Archive for the 'Alternatives/Organics' Category
03
Jan
(Beyond Pesticides, January 3, 2025) Pesticides that are sprayed and become airborne significantly disrupt ecological balances and affect nontarget species that are crucial for maintaining biodiversity, according to an article in Environmental Pollution. In this review of studies throughout countries in North and South America, Europe, and Asia, among others, researchers from Germany, Norway, the United Kingdom, and Poland reinforce the science about pesticidesâ direct effect on species and the cascading effects of pesticide drift through various trophic levels within food webs that lead to overall devasting population effects. This study âaddresses the interconnectedness of these impacts and illustrates the complex threats that pesticide drift poses to biodiversity across multiple ecosystems,â the researchers state. They continue: âImpacts include reduced reproductive rates, changes in growth, development, and/or behavior, modification of diversity or community organization, disruption of food webs, and declines of important species. Pesticides disrupt the delicate balance between species that define a functioning ecosystem. Impacts can be local, transnational, or even continental.â Pesticide drift threatens beneficial species and subsequently the entire agricultural system. The process of pesticide drift, âin which up to 25% of applied pesticides are carried by air currents, can transport chemicals over hundreds or even thousands of […]
Posted in 2,4-D, Alternatives/Organics, Beneficials, Biodiversity, Dicamba, Drift, Ecosystem Services, Glyphosate, Pesticide Drift, Pollinators, soil health, Soil microbiome | No Comments »
24
Dec
(Beyond Pesticides, December 24, 2024 – January 1, 2025) We wish you a healthy and happy holiday season! The health and environmental challenges that we face as families and communities across the nation and worldwide require us to stay engaged. The stark reality of the challenges ahead energizes us at Beyond Pesticides to strengthen our programânow, more than ever!  And, we trust that you, like us, want to push forward for a livable future. In this context, please see our annual report and summary on the important work that we are doing, and please consider a contribution to Beyond Pesticides during this holiday season. While the threats of health, biodiversity, and climate crises grow exponentially, the solutions we have advocated for decades are now within reach. We know how to produce food and manage land without petrochemical pesticides and fertilizers, as organic food is widely available. Beautiful parks, playing fields, and schoolyards do not require toxic chemical use. At the same time, the regulatory system underperforms, as existential health and environmental problems escalate.  And, we know that individual steps that we take to stay healthy, as important as they are, cannot protect us and the natural world, on which […]
Posted in Alternatives/Organics, Announcements, Biodiversity, Children, Climate, Climate Change, Environmental Justice, Events, Holidays, Parks, Parks for a Sustainable Future, Pollinators, Reflection, Seasonal, Uncategorized, Year in Review | No Comments »
11
Dec
(Beyond Pesticides, December 11, 2024) A recent report published by the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL) unpacks the impacts of new European Union (EU) organic regulations that are going into effect in 2025 with a âcompletely new set of rules for the certification of smallholder producer groups.â These regulations represent a major shift from the current “equivalence” to a “compliance” system with all EU legal requirements. The change announced almost three years ago, to provide time for transition, is intended to improve consumer trust in the organic label and eliminate a âpatchwork of rules and derogations [exemptions] in place [that] did not give sufficient certainty and securityâ (European Commission 2017). The new EU Organic Regulation 2018/848 aims to encourage the sustainable development of organic production in the EU, guarantee fair competition for farmers and operators, prevent fraud and unfair practices, and improve consumer confidence in organic products. According to the FiBL report, âThe new EU Organic Regulation 2018/848 aims to encourage the sustainable development of organic production in the EU, guarantee fair competition for farmers and operators, prevent fraud and unfair practices, and improve consumer confidence in organic products.â More than 7 in 10 organic producer groups globally will […]
Posted in International, National Organic Standards Board/National Organic Program, Organic Foods Production Act OFPA, Uncategorized | No Comments »
04
Dec
