Search Results
Wednesday, September 18th, 2019
(Beyond Pesticides, September 18, 2019) A new report published by Friends of the Earth (FOE), âPesticides and Soil Healthâ highlights healthy soil as a key pillar of regenerative, organic agriculture. There are numerous methods that regenerative agriculture utilizes to maximize soil health such as cover cropping, crop rotation, and compost applications. FOE focuses in on an often-overlooked aspect to soil health, âthat eliminating or greatly reducing toxic pesticides is key to building healthy soils and ecosystems for a healthy planet.â Beyond Pesticides has long believed that toxic pesticide use has no place in organic and regenerative land management practices and that they can and should be eliminated. According to Jay Feldman, executive director of Beyond Pesticides and former member of the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) said, “Pesticide reduction strategies that allow continued use of toxic substances undermine the soil biology and biodiversity that is critical to healthy plants and unnecessary to achieving pest management goals.” “It’s past time to talk elimination of toxic pesticides and nothing short of that.” Toxic pesticides have a diverse range of unintended impacts, including  cancer and other diseases to those exposed via usage or drift, and crop loss. Lesser known is the impact that pesticides […]
Posted in Agriculture, Alternatives/Organics, Biodiversity, Microbiata, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Friday, September 13th, 2019
(Beyond Pesticides, September 13, 2019) A study on the use of the herbicide dicambaâs off-target effects finds broad impacts, in both geographic spread and the variety of affected species, with use of the weed killer on Arkansas cropland putting birds at risk in agricultural landscapes. Audubon of Arkansas is reporting results of its community science dicamba monitoring project, conducted under the direction of Bird Conservation Director Dan Scheiman, PhD, and launched in late spring 2019. The project monitored dicamba symptomology in species on municipal, state, and federal lands, where dicamba was not applied, but where its impacts were nonetheless detected. Arkansas Audubon âpredicts that in a landscape full of GMO crops [genetically modified organisms] (on which dicamba is typically used), the atmospheric loading of volatile dicamba could be enough to cause landscape scale damage to our state natural areas, wildlife management areas, national wildlife refuges, family farms, and the wildlife they harbor.â Dicamba herbicides are volatile compounds used to control broadleaf weeds â especially on fields of GMO soybean and cotton crops that have been genetically engineered for resistance to dicamba. These herbicides damage non-GMO crops and native plants well beyond intended application areas. (In 2017, more than 3 million acres of […]
Posted in Agriculture, Birds, Dicamba, Genetic Engineering, Glyphosate, Pesticide Drift, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Wednesday, September 11th, 2019
(Beyond Pesticides, September 11, 2019)Â Germany is the latest entity to take action on getting glyphosate-based pesticides out of the marketplace. Chancellor Angela Merkel has announced that, beginning in 2020, the country will phase out herbicides that contain glyphosate by the end of 2023. The phase-out will occur through a series of scheduled reductions in amounts allowed for use, with a goal of a 75% reduction over the next four years. The announcement comes after ânation-wide protests and demands from [Merkelâs] junior coalition partner, the Social Democrats, for more decisive action on environmental issues.â This action stands in telling contrast to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencyâs (EPAâs) repeated failures to protect people, ecosystems, and our food supply, from this toxic compound. The German government also plans to oppose any European Union (EU) request for renewal of licensing of these herbicides, according to the environment ministry. Bayer AG, maker of glyphosate-based herbicides and owner of original manufacturer Monsanto, has pushed back, saying that the government is âgetting ahead of itselfâ by banning glyphosate-based herbicides prior to any decision by the relevant EU authority, and that EU laws disallow unilateral decisions by member states. (Pesticide licensing decisions lie with EU governance in Brussels, […]
Posted in Bayer, Cancer, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Glyphosate, International, non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, September 4th, 2019
