Clipmarks | Agriculture Clips

Bee Mystery Solved - Government Cover Up

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 16:01:33 GMT

clipped by: cheapogroovo

WASHINGTON - August 18 - The Natural Resources Defense Council filed a lawsuit today to uncover critical information that the US government is withholding about the risks posed by pesticides to honey bees. NRDC legal experts and a leading bee researcher are convinced that the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has evidence of connections between pesticides and the mysterious honey bee die-offs reported across the country. The phenomenon has come to be called "colony collapse disorder," or CCD, and it is already proving to have disastrous consequences for American agriculture and the $15 billion worth of crops pollinated by bees every year.

EPA has failed to respond to NRDC's Freedom of Information Act request for agency records concerning the toxicity of pesticides to bees, forcing the legal action.

Tags: bees, food, crops, epa, government, tyranny

Clones' offspring may be in food supply: FDA

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 12:08:56 GMT

clipped by: tabsey
clipper's remarks: What you don't know, upsets you later.

Clip Source: news.yahoo.com

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Food and milk from the offspring of cloned animals may have entered the U.S. food supply, the U.S. government said on Tuesday, but it would be impossible to know because there is no difference between cloned and conventional products.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said in January meat and milk from cloned cattle, swine and goats and their offspring were as safe as products from traditional animals. Before then, farmers and ranchers had followed a voluntary moratorium on the sale of clones and their offspring.

While the FDA evaluated the safety of food from clones and their offspring, the U.S. Agriculture Department was in charge of managing the transition of these animals into the food supply.

"It is theoretically possible" offspring from clones are in the food supply, said Siobhan DeLancey, an FDA spokeswoman.

ban on planting genetically modified alfalfa upheld on appeal

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:31:32 GMT

clipped by: Lexica

Clip Source: www.sfgate.com

A federal appeals court upheld a nationwide ban on the planting of genetically engineered alfalfa Tuesday until the government completes a study on whether the altered seeds would contaminate other farmers' alfalfa crops.

In a 2-1 ruling, the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco upheld a federal judge's decision that halted the planting of Monsanto Co.'s herbicide-resistant strain of alfalfa on March 30, 2007. The suit was filed by alfalfa farmers who feared that the Monsanto product, spread by winds and bees, would pollinate their crops and take over their fields.

It was the second victory in a week for opponents of genetically modified food. The state Legislature passed a bill last week that would shield California farmers from lawsuits by companies such as Monsanto when patented pollen and seed drift onto their land.

protects growers who want to export crops to Japan, which bans genetically modified alfalfa.

Tags: agriculture, sustainability, monsanto, law

The revival of small-scale farming

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 16:24:55 GMT

clipped by: tidbit2

Clip Source: www.resurgence.org

Full Circle

Daniel Bellow on the revival of small-scale farming and community supported agriculture.
Read more...

5 Diseases that are Thriving Thanks to Global Warming

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 07:41:45 GMT

clipped by: hitchhiker08
clipper's remarks: God bless us all...

Clip Source: matador.org

5 Diseases that are Thriving Thanks to Global Warming

Do you think tropical diseases only occur in developing countries? Think again.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says diseases are spreading to temperate regions thanks to global warming.

Malaria

spread by the Anopheles mosquito infected with the Plasmodium parasite

The U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) projects that warmer temperatures will put 65% of the world’s population at risk of infection—an increase of 20%.

Dengue Fever

spread by the Aedes mosquito infected with the Flavivirus virus

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Department of Agriculture predict dengue’s encroachment upon temperate regions due to small increases in temperature.

Encephalitis

arthropod-borne disease present in many forms,

Bubonic Plague

spread by rodents and their fleas infected with the bacterium Yersinia pestis

reports a 60% rise in plague

Cholera

Cholera is a waterborne disease present in drinking water and food

What you can do

Tags: tropical diseases, global warming, who, malaria, dengue fever, encephalitis, plague, cholera, epa, us

Destruction of Kenya Forest is National Emergency

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 13:35:15 GMT

clipped by: ibsinc
clipper's remarks: The problem of Kenya typifies a global problem of destroying the eco systems of the world and its far reaching effects. The Sons of David Foundation in Panama with its paulownia reforestation project is trying to reduce that problem there. You can read more about it at www.paulownianow.org or on their blog www. paulownianow.blogspot.com

Clip Source: www.reuters.com

NAROK, Kenya (Reuters) - Maasai goatherd Joseph Nkolia points dismissively at two shallow pools, the only water in a parched stream west of the Kenyan town of Narok.

"It rained yesterday and look at it," he says.

"Two years ago it used to flow strongly through here. Now I often have to get a lorry to bring water from Narok for us and our animals, and it costs a lot." His flock wanders past without bothering to drink the scant brown water.