(Beyond Pesticides, December 4, 2024) According to interviews conducted by Farm Progress, the U.S. organic food supply chain has been under pressure to come into compliance with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)âs March 19, 2024, Strengthening Organic Enforcement (SOE) final rule (See Daily News here). âWe are now seeing up to 95 percent of NOP (National Organic Program) import certificates that are coming in are valid, which means that we really closed the gap on products coming into the United States without an import certificate,â says Jennifer Tucker, PhD, deputy administrator for USDA National Organic Program (NOP). âWe really closed the door on illegitimate shipments.â Organic advocates welcome accountability measures to ensure the integrity of organic certification in the spirit of continuous improvement, which is regarded as a tenet of the Organic Food Production Act (OFPA). As communities and businesses across the country anticipate a change in decision-making philosophy regarding the role of federal intervention in the marketplace, environmental and public health advocates remain clear-eyed on the importance of improving the regulatory system to advance public health, biodiversity, and climate. Concerns Raised by Organic Supply Chain The National Organic Coalition, with member groups including Beyond Pesticides, summarizes the five […]
Posted in Alternatives/Organics, National Organic Standards Board/National Organic Program, NOSB National Organic Standards Board, Organic Foods Production Act OFPA, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, Uncategorized | No Comments »
02
Dec
(Beyond Pesticides, December 2, 2024) An international team of researchers has found that organic farming increases the quantity and diversity of crop plant microbiota, further safeguarding crops with enhanced pathogen resistance. Their recent study, published in Plants, People, Planet, builds on the legacy of decades of peer-reviewed research and centuries of agricultural systems that do not rely on toxic, petrochemical-based products (e.g., fertilizers, pesticides, etc.) as the driving force for agricultural productivity. As many analysts express concern that the incoming administration will increase the promotion of petrochemicals in domestic food production and eschew regulations to curtail their use, organic advocates and farmers remain committed to transforming agricultural and land management systems that reject chemical dependency, which is escalating the existential threats to biodiversity, public health, and the climate. Goals, Methodology, and Background The authors of this study are researchers at UniversitĂŠ de Rennes, UniversitĂŠ de Paris-Saclay, LâInstitut Agro Rennes-Angers, European Society for Agronomy, Franceâs National Research for Agriculture (INRAE), and Nanjing Agricultural University in Nanjing, Jiangsu, China. The goal of this study was to compare the effects of organic with chemical-intensive agricultural plots on microbial life on winter wheat roots. Winter wheat was selected because of the projected increase in […]
Posted in Alternatives/Organics, Biodiversity, soil health, Soil microbiome, Uncategorized | No Comments »
21
Nov
(Beyond Pesticides, November 21, 2024) Be it Patagonia Provisions or Brooklyn Brewery, there is a buzz around organic beer that is increasingly evident given interest by brewing and food companies. The expansion of the organic beer market in the United States would not have been possible without the leadership of advocates, farmers, breweries, and the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB), which led to the strengthening of organic standards for beer back in 2010. The growth of this sector and transition to truly organic beer speaks to the spirit of âcontinuous improvement,â the original design of the Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA), and the importance of mobilizing the public to engage in the public input process that continues to keep organic law strong in opposition to those seeking an easier path to the organic label. Continuous Improvement and Organic Hops In the original drafting of OFPA, advocates came together to determine how to encourage the development of certified organic sectors despite the lack of available, verifiable organic inputs for many productsâbeer included. With this spirit in mind, the improvement of standards for beer encapsulates the significance of OFPA in the context of its flexibility, incentives, and the statutory intent to encourage […]
Posted in Alternatives/Organics, National Organic Standards Board/National Organic Program, NOSB National Organic Standards Board, Organic Foods Production Act OFPA, Patagonia Provisions, Pesticide Residues, Uncategorized, US Department of Agriculture (USDA) | No Comments »
20
Nov
(Beyond Pesticides, November 20, 2024) The perpetual use of pesticide coated seeds and tillage changed the composition of various beetle, spider, and other epigeal arthropod communities on New Hampshire farmland, according to a recent study published in Agriculture, Ecosystems, and Environment. Researchers fell short of finding conclusive results about the multi-variable impacts of both practices on biodiversity but raise notable issues on the impact of treated seeds. This research builds on the existing peer-reviewed scientific literature that highlights the threats of toxic pesticides and pesticide-coated seeds. Environmental and public health advocates are in agreement with organic and agroecological farmers who reject chemical-intensive land management practices. âAt the root of the cascading crises of public health collapse, biodiversity loss, and the climate crisis is a reliance on petrochemical-based toxic products, rather than public policy and investments that strengthen consumer and institutional trust of nature-based, organic systems,â says Max Sano, organic program associate at Beyond Pesticides. âThis is consistent with various interactions I have had with advocates across New England who are demanding action to stymie the impending biodiversity collapse enabled by government inaction.â Background and Methodology This study was coauthored and led by environmental researchers at the Department of Natural Resources […]