(Beyond Pesticides, September 4, 2019) Sixteen organizations representing health, environmental, farmer, and farmworker communities joined together yesterday to call on EPA to remove glyphosate from the marketplace. The groups cite a combination of high-profile lawsuits, environmental impacts, increasing reports of weed resistance, and growing public concern over the health effects of glyphosate in their comments on EPAâs interim reregistration review decision for the chemical. The comments warn that EPA is at risk of damaging the publicâs trust in the agencyâs review process for toxic pesticides. âEPAâs myopic review and response to the dangers posed by glyphosate does a disservice to American farmers, farmworkers, and commercial landscapers wishing to use least-toxic products that do not put them at risk of health impacts, and consumers aiming to make the safest choice in regards to what to feed their family and how to manage their yards,â the comments read. The document likewise replies to EPAâs attacks against the World Health Organizationâs International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which determined glyphosate to be a probable carcinogen based on sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in experimental organisms. EPA has indicated that its process for evaluating glyphosate, ââŚis more transparent than IARCâs processâ and that IARCâs […]
Posted in Agriculture, Cancer, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Glyphosate, Pesticide Regulation, Uncategorized | 2 Comments »
Monday, August 5th, 2019
(Beyond Pesticides, August 5, 2019)Â The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) appears to have forgotten the lesson learned 20 years ago when it was forced to ban genetic engineering (GE) in organic regulations. At a July 17 hearing called by the U.S. House Agriculture Subcommittee on Biotechnology, Horticulture, and Research on âAssessing the Effectiveness of the National Organic Program,â Greg Ibach, the USDA’s Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs, stated, âThere is the opportunity to open the discussion to consider whether it is appropriate for some of these new technologies, including gene editing, to be eligible to be used to enhance organic production.” In 1997, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) published a draft rule that would have allowed GE, irradiation, and sewage sludge (the âBig Threeâ) in organic production, which was met by the second largest number of comments the agency had ever receivedâwell before the days of internet advocacyâoverwhelmingly opposing the inclusion of the âBig Three.â Â The prohibition of gene editing falls under the âexcluded methodsâ provision of the organic regulations. The law prohibits “a variety of methods used to genetically modify organisms or influence their growth and development by means that are not possible under natural conditions […]
Posted in Agriculture, Alternatives/Organics, Genetic Engineering, Take Action, Uncategorized, US Department of Agriculture (USDA) | 1 Comment »
Friday, August 2nd, 2019
(Beyond Pesticides, August 2, 2019)Â Advocates of organic agriculture, including Beyond Pesticides, are sounding a âyellow alertâ on the heels of recent comments, by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs, Greg Ibach, before the U.S. House Agriculture Subcommittee on Biotechnology, Horticulture, and Research. In his remarks, Mr. Ibach opened the door to consideration of allowing new gene-editing technologies to be permitted under the federal National Organic Program (NOP) and its standards. He said, âAs the National Organic Standards Board set the rules originally, GMOs are not eligible to be in the organic program. However, weâve seen new technology, including gene-editing, that accomplishes things in shorter periods of time than a natural breeding process can. I think there is the opportunity to open the discussion to consider whether it is appropriate for some of these new technologies that include gene-editing to be eligible to be used to enhance organic production and to have drought and disease-resistant varieties, as well as higher-yield varieties available.â The National Organic Standards (NOS), promulgated in 2002 (on the basis of the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990) by the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) â on which Beyond Pesticides Executive […]
Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments »
Thursday, July 25th, 2019
(Beyond Pesticides, July 25, 2019) Professors are experiencing damage to their soybean field research as a result of dicamba drift from neighboring agricultural fields. Experts worry that continued drift will make it impossible to carry out public research integral to non-genetically engineered soybean production. These reports, recent studies of dicamba drift potential, and numerous lawsuits counter Monsanto/Bayerâs claims that dicamba poses no drift threat when used properly. Monsanto, now owned by Bayer, manufactures both dicamba and genetically engineered, herbicide-tolerant crops. Dicamba mimics natural plant hormones, auxins, to cause uncontrolled and abnormal growth in non-tolerant plants; soybeans are especially vulnerable. Pengyn Chen, PhD, a professor of soybean breeding and genetics at the University of Missouriâs Fisher Delta Research Center, reports that his soybeans leaves curled up into cups and grew fragile unusual side branches due to dicamba drift. Dr. Chen has seen damage for the past three years as dicamba use has increased around his research station. The nature of Dr. Chenâs work bars him from switching to dicamba resistant crops, a switch many farmers make to avoid the impacts of drift. Dr. Chen studies many varieties of soybeans, including obscure types that private companies ignore. His research aims to find […]
