Henry A. Wallace Institute for
Alternative Agriculture
9200 Edmonston Road, #117
Greenbelt, MD 20770
(301) 441-8777
E-mail: hawiaa@access.digex.net
World Wide Web: http://www.hawiaa.org
* * *
If You Are Interested in Sustainable Agriculture...
In addition to this monthly newsletter, the Henry A. Wallace
Institute for Alternative Agriculture publishes the American Journal of
Alternative Agriculture, a quarterly, peer-reviewed journal of research
on alternative agriculture. It is a scientific forum for disseminating
technical, economic, and social research findings about the character and
requirements of alternative agriculture systems.
Alternative practices for managing plant-parasitic nematodes are
highlighted in an article in the newest issue of AJAA (Volume 13, No. 3,
1998). Other articles cover the impact of agricultural management on
nitrate concentrations in drainage waters; an assessment of legume and
non-legume ground covers on coleoptera; the agronomic and economic
performance of wheat and canola-based double-crop systems; soil
improvement following addition of chipped wood; and an examination of
microbiological and biochemical parameters in a long-term fertilization
trial. Subscriptions to AJAA are $44 for libraries; $24 for individuals;
and $12 for students; contact the Wallace Institute, 9200 Edmonston Road,
#117, Greenbelt, MD 20770; (301) 441-8777; e-mail hawiaa@access.digex.net
Table of Contents:
Consumers Union Calls for EPA To Ban Two Insecticides, p. 2
Voters Support Restrictions on Factory Farms, p. 2
Sustainable Ag May Have Role in Reducing Greenhouse Gases, p. 3
USDA, EPA Seek Public Comments on Animal Feeding Plan, p. 3
Resources, p. 3
Farm Children Face Significant Health Risks, Says Report, p. 4
Center Seeks Applicants for EPA IPM Grant, p. 4
Siehl Prize Accepting Nominations, p. 4
Positions, p. 4
Upcoming Events, p. 5
CONSUMERS UNION CALLS FOR EPA TO BAN TWO CLASSES OF INSECTICIDES
A Consumers Union report, highlighted in the November issue of
Consumer Reports, calls for the EPA to phase out two classes of
insecticides: high risk organophosphates and carbamates used on
children's foods. It also recommends a doubling of funding for research
on pesticide alternatives. The report, "Worst First: High-Risk
Insecticides, Children's Foods, and Safer Alternatives," reviews the 40
uses on nine fruit and vegetable crops that together account for a large
portion of children's dietary insecticide exposure and risk. "Our Worst
40' uses should be high-priority targets for EPA action under the Food
Quality Protection Act's worst first' mandate," the report says. If the
EPA eliminated the "Worst 40" insecticide-food combinations identified,
the report estimates that the risks associated with the nine crops would
decrease by about 95 percent.
The report also concludes that "there are many viable
alternatives growers can use to manage crop pests." The alternatives
listed include bio-based alternatives and natural control products, such
as pheromone products used in mating disruption; and bio-IPM practices,
such as crop rotation, soil fertility and irrigation management, building
and maintaining populations of natural enemies of insects, and measures
to block or disrupt reproduction. "The FQPA provides an opportunity and
an incentive for growers to build on the success that many have already
achieved, to share experiences with safer insect pest management systems,
and to accelerate progress away from dependence on the higher-risk
organophosphate and carbamate insecticides," according to the report.
"The sooner this transition is completed, the better off farmers and
children will both be."
The report's other recommendations include: the EPA should reduce
or eliminate residues from all organophosphate and carbamate uses on key
children's foods; USDA and Congress should fund farmer education on safer
alternatives to the "Worst 40" uses; EPA should expedite registration for
safer alternatives; and USDA and Congress should double funding for
research on IPM and safer alternatives within the CSREES IPM program, the
Pest Management Alternatives Program, and area-wide IPM research in the
Agricultural Research Service.
"Worst First" is available on the Internet at
http://www.consunion.org; a technical analysis is at
http://www.ecologic-ipm.com
VOTERS SUPPORT RESTRICTIONS ON FACTORY FARMS
Voters in Colorado and South Dakota supported restricting large
commercial hog facilities on ballot initiatives Election Day, November 3.
In Colorado, voters approved by 64 percent an initiative regulating the
construction and operation of large commercial hog feeding facilities,
and the disposal of manure and wastewater to minimize odor and water
pollution. In South Dakota, 60 percent of voters approved a
constitutional amendment to prevent concentrated animal feeding
operations from acquiring or otherwise obtaining an interest in any land
used for farming in the state, essentially saying that only
family-controlled farms can operate in the state. According to The Des
Moines Register, "Al Tank, a top official of the National Pork Producers
Council, said environmental restrictions approved by Colorado voters and
a ban on corporate ownership of hog facilities by South Dakota citizens
are ominous precedents.'" A New York Times editorial said that "the votes
against hog farms should encourage the Environmental Protection Agency to
push ahead with tougher clean water regulations for big agricultural
operations."
