The limits will be based on a threshold of reasonable certainty of no harm to school-age children from aggregate exposure. If the agencies fail to set these limits within two years, the limits will automatically be set to non-detectable until the agencies can determine a safe level of exposure. Banning glyphosate, paraquat, and organophosphate pesticide residues in school meals. Certified organic farms would automatically meet this requirement. Banning PFAS, phthalates, lead, and bisphenols in food packaging in school meals. Directing FDA to reevaluate food additives with known carcinogenic, reproductive, or developmental health harms, such as artificial food dyes, and ban their use in school meals prior to the completion of FDAâs analysis. While groups like Beyond Pesticides applaud Senator Bookerâs initiative to restrict exposure to some of the most hazardous toxicants, especially the most vulnerable subpopulation of children, their goal is to provide organic food to school children. In this spirit, groups have advocated that the U.S. Department […]
Posted in Alternatives/Organics, Chemicals, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Organic Foods Production Act OFPA, Pesticide Regulation, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Wednesday, October 23rd, 2024
(Beyond Pesticides, October 23, 2024) The stark contrast of two political parties emerged around this summerâs reporting of the Project 2025 blueprintâcreated by extreme right-wing conservativesâthat proposes the gutting of environmental and public health policy and implementation. Many political observers say “Project 2025 Presidential Transition Project,” formally titled “Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise,” will be embraced by a second Trump Administration, despite denials that are challenged by insiders as outright lies. While the public became aware of Project 2025 plans to gut the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and many other agencies, the Biden Administration was announcing the emergency ban (see also August 6 announcement), finalized yesterday, of the weed killer Dacthal, exercising an EPA authority that has not been used in 45 years since the banning of 2,4,5-T (50% of the mixture of Agent Orange). With this decision, EPA set an important precedent for proclaiming (i) an unacceptable harm, (ii) its inability to mitigate the pesticideâs hazards with typical risk mitigation measures, and (iii) the availability of alternatives that made the chemical unnecessary. In dramatic contrast, the Trump supporters behind Project 2025 are intent on politicizing science to undermine governmental structures and laws established to protect public health […]
Posted in Agriculture, Alternatives/Organics, Department of Interior, Endangered Species Act (ESA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Environmental Policy Act, Uncategorized, US Department of Agriculture (USDA), Wildlife/Endangered Sp. | No Comments »
Monday, October 21st, 2024
(Beyond Pesticides, October 21, 2024)Â To solve the existential crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, and human disease, Beyond Pesticides is urging that organic agriculture growsâover the next decade becoming universally adopted for all agriculture. However, with the expiration of the Farm Bill on September 30, 2023, and subsequent one-year extension, core organic programs including the Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP) will expire without Congressional action. This leaves thousands of organic farmers with a huge net increase in their annual certification costsâand presents a disincentive for others to make the transition to organic. The OCCSP will disappear in 2025 unless Congress passes a five-year Farm Bill with funding or includes sufficient funding in a stopgap bill this fall. Chemical-intensive agriculture, with its dependence on petrochemical pesticides and fertilizers, is a major contributor to the existential health and environmental crises and contamination of air, land, and water. Organic agriculture, certified and labeled in compliance with the Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA) provides: A definition of organic agriculture that defines health-biodiversity-climate friendly practices; A requirement for a systems plan that establishes baseline management practices to create resiliency and prevent pests; A rigorous process for an allowed/prohibited substances list with a mechanism for […]
Posted in Agriculture, Alternatives/Organics, Biodiversity, Climate, Farm Bill, National Organic Standards Board/National Organic Program, Organic Foods Production Act OFPA, Take Action, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Thursday, October 17th, 2024
Beyond Pesticides (October 17, 2024) On September 30, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) opened a public comment period about production of specific per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS, also known as âforever chemicalsâ)âincluding perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), and perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA). EPA is collecting information on the fluorination process of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and other plastic containers to inform possible regulatory action under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). The deadline for submitting comments is November 29, 2024. PFOA and twelve other PFAS compounds are created during the fluorination of HDPE plastic containers by Inhance Technologies, LLC, the only U.S. company manufacturing containers using this fluorination technique (see here). Studies by EPA, independent researchers, and the company itself demonstrate that PFAS leaches from container walls into contents, exposing millions to these toxic chemicals without their knowledge. EPA notes, âLong-chain PFAS like PFOA, PFNA, and PFDA build up in our bodies and the environment over time. Even small amounts can significantly contribute to peopleâs long-term exposure and health risk for cancers, impacts to the liver and heart, and immune and developmental damage to infants and children.â The adverse effects of PFAS exposure are linked to serious health issues, […]
