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
CDC Has Never Compared E. Coli Risks of Organic, Traditional Food, p. 1
Smithsonian Steps Up Campaign for Shade-Raised Coffee, p. 3
Paul Johnson Named Director of Iowa DNR, p. 3
Positions, p. 3
"Dead Zone" May Require Change in Fertilizer Practices, p. 4
Canada Rejects Use of BGH for Cattle, p. 4
USDA Allows Organic Label for Meat and Poultry, p. 4
Agriculture Research Prize Seek Nominations, p. 5
Upcoming Events, p. 5
CDC HAS NEVER COMPARED E. COLI RISKS OF ORGANIC, TRADITIONAL FOOD
Contrary to a well-circulated article written by Dennis T. Avery,
the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has never
conducted a study that compares the risk of contracting E. coli bacteria in
both conventional and organically grown food. Avery is the Director of
Global Food Issues at the Hudson Institute, which is "a research
organization dedicated to thinking about the future from a contrarian point
of view," according to its literature.
Avery published an article entitled "The Hidden Dangers in Organic
Food" in the Fall, 1998, issue of American Outlook, a quarterly publication
published by the Hudson Institute. Avery's article began, "According to
recent data compiled by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), people
who eat organic and 'natural' foods are eight times as likely as the rest of
the population to be attacked by a deadly new strain of E. coli bacteria
(0157:H7)."
A statement from Dr. Mitchell Cohen of the CDC last month states
that: "Since 1982, most of the outbreaks of Escherichia coli 0157:H7 have
been associated with foods of bovine origin (e.g. - ground beef). In recent
years, a wider spectrum of foods, including produce, have been recognized as
causes of outbreaks. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
has not conducted any study that compares or quantitates the specific risk
for infection with Escherichia coli 0157:H7 and eating either conventionally
grown or organic/natural foods. CDC recommends that growers practice safe
and hygienic methods for producing food products, and that consumers,
likewise, practice food safety within their homes (e.g., thoroughly washing
fruits and vegetables). These recommendations apply to both conventionally
grown and organic foods."
Sharon Hoskins of the CDC told Alternative Agriculture News that the
CDC did not have any such research currently in the works, nor was it
planning to conduct any in the future because such research was "not
warranted." "We are not planning any research on organic and natural
foods," she said. She also said, "We have tried to contact the magazine and
have never been able to speak with anyone at American Outlook, including the
editor. There has been no response."
Avery's article has been excerpted in several other publications,
including The Wall Street Journal, whose excerpt included these sentences
from the American Outlook article: "Consumers of organic foods are also more
likely to be attacked by a relatively new, more virulent strain of the
infamous salmonella bacteria. Salmonella was America's biggest food borne
death risk until the new E. coli 0157 came along. Organic food is more
dangerous than conventionally grown produce because organic farmers use
manure as the major source of fertilizer for their food crops. Animal
manure is the biggest reservoir of these nasty bacteria that are afflicting
and killing so many people. Organic farmers compound the contamination
problem through their reluctance to use antimicrobial preservatives,
chemical washes, pasteurization, or even chlorinated water to rid their
products of dangerous bacteria."
No documented research sources were given to support these
assertions.
The Organic Trade Association has also disputed Avery's article,
reporting that, "According to Robert Tauxe, M.D., chief of the food borne
and diarrheal diseases branch of the CDC, there is no such data on organic
food production in existence at their centers....Let the record show that
manure use is a common agricultural practice for conventional and organic
food production....Any organic grower that uses the certified organic label
must abide by safe food production standards, and, as with all food
producers, must be in compliance with their local and state health
standards."
SMITHSONIAN STEPS UP CAMPAIGN FOR SHADE-RAISED COFFEE
The Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center has intensified its campaign
to promote "shade-grown" coffee, which is grown in traditional coffee
plantations that also serve as sanctuaries for more than 150 bird species.
According to an article in The Washington Post (January 4, 1999), "As coffee
companies race to meet galloping demand, farmers have begun cutting the
trees and using direct sunlight and chemicals to grow more beans at a faster
pace. As the trees disappear, so do the birds -- in some cases by as much
as 97 percent." Because the Center's "shade-grown coffee" campaign "has
been slow to catch on" with coffee chains or food retailers, it has turned
to environmental organizations for support. The National Audubon Society,
for example, "views the coffee crusade as a way to advance a host of
environmental objectives, from protecting wildlife to reducing pesticide
dependency," the article said. The Center is also expanding the use of its
bird-friendly label for commercial brands of coffee, and sells its own Cafe
Audubon shade-grown beans at the National Zoo. What is lacking, according
to Center scientist Russell Greenberg, is proven demand for the beans, and
the networks to market them.
