(Beyond Pesticides, December 7, 2009) In an investigation and legal case that dragged on for almost four years, one of the largest organic cattle producers in the United States, Promiseland Livestock, LLC, is suspended from organic commerce, along with its owner and key employees, for four years. The penalty is part of an order issued by administrative law judge Peter Davenport in Washington, DC on November 25, 2009, a multimillion dollar operation with facilities in Missouri and Nebraska, including over 13,000 acres of crop land, and managing 22,000 head of beef and dairy cattle, had been accused of multiple improprieties in formal legal complaints, including not feeding organic grain to cattle, selling fraudulent organic feed and “laundering” conventional cattle as organic. “We are pleased that justice has been served in the Promiseland matter,” said Mark A. Kastel, Senior Farm Policy Analyst for the Wisconsin-based Cornucopia Institute. Scrutiny from Cornucopia, one of the industry’s most aggressive independent watchdogs, was part of the genesis for the comprehensive USDA investigation and subsequent legal proceedings. Promiseland became the focus of Cornucopia’s investigation into giant factory farms, milking thousands of cows that were allegedly operating illegally. Promiseland sold thousands of dairy cows to giant factory […]

(Beyond Pesticides, December 2, 2009) Cancer causing pesticides ”¦ endocrine disruptors ”¦ pesticides linked to neurological and immune system problems ”¦ asthma and learning disabilities. Federal legislation, the School Environment Protection Act of 2009, was introduced yesterday in Congress to protect children from toxic pesticides and pest problems with safer alternatives. The sponsors seek to end unnecessary toxic pesticide use in the nation’s schools, replacing it with safe management techniques and products. When children attend school, it is assumed that they are going to a safe environment, free of toxic chemicals that could harm them. New legislation seeks to make this assumption a reality. With the introduction of the School Environment Protection Act of 2009 (SEPA), H.R. 4159, members of Congress and public health, school employee, children’s health and environmental groups are saying that it is time to stop the unnecessary use of dangerous chemicals and assist schools in the adoption of safer strategies to prevent and manage pest problems. U.S. Representative Rush Holt and 14 of his colleagues put the legislation forward with the foundation of more than a decade of state and local school pest management and pesticide use policies and on-the-ground experience from across the country. SEPA […]

(Beyond Pesticides, November 30, 2009) In an effort to provide a new resource to support efforts to advance safer products in the market place, a collaboration of business, government, nongovernmental organizations, and academic groups have released a new report: “Growing the Green Economy through Green Chemistry and Design for Environment.” The report is designed to be a resource guide to assist states to develop a green chemistry and design for environment framework. It seeks to reduce the use of hazardous substances, finding safer alternatives which will in turn promote environmentally sustainable business practices and economic opportunities. In a policy context, Beyond Pesticides believes that this type of green chemistry framework can identify safer products and should trigger the cancellation of more hazardous products evaluated under risk assessment standards that allow continuing public and environmental exposure despite the identification of hazards and uncertainties associated with chemical mixtures, synergistic effects, and untested health outcomes and ecological effects. Central to this thinking is the need to use information on green chemistry to evaluate the necessity of hazardous products and institute a mechanism to screen out unnecessary hazardous chemical use. At this time, public policy at the federal regulatory level largely ignores the “benefit” […]

(Beyond Pesticides, November 23, 2009) Two powerful lobby groups in the food industry, the Grocery Manufacturers of America and the Organic Trade Association, recently intervened as friends of the court in a federal consumer class-action lawsuit accusing the nation’s largest supplier of private-label organic milk of consumer fraud. In what has been described as “the largest scandal in the history of the organic industry” USDA investigators, in 2007, found that Aurora Dairy had willfully violated federal organic standards. However, industry lobbyists are now concerned that convicting Aurora will set a dangerous legal precedent. Aurora bottles private-label organic milk for Wal-Mart, Costco, Target, Safeway and many other grocery chains. In August 2007, Bush administration officials were widely criticized for overruling career staff at the USDA and instead of decertifying Aurora as staff had recommended, banning it from organic commerce, the corporate dairy was allowed to continue in business under a one-year probation. Now agribusiness lobbyists are concerned that citizens prevailing in court, alleging fraud, will set a precedent necessitating large corporations to incur added expenses to more carefully check the sources and credibility of their organic suppliers. “Due diligence by food manufacturers and retailers is the heart and soul of what […]