Posted in Agriculture, Arkansas, Contamination, Dicamba, Genetic Engineering, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Thursday, July 18th, 2019
(Beyond Pesticides, July 18, 2019) Pesticide products containing the weed killer dicamba become more volatile and drift-prone in hot conditions and when tank-mixed with glyphosate, according to a recent study conducted by scientists at the University of Tennessee. The findings help explain rampant complaints from farmers in the South and Midwest experiencing crop loss and economic hardship as a result of drift from new dicamba products, which are formulated with glyphosate for use on genetically engineered (GE) cotton and soy. While states have taken the lead in regulating the use of GE dicamba products, top political officials within Administrator Andrew Wheelerâs EPA overruled the findings from agency scientists urging larger buffer zones to protect neighboring crops and farm fields. During a 60-hour window, scientists applied various GE dicamba products (Clarity and XtendiMax) over a range of temperatures and took air samples. As temperatures increased, so did the volatilization and drift of dicamba, even in formulations touted as âlow volatility.â Adding glyphosate to the mixture produced stark results, increasing concentrations of dicamba in the air up to nine times compared to dicamba alone. Tom Mueller, PhD, a professor in the UT Department of Plant Sciences, stated in a press release that […]
Posted in Bayer, Dicamba, Glyphosate, Monsanto, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Thursday, June 13th, 2019
(Beyond Pesticides, June 13, 2019) The U.S. allows the use of 85 pesticides that have been banned or are being phased out in the European Union, China or Brazil, according to a peer-reviewed study published last week by the academic journal Environmental Health. In 2016, the U.S. used 322 million pounds of pesticides that are banned in the E.U., accounting for more than one-quarter of all agricultural pesticide use in this country, according to the study. U.S. applicators also used 40 million pounds of pesticides that are banned or being phased out in China and 26 million pounds of pesticides that are banned or being phased out in Brazil. âItâs appalling the U.S. lags so far behind these major agricultural powers in banning harmful pesticides,â said Nathan Donley, PhD, a senior scientist with the Center for Biological Diversity and author of the study. âThe fact that weâre still using hundreds of millions of pounds of poisons other nations have wisely rejected as too risky spotlights our dangerously lax approach to phasing out hazardous pesticides.â The study compared the approval status of more than 500 pesticides used in outdoor applications in the worldâs four largest agricultural economies: the United States, European Union, China and Brazil. Report […]
Posted in Agriculture, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Uncategorized | No Comments »
Wednesday, May 15th, 2019
(Beyond Pesticides, May 15, 2019) On Monday, a California jury awarded plaintiffs in the third federal Roundup case over $2 billion in punitive and compensatory damages. The jury found that Monsanto âengaged in conduct with malice, oppression or fraud committed by one or more officers, directors or managing agents of Monsanto.â Plaintiffs Alva and Alberta Pilliod, a married couple in their seventies, used Roundup weed killer since the 1970s to maintain their yard and other owned properties. The couple did not wear protective gear when using Roundup because Monsanto marketed the product as âsafe.â Alva was diagnosed with non-Hodgkinâs lymphoma (NHL) in 2011; Albertaâs diagnosis followed in 2015. The Pilliod v. Monsanto jury came to their decision based on evidence, not only of the herbicideâs carcinogenicity, but also of Monsantoâs role in suppressing and discredit.ing independent findings regarding Roundup toxicity. In an interview with U.S. Right to Know’s Carey Gillam, co-lead trial counsel Michael Miller said, âUnlike the first two Monsanto trials, where the judges severely limited the amount of plaintiffsâ evidence, we were finally allowed to show a jury the mountain of evidence showing Monsantoâs manipulation of science, the media and regulatory agencies to forward their own agenda despite […]
Posted in Glyphosate, Litigation, non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