SUSTAINABLE AG MAY HAVE ROLE IN REDUCING GREENHOUSE GASES
Policymakers are now focusing on the potential of farms and new
farming techniques to help fight global warming by offsetting emissions
from burning fossil fuels, according to an article in The Washington Post
(November 23, 1998). The goal is to get farms to act as carbon "sinks"
which would soak up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it for
decades or even centuries. "A few simple practices, applied across the
U.S. Corn Belt, could transform farms into carbon-dioxide sponges that
sop up millions of metric tons a year of the chief greenhouse gas blamed
for global warming," the article said. "In a 15-year experiment at the
Rodale Institute, [Laurie] Drinkwater and two colleagues discovered they
could dramatically increase the carbon content of soils simply by
changing crop rotations and cutting back on chemical fertilizers."
Drinkwater said that a switch in farming practices in the Corn Belt could
reduce the country's net carbon dioxide emissions by up to two percent,
at the same time the farms themselves would also burn less fuel and
purchase fewer chemicals.
USDA, EPA SEEK PUBLIC COMMENTS ON ANIMAL FEEDING OPERATIONS PLAN
The USDA and EPA are seeking public comment until January 19,
1999, on their draft Unified National Strategy for Animal Feeding
Operations, requiring all animal feeding operations to develop and
implement nutrient management plans by the year 2008. The draft strategy
is available on the Internet at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov or
http://www.epa.gov/owm/afostrat.htm. Public comments should be mailed to
Denise C. Coleman, Program Analyst, USDA, Natural Resources Conservation
Service, ATTN:AFO, P.O. Box 2890, Washington, D.C. 20013-2890; e-mail
denise_c.coleman@usda.gov
RESOURCES
"How to Establish Goals: A Group Project for Farmers and Their
Families," for whole farm planning, is $3 from The Minnesota Project,
1885 University Ave. West, #315, St. Paul, MN 55104; (651) 645-6159;
e-mail Water007@gold.tc.umn.edu
"LandWorks," a land use subscription service for professionals,
includes online discussions, publications, and a private Website for $125
a year; contact American Farmland Trust, One Short St., Northampton, MA
01060; 1-800-370-4879; e-mail LandWorks@farmland.org
"Pesticide Exposure Handbook" is $2, "DO NOT SPRAY" sign is
$4.75, from Californians for Alternatives to Toxics, P.O. Box 1195,
Arcata, CA 95518; (707) 822-8497; e-mail catz@reninet.com
"Pesticide Decision Tool" is available free from John Vickery,
Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, 2105 First Ave., S.,
Minneapolis, MN 55404-2505; (612) 870-3430; e-mail jvickery@iatp.org; on
the Internet, http://www.iatp.org/enviroag/pesticidesummary.htm
USDA's Farmer Direct Marketing Web Page, providing resources and
information about direct marketing, is at
http://www.ams.usda.gov/directmarketing
"Alternative Farming Systems: Economic Aspects" and "Vegetables
and Fruits: A Guide to Heirloom Varieties and Community-Based
Stewardship, Annotated Bibliography/Resources Organizations/Historical
Supplement" are available from Alternative Farming Systems Information
Center, National Agricultural Library, 10301 Baltimore Blvd., Beltsville,
MD 20705; (301) 504-6559; e-mail afsic@nal.usda.gov; on the Internet,
http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic
FARM CHILDREN FACE SIGNIFICANT HEALTH RISKS, SAYS REPORT
Children who live on or near agricultural land, or whose families
work in the fields, are "likely to be the most pesticide-exposed subgroup
in the United States," and face "particularly significant health risks,"
according to a new report from the Natural Resources Defense Council.
These children come in contact with pesticides through "residues from the
parents' clothing, dust tracked into the house, contaminated soil in
outdoor play areas, food brought directly from the fields to the table,
and contaminated well water," the report concluded. NRDC recommends that
pesticide tolerances be set low enough to protect farm children from
cumulative health risks, and that the EPA phase out Category I acute
toxic pesticides, most hazardous neurotoxic organophosphate and carbamate
pesticides, endocrine disrupters, and carcinogens, while developing and
promoting alternative pest management practices. "Trouble on the Farm:
Growing Up with Pesticides in Agricultural Communities" is $10.50 plus $3
from NRDC Publications Department, 40 West 20th St., New York, N.Y. 10011.