(Beyond Pesticides, November 13, 2009) The Ohio Department of Agriculture is asking the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to allow an unregistered use of the neurotoxic and cancer causing insecticide propoxur in homes to fight bedbugs in what state officials are describing as an ”˜emergency’ situation. The chemical, o-isopropoxyphenyl methylcarbamate, is in the carbamate family and classified as a probable human carcinogen (Group B2) by EPA, and listed as a known human carcinogen by the state of California. Though EPA allows emergency exemptions for unregistered pesticide uses in agriculture and for public health reasons under a controversial waiver program (Section 18, Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act, 40 CFR Part 166), it rarely issues such an exemption for an indoor pesticide use. Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati are all experiencing a surge of bed bug infestations. According to Richard Pollack, a Harvard University public health entomologist, this is probably due to the fact that bedbugs are becoming resistant to many pesticide products that are used today. The use of broad spectrum insecticides, which kill common household insects such as cockroaches, ants and other insects including bed bugs, has resulted in insect resistance to these chemicals. Many of the chemicals used against […]

(Beyond Pesticides, October 9, 2009) An Australian Government study has shown that lice on sheep may be controlled by fungal biopesticides. Scientists from Queensland Primary Industries and Fisheries (QPIF) in Queensland, Australia have achieved promising results using a naturally occurring fungus called Metarhizium isolated from Queensland soil as an insecticide. “When the fungal spores are applied to the sheep, they stick to the surface of lice as they move around in the fleece,” explains QPIF Senior Scientist Diana Leemon, PhD. “The lice also consume spores as they feed on wool grease and the spores germinate inside the insect, killing it.” Tim Mulherin, Minister for Primary Industries, Fisheries and Rural and Regional Queensland, stated, “Livestock industries, including sheep, are extremely important to our economy. Parasites such as sheep lice damage wool and reduce yields, leading to significant losses for the producer. Lice cost the Australian wool industry $123 million annually through lost production and control costs.” QPIF and Australian Wool Innovation Limited (AWI) have signed an agreement with commercial partner Becker Underwood Australia to develop the biopesticide to help the lice problem. AWI CEO Brenda McGahan said the research was timely as sheep lice are building resistance to some current treatments. […]

(Beyond Pesticides, October 6, 2009) What started as a one-acre pilot project and grew into a 16-acre test, is now going to be taking over the entire Harvard University campus grounds. Harvard has committed to managing its entire 80-acre campus with pesticide-free, natural, organic lawn and landscape management strategies, all the while saving tens of thousands of dollars a year. According to the Harvard Yard Soils Restoration Project Summary Report, the pilot project was modeled after New York City’s Battery Park City Parks’ 37-acre organic landscape program that began back in 1989. The goal of the project was simply to improve soil health, develop knowledge base on how to run such programs as well as educate the campus community about the many benefits or organic lawn care. For eight months, the one-acre test plot was extensively compared to a control plot of conventional management techniques. That one-acre underwent a process that included eliminating all toxic pesticides, testing for soil nutrients and organic material content, and adding compost teas to balance soil nutrients and reduce irrigation and nitrogen applications. The compost tea, a liquid biological amendment from the brewing vat located nearby, is made up of liquid humic acid and North […]

