Archive for the 'Alternatives/Organics' Category
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 | No Comments »
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 »
04
Oct
(Beyond Pesticides, October 4, 2024) Coffee is a staple of morning routines for millions around the nationâand as the demand for coffee remains high, so goes the surge in certified organic coffee, offering space for coffee lovers to enjoy the drink and lower their carbon footprint, according a study in Cleaner and Circular Bioeconomy. A 2024 survey conducted by the International Food Information Council found that â[t]he majority of Americans (88%) consume caffeine, with 8 in 10 reporting they consume it daily, and nearly half (47%) reporting they consume it multiple times a day.â Coffee overwhelmingly leads in popularity, with 54% of respondents indicating the beverage as their preferred source of caffeine with soft drinks a distant second (17%). Researchers found in the new coffee production study that certified organic coffee producers in Peru have a lower carbon footprint than transitional organic coffee farmers. As organic land management practices and principles continue to proliferate, advocates continue to stress the importance of third-party certification as an integral part of the integrity of the USDA organic label, overseen by the National Organic Program. As the National Organic Standards Board goes through its mandatory public comment review this month, consumers, companies, farmers, and […]
Posted in Alternatives/Organics, compost, Fertilizer, International, NOSB National Organic Standards Board, Peru, Uncategorized | No Comments »
03
Oct
(Beyond Pesticides, October 3, 2024) The American Academy of Pediatrics published a technical report in September on antimicrobial resistance, which it calls a global public health threat, identifying the health implications of antibiotic use in animal agriculture. The lead authors, both medical doctors from the Department of Pediatrics at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, note the rise in antimicrobial-resistant infections that result in increased morbidity, mortality, and health care costs for not only adults, but infants and children as well. â[A]ll use of antimicrobial agents exerts selective pressure that increases the risk of development of resistance,â the authors state, highlighting the importance of limiting antimicrobial uses. âAntimicrobial resistance is an organismâs ability to survive exposure to an antimicrobial agent that was previously an effective treatment. Resistance traits can be acquired either through new mutations or through transfer of genetic material between organisms,â the authors report. Antimicrobial-resistant pathogens, such as bacteria and viruses, can be transmitted âthrough the food supply, direct contact with animals, environmental pathways, and contact with infected or colonized humans,â they continue. Use of antimicrobial agents, especially over extended periods of time or with repeated exposure, can cause resistance to not only that agent, but to multiple agents. As […]
Posted in Agriculture, Antibacterial, Antibiotic Resistance, Antimicrobial, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Children, E.coli, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Fungal Resistance, Livestock, National Organic Standards Board/National Organic Program, Resistance | No Comments »
30
Sep
(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 »
27
Sep
(Beyond Pesticides, September 27, 2024) A recent article in Flatwater Free Press identifies a growing trend of companies, communities, and farms nationwide advancing organic agriculture and land management. Among the signs of this change is Belltown Farms, a Philadelphia, PA owner and operator of organic and organic-transitioning farms, that, according to Flatwater, is âthe second-largest buyer of Nebraskaâs increasingly expensive farmland by money spent between 2018 and 2022â with plans to expand to 50,000+ acres in various states across the country. Similarly, the continued success of the Nebraska-based, on-farm processing operation, Grain Place Foods, and its collaboration with farmers focused on small-scale organic production, represents the diversity of economic and organizational models that can exist in local, regional, national, and even international food systems. This National Organic Month, organic advocates, consumers, and farmers continue to call on federal policymakers to expand opportunities for the proliferation of small-scale farming operations. In advancing growth of organic and integrity of the organic food label, organic advocates are seeking to ensure equity and access to land as integral to any growth. In this context, Beyond Pesticides had identified the promise of organic in fighting existential health, biodiversity, and climate crises and ongoing threats to the […]
Posted in Alternatives/Organics, National Organic Standards Board/National Organic Program, Nebraska, Uncategorized, US Department of Agriculture (USDA), Wegmans | No Comments »
23
Sep
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 »
19
Sep