CENTER SEEKS APPLICANTS FOR EPA IPM GRANT
The American Farmland Trust's Center for Agriculture in the
Environment is seeking applicants for an EPA grant that will fund an IPM
implementation project that focuses on corn and soybean rotations in the
Midwest. Project funding is anticipated to range between $90,000 and
$190,000 a year; only one project is anticipated to be selected for
funding. For more information and proposal applications, contact Ann
Sorensen, AFT CAE, P.O. Box 987, DeKalb, IL 60115; (815) 753-9347; e-mail
asorensen@niu.edu
SIEHL PRIZE ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS
The College of Agricultural, Food, and Environmental Sciences at
the University of Minnesota is now accepting nominations for the Siehl
Prize for Excellence in Agriculture. The prize is awarded every two
years to three recipients who have made significant contributions to
agriculture in three areas: in production agriculture, to producers
whose careers combine progressive technology and innovative farm
management skills; in agribusiness, to individuals who have generated,
introduced or applied scientific knowledge to challenges facing
production agriculture; and in academia, to those who, through teaching,
outreach, or research at an academic or government agency, have made a
profound difference in agriculture. For more information, contact Dani
O'Reilly, Director of Communications, College of Agricultural, Food, and
Environmental Sciences, University of Minnesota, 277 Coffey Hall, 1420
Eckles Ave., St. Paul, MN 55108; (612) 624-3235; on the Internet,
http://www.coafes.umn.edu/showcase/siehl.pdf.
POSITIONS
Appalachian Sustainable Development seeks a Sustainable Farm
Products Marketing Specialist; send resume and cover letter to Anthony
Flaccavento, P.O. Box 791, Abingdon, VA 24212.
Crystal Spring Community Supported Garden seeks a seasonal
full-time grower; send resume, references and information on past
experience to Crystal Spring CSG, 76 Everett Skinner Road, Plainville, MA
02762; (508) 699-7167.
St. Lawrence University seeks candidates for a tenure track
position in Environmental Studies at the Assistant Professor level; send
letter, C.V., statements of teaching and research goals, descriptions of
two upper level courses, and letter from three references to Chair,
Environmental Studies Search, Ecological Sustainability Position,
Environmental Studies Program, St. Lawrence University, Canton, N.Y. 13617.
Stratford Ecological Center seeks a Farm Manager; contact Jeff
Dickinson, SEC, 3083 Liberty Road, Delaware, OH 43015; (740) 363-2548;
e-mail secenter@aol.com
UPCOMING EVENTS
January 8-10, 1999, 11th National Conference on Organic Food and
Farming will be held in Cirencester, England; contact the Soil
Association, phone 0117-925-2504; e-mail cirencester@soilassociation.org
January 9-14, 1999, Pennsylvania State Farm Show will be held in
Harrisburg; contact Pennsylvania Farm Link, Point Shopping Center, #205,
Harrisburg, PA 17111; (717) 558-7726; e-mail pafarmlink@redrose.net
January 13-15, 1999, "Workforce Management for Farms and
Horticultural Businesses" will be held in Camp Hill, PA; contact
Northeast Regional Agricultural Engineering Service, 152 Riley-Robb Hall,
Ithaca, N.Y. 14853; (607) 255-7654; e-mail NRAES@CORNELL.EDU
January 15, 1999, is the deadline for papers for "Water and
Environmental Resource Management: Focus on Asia and the Pacific," the
6th Conference of the International Water and Resource Economics
Consortium, to be held in Hawaii June 29-July 3, 1999; contact Prof.
Ujjayant Chakravorty, Agricultural and Resource Economics, Gilmore 112,
3050 Maile Way, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI 96822; (808) 956-7279;
e-mail unc@hawaii.edu
January 15-17, 1999, "Revitalizing Family Farms," the 8th Annual
Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group Conference and Trade Show,
will be held in Jekyll Island, GA; contact Chris Campany, (225) 336-9532;
e-mail BREADA@aol.com
January 19-21, 1999, "The State of North America's Private Land"
will be held in Chicago, IL; contact Charlie Persinger, Soil and Water
Conservation Society, (515) 289-2331 ext. 12;
January 20-23, 1999, 19th Annual Ecological Farming Conference
will be held in Pacific Grove, CA; contact Committee for Sustainable
Agriculture, 406 Main St., #313, Watsonville, CA 95076; (408) 763-2111.
January 20-23, 1999, "We Started Something Great In Memphis," the
annual meeting of the National Alliance of Independent Crop Consultants,
will be held in Memphis, TN; contact NAICC, 1055 Petersburg Cove,
Collierville, TN 38017; (901) 861-0511; on the Internet http://www.naicc.org
January 22-24, 1999, Midwest Sustainable Agriculture Working
Group's Annual Gathering will be held in Madison, WI; contact Dave
Butcher, MSAWG, (218) 568-8624.
January 23, 1999, Captain Cook, Hawaii; March 20, 1999, Big
Cypress National Preserve, Florida; July 23-25, 1999, Frank Church River
of No Return Wilderness area, Idaho; and October 8-10, 1999, Rutland,
Ohio; "Planting the Future" conferences will be held about at-risk native
medicinal plants; contact United Plant Savers, P.O. Box 98, E. Barre, VT
05649; (802) 479-9825; e-mail info@plantsavers.org
January 29-31, 1999, 18th Annual Organic Conference &
Eco-Products Trade Show will be held at the University of Guelph, Canada;
contact Tomas Nimmo, Box 116, Collingwood, Ontario, Canada L9Y 3Z4; (705)
444-0923; e-mail organix@georgian.net
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