(Beyond Pesticides, October 1, 2009) More pesticides and fertilizers used to grow conventional corn would find their way into nearby water sources if ethanol demands lead to planting more acres in corn, according to a Purdue University study. The study of Indiana water sources finds that fields practicing continuous-corn rotations have higher levels of nitrogen, fungicides and phosphorous than corn-soybean rotations. While touted as a green energy source, most corn ethanol is made with genetically modified corn that is routinely sprayed with pesticides and chemical fertilizers. To makes matters worse, it’s usually planted year after year, rather than using crop rotation, a basic strategy to reduce pest pressure and soil erosion. Corn ethanol is also inefficient, producing only 1.34 joules of energy for each joule used in production (compared to 8 joules for sugarcane). Furthermore, the American Clean Energy and Security Act (House Climate Bill) sidetracks a proposed EPA regulation that requires U.S. ethanol makers responsible for greenhouse gas emissions from conversion of forests and grasslands overseas to cropland. Big Agribusiness is lobbying for a similar provision in the Senate version, the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act. Results of the new study, “Water Quality Impacts of Corn Production […]

(Beyond Pesticides, September 25, 2009) On September 24, 2009, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the appointment of five new members to the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB), including Beyond Pesticides executive director Jay Feldman. Beyond Pesticides thanks Secretary Vilsack, as well as the individuals, farm, health and environmental organizations and members of Congress that supported his nomination. “I believe that the environmental community must be at the NOSB table to advance the vision and core values of organic management practices, which replace unnecessary and polluting chemical-intensive farming methods that are linked to adverse health and environmental effects, including global climate change,” said Mr. Feldman. “I am honored to be named to the NOSB and will use my seat to represent the grassroots environmental community while ensuring the integrity and growth of organic practices.” USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service oversees the National Organic Program (NOP) and the NOSB. The NOSB includes four producers, two handlers, one retailer, three environmentalists, three consumers, one scientist and one certifying agent. The Board is authorized by the Organic Foods Production Act and makes recommendations to the Secretary of Agriculture regarding the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances for organic operations. The […]

(Beyond Pesticides, September 11, 2009) Stanford Hospital & Clinics, with its medical center located on the main campus of Stanford University in Palo Alto, California, has launched a new daily dinner meal for inpatients featuring organic, locally grown, sustainable ingredients. The new inpatient menu option puts Stanford Hospital at the forefront of an emerging nationwide recognition that fresh, healthy food is a vital part of the healing process. The program debuts as groups ranging from the American Medical Association to the American Nurses Association have recently established policies to encourage hospitals and other health care facilities to serve patients healthier and ecologically sustainable foods with natural high nutritional quality. The American Public Health Association has also endorsed a similar policy. The Stanford Hospital & Clinics (SHC) Farm Fresh program was developed in collaboration with Jesse Cool, a nationally recognized Northern California chef, restaurateur and food writer who has been an advocate and leader in healthy eating for over 30 years. The ingredients for Stanford Hospital’s Farm Fresh meals will primarily come from growers and producers within a 200-mile radius of Stanford Medical Center, based on seasonal availability. Among the items featured will be vegetables from local farms, olive oil from […]

(Beyond Pesticides, September 10, 2009) Some researchers are suggesting that sanitizers made with essential oil are a solution to harmful soaps with antibacterials. Cinnamon oil, according to many recent studies, has been shown to have strong antiseptic properties, without creating the problem of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Many antibacterial products, such as those containing triclosan, work by killing some, but not all bacteria, which means that widespread use has led to resistant strains and cross resistance with antibiotics. A recent study however, found that a cinnamon oil solution was just as effective at killing several common bacteria as many other antiseptics commonly used in hospitals. The team of surgeons conducting the research tested several common essential oils, and found that each has demonstrated promising efficacy against several bacteria, including multi-resistant strains. Another study by researchers in France in 2008 tested bactericidal activity of 13 different essential oils and had similar results, with cinnamon being the most effective. At concentrations as low as 10 percent or less, cinnamon oil was also effective against several antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria, such as Staphylococcus and E. coli. One pediatrician in New Jersey, Dr. Lawrence D. Rosen, who advocates natural health solutions on his blog, wholechildcenter.org, recommends […]