PAUL JOHNSON NAMED DIRECTOR OF IOWA DEPT. OF NATURAL RESOURCES
Paul Johnson, former Chief of the USDA's Natural Resources
Conservation Service and a Wallace Institute Board Member, was appointed
Director of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources last month. He is an
Iowa farmer and a former State Representative "known as the architect of
environmental legislation, including Iowa's Groundwater Protection Act,"
according to Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack. He is one of four new officials who
will be instrumental in "ensuring the security of Iowa's families, and
improving the quality of life for all Iowans," said Gov. Vilsack.
POSITIONS
Drumlin Farm seeks interns to work in sustainable agriculture from
April-October; contact Stacy Miller, Drumlin Farm, South Great Road,
Lincoln, MA 01773; (781) 259-9506, ext. 7700.
The Center for Rural Affairs seeks a Media and Outreach Director;
application deadline is Feb. 26; for full application, contact Gary Peterson
at the Center, P.O.Box 406, Walthill, NE 68067; (402) 846-5428; e-mail
garyp@cfra.org
The Rodale Institute Experimental Farm seeks interns from
April/May-December; contact Kim Frederick, Office Manager, RIEF, 611
Siegfriedale Road, Kutztown, PA 19530; (610) 683-1400; e-mail
kfrede@rodaleinst.org
Cascadian Farm in Sedro-Woolley, WA, offers apprenticeships for 6-12
months; contact Lisa Bell, The Fresh Ideas Group, (303) 247-1100; e-mail
FIGlbell@aol.com
Alternative Swine Center, University of Minnesota, seeks an
Associate Program Director; application deadline is Feb.26; full position
announcement is on the Internet at http://www.misa.umn.edu; or contact
Donald Wyse, Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture, (612)
625-8235, or 1-800-909-MISA.
The Land Institute seeks applicants for five graduate research
fellowships in natural systems agriculture; proposals are due April 1;
contact David Van Tassel at the Institute, 2440 E. Water Well Road, Salina,
KS 67401, (785) 823-5376; e-mail dvantassel@midkan.com; on the Internet,
http://www.midkan.com/theland/
"DEAD ZONE" MAY REQUIRE CHANGE IN FERTILIZER PRACTICES
The increasing size of a "dead zone" in the Gulf of Mexico is caused
by the runoff of fertilizer and may be mitigated only by changing farming
practices throughout the Corn Belt, according to a story by the Associated
Press (January 24, 1999). Every spring and summer, nitrogen from fertilizer
washes down the Mississippi River and into the northern Gulf of Mexico,
which triggers a bloom of algae, stripping the water of oxygen and killing
many species of bottom-dwelling marine animals. "Nancy N. Rabalais of
Louisiana State University said the average size of the dead zone has
doubled in size since 1992 and is now persisting from May until October in
some areas," the story said. Though nitrogen comes from natural sources,
cities, and industry, agriculture is "clearly a major player," said Dr. Otto
Doering of Purdue University. He said farmers could reduce nitrogen runoff
by 20 percent by changing farming practices, and that "the goal could be
reached if farmers stopped fertilizing in the fall and if major wetlands
were restored along the Mississippi River watershed," the AP said. "Doering
said it may take regulation or a tax on nitrogen fertilizer to force changes
in farming practices."
CANADA REJECTS USE OF BGH FOR CATTLE
Canadian health officials last month rejected the use of bovine
growth hormone (BGH), or recombinant bovine somatotropin (rBST), in cattle.
"It's pretty clear we have to reject the request for approval to use rBST in
Canada," Joel Weiner, acting director of the Health Protection Branch, told
the Associated Press. "In our view, it presents an unacceptable threat to
the safety of dairy cows." According to The New York Times (January 19,
1999), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) "has long since dismissed
such concerns." Last month, after Canadian researchers released findings of
BGH health effects that had not been cited in research by the FDA, Senator
Patrick J. Leahy and Senator James M. Jeffords, both of Vermont, asked Dr.
Donna E. Shalala, Secretary of Health and Human Services, to "investigate
whether the FDA overlooked evidence in the case. Dr. Shalala has not yet
responded." In addition, 21 dairy farmer associations and consumer groups
said they would sue the FDA for "failing to require additional safety
studies of the hormone," according to The Times.