Posted in Cancer, Chemicals, contamination, Developmental Disorders, Disease/Health Effects, Drinking Water, Endocrine Disruption, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Herbicides, Increased Vulnerability to Diseases from Chemical Exposure, Inhance Technologies, Integrated and Organic Pest Management, Miscarriage, National Organic Standards Board/National Organic Program, NOSB National Organic Standards Board, Organic Foods Production Act OFPA, Pesticide Regulation, PFAS, Plastic, Reproductive Health, Uncategorized | 5 Comments »
Tuesday, October 8th, 2024
(Beyond Pesticides, October 8, 2024) A comprehensive literature review in Endocrines, published in September, amasses hundreds of studies on endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) that showcase adverse effects on growth, development, reproduction, and metabolism. The authors, a team of scientists and academics from Brazil, shed light on the link between EDC use and thyroid dysfunction, leading to increasingly prevalent illnesses and deadly diseases. Â Â Â EDCs are any synthetic or natural compounds that hinder endocrine system functions and create harmful effects on organisms. These chemicals can impact the thyroid gland, which is vital in producing hormones and plays a role in several body functions. As the researchers state, âSeveral EDCs have been classified as thyroid disruptors, impairing thyroid hormone [TH] production, synthesis, metabolism, transport, and/or actions. Notably, thyroid disorders are the second most prevalent endocrine disease worldwide, with incidence increasing significantly in recent years.â The authors continue, â[S]tudies have correlated this rise in thyroid dysfunctions and cancers with increased exposure to EDCs. Although many EDCs are linked to thyroid dysfunction, this review focuses on the deleterious effects of plasticizers, organochlorine pesticides, and per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances on thyroid function. These contaminants are commonly found in food, water, and everyday products.â This review helps […]
Posted in Atrazine, Birth defects, Cancer, carbamate, Carbamates, Children, Chlorpyrifos, DDT, Dieldrin, Endocrine Disruption, Endosulfan, Fipronil, mancozeb, organochlorines, organophosphate, Permethrin, PFAS, phthalates, Propiconazole, pyrethroids, Synthetic Pyrethroid, Thyroid Disease, Women's Health | No Comments »
Monday, September 30th, 2024
(Beyond Pesticides, September 30, 2024) Public Comment Period on Issues of Organic Integrity Closes Today. Farming is a notoriously risky enterprise, and organic farming presents further challenges along with its multiple benefits. Generally, organic has made great strides over the last several years and is strongly supported by American consumers, findings in the latest U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Census. Even late this year, there is the prospect of several more important changes that will improve the organic certification process and some issues that will take more policy changes to resolve in the future. As a part of this process to ensure the integrity of the USDA organic label and the permitted production practices, Beyond Pesticides urges that the public submit comments TODAY (the last day for the comment period) on issues currently before the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB). See two sets of comments on key issues that can be submitted with one click each. Click here on issues related to use of plastic, nonorganic ingredients in processed food, and seeds and plant starts. Click here on inert ingredients, contaminants in compost, and drugs in livestock production. U.S. agriculture overall has remained fairly robust between the USDA Census in […]
Posted in Agriculture, Alternatives/Organics, National Organic Standards Board/National Organic Program, Organic Foods Production Act OFPA, Take Action, Uncategorized, US Department of Agriculture (USDA) | No Comments »
Wednesday, September 25th, 2024
(Beyond Pesticides, September 25, 2024) In a semiannual report released in August 2024, EPAâs Office of Inspector General (OIG) identifies a number of âunresolvedâ issues that strike the core of the agencyâs failure to carry out its responsibilities to protect health and the environment. One of the issues identified is EPAâs failure to conduct an adequate and independent assessment of the cancer effects of the fumigant, 1,3-Dichloropropene (1,3-D or Telone). OIGâs original report, The EPA Needs to Improve the Transparency of Its Cancer-Assessment Process for Pesticides, was issued in 2022 and concluded that EPAâs Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) engages in secret meetings with industry, elevates unqualified individuals to decision-making roles, uses an untested scientific approach, fails to conduct a simple literature review, and neglects public transparency. Other pesticide issues that OIG identified in its report include: The EPA Needs to Determine Whether Seresto Pet Collars Pose an Unreasonable Risk to Pet Health The EPA Has Not Verified that Its Laboratories Comply with Hazardous Waste Requirements EPA Needs an Agencywide Strategic Action Plan to Address Harmful Algal Blooms EPAâs Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program Has Made Limited Progress in Assessing Pesticides EPA Needs to Evaluate the Impact of the Revised Agricultural Worker […]