(Beyond Pesticides, September 3, 2009) As the new school year approaches, the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (DAR) is urging parents to ask whether their child’s school or daycare facility has a current School Integrated Pest Management (IPM) plan. “At home and in the classroom, parents are the first line of defense in protecting their children against pesticide exposure,” said DAR Commissioner Scott Soares. “Maintaining a school or day care IPM plan is not only required by law, but it is also crucial to insure children’s safety.” According to DAR’s Division of Crop and Pest Services, the vast majority of schools and day care facilities have filed IPM plans with DAR, but roughly 200 schools and 400 day care facilities are not in compliance with the state IPM law. DAR periodically notifies schools without plans about the requirements throughout the year. Day care facilities can lose their operating licenses if they do not comply, and this year schools that do not file an IPM plan within 90 days face a $1,000 fine. In addition, DAR collaborates with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Department of Early Education and Care to engage school principals and superintendents as well […]

(Beyond Pesticides, August 31, 2009) This year back to school doesn’t just mean new teachers, new school supplies and new clothes. For some, it means a new school lunch program — one that focuses on nutrition and organic and locally grown foods — as is the case for the Boulder Valley School District (BVSD) in Colorado, where they have begun reforming the quality and nutrition of the food served in its schools. The Lunch Box, a new web tool, has been launched to help schools throughout the country do the same. Nationally renowned “Renegade Lunch Lady” Chef Ann Cooper is BVSD’s Interim Director of Nutrition Services as part of a one-year contract with the district. Although changing a school’s lunch program can’t happen overnight (Chef Cooper predicts that it will take several years for the full vision to be realized), cafeteria offerings can be quite healthier from the get-go. A key component to the BVSD change is professional development for more than 150 nutrition services personnel with five full days of training. Training includes everything from culinary skills to recipe development and safe food handling. In addition, as a first step, every school cafeteria in the district will provide regionally […]

(Beyond Pesticides, August 25, 2009) Earthbound Farm, a national brand best known for its bagged organic salads, is having a “Kids’ Quote Contest” for children (17 and under) to come up with the best way to complete the following sentence, “Thank you for choosing organic. It matters to me because…” Beyond Pesticides encourages parents to help get their children’s creative juices flowing and use this as an opportunity to provide education on the benefits of organic food. If your child’s quote is chosen, he/she will win: 1) A $500 U.S. Savings Bond for your child’s future education; 2) A $500 donation in your child’s name to an environmental group of your child’s choosing (we hope you’ll pick Beyond Pesticides!); and, 3) Winning quotes will appear on the back of Earthbound Farm’s salad labels and website. Earthbound Farm will select a new winner every month through the end of 2009. Submit a quotation. A five year old winner from Scituate, MA, Schuyler, who chose to designate Beyond Pesticides, wrote, “…just like being 5, we only get to do it once! Take care of our Earth by going organic.” Organic agriculture embodies an ecological approach to farming that does not rely on […]

(Beyond Pesticides, August 20, 2009) A new study presented to the American Chemical Society last weekend shows promising results for alternative pesticides made from the essential oils of plants. Spices such as cinnamon, rosemary, thyme, clove and mint are extracted and then diluted in water to repel and sometimes kill pests. The study, Plant Essential Oils as Green Pesticides for Pest and Disease Management, was presented by Dr. Murray Isman, PhD., of the University of British Columbia at the American Chemical Society’s 238th National Meeting. Over the past decade, Dr. Isman and colleagues tested many plant essential oils and found that they have a broad range of insecticidal activity against agricultural pests. Some spiced-based commercial products now being used by farmers have already shown success in protecting organic strawberry, spinach, and tomato crops against destructive aphids and mites, the researcher says. “These products expand the limited arsenal of organic growers to combat pests,” explains Isman. “They’re still only a small piece of the insecticide market, but they’re growing and gaining momentum.” These natural pesticides have several advantages. First of all, Dr. Isman says that insects are less likely to evolve resistance to these oils like they can other once-effective toxins. […]

