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[supersonico] 10/5/2019 11:24

United States | The Real Future of Agriculture



The US ambassador to the UK has called American farming “the future of agriculture” to encourage the opening of European markets to US products. But what does this food system actually look like? What are its implications on public health, the environment and rural communities? Our partners at IATP report from the States.
Last month, Woody Johnson, United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom, called the U.S. industrial agriculture system “the future of agriculture,” urging Europeans to open their markets to chlorine-rinsed chicken and growth hormone-fed beef in the name of free trade. But Ambassador Johnson conveniently glossed over the enormous associated costs of this system to rural communities and farmers, our water and air, and our health, and that many in the U.S. are fighting back against the multinational agribusiness and food companies that benefit.

The intentional, policy-driven shift away from family farms in the U.S. toward a factory farm model that serves global agribusiness firms has been devastating for many rural communities. Fewer, much larger farms tied to global supply chains now extract food and wealth from rural communities to those global firms. Almost the entire U.S. poultry sector now operates on contract, where the farmer takes on all the risk, and is at the mercy of the big chicken companies. This exploitative contract system has been duplicated in the pork sector, and now is extending to the dairy industry, where low prices and an alarming number of farm bankruptcies are forcing farmers to accept whatever price Wal-Mart or other massive buyers offer.

…..In reality, it is a mistake to call this a U.S. system; it is a system developed by global food corporations. Under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which will undoubtedly serve as the model for any U.S. trade deal with the UK or EU, those companies are indifferent about where different aspects of production occurs because trade deal aren’t only about exports. It is about locking in place the same rules, the same kind of CAFO model, contract farming, or meat processing rules, no matter where production happens. Any U.S.-UK or U.S.-EU trade deal will be no different.

The good news is that a growing number of Americans disagree with Ambassador Johnson’s belief that this industrial food system represents the “future.” There are rising concerns about whether it is sustainable for our water and climate, for our rural communities, for our food system workers—and of course, for eaters. The fastest growing segments in the U.S. food system are organic and locally produced, and grass-fed and humanely raised meat. These new approaches should be the real future of farming, Mr. Ambassador.

[supersonico] 10/5/2019 09:47

Overflow of biocidal plants to counter soil nematodes



FROM THE DRAFTING - The nematodes galligeni, the feared parasites that mainly affect vegetables both in the greenhouse and in the open field, continue to represent a problem for the producers, in particular for those who cultivate in sandy soils and in coastal areas. Over the years, research has developed alternative containment systems with natural products. A change necessary to reduce the environmental impact caused by fumigants based on 1,3-dichloropropene, a substance no longer authorized at European level, and used, if granted, in emergency use for 120 days and only on some specific crops areas.
An expert in the fight against nematodes in Italy is Giovanna Curto from the Plant Health Service of the Emilia-Romagna Region, who has worked for many years to find effective and innovative ways through research and experimentation.

The Regional Phytosanitary Service, in collaboration with the Crea (Council for Agricultural Research and Analysis of the Agricultural Economics), has experimented with various roads with low environmental impact for containment. A type of approach, used already in the early 2000s, is linked to the use of green manure of biocidal plants, in particular Brassicaceae.

These plants contain in their roots substances (glucosinolates) capable of developing, in the presence of water, isothiocyanate, a natural fumigant that affects the nematode. They are grown as catch crops at the beginning of autumn or in spring for a couple of months, until full bloom, then shredded and overgrown. Horseradish, mustard and rocket stews can be used, which keep the charge low in soils when larvae are already present. In addition to this system, more recently, pellets and flours are always used, obtained from biocidal plants, which are distributed in the ground, buried and wet to trigger fumigation.

Which is the most effective solution in your opinion?
We have seen that products and solutions are there. But a real defense strategy is integrated and involves more actions: the use of available products; the manure that enriches the soil with microorganisms and makes the soil pH unfavorable to the nematodes; rotations with non-host crops such as cereals and, of course, the cultivation and greening of biocidal plants.

All effective remedies on medium-high nematode populations, up to 400-500 larvae / 100 cc of soil. In an emergency, and only for a limited period, when the nematode load is really high, you can use chemical or natural felling products, even fumigating, in pre-seeding or pre-transplanting, with the aim of making the defense more effective. with repeated treatments during the cultivation period.