Thursday, May 9th, 2019
(Beyond Pesticides, May 9, 2019) On Wednesday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a proposed interim decision on glyphosateâs registration review, ignoring widespread scientific consensus on the herbicide’s carcinogenicity and instead restating the agencyâs firm position that glyphosate is ânot likely to be carcinogenic to humans.â EPAâs bold statement stands in stark contrast to scientific consensus to the contrary. In 2015, the World Health Organizationâs International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) found glyphosate to be a probable human carcinogen. In response to resistance from the European Food Safety Authority, 94 expert scientists published an article in support of IARCâs methodologies and findings. Since 2015, several more publications have added significant weight to the body of evidence supporting glyphosateâs carcinogenicity. A February 2018 meta-analysis of studies on glyphosate suggested âa compelling link between exposures to GBH [glyphosate-based herbicides] and increased risk of NHL [non-Hodgkin lymphoma]. A February 2019 University of Washington study found that glyphosate increased the risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma by as much as 41%. Despite attempts by current and former EPA top officials to âkillâ their report, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), a agency at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, released its […]
Posted in Cancer, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Glyphosate, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Thursday, April 18th, 2019
(Beyond Pesticides, April 18, 2019) Organic farming promotes natural resistance to common foodborne human pathogens, according to a study that evaluates the benefit of soil organisms. By protecting valuable species of dung beetles and soil bacteria, organic farming systems naturally act to clean up and decompose potentially pathogen-bearing animal feces. While these natural systems suppr ess pathogens on organic farms, coventional chemical-intensive farms are left with higher levels of fecal residues and are therefore significantly more likely to yield produce carrying such foodborne pathogens as E. coli. The authors emphasize that curbing the spread of common foodborne pathogens could save thousands of lives and prevent millions of illnesses each year. The study, “Organic farming promotes biotic resistance to foodborne human pathogens,” published in the Journal of Applied Ecology, compares dung beetle populations, soil bacteria diversity, and feces removal rates on 70 organic and conventional broccoli farm fields across the west coast of the U.S. In addition to studying field conditions, authors conducted additional microcosm studies to directly test the effects of dung beetles and soil microbes on the suppression of introduced E. coli. Results from field analyses show that organic management practices lead to greater biodiversity among dung beetles and soil […]
Posted in Agriculture, Alternatives/Organics, Beneficials, Biodiversity, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Monday, April 8th, 2019
(Beyond Pesticides, April 8, 2019)Â Officials in Europe and the U.S. focus on banning problem pesticides, raising concerns about their replacements in the face of pesticide-intensive management strategies, while organic advocates call for a systems change in land management. In reference to widespread community bans of Roundup/glyphosate, Cary Gillam, author of Whitewash, told last yearâs Beyond Pesticidesâ Forum, âGlyphosate is the poster child for the bigger pesticide problem.â She continues, âIf it goes away tomorrow, we are not okay.â Because of this, Beyond Pesticides has strategically sought to transform our countryâs approach to pest management, both agricultural and residential/structural, by eliminating a reliance on pesticides and advancing organic management practices that do not rely on toxic inputs. This Daily News Blog post offers updates on progress in the European Union (EU), in the U.S. Congress, and in communities and sates nationwide. The EU is poised to ban clorothalanil, a commonly used â and highly toxic â organochlorine fungicide, The Guardian reported, in mid-to-late May 2019. After a review by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), EU states voted to approve a ban. EFSA identified as a chief safety concern the possibility that breakdown products (metabolites) of the compound may cause damage […]
Posted in Agriculture, Chlorothalonil, Chlorpyrifos, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), International, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Friday, March 29th, 2019
