Sharply Criticized
In mid-November, the Advisory Committee on Biotechnology and
21st Century Agriculture (AC21) released its recommendations regarding
transgenic contamination of organic and non-genetically engineered crops. The
Committee was charged by Agriculture Secretary Vilsack with developing
practical recommendations strengthening coexistence among different
agricultural production methods.
The
National Organic Coalition, a national alliance of organizations representing
organic farmers, environmentalists and organic industry, sharply condemned the
recommendations. Of
particular concern in the report is the recommendation that organic and non-GE
conventional farmers pay for crop insurance or self-insure themselves against
unwanted GE contamination.
NOC strongly asserts that this proposal allows USDA and the agricultural
biotechnology industry to abdicate responsibility for preventing GE
contamination while making the victim of GE pollution pay for damages resulting
from transgenic contamination. “The AC21 report takes responsibility for GE
contamination prevention out of the hands of USDA and the biotech industry
where it belongs and puts it squarely on the backs of organic and non-GE
farmers,” said Andrew Kimbrell, executive director at Center for Food Safety
and a NOC member. “This ill-conceived solution of penalizing the victim is
fundamentally unjust and fails to address the root cause of the problem –
transgenic contamination.”
The
underlying assumption of USDA’s work plan for the committee was that as long as
farmers are adequately compensated, GE contamination is a permissible and
acceptable cost of doing business for organic and non-GE farmers. NOC has rejected
this assumption, as did several members of the AC21. According to NOC, the committee’s final report failed to
make a single recommendation holding the patent holders of genetic engineering
technologies responsible and liable for damages caused by its use.
"Plowed Under" Report Documents Loss of Habitat and Grassland
Between 2008 and 2011, more than 23
million acres of grassland, shrub-land and wetlands were plowed under in order
to plant commodity crops, according to a recently released report by the
Environmental Working Group and Defenders of Wildlife. The plow down is in response to high
crop prices and unlimited crop insurance, according to EWG, and signals a need for public policy such
as payment limits on crop insurance
premiums and requiring conservation practices.
The
analysis uses U.S. Department of Agriculture satellite data to produce the most
accurate estimate currently available of the rate of habitat conversion in the
farm belt. It shows that more than 8.4 million acres were converted to plant
corn, more than 5.6 million to raise soybeans and nearly 5.2 million to grow
winter wheat. Most of the destroyed habitat was in states in the Great Plains
and Upper Midwest.
The
report contains maps showing grassland, shrub land and wetlands converted to
crops including counties in
Kansas. To view the report go to: http://static.ewg.org/pdf/plowed_under.pdf.
NRCS Launches Soil Health Initiative
In October, USDA’s Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) launched a national initiative to highlight the benefits of healthy soils. “By focusing more attention on soil health and by educating our customers and the public about the positive impact healthy soils can have on productivity and conservation, we can help our Nation’s farmers and ranchers feed the world more profitably and sustainably – now and for generations to come” states the website.
At the initiative’s launch in Ohio, NRCS Chief Dave White explained that there are four keys to “unlock the secrets of the soil.” First, you want to increase the diversity above the ground to increase the life diversity below the ground,” said White. “You want to keep the soil covered as much as possible, you want to have a living root in the soil and you really want to optimize the inputs you put in.”
For more information visit the NRCS website at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/soils/health/
or talk to your local conservation district.
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