Posted in Alternatives/Organics, Biodiversity, contamination, Herbicides, New Hampshire, Pesticide Residues, Seeds, soil health, Uncategorized | No Comments »
18
Nov
(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 »
15
Nov
(Beyond Pesticides, November 15, 2024) There are many pie-in-the-sky ideas to address the climate crisis while allowing business as usual in the extractive and industrial systems that are causing the crisis. Prominent among them are geoengineering to block sunlight and building industrial plants to prevent carbon dioxide (CO2) from reaching the atmosphere, known as carbon capture and sequestration (CCS). Like geoengineering, CCS is a âsolution for the future that always will be.â It has garnered decades of hype, research, and government funding of prototype projects without doing much of anything to remove carbon and keep it out of the atmosphere. The Biden administrationâs Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) contains numerous revenue streams aimed at coping with the climate crisis, including CCS. But it is a mixed bag of good and bad ideas. Beyond Pesticides analyzed the IRA in 2022, lauding the actâs âprovision of unprecedented sums to address the existential threats we face related to climate, biodiversity, and health.â These include about $21 billion for âclimate smartâ agriculture and programs to reduce petrochemically dependent farming. But the analysis also details the many provisions for infeasible and counterproductive projects. Rather than complex and expensive technological projects, the best practitioners of CCS are […]
Posted in Agriculture, Alternatives/Organics, Climate, Climate Change, Fertilizer, soil health, sulfuryl fluoride, Synthetic Fertilizer, Uncategorized | No Comments »
11
Nov
(Beyond Pesticides, November 8-11, 2024) On Veterans Day 2024 we honor those who have served the country and allies. In the 117th (2021-2022) U.S. Congress, legislators enacted The Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2022 (PACT Act). Since the law passed just over two years ago, there has been just under 1.3 million total approved claims marking a roughly 75% approval rate for PACT Act related claims, according to Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) accounting of progress between August 10, 2022, and October 12, 2024 through its dedicated bimonthly VA PACT Act Performance Dashboard. The legacy of toxic burn pits (open air areas where the military has burned toxic waste) and other avenues for toxic exposure in military bases oversees, as well as within the United States in Hawaiâi (See coverage on asbestos exposure continuously impacting veterans, as reported on by Honolulu Civil Beat) and Puerto Rico (See peer-reviewed literature review here on toxic heavy metals in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health), among other areas, comes at a time when the country assesses the ongoing impacts of a history that has been characterized by critics as colonial or imperialist. […]
Posted in Agent Orange, Alternatives/Organics, Cancer, dacthal, Disease/Health Effects, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Federal Agencies, Parkinson's, Uncategorized, Veterans Administraton | No Comments »
07
Nov
(Beyond Pesticides, November 7, 2024) Organic banana production is significantly more conducive to microbial decomposition than its chemical-intensive counterparts in the Caribbean nation of Martinique, according to a recent study published in Applied Soil Ecology. âMacrofaunal decomposition was increased more (55%) than microbial decomposition (20%), indicating that organic farming removes a constraint of conventional farming especially affecting macrofauna.â Biological activity in the soil is foundational to organic land management and critical to the cycling of nutrients that feed plant life while contributing to resiliency and soil water retention. Bananas are one of the most highly consumed fresh fruits in the U.S. marketplace. A consumer survey conducted by the International Fresh Produce Association in 2023 identified 84% of households purchasing bananas that year. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Economic Research Service identifies bananas as the third most consumed fruit product in the United States, with the average person eating 13.2 pounds that year. Since bananas require specific bioclimatic conditions for commercial production that meets ongoing consumer demand, the proliferation of industrial-scale monoculture banana plantations in various Central and South American countries and territories has and continues to devastate local and Indigenous communities for generations. Environmental justice and public health advocates […]