Are they sustainable from an economic point of view?
Some treatments, like pellets of biocide substances, are expensive and are mainly used on income crops or in greenhouses and in this case they are economically sustainable. The fight of the nematodes in the open field is more difficult, where chemistry is still a more direct solution, especially when the infestation is very high and need products with a strong killing action. However, as an alternative to the chemical compounds with fumigating action, registered products of vegetable origin can be used such as granular garlic extract or invigorating substances such as tannins. In the open field, however, it is more convenient to organize a crop plan to combat nematodes, including: rotations with non-host crops, the introduction of inter-crop cultures of green manure biocide plants, the introduction of short-cycle early crops (such as the pea fodder), the cultivation of host species in periods less suitable for the development of the nematode population, such as the carrot cultivated in the winter-spring period or the early sown potato, with the aim of keeping the nematode populations at a level very low.

Correct management of manure and cultivation plan with the inclusion of all good practices, also enriches the soil with organic substance, nitrogen, mineral elements that improve its vitality and fertility, allowing to reduce chemical fertilizations, with a actual savings. Taking stock, therefore, you get to have more active soils and plants that produce more, so it is worth implementing a correct and sustainable struggle against nematodes as much as possible
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[supersonico] 10/5/2019 08:50

Pesticides, authorized formulation based on Geraniol and Thymol against galligenic nematodes



The request presented by Coldiretti for the emergency use of a formulation containing the active substances Geraniol and Thymol with nematocide action was accepted by the Ministry of Health, for the control of galligena nematodes belonging to the genus Meloidogyne spp.

The active ingredients together have a synergistic activity that makes the product effective in protecting the roots of solanaceae (tomatoes, aubergines, peppers, chilli peppers) and cucurbits (watermelon, melon, pumpkin, cucumber, courgette) from the attacks of the nematodes found in the ground at the free form stage (J2). The product is not systemic and acts mainly by contact. The product can be used in the period 03/04/2019 to 08/01/2019.

The product, in liquid form, can be applied from transplanting / sowing to harvesting, with intervals between treatments of 10-14 days. As regards the method of application and the volumes of water it is necessary to treat the soil through the existing drip irrigation system with perforated hose, using volumes of water (10,000 - 20,000 liters / ha) sufficient to distribute the product in the strip of land where the roots develop.

In order to recreate the best conditions for the correct penetration and distribution of the formulation, in the soil it is recommended not to dilute the product with the total pre-established volume of water. It is important to distribute about 50% of the planned volume of irrigation water, before applying the product and, only later, to incorporate the formulation with about 20% of water, finally concluding by distributing the remaining 30% of water.
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Agropharmaceuticals, the new proposals for 2019



Eastman Chemical Company

CedrozTM, news from Eastman Chemical Company in the process of registration, is a new post-transplant nematocide, based on terpenes, for the defense against nematodes galligeni in horticulture. It consists of two active compounds that plants in nature produce as a defense mechanism in the presence of parasitic attacks: thymol and geraniol which, together, have a synergistic mode of action capable of increasing their effectiveness in the soil treated. Once the nematocide has been applied to the soil, thymol and geraniol act against nematodes through various mechanisms. Thanks to their lipophilic nature, the main mode of action is the accumulation in the cellular membranes of the nematodes, causing a loss of integrity of the same with consequent release of fundamental cellular substances, lysis and, ultimately, cell death.

CedrozTM was developed with the idea of ​​"giving added value" to existing defense strategies for the management of nematode galligens thanks to the fact that the product does not leave residues on crops and has zero days of pre-harvest interval. In addition to this it has a multisite mode of action, so no resistance development is expected and it is also environmentally safe. Thymol and geraniol are included in Annex I according to Reg. CE 1107/2009 and are exempt from Lmr in accordance with Annex IV of Reg. CE n. 396/2005. The label will include strawberry, solanaceae (tomato, pepper, aubergine) and cucurbits (watermelon, melon, pumpkin and courgette).
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[supersonico] 10/5/2019 08:22

Prenatal and Early-Life Pesticide Exposures Associated with Increased Autism Risk and Severity



A multidisciplinary research team including epidemiologists, bio-statisticians, and neurologists has identified a link between prenatal and infant pesticide exposure and increased risk of developing autism spectrum disorder (ASD) for residents of California’s Central Valley.

The UCLA-based team started with a database of almost 3,000 people with a diagnosis of ASD born between 1998-2010 in eight counties in the Central Valley, the state’s most productive agricultural region.

They then estimated pesticide exposures for families with a child with ASD, drawing on California’s mandatory Pesticide Use Reporting Program, or CA-PUR. This database provides the most detailed, place-based pesticide use records available anywhere in the world, and is why such a significant share of the state-0f-the-art pesticide-epidemiology studies assess human-health risks in California.