(Beyond Pesticides, August 19, 2009) As children return to school, health and environmental groups are encouraging parents to protect their children from harmful germs without using hazardous chemicals in lunch bags, school supplies, soaps and sanitizers. The dangers of and alternatives to using triclosan (often marketed as Microban) and the related compound triclocarban, are documented in new educational materials for parents. The factsheet, What’s the right answer to the germ question?, by Beyond Pesticides and Food & Water Watch, pulls together information from various scientific studies documenting the adverse impacts of triclosan on health and the environment, as well as antibiotic and antibacterial resistance. It also provides alternatives, cites Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommendations for hand washing and disease prevention, and lists triclosan-free brands and retailers. Triclosan is associated with skin irritation or eczema, has been shown to interfere with the body’s hormones, and has been linked to an increased risk of developing respiratory illness, or asthma, and cancer, as well as subtle effects on learning ability. Because the chemical goes down the drain, it also wreaks havoc with the environment, converting to highly toxic dioxins and contaminating waterways and wildlife. Furthermore, by killing some, but not all bacteria, […]

(Beyond Pesticides, August 14, 2009) Following advocacy by the National Organic Coalition and others, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced that it will subject its National Organic Program (NOP) to a stringent audit and continued oversight by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). In a July 29, 2009 letter addressed to the National Organic Coalition, Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Kathleen Merrigan underscored the value of scrutinizing the NOP to strengthen the integrity of the program and the USDA organic seal. The NOP is USDA’s regulatory body that develops, implements, and administers the USDA organic seal and national standards for organic agricultural products sold in the U.S. It accredits domestic and foreign certifying agents who inspect organic production and handling operations producing organic food sold in the U.S. as compliant with USDA organic standards. NIST’s National Voluntary Conformity Assessment Systems Evaluation (NVCASE) program reviews accreditation programs such as the NOP to assess their ongoing conformity with international standards for management of accreditation program through onsite audit, evaluation of office system, and oversight of record keeping, enforcement, and corrective actions. “Third-party recognition is important for many of USDA’s audit-based programs,” Ms. Merrigan said in her letter to the […]

(Beyond Pesticides, August 12, 2009) A new study examining the effects of the mosquito repellent DEET on insects, mice and human proteins reports that the chemical interferes with a prominent central nervous system enzyme. This effect is magnified when exposure to DEET is combined with exposure to certain other pesticides. Entitled, “Evidence for inhibition of cholinesterases in insect and mammalian nervous systems by the insect repellent deet,” and published in BioMed Central (BMC) Biology, the study utilized toxicological, biochemical and electrophysiological techniques to show that DEET is not simply a behavior-modifying chemical, but that it also inhibits cholinesterase activity in both insect and mammalian neuronal preparations. The researchers examined DEET’s effects on mosquitoes, cockroach nerves, mouse muscles, and enzymes purified from fruit flies and humans. Applications of DEET slowed or halted the actions of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase. This enzyme is crucial for regulating nerve impulses in both insects and mammals, and once its functions are disrupted, neuromuscular paralysis, leading to death by asphyxiation result. In humans, symptoms include headache, exhaustion and mental confusion together with blurred vision, salivation, chest tightness, and muscle twitching and abdominal cramps. The study also investigated the consequences of DEET interactions with carbamate insecticides on the […]

(Beyond Pesticides, August 11, 2009) Carrboro, NC, the site of Beyond Pesticides’ 27th National Pesticide Forum, is the latest town to join the list of states and communities employing goats for nontoxic weed control. Communities across the nation, from Maryland to Wyoming to California, are discovering that grazing goats is a great option for land that suffers from unwanted plants, low organic matter and soil compaction. Goats eat weeds, add fertilizer and aerate the soil with their hooves, all at the same time. The town of Carrboro hired Goat Patrol, a targeted grazing service based in the Research Triangle region of North Carolina, to control a poison ivy infestation in a town dog park. The company, which currently consists of 16 goats, is owned and operated by Alix Bowman. Ms. Bowman says the inspiration for the business was found knee deep in a patch of English Ivy, which she was struggling to remove to make way for a garden. “If only I had some goats,” she thought. Four months later, the business school graduate returned to her farming roots and started the Goat Patrol. The Carrboro Board of Aldermen adopted an integrated pest management policy to reduce the use of […]