Posted in Agriculture, Alternatives/Organics, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Environmental Justice, Soil microbiome, Uncategorized | No Comments »
06
Nov
(Beyond Pesticides, November 6, 2024) An analysis in the International Journal of Research Publication and Reviews emphasizes the role of biodiversity in agriculture, adding to a wide body of science on its importance. The authors, from Western Illinois University in the United States and Rome Business School in Italy, find that biodiversity supports critical ecosystems and organisms needed for sustainable food production. Through literature reviews and case studies, the interconnectedness of agriculture with plant and animal diversity, beneficial insects, soil health, and climate change is highlighted, as well as the need to manage land organically to support biodiversity. Plant and Animal Diversity As the researchers note, âA diverse agricultural system can better absorb shocks and maintain productivity, ensuring food security in the face of uncertainty.â A wide range of species present within ecosystems protects from changing environmental conditions and improves resilience. When farmers use monocultures for their crops, this leads to reduced ecosystem services from beneficial insects and increased vulnerability to pests and diseases. âBy contrast, diverse cropping systems can enhance resilience, providing a buffer against environmental changes and fostering sustainable food production,â the authors say. Research shows that higher plant diversity disrupts pest life cycles and promotes beneficial insects, […]
Posted in Agriculture, Alternatives/Organics, Beneficials, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Ecosystem Services, Farmworkers, Pollinators, soil health, Wildlife/Endangered Sp. | No Comments »
04
Nov
(Beyond Pesticides, November 4, 2024) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) last week opened a public comment period on the regulation of endocrine-disrupting pesticides, a proposal that lays out a drawn-out 10-year process that is narrow in evaluating the underlying mechanism that causes endocrine disruption. The proposal, published in the Federal Register as a partial settlement agreement and consent decree, responds to a lawsuit filed by farmworker and health groups challenging the agency’s failure to test and regulate endocrine-disrupting pesticides. Earlier in the year, after over 25 years of delay following the 1996 Congressional mandate to determine whether pesticides disrupt the endocrine system of humans and other organisms, EPA issued a proposal for modifying its approach to the implementation of the Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program (EDSP). The National Institutes of Environmental Health Sciences explains endocrine disruptors this way: âEndocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are natural or human-made chemicals that may mimic, block, or interfere with the bodyâs hormones, which are part of the endocrine system. These chemicals are associated with a wide array of health issues. . . Endocrine glands, distributed throughout the body, produce the hormones that act as signaling molecules after release into the circulatory system. The human body is […]
Posted in Alternatives/Organics, Chemicals, Endocrine Disruption, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Litigation, Pesticide Regulation, Take Action, Uncategorized | No Comments »
01
Nov
(Beyond Pesticides, November 1, 2024) In a study published earlier this year in Soil Science Society of America Journal, researchers at Kansas State University document direct evidence that organic amendments (e.g., manure and compost) in a no-till agricultural system âfacilitat[e] microbial diversityâ that cycles plant-available nutrients. The study was published just as farmers are looking for less expensive practices that support the economic vitality of their farms amid surging prices for petrochemical pesticides and fertilizers and as agricultural support programs are threatened by unresolved issues in Farm Bill talks on Capitol Hill. [See the recent Action of the Week calling on Congress to take action.] Simultaneously, awareness is growing among environmental and public health advocates about the importance of soil health to ecosystem stability in combatting climate change-induced natural disasters and stopping plummeting biodiversity. Demands for new systems rooted in organic principles and land management practices continue to become more widely recognized by farmers, environmentalists, and the broad public. The study adds to earlier findings and contributes to the body of scientific literature on soil health and its importance to ecosystem and human health. Methodology and Results The study was led by researchers at Kansas State University specializing in agronomy […]
Posted in Alternatives/Organics, aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), Biodiversity, Glyphosate, Microbiome, Soil microbiome, Uncategorized | No Comments »
30
Oct
(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 »
28
Oct