[supersonico] 10/5/2019 07:59

Monsanto McCarthyism ..news

"Monsanto File": dozens of people classified illegally according to their position on the glyphosate
"Le Monde" had access to a document drawn up at the end of 2016 by a lobbying firm for the American agrochemist Monsanto, in the middle of a debate on the renewal of the authorization of glyphosate.



Two hundred names. Political leaders and officials, journalists, leaders of professional organizations and public organizations, and even scientists. Line after line, their identities and opinions on glyphosate, pesticides or GMOs are ginned in two carefully-tabulated tables.

This file, which Le Monde and France 2 obtained, comes from a leak of a major lobbying and public relations firm, Fleishman-Hillard, mandated by Monsanto to assist in its defense of glyphosate.
The penal code prohibits the constitution of any personal database "revealing the political and philosophical opinions of a person without his consent": the question of the legality of this file is therefore clearly problematic.

Solicited by Le Monde, Fleishman-Hillard and Bayer - now the owner of Monsanto - unable to "concretely identify the document", consider that they are unable to comment on this information. "We are not aware of any non-compliant actions by our employees," says Fleishman-Hillard.

The documents that constitute this "Monsanto file" date from the end of 2016. At that time, glyphosate, the active ingredient of Roundup and the most widely used herbicide in the world, had already been classified as a "probable carcinogen" by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. (IARC). The "Monsanto Papers", these documents internal to the firm, made public in the context of lawsuits in the United States, have not yet been revealed; they will be a few weeks later.

[chrischas] 09/5/2019 16:07

More to the point , will someone going to the meeting to ask the following of the BOD.Will they “ Seize “ the opportunity of an open goal in front of them to be MORE proactive ?
It is there for all 4 of them .

[attyg] 09/5/2019 12:43

Interesting, or rather, frightening information in these recent posts, super.

[supersonico] 09/5/2019 11:13

Top EU officials fought for higher pesticide exposure - secret documents show

[supersonico] 09/5/2019 07:11

Great News as this is the formal announcement of the beginnings of something momentous for Eden.

Congratulations to Sean and the Eden/Eastman Team.

[dplewis1] 09/5/2019 07:04

Oh look! Another RNS that will have no impact on the SP!

[supersonico] 09/5/2019 06:56

Italian Organic Ag Trends 2007-2013


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The italian agriculture is the greenest in Europe. As recently reported by Coldiretti, the largest association of Italian agriculture sector, the Italian agriculture "has become...

[supersonico] 09/5/2019 06:38

IPM. Integrated Pest Management.

The New Integrated Pest Management Paradigm for the Modern Age @ Surendra K Dara



Earlier models of integrated pest management (IPM) focused on ecological aspects of pest management. With the recent developments in agricultural technology, modern communication tools, changing consumer trends, increased awareness for sustainably produced food systems, and globalization of trade and travel, there seems to be a need to revisit the IPM paradigm as appropriate for modern times. A new model, built on earlier models based on ecological and economic aspects, is expanded and reconfigured to include management, business, and sustainability aspects and emphasize the importance of research and outreach. The management aspect contains four components of IPM that address the pest management options, the knowledge and resources to develop management strategies, the management of information and making timely decisions, and the dissemination or sharing of information. With the business aspect that includes the producer, consumer, and seller, and the sustainability aspect that covers economic viability, environmental safety, and social acceptability, the new model presents the human, environmental, social, and economic factors that influence the food production.

[supersonico] 09/5/2019 06:08

In the Market place..News

Bioline Iberia opens a biofactory with capacity for 100 million organisms for biological control



Bioline Iberia has inaugurated a new 'Biofactory' in the municipality of El Ejido (Almería), in the presence of the leaders of the French Union of Cooperatives InVivo, its vice-president Jérôme Calleau, and its general director Thierry Blandinières; and the leaders of the associated Spanish cooperatives, Cristóbal Barranco, president of SUCA and Manuel Galdeano, president of COEXPHAL; the territorial delegate of the Junta de Andalucía de Agricultura, Aránzazu Martín; and the mayor Francisco Góngora.

The team.
In January, Bioline Agrosciences and the company Biocolor (Spain) announced the creation of a new company, Bioline Iberia, which has just opened this production plant.
The new 4,000 m2 building has been transformed into a biofactory in a record time of less than six months. Dozens of high technology rooms have been installed for the production of auxiliary insects, which are expected to reach a figure of 100 billion organisms beneficial for the biological control of pests. It also has modern packing equipment and the result of this project has already created 27 jobs.