Posted in 1, 3-dichloropropene, 1-3D, Cancer, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Monsanto, Office of Inspector General, Pesticide Regulation, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Tuesday, September 24th, 2024
(Beyond Pesticides, September 24, 2024) Recent commentary in Frontiers in Toxicology by two researchers, Maricel Maffini, PhD and Laura Vandenberg, PhD, highlights the pitfalls in the current regulatory systems in the United States (U.S.) for chemicals that threaten human health. Despite many advancements in science over the past few decades, and the wealth of studies that tie chemical exposure to negative health effects, risk assessments, and subsequent risk management, remain âstaticâ and âoutdated,â according to the authors. âThere is increasing concern amongst public health professionals, environmental health scientists, and medical organizations about exposures to synthetic chemicals,â the researchers say. âThese organizationsâ concerns are based on the overwhelming evidence showing associations between chemical exposures and adverse health outcomes in human populations.â Such concerns have sparked a debate on current regulatory methods for chemicals that are present in highly used products, such as pesticides, plastic containers, and food. Â Â The authors continue, âThere are now thousands of studies showing associations between these chemicals and adverse health effects in humans including neurological disorders and learning disabilities, metabolic outcomes, infertility, thyroid dysfunction, and cancers.â Additional health effects can be seen in the Pesticide-Induced Diseases Database. Of the many harmful chemicals, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances […]
Posted in Disease/Health Effects, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Farmworkers, Metabolites, Pesticide Mixtures, Pesticide Regulation, synergistic effects | No Comments »
Monday, September 23rd, 2024
Image: Shelf labeling at Blue Hill Coop, Blue Hill, Maine. Note three levels of information: Local Maine Organic, Organic, and Local Maine, as well as country of origin. Photo by Jay Feldman, heading to the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Assn (MOFGA) Common Ground County Fair. (Beyond Pesticides, September 23, 2024) Public Comments on organic standards are due by 11:59 PM EDT on September 30, 2024. Beyond Pesticides is calling for the public to submit comments to the National Organic Standards Board during its Fall review of standards and allowed substancesâa second action in a two-part request for the public to weigh in on key issues that go to the heart of the integrity of practices allowed under the USDA organic food label. The issues addressed in this call for action include the following: end plastic in organic production and processed food as a research priority; eliminate nonorganic ingredients in processed organic food; and, require organic products to be produced using only organic seeds and starts. The first action during the current comment can be found here and includes the following issues: full review of âInertâ ingredients used in organic production; strengthened compost regulations; and, rejection of proposal for new animal drug […]
Posted in Alternatives/Organics, National Organic Standards Board/National Organic Program, Organic Foods Production Act OFPA, Take Action, Uncategorized, US Department of Agriculture (USDA) | No Comments »
Wednesday, August 21st, 2024
(Beyond Pesticides, August 21, 2024) A literature review, published this month in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, explores levels of pesticide residues found in samples of human urine with environmental exposure and dietary intake and confirms prior findings about the benefits of an organic diet. Similar to past findings, lower concentrations of chemicals are detected in the urine of participants who report eating an organic diet. By analyzing 72 scientific research studies published between 2001 to 2023, the review assesses routes of exposure and âexplores urinary concentrations and detection frequency of metabolites of organophosphates and pyrethroids, as well as herbicides such as 2,4-D and glyphosate,â the authors say. While âexposure to pesticide residues is influenced by a variety of demographic factors, including occupation, agricultural practices, seasonal variations, residence, diet, age, and gender,â the authors say, the concentrations of pesticides and their metabolites in human urine highlights the disproportionate risk to certain groups as well as the overall threat to the health of humans and the environment. Pesticide exposure can occur from dermal/skin contact or inhalation, through residence or work, and with dietary intake. âPesticides in urine can be detected as parent compounds, specific metabolites corresponding to a specific […]
Posted in 2,4-D, Alternatives/Organics, Chlorpyrifos, cypermethrin, Deltamethrin, Farmworkers, Glyphosate, Metabolites, Permethrin, Synthetic Pyrethroids | No Comments »
Friday, August 16th, 2024
(Beyond Pesticides, August 16, 2024) The International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems (IPES-Food) released a report, Food from Somewhere: Building food security and resilience through territorial markets, in July identifying the importance of moving beyond toxic chemical dependent, industrialized agriculture and toward âsourcing local and organic foodâ through alternative models, such as farmer and consumer-owned cooperatives, alternative certification schemes, and fostering relationships between organic producers and consumers through territorial markets. â[T]erritorial markets are closely associated with agroecology, and in many cases help to provide market outlets for farmers using natural fertilizers and pesticides that work with nature, rather than the fossil-fuel based synthetic inputs associated with corporate value chains,â the authors state and go on to advocate for transformative action based on various case studies rooted in organic principles and practices. Territorial markets are a nascent concept rooted in agroecology (“an integrated approach that simultaneously applies ecological and social concepts and principles to the design and management of food and agricultural systems”) and political ecology, which depending on the perspective may have differing definitions. However, there are several commonly held principles of territorial markets that include ideas of âcloser to home,â âlargely or fully outside of corporate chains,â […]
