Posts Tagged ‘agriculture’

The Long and Short of Long-Term Safety Testing of GE Foods (part 2)

, senior scientist, Food and Environment

November 20th, 2012

In my last post, I gave a general reason why the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Board was misleading in writing that a review by Snell and colleagues showed that genetically engineered (GE) foods are equivalent to non-GE counterparts.

Here, I want to discuss why the study does not lead to the conclusion that 90-day tests are generally sufficient to determine the safety of GE foods, and more reasons why the study says little about the long-term safety of engineered foods. Read More

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The Transition To Crop Rotation: How Do We Get There?

, sr. scientist, Food & Environment

October 30th, 2012

Recently, we have seen a flurry of stories about studies done on Iowa State University’s Marsden Farm demonstrating the power of crop rotation as an engine of modern sustainable agriculture. The study documented high yields and handsome profits on farming plots employing long crop rotations: three-or four-year rather than the usual two-year corn-soy rotations. In addition to high yields and high profits, the long rotations controlled weeds with only sparing use of herbicides and maintained productivity without excessive use of chemical fertilizers. Read More

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USDA Says Organic Farming Worth $3.5 Billion…Happy Food Day!

, senior analyst, Food and Environment

October 24th, 2012

Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture quietly announced that the nation’s certified organic farmers enjoyed sales of more than $3.5 billion in 2011. On this second annual Food Day—a nationwide celebration of healthy, affordable, sustainable food—it seems fitting to highlight this “good news” story that hasn’t received much attention. Read More

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More Reasons for Labeling of Genetically Engineered Foods

, senior scientist, Food and Environment

October 16th, 2012

As I noted yesterday, the cost to consumers from labeling the processed foods that contain genetically engineered (GE) ingredients is likely to be very small. In most cases a few percent or less. As I also wrote, the right to know what is in our food is probably the most compelling reason for labeling GE foods. But there are other reasons why some may want to know whether our food contains GE ingredients. Two common reasons are concerns about health and environmental risks from GE food and crops. Read More

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Labeling of Genetically Engineered Foods—Let’s Count the Reasons (Part 1)

, senior scientist, Food and Environment

October 15th, 2012

As several recent articles, such as by Daniel Imhoff and Michael Dimrock, have clearly articulated, the most compelling reason to support labeling of genetically engineered (GE) foods is simply the right to know and control what we put into our bodies. We should not have to provide reasons or justifications to food companies, politicians, or scientists for our personal choices. Read More

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Rachel Carson’s Nightmare: Herbicide-Tolerant Weeds

, sr. scientist, Food & Environment

October 12th, 2012

It is ironic that a new scientific paper documenting U.S.agriculture’s mounting dependence on chemical pesticides should appear only weeks after the 50th anniversary of the publication of Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring. Read More

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Crop Rotation Generates Profits without Pollution (or, What Agribusiness Doesn’t Want You to Know)

, senior analyst, Food and Environment

October 11th, 2012

UPDATE: March 18, 2013, 3:15 pm: See bottom of post for an update on coverage of this story.

Big Ag has worked hard for decades to instill a belief—in farmers, policymakers, and the public—that its chemical-intensive industrial farming methods are more productive than low-input methods, and more profitable for farmers. In recent years, study after study has cast doubt on this view, and now a team of government and university researchers has published perhaps the most compelling data yet showing that more sustainable farming systems can achieve similar or greater yields and profits, despite steep reductions in chemical inputs. Read More

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Many Good Reasons to “Eat Local”

, senior analyst, Food and Environment

August 15th, 2012

As an analyst and communicator at UCS, I know how difficult it can be to tell a complicated, nuanced story in our sound-bite-oriented media culture. So even though it was not totally surprising, it was still frustrating to find UCS’s position on the benefits of local foods mischaracterized last week in a USA Today article that called local food “trendy,” but asked whether it is “really more eco-friendly.” Read More

Categories: Food and Agriculture, Global Warming  

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Land Sparing, Water Saving, and the 2012 U.S. Drought

, sr. scientist & dir., Climate Research and Analysis

August 9th, 2012

The drought of 2012 has reminded us that water is a scarce resource, even though we pay fractions of a penny per gallon for it and expect that it’ll be there every time we turn on the tap. We depend on it not only for our drinking and washing and especially for the food we eat, but also for generating the electric power on which our economy depends. Read More

Categories: Food and Agriculture, Global Warming  

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Coping With Drought: How to Build a More Resilient Agricultural System

, sr. scientist, Food & Environment

August 8th, 2012

Although I live on the East Coast far from the current drought, I get periodic reports from the front lines from my sister, who lives with her husband in eastern Kansas on 70 acres of grass and woodland. When I visit them next week, I’ll see for myself the brown expanse of grass that used to be their lawn and the ever-lower water level in the catfish pond. They have harvested their hay field early and stored it to help feed their three horses, especially important now that local hay supplies are tight and prices are skyrocketing. Read More

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