(Beyond Pesticides, August 4, 2009) In July 2009, the House Rules Committee held a hearing on the Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act (PAMTA – H.R. 1549). The legislation introduced by Congresswoman Louise Slaughter (D-NY), is designed to preserve the effectiveness of antibiotics by phasing out the non-therapeutic use of medically important antibiotics in livestock. The bill does not restrict use of antibiotics to treat sick animals or to treat pets and other animals not used for food. “There is little doubt that antibiotic-resistant diseases are a growing public health menace,” said Rep. Slaughter, a microbiologist with a master’s degree in public health. “From peanut butter to spinach to hot dogs, we all want to make sure the food we feed our families is safe. My legislation will limit the use of antibiotics on our livestock to ensure that we are not inadvertently creating antibiotic- resistant diseases that we can’t fight with modern medicine.” Antibiotics are an indispensable part of modern medicine, protecting all of us from deadly infections. Unfortunately, over the past several years, the widespread practice of using antibiotics to promote livestock growth and compensate for unsanitary, crowded conditions has led to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains […]

(Beyond Pesticides, August 3, 2009) Sometimes you have to look a little deeper to find the truth, as is the case with the headlines over the past week regarding organic produce’s nutritional value. Last week the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) researchers announced the publication of their new study, “Nutritional quality of organic foods: a systematic review,” to be published in the September issue of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, which finds “no evidence that organically produced foods are nutritionally superior to conventionally produced foodstuffs.” Organic advocates and consumers say the study and the press announcement fail at providing all the facts and are misleading in guiding people away from all the benefits organic products provide. “Unfortunately, it failed to include contemporary research showing organic strengths, and dismisses areas of organic superiority within its reviewed work, including antioxidant capacity (important for cancer-fighting properties),” states Timothy LaSalle, CEO of the Rodale Institute in the Huffington Post. “The study appears to say absolutely nothing negative about organics, despite valiant attempts by the media to create sensational headlines.” Over 50,000 papers were searched, and a total of 162 relevant articles were identified that were published over a fifty-year period […]

(Beyond Pesticides, July 24, 2009) Whole Foods Market, a leading natural and organic grocery chain, recently announced a commitment to the Non-GMO Project, a non-profit collaboration of manufacturers, retailers, processors, distributors, farmers, seed breeders and consumers, to use the Non-GMO Project’s Product Verification Program (PVP) in connection with Whole Foods Market’s private label products. The 365 Every Day Value and Whole Foods Market brands will be enrolled in the program, with the first products arriving on shelves this Fall. While Federal law requires organic producers to comply with certain non-genetically engineered (GE) requirements identified in the USDA organic standards, there is no standard for labeling them in non-organic products. The PVP is the first system in the U.S.designed to scientifically test whether a product has met a set of defined standards for the presence of GE organisms (also known as GMOs, or genetically modified organisms). “From the moment GMOs were approved for use in the U.S., we recognized the need for transparency, but there was no definitive standard by which to evaluate or label products,” said Margaret Wittenberg, Whole Foods Market global vice president of quality standards. “We searched high and low for years for a way to do this […]

(Beyond Pesticides, July 21, 2009) Last week, Uncommon Ground, an eco-conscious restaurant in Chicago, opened the first certified organic rooftop farm. Receiving certification through Midwest Organic Services Association (MOSA) in October of 2008, the 250 square foot space includes approximately 640 square feet of soil which is used to grow a variety of high-yield crops. The plants are rotated in containers throughout the season and are served to diners in the restaurant below. The fresh produce featured on the menu includes sweet and hot peppers, eggplant, lettuces, heirloom tomatoes, greens, radishes, beets, okra, spinach, fennel, mustard, edamame, beans, shallots, garlic as well as plenty of herbs to keep diners happy. The farm is stocked by plants raised by local organic farmers Jenny Borchardt and Harvest Moon Farm, and by seeds that were purchased from Seed Savers, Johnny’s and Seeds of Change, as well as those that have been cultivated from successful plants. In 2007, the same year that Beyond Pesticides toured the Chicago City Hall Green Roof at our 25th National Pesticide forum Changing Course in a Changing Climate, Uncommon Ground restaurant owners Helen and Michael Cameron decided to find a second home to expand their business, making it as […]