Posted in Alternatives/Organics, Biodiversity, International, Madagascar, Seeds, soil health, Uncategorized, United Nations | No Comments »
Wednesday, July 31st, 2024
(Beyond Pesticides, July 31, 2024) The latest commentary on âforever chemicalsâ in Environmental Health Perspectives captures growing concerns for the class of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that are found in pesticide products and cause persistent contamination that threaten human health and the environment. The authors share, âGiven that pesticides are some of the most widely distributed pollutants across the world, the legacy impacts of PFAS addition into pesticide products could be widespread and have wide-ranging implications on agriculture and food and water contamination.â Fluorination, which adds fluorine to a compound, is used to modify properties, such as the stability of chemicals. It can also increase residual activity of pesticide ingredients. Fluorinated molecules, including PFAS, are âa serious environmental health concern owing to their highly persistent nature, often potent toxicities, potential to bioaccumulate, and widespread presence in people, animals, and the broader environment,â the authors state. They continue in saying, âThe long-term impacts of using mixtures of extremely persistent chemicals on potentially hundreds of millions of acres of US land every year is, to us, a cause for concern.â The commentary, titled âForever Pesticides: A Growing Source of PFAS Contamination in the Environment,â explores how and to what extent PFAS […]
Posted in Breakdown Chemicals, Drinking Water, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Immunotoxicity, National Organic Standards Board/National Organic Program, PFAS, Plastic, U.S. Geological Survey | No Comments »
Monday, July 29th, 2024
(Beyond Pesticides, July 29, 2024) Beyond Pesticides is asking the public to support a petition to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), filed by environmental and farm groups, to require the agencyâs pesticide registration program to ban PFAS (so-called “forever chemicals”) as pesticide ingredients and all their uses that result in contamination of pesticide products. The petition, submitted by the Center for Food Safety (CFS) on behalf of 12 other petitioners, asks EPA to: â(1) ban PFAS as pesticide ingredients; (2) adopt a broad definition of PFAS chemicals that reflect the current scientific understanding of the class of chemicals; (3) prohibit the use of PFAS-containing containers for pesticide storage; (4) mandate reporting of PFAS contamination from pesticide registrants; and (5) prevent future contamination by requiring pesticide manufacturers to submit data specific to PFAS before future registrations can be approved.â PFASâper- and polyfluorinated substancesâis a group of nearly 10,000 highly persistent, human-made toxic chemicals. A commentary released last week in Environmental Health Perspectives, Forever Pesticides: A Growing Source of PFAS Contamination in the Environment, âexplore[s] different ways that PFAS can be introduced into pesticide products, the extent of PFAS contamination of pesticide products, and the implications this could have for human […]
Posted in Biosolids, Biosolids/Sewage Sludge, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), PFAS, Sewage Sludge, Take Action, Uncategorized, Water | 3 Comments »
Friday, July 26th, 2024
(Beyond Pesticides, July 26, 2024) Beyond Pesticides released the latest issue of Pesticides and You this week, a compendium of scientific research on pesticide threats to human and environmental health. The issue is a breathtaking warning from the science community that environmental, health, and labor laws are not protecting the public. Beyond Pesticides says in its introduction that a shift away from toxic pesticide use is urgently needed. Included in this issue are scientific reviews of research reported by Beyond Pesticides in 2023, providing a critique of the independent peer-reviewed literature with a shocking range of adverse effects, including cancer, neurotoxicity, brain effects, reproductive impacts, diabetes and obesity, chronic kidney and liver disease, Parkinsonâs, respiratory illness and asthma, learning and behavioral abnormalities, and more, as well as disproportionate harm to people of color. In addition, the science documents pesticidesâ catastrophic harm to the ecosystems that sustain life. In total, these dramatic findings call for an end to the use of toxic pesticides, incompatible with respect for living organisms and, to environmental, health, and labor advocates, unconscionable given the availability of viable, cost-effective organic practices. This issue adds to the body of knowledge from two previous issues of Pesticides and You (Transformative Change: […]
Posted in Agriculture, Alternatives/Organics, Chemicals, Climate, contamination, Disease/Health Effects, Ecosystem Services, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Fertilizer, NOSB National Organic Standards Board, Pesticide Efficacy, Pests, Resistance, Uncategorized, US Department of Agriculture (USDA), Water, Wildlife/Endangered Sp. | No Comments »