(Beyond Pesticides, March 29, 2019)Â The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) made a low-key announcement on March 19 suggesting that it may change its handling of requests from states to exert stricter controls on use of pesticides than the federal agency sets out in its registration of the compounds â by disapproving them. This is potentially a big deal because it signals that the agency will be less-kindly disposed to statesâ desires to establish either somewhat different parameters of use based on local conditions and needs, or more-stringent regulations on pesticide use than those set out by federal regulators. This issue of preemption of localitiesâ desires to protect their populations and environment has become an increasingly dynamic frontier at the nexus of pesticide use, health, and environment. Beyond Pesticides has written more frequently about this issue in recent years as the tension between centralized, federal regulation and more-local regulation has risen; see more below. EPA appears distressed by some of the approximately 300 annual requests it gets to make some adjustment to the federal regulation. This can happen under Section 24(c) of FIFRA, which allows for a Special Local Need Label, which can be requested under a variety of conditions, including […]
Posted in Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Preemption, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, March 6th, 2019
(Beyond Pesticides, March 6, 2019) After a brief hiatus, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is continuing use of aquatic herbicides, including glyphosate, for invasive species management. Public pressure and feedback caused FWC to take a temporary pause from spraying while the commission collected public comment through public hearings and emails from late January through February. FWC ultimately decided to resume spraying invasive species, and points to its improved integrated management system as reducing overall herbicide use. Glyphosate, one of the 17 aquatic herbicides that FWC uses regularly has sparked opposition from environmentalists and the general public due to its wide usage and known adverse effects. According to FWC data, 12,263 pounds of glyphosate-based herbicides were used on Florida’s Lake Okeechobee in 2017. About 175,000 people have signed North Palm Beach photographer and wildlife advocate Jim Abernathyâs petition titled âStop The State-Sanctioned Poisoning of Our Lakes and Rivers!â. The petition decries the use of glyphosate to kill invasive aquatic plants and warns of subsequent nutrient pollution caused by decay. An excess of nutrients (e.g. nitrogen and phosphorus) in water bodies contribute to algal blooms. Eutrophication can eventually result in oxygen depletion and thereby decrease biodiversity. FWC denies that the […]
Posted in Fertilizer, Florida, Glyphosate, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, February 27th, 2019
(Beyond Pesticides, February 27, 2019) U.S. PIRG tested 20 common beers and wines and found glyphosate residues in all but one. Glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, is the most commonly used agrichemical in the world. Though it is linked to many health and environmental issues, there is no current EPA limit for glyphosate residues in beer or wine. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) does not regularly test for glyphosate on either food or beverages. Researchers used an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to detect glyphosate levels. Sutter Home Merlot had the highest level of glyphosate residues at 51 ppb (parts per billion). Barefoot Cabernet Sauvignon and Beringer Estates Moscato had slightly lower levels: 36.3 ppb and 42.6 ppb, respectively. Organic wines results were ~5 ppb. The beer samples had just slightly lower average levels of residues, the highest being Tsingtao beer with 49 ppb. Miller Lite, Corona, and Budweiser ranged from 25-30 ppb. Samuel Smithâs Organic Lager had a 5.7 ppb glyphosate concentration, and Peak Beer Organic IPA was the only sample with no detectable level of glyphosate. By U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) estimates, nearly 300 million pounds of glyphosate are annually applied to U.S. crops. Vineyards spray […]
Posted in Agriculture, Glyphosate, Uncategorized, US Department of Agriculture (USDA) | No Comments »
Tuesday, January 8th, 2019
(Beyond Pesticides, January 8, 2019) At the end of December, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) finalized its rule regarding the disclosure of genetically engineered (GE) ingredients in consumer foods. After years of local, state and federal pressure to implement a clear, concise labeling requirement for GE foods, advocates say USDAâs rule is a failure, and a capitulation to agrichemical corporations that promote GE farming systems. According to U.S. Representative Chellie Pingree (D-ME), speaking with the Portland Press Herald, the new rule is âan insult to consumers.â She said, âThese labels should give people the facts of whether ingredients in their food have been genetically altered, plain and simple.â Rather than the plain and simple language urged by Rep Pingree and other GE labeling advocates, USDA determined to move forward with muddled verbiage that is certain to confuse consumers. GE products will not defined by a term Americans are familiar with, such as GE or GMO. Instead, the term USDA will require on product labels is âbioengineered.â USDA is allowing companies to choose one of the following methods to alert consumers to the presence of GE ingredients in their foods: Inclusion of a âbioengineeredâ or âderived from bioengineeringâ symbol alongside […]