(Beyond Pesticides, September 19, 2024) An article published in the journal Science of the Total Environment finds that the European Unionâs (EU) risk assessment process, required for registration, fails to accurately or reliably predict pesticide exposure rates, sometimes by several orders of magnitude. Pesticide registration in the EU leverages the Agricultural Operator Exposure Model (AOEM)âa predictive model developed in 2014 to estimate expected non-dietary pesticide exposure levels for operators [pest control operators in the U.S.] based on a very limited set of data generated by the pesticide industry. Models that predict real-world exposure and underestimate field data raise critical questions about the efficacy of risk assessment reviews that determine product labels and allowed level of harm. By comparing the dermal exposure measured during a field study conducted in a nonagricultural area with the corresponding values estimated by AOEM, researchers in France add to the body of scientific literature indicating that the fossil fuel and petrochemical pesticide industry data cannot be relied upon as a benchmark to ensure public health and safety. The study describes the difficulty and complexity of calculating the ability of protective equipment to provide protection. According to the authors, â[AOEM] underestimated hand exposure by 42 times and […]
Posted in Agriculture, contamination, Environmental Justice, Farmworkers, Glyphosate, Herbicides, National Organic Standards Board/National Organic Program, NOSB National Organic Standards Board, Pesticide Regulation, TruGreen, Uncategorized | No Comments »
16
Sep
(Beyond Pesticides, September 16, 2024) After the release of a hard-hitting study last week published in Science that pinpoints the cycle of increasing pesticide use with ecosystem and bat decline, resulting in higher infant mortality, Beyond Pesticides is calling for state and local action to transition public land to organic practices. Without a healthy ecosystem, the study documents increased pesticide use with dramatic adverse health effects. To take corrective action, Beyond Pesticidesâ action asks governors and mayors to do the following: Eliminate the use of pesticides that imperil bats by adopting biodiversity conservation goals includingâ (1) ecological mosquito management with measures that recognize the benefit of preventive strategies, establish source reduction programs to manage breeding sites on public lands, educate on the management of private lands, employ programs for larval management with biological controls, and eliminate the use of toxic pesticides; (2) prohibition of systemic insecticides and treated seeds, including neonicotinoids; and (3) land management on public landsâincluding hospitals, higher education institutions, schools, and parksâusing regenerative organic principles and organic certified practices and products, to transition to a viable organic system that prioritizes long-term health of the public, ecology, and economy. The new research connects declines in bat populations with increased […]
Posted in Agriculture, Alternatives/Organics, Bats, Beneficials, Biodiversity, Take Action, Uncategorized | 3 Comments »
13
Sep
(Beyond Pesticides, September 13, 2024) While chemical companies persist in pushing simplistic solutions to complex problems, there is a large amount of evidence that organic farming presents effective solutions to many of those problems. Now there is new evidence that organic agriculture prevents the untold harms of pesticide-driven monoculture. In a new study, German researchers compared 16 agricultural landscapes in Lower Saxony and northern Hesse that had different combinations of semi-natural habitat, organic practices, and annual and perennial flower strips. Overall, the researchers find that organic farming provides the highest benefit to the bees, along with the presence of diverse flowering plants in and near monoculture fields. The study compares the effects of three honey bee conservation methods on the prevalence of the parasitic mite Varroa destructor and the 11 parasites Varroa transfers to bees, and the impact of these destructive organisms on bee colony growth. The findings were reported in the June issue of the Journal of Applied Ecology. Organic practices lead directly to lower parasite load and higher colony growthâessentially, the more organic crops, the more bees, and the more parasites, the fewer bees. Pesticides plus monoculture doubles the damage: Pesticides increase mortality, damage beesâ immune systems, and […]
Posted in Agriculture, Alternatives/Organics, Increased Vulnerability to Diseases from Chemical Exposure, Pollinators, Uncategorized, US Department of Agriculture (USDA) | No Comments »
12
Sep
(Beyond Pesticides, September 12, 2024) In a year with 74 national elections on the calendar, legislators and executive branches alike are in contention on the future of business-as-usual pesticide use and manufacturing. Be it Kenya or Brazil, the European Union and Mercosur (South American Trade Bloc), there is a growing contingency of farmers, advocates, researchers, and public leaders who desire a pathway forward in strengthening pesticide restrictions and supporting alternatives to chemical-intensive agriculture and land management, including organic. As leadership shifts and domestic conversations mount ahead of the 2024 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Azerbaijan and the 2024 National Organic Standards Board meeting this fall, environmental and health advocates say it is vital that world leaders acknowledge the decades of grassroots advocacy and market development that led to the growth of organic systems in service of building capacity for nutrition, public health, biodiversity, and climate resilience while advancing food security. Kenya Earlier this month, the Kenyan parliament introduced a resolution to ban hazardous pesticides including glyphosate-based herbicide products such as RoundUp sold by Bayer/Monsanto, leading to a fiery debate on the state of agricultural uses. Hon. Gladys Boss, Deputy Speaker for the National Assembly, speaks to the rationale […]
Posted in International, Kenya, National Organic Standards Board/National Organic Program, Pesticide Regulation, Uncategorized, United Nations | No Comments »