USDA ALLOWS ORGANIC LABEL FOR MEAT AND POULTRY
The USDA last month announced that certain meat and poultry products
will be allowed to carry a label saying that they are certified organic,
effective immediately. If processors seek prior label approval from the
USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service and the claim meets certain basic
criteria, meat and poultry products will be labeled "certified organic by
(name of the certifying entity)." There are 33 private and 11 state organic
certification entities, as well as smaller entities that provide
self-certification. The USDA is currently revising its first draft national
organic standards, but meat and poultry products can now be labeled as
organic in the interim. The USDA had prohibited the organic label for meat,
which is more strictly regulated than fruits and vegetables.
AGRICULTURE RESEARCH PRIZE SEEKS NOMINATIONS
The Filippo Maseri Florio World Prize for Distinguished Research in
Agriculture is seeking nominations for the second award, to be made in
November. The Prize this year will be awarded to deserving individuals who
have made significant contributions to agriculture through research,
specifically in the area of diseases of wine grapes. The individual or team
selected for the Prize will receive $100,000; another $100,000 will be
awarded to two Early Career Award winners. Nominations must be received by
June 1. For more information on the Prize, contact Dr. M.A. Massengale,
Secretariat, Room 220 Keim Hall, Institute of Agriculture and Natural
Resources, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68583-0953; (402) 472-4101.
For information on the Early Career Awards, contact Franco Scaramuzzi,
Florence, Italy; phone 055-213360; e-mail accademia@georgofili.it
UPCOMING EVENTS
March 1-6, "Designing and Building the Unplugged Permaculture" will
be held in Buena Vista, VA; contact Andy Lee, Good Earth Farm School, (540)
261-8775.
March 4-6, "Organic Works at Home and Around the World," the Upper
Midwest Organic Farming Conference, will be held in Sinsinawa, WI; contact
UMOFC, P.O. Box 52, Viroqua, WI 54665; (715) 772-6819.
March 4-7, Organic Crossroads Conference, sponsored by the Western
Sustainable Agriculture Working Group, will be held in Naramata, British
Columbia; contact Rebecca Kneen, (250) 835-4775; e-mail rkneen@jetstream.net
March 5-7, Biointensive Sustainable Mini-Farming Workshop will be
held in Willits, CA; contact Ecology Action, 5798 Ridgewood Road, Willits,
CA 95490; (707) 459-0150.
March 8-10, "Using Organics to Create A Recycling Revolution" will
be held in San Francisco, CA: contact BioCycle, 419 State Ave., Emmaus, PA
18049; 1-800-661-4905.
March 8-10, "International Conference on Emerging Technologies for
Integrated Pest Management: Concepts, Research, and Implementation" will be
held in Raleigh, N.C.; contact North Carolina State University, Department
of Plant Pathology, Box 7616, Raleigh, N.C. 27695; on the Internet,
http://ipmwww.ncsu.edu/ipmconference/
March 10-14, Natural Products Expo West will be held in Anaheim, CA;
contact Expo Registration, P.O. Box 671, Boulder, CO 80306; (303) 939-8440.
March 11, Goldenseal Conference will be held in Anaheim, CA; contact
United Plant Savers, P.O. Box 98, East Barre, VT 05649; (802) 479-9825;
e-mail info@plantsavers.org
March 12, Soil Fertility Training Session, sponsored by Ohio
Ecological Food and Farm Association, will be held prior to "Agriculture of
the Future, Farms of Many Faces," the OEFFA's 20th Annual Conference, March
13-14, in Wilmington, OH; contact OEFFA, (614) 267-3633; e-mail
oeffa@iwaynet.net
March 13-14, "Organic Business: Can It Be Ecological and Ethical?,"
the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York's 17th annual
conference, will be held in Dryden, N.Y.; contact NOFA-NY, P.O. Box 21,
South Butler, N.Y. 13154; (315) 824-2864.
March 15-16, "Food, Nutrition, and Agriculture: Building on the
Past, Shaping the Future," the 22nd annual National Food Policy Conference,
will be held in Washington, D.C.; contact Jackie Balser, Public Voice for
Food and Health Policy, 1012 14th St., NW, #800, Washington, D.C. 20005;
(202) 347-6200.
May 2-5, A National Town Meeting for a Sustainable America will be
held in Detroit, MI, sponsored by the President's Council on Sustainable
Development and the Global Environment and Technology Foundation; for more
information, contact NTM Headquarters, 1-888-333-6878; on the Internet,
http://www.sustainableamerica.org
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