The choice of El Ejido in the heart of the greenhouses of Almería should be put into perspective with our growth ambitions and our strategic plan to permanently establish ourselves in one of the most important biocontrol markets in the world: the Iberian Peninsula with Spain and Portugal and Morocco », said Ludwik Pokorny, CEO of Bioline Agrosciences.

"This is the union of two roads that began a while ago and we agree on the same goal: to make available to agricultural producers the necessary tools so that their productions earn in agro-food security, are respectful with the environment and sustainable in the time, "said José Antonio Rodríguez, president of Bioline Iberia.
"The construction of this biofactory is designed to meet the needs of the client and to bring together the production and supply of beneficial insects for farmers and user cooperatives," said Mª José Pardo, executive director of Bioline Iberia.

Spanish and French cooperatives
«The investment of Bioline Agrosciences in the region is a good example of cooperation between Spanish and French cooperatives, with the aim of offering Andalusian farmers the best of current biocontrol technology and enabling them to overcome the challenges they face, such as They are offering consumers a more sustainable food, with a minimum of waste, "said Thierry Blandinières, CEO of InVivo.

In this union, Biocolor has contributed a well positioned brand in the cooperative segment and a solid reputation for its exceptional quality of service. Bioline Agrosciences has an internationally renowned brand, an important portfolio of products and technical knowledge, as well as innovative biocontrol solutions.
Since November 2018, Bioline Iberia has been distributing predatory mites for the greenhouse market in the province of Almeria, an area that supplies up to 60% of the fruit and vegetable market in northern Europe.

[supersonico] 08/5/2019 20:52

carey gillam@careygillam

Plaintiff attorney in Pilliod v Monsanto tells jurors to consider $1 billion punitive damage award to send message to @Bayer “They need to pay”

Dorothy M. Atkins@doratki

He said that’s the amount that will make Monsanto executives notice and at least one exec even referred to glyphosate’s safety as “the billion-dollar question” in internal emails.

The Pilliods’ total ask is about $1.55 billion. With that, plaintiffs wrapped their closings and we’re on an hr lunch break before Monsanto is up.

[33mick] 08/5/2019 19:17

It's been happening for a few years according to this farmer

Ft link is subscription I think

[supersonico] 08/5/2019 18:34

There goes another one..news

California Governor Gavin Newsom cancels registration of brain-damaging pesticide chlorpyrifos

Sacramento, CA- Today, leaders with California Governor Gavin Newsom’s administration announced a historic decision to initiate the process to cancel the registration for use in the state of the neurodevelopmental toxicant pesticide chlorpyrifos. Robust studies have linked prenatal exposure to chlorpyrifos to children developing autism, ADHD and other neurodevelopmental conditions. The Governor’s office also announced that $5.7 million will be earmarked to identify and implement alternatives to chlorpyrifos, including research into biological pesticides, and a new focus on integrated pest management.

[supersonico] 08/5/2019 07:46

Investing,

Cambrian moments take time;)

[investingisatrickygame] 07/5/2019 22:10

FYI, Eden is not.

[supersonico] 07/5/2019 15:04

fyi..SEE is stirring.

[supersonico] 07/5/2019 10:08

There goes another one..news

EU ban on chlorothalonil endorsed by member states


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(Surprising to Reeves the Baker Pasty Lovers) The Conservation of Native Honey Bees Is Crucial

[brucie5] 06/5/2019 18:29

Good points, chrischas. My assumption is that well established partners on the ground are doing the door to door. Hence Mevalone sales this far, and Cedroz early doors emergency clearance in Italy.

[supersonico] 06/5/2019 17:04

Pesticides, poisoning and the politics of agrichemicals between Europe and Brazil

Brazil is one of the most important suppliers of foods, grains and biofuels to the European market. European firms are among those behind the record levels of hazardous use of pesticides in Brazil, despite many of these chemicals being prohibited in the EU. In 2016 alone Brazil registered 4,208 cases of intoxication by exposure to pesticides and 355 deaths by agricultural chemicals. Amidst weakening regulation in both EU and Brazil, the work of Larissa Mies Bombardi maps the illness, death and infant malformation in Brazil in relation to these toxins, and outlines the risk of contamination of foods being consumed in both Brazil and Europe. We welcome you to join her and leading researchers in pesticide regulation, food contamination and labour standards to explore the contradictions in trade regulations, the power of corporate lobbies, and how civil society can better understand and tackle policy and politics behind agrochemical pollution and poisoning.

Co-ordinated by Work, Labour and Globalisation network at University of Strathclyde, European Network of Scientists for Social and Environmental Responsibility and Pesticide Action Network Europe.