(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 »
24
Oct
(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 »
23
Oct
(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 »
21
Oct
(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 »
17
Oct
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 »
16
Oct
(Beyond Pesticides, October 16, 2024) In a study published in the Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development (JAFSCD), researchers from New York University (NYU) identify gaps in various federal agricultural support systems for organic farmers in a sweeping analysis. The research was spearheaded by Carolyn Dimitri, PhD, chair of the Nutrition and Food Studies program at NYU and a current member of the National Organics Standard Board (NOSB) as a public interest/consumer interest representative serving through January 2026. According to this study, there is a deficiency in institutionalized knowledge of national organic standards among existing U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) agents and staff working in various agencies, including Risk Management Agency (RMA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and Farming Service Agency (FSA). âA key recommendation from this study is the creation of specialized, highly trained crop insurance and conservation agents with expertise in organic farming systems to facilitate the application process and program use for conservation programs and crop insurance,â according to the researchers. The authors continue by echoing the sentiments of organic advocates and farmers across the nation on building organic integrity, saying, âThe Organic Cost Share Program [a program of USDAâs FSA] would have more impact […]
Posted in Alternatives/Organics, Congress, Federal Agencies, National Organic Standards Board/National Organic Program, NOSB National Organic Standards Board, Organic Foods Production Act OFPA, Uncategorized, US Department of Agriculture (USDA) | No Comments »
11
Oct
(Beyond Pesticides, October 11-14, 2024) Indigenous Peoples’ Day is celebrated this year on Monday, October 14, 2024 and has been described as follows: â[T]hroughout our Nationâs history, Indigenous peoples have faced violence and devastation that has tested their limits. . . Today, Indigenous peoples are a beacon of resilience, strength, and perseverance as well as a source of incredible contributions. . . They challenge all of us to celebrate the good, confront the bad, and tell the whole truth of our history. And as innovators, educators, engineers, scientists, artists, and leaders in every sector of society, Indigenous peoples contribute to our shared prosperity. Their diverse cultures and communities today are a testament to the unshakable and unbreakable commitment of many generations to preserve their cultures, identities, and rights to self-governance. That is why, despite centuries of devastation and turmoil, Tribal Nations continue to thrive and lead in countless ways.â This language is taken from a Proclamation issued by President Biden (2023), first issued in 2021 and then again last year. This year’s Proclamation states: “On Indigenous Peoplesâ Day, we honor Indigenous peoplesâ strength, courage, and resilience. We celebrate the vast contributions of Indigenous communities to the world. And we recommit […]
Posted in Alternatives/Organics, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Native Americans, Uncategorized, United Nations | 2 Comments »
09
Oct
(Beyond Pesticides, October 9, 2024) An agrichemical industry-funded study published in International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability dissects the development of national organic standards and opportunities that can be applied in expanding the use of âregenerativeâ agriculture. Not surprisingly, the study authors offer support for integrated pest management (IPM) and reassurance of a rigorous pesticide registration review process before the chemicals are marketed. The study included a survey of five farmers, who farm a total of 100,000 acres, but do not have extensive experience farming organically. For those practicing regenerative organic practices and organic advocates, the bottom line is that the study concludes that a list of criteria that would be needed for regenerative agriculture criteria (e.g., list of allowed substances) already exists within the standards and requirements of the 1990 Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA) and the National Organic Program. Environmental and public health advocates are concerned about this piece representing an industry position being cloaked in an academic journal serving as an obstacle to the widespread adoption and improvement of organic principles and practices. The study was written by four authors with varying levels of connections to CropLife America (the major agrichemical industry trade group), including academic researchers with […]
Posted in Alternatives/Organics, Biodiversity, Chemical Mixtures, Chemicals, Corporations, Federal Agencies, Integrated and Organic Pest Management, National Organic Standards Board/National Organic Program, Pests, Pollinators, soil health, Soil microbiome, Uncategorized | No Comments »