Posted in 2,4-D, Dicamba, Genetic Engineering, Glyphosate, Labeling, Uncategorized, US Department of Agriculture (USDA) | 1 Comment »
Tuesday, November 27th, 2018
(Beyond Pesticides, November 27, 2018) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ignored the input of an expert weed scientist on the controversial herbicide dicamba, bending to Bayerâs Monsanto and the pesticide industry, according to emails obtained by the Arkansas Democrat and Chronicle (ADC) through a Freedom of Information Act request. The scandal centers on the recent re-approval of the pesticide, a highly volatile and drift-prone herbicide that has become a serious problem for many farmers and state regulators. As top-level EPA officials continue to work with industry to subvert their own agencyâs scientific findings, more and more consumers are moving to organic products in order avoid the pesticide risks government regulators ask consumers to accept. Emails ADC received indicate that Jason Norsworthy, PhD, a weed scientist with the University of Arkansas, worked closely with Bayerâs Monsanto in conducting field trials this past summer, but found high volatility and drift of the companyâs new dicamba-based herbicide XtendiMax. The product was developed in the face of widespread resistance to glyphosate-based herbicides in genetically engineered (GE) farm fields. However, recent accounts from farmers in the south and midwest indicate that, not only is the switch to dicamba unhelpful in eliminating drift and reversing escalating weed resistance, its […]
Posted in Agriculture, Arkansas, Bayer, Dicamba, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Genetic Engineering, Monsanto, Pesticide Drift, Resistance, Uncategorized | 2 Comments »
Friday, November 16th, 2018
(Beyond Pesticides, November 16, 2018)Â Pesticides and biocides used to control bacterial infections in humans and weeds and pests in agriculture are surpassing âplanetary boundariesâ within which human civilization can continue to rely on these biocides, according to a review by an international team of scientists working on the Living with Resistance project. While the study reinforces the role of susceptible populations in managing resistance, it fails to distinguish essential differences between antibiotic resistance and resistance to pesticides that is identified by Beyond Pesticides. The study focuses on six different forms of resistance. Researchers looked at antibiotic resistance in gram negative bacteria (such as E. coli, P. aeruginosa, Salmonella) and gram positive bacteria (such as S. aureus, Clostridium) separately, due to their divergent resistance mechanisms. Pesticide resistance was divided among herbicides in general, herbicide resistant crops, insecticides in general, and genetically engineered (GE) crops that produce their own insecticide. Resistance to antibiotics and pesticides are similar in that they are both evolved responses to substances toxic to the organism. However, lumping them together in evaluating their importance to human health and survival does not recognize important differences in context. âWithout new approaches, going to hospital in the future will increasingly become […]
Posted in Antibiotic Resistance, Resistance, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Thursday, November 8th, 2018
(Beyond Pesticides, November 8, 2018) Two months after publishing its first series of tests, part two of an Environmental Working Group (EWG) study finds residues of Roundupâs active ingredient, glyphosate, in all General Millsâ Cheerios and PepsiCoâs Quaker Oats products sampled. Health advocates are expressing concern about the consequences of chronic glyphosate exposure, and say U.S. federal agencies must limit the herbicideâs use on oat-based breakfast foods regularly marketed to children. In addition, organic itself is under threat, as chemical-intensive management practices undermine the future of the growing organic movement. In this second round of testing, EWG scientists purchased products around San Francisco and Washington DC. 28 samples of conventional and 16 samples of organic oat products were collected. Approximately 300 grams of each General Mills and PepsiCo product were packaged and shipped to Anresco Laboratories, in San Francisco. Detected glyphosate residues were compared to EWGâs own health benchmark of 160 parts per billion (ppb). This benchmark is based on risks of lifetime exposure and what EWG scientists consider allowable and protective of childrenâs health with an adequate margin of safety. EWGâs results detected glyphosate residues in all 28 samples of conventionally grown oat products. The vast majority (all but two) […]
Posted in Alternatives/Organics, California, Cancer, Children, Children/Schools, contamination, Corporations, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), General Mills, Glyphosate, Labeling, Learning Disabilities, MCS/chem. sensitivity, Microbiata, Microbiome, Nervous System Effects, Pesticide Drift, Pesticide Regulation, Pesticide Residues, Resistance, Take Action, Uncategorized, Washington D.C. | 2 Comments »
Tuesday, October 16th, 2018
(Beyond Pesticides, October 16, 2018) Bacteria exposed to widely used herbicides like Roundup develop antibiotic resistance 100,000 times faster than average, according to new research published by New Zealand scientists in PeerJ. The results have ominous implications for the modern worldâs ability to avert a post-antibiotic era. Even if new antibiotics are discovered, or existing compounds used more judiciously, scientists say that will not be enough to prevent the ongoing crisis – the world is also confronting bacterial exposure to herbicides and other non-antibiotic agents that have the ability to rapidly induce resistance. âHerbicides are among the most widely used and dispersed manufactured products on Earth. Some form of exposure for people, pets and livestock can be routinely expected,â study author Jack Heinemann, PhD, told Newsweek. âMeanwhile, antibiotics are used at high rates particularly on people, pets and livestock. Therefore, the combination of exposures for bacteria that live on us is all but guaranteed.â This current round of research by Dr. Heinemann and his team is the outgrowth of previous studies (1, 2) that established the ability of common herbicides to induce antibiotic resistance in strains of pathogenic bacteria Salmonella eterica and Escherichia coli. Now, the scientists are drilling into […]
Posted in Agriculture, Bayer, Glyphosate, Monsanto, Resistance, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Thursday, October 4th, 2018
(Beyond Pesticides, October 4, 2018) According to new research from the University of Texas at Austin, glyphosate, the worldâs most widely used agrichemical weed killer, may also be killing bees by impairing their gut microbiota, and subsequently, their immune systems. The study, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, titled Glyphosate perturbs the gut microbiota of honey bees, notes these findings as evidence glyphosate could very well be contributing to the sharp decline of pollinators seen throughout the world over the past decade. Researchers began with a single hive and collected several hundred worker bees. One group of bees was fed a sterile sugar syrup, while others were exposed to levels of glyphosate equal to what is found in conventional crop fields, lawns and highway medians. To aid tracking and recapture, bees were marked with colored dots based on their grouping. Researchers sampled 15 individuals from each group of worker bees right before and three days after reintroduction back to the hive. At both times, DNA from the insectsâ guts was extracted to observe whether glyphosate had significantly altered microbial diversity within their organ system. Results found relatively minimal impacts to bees tested prior to their […]
Posted in Beneficials, Biodiversity, Glyphosate, Pollinators, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Tuesday, August 28th, 2018
(Beyond Pesticides, August 28, 2018) Reinforcing findings of glyphosate residues in numerous food products, high levels of the herbicide is found in Cheerios and other popular oat-based food products, according to a study conducted by Environmental Working Group (EWG). The news comes at a time of increased public attention to the weed killer, following a landmark court case that resulted in a $289 million verdict for a school groundskeeper who presented evidence that regular glyphosate use caused him to develop cancer. Glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, has been found in popular foods, as the prior research has found similar results, and the chemical has also been detected in â100% pureâ honey, Doritos, Oreos, Goldfish, Ritz Crackers, German beers, California wines, and UK bread. Glyphosate has been ranked as potentially cancer causing in humans and adversely affects the human gut microbiome. EWG tested 45 different conventionally grown oat products, and 16 organic items. Results found glyphosate in nearly every conventional product, 43 out of 45, and 5 of the 16 organic products. However, conventional products generally contained much higher levels of glyphosate than those which were organic certified (typically caused by chemical drift from neighboring chemical-intensive farms and environmental contamination). […]
Posted in Chemicals, contamination, Glyphosate, Pesticide Residues | No Comments »