The stream is a tributary of the Ewaso Ngiro, one of 12 rivers fed from the Mau Complex, Kenya's biggest forest and a vital water catchment in the west of the country.

Destruction of the woodland by rampant illegal settlement, logging and charcoal burning threatens severe damage to Kenya's economy with an impact on energy, tourism, agriculture and water supply to cities and industry.

Tags: deforestation, reforestation, environment, agriculture, ecology

Sun Makes History: First Spotless Month in a Century

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 02:51:58 GMT

clipped by: Smoke TNT

Clip Source: www.dailytech.com

Drop in solar activity has potential effect for climate on earth.

The sun has reached a milestone not seen for nearly 100 years: an entire month has passed without a single visible sunspot being noted.

The event is significant as many climatologists now believe solar magnetic activity – which determines the number of sunspots -- is an influencing factor for climate on earth.

According to data from Mount Wilson Observatory, UCLA, more than an entire month has passed without a spot. The last time such an event occurred was June of 1913. Sunspot data has been collected since 1749.

But will the rest of us? In the past 1000 years, three previous such events -- the Dalton, Maunder, and Spörer Minimums, have all led to rapid cooling. One was large enough to be called a "mini ice age". For a society dependent on agriculture, cold is more damaging than heat. The growing season shortens, yields drop, and the occurrence of crop-destroying frosts increases.

Tags: science, climate, sun

Tale of the Tape: Palin vs. Obama

Sun, 31 Aug 2008 12:56:14 GMT

clipped by: Smoke TNT
clipper's remarks: Energy:
Palin-
Believes energy independence is a matter of national security;

For drilling in ANWR, which is in her state

Obama-
Says Americans should "get tune-ups" and "check tire pressure";

Says "we can't expect the world to be okay with" our use of heating and air conditioning

Theme:
Palin-
Change and Clean Government
Obama-
Hope and Change; "Bringing Change from Outside Washington"

What they've done to live that theme:
Palin-
Replaced entire Board of Agriculture and Conservation because of conflict of interest;

Resigned from position of Ethics Commissioner of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission in order to expose corruption among members of own party

Obama-
Selected 36-year incumbent Senator as running mate

Family Affairs:
Palin-
May have removed State Public Safety Commissioner as part of effort to protect sister in messy divorce and child custody battle

Obama-
Often says, "I am my brother's keeper";

Brother lives in a hut in

Clip Source: www.redstate.com

Sarah Palin

Barack Obama

Executive Experience

Governor for 2 years;

Mayor for 10 years

None

Previous Public Jobs

Mayor of Wasilla, AK (1996-2002); President of Alaska Conference of Mayors;

City Council member (1992-1996)

State Senator (1997-2004);

Community Organizer

Reaction to spouse's political success

Quit 17-year BP oil job when BP became involved in natural gas pipeline negotiations with wife's administration

Promoted and given 160% pay raise by UofC hospitals within months of husband's election to U.S. Senate;

Employer received $1,000,000.00 federal earmark, requested by husband, after her promotion

Legislative Record

Passed a landmark ethics reform bill;

Used veto to cut budgetary spending;

Prevented "bridge to nowhere" that would have cost taxpayers $400 million dollars.

Voted "present" over 100 times as IL state senator

Earmarks

Said Alaska should avoid relying on federal money for projects;

Secured federal earmarks for wife's employer and for campaign bundlers

Tags: obama, jackass

No Sunspots in August Presage New Ice Age

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 11:37:59 GMT

clipped by: hlimjr
clipper's remarks: Man-made gases, one step up. Drop in solar activity, ten steps down. Gore and his cabal of politically motivated pseudo-scientists, complete idiots. The only responsible public policy is to devote our resources to adapt to climate change, not try to control it.

Clip Source: www.dailytech.com

In the past 1000 years, three previous such events -- the Dalton, Maunder, and Spörer Minimums, have all led to rapid cooling. One was large enough to be called a "mini ice age". For a society dependent on agriculture, cold is more damaging than heat. The growing season shortens, yields drop, and the occurrence of crop-destroying frosts increases.

Meteorologist Anthony Watts, who runs a climate data auditing site, tells DailyTech the sunspot numbers are another indication the "sun's dynamo" is idling. According to Watts, the effect of sunspots on TSI (total solar irradiance) is negligible, but the reduction in the solar magnetosphere affects cloud formation here on Earth, which in turn modulates climate.

galactic cosmic rays -- which the sun's magnetic field partially shields the Earth from -- increase the formation of molecular clusters that promote cloud growth. Svensmark

says the relationship is a larger factor in climate change than greenhouse gases.

Tags: climate change

Court: US can force beef packers NOT to test

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 21:52:25 GMT

clipped by: masbury
clipper's remarks: Large packers alarmed that small packers wanted to compete by testing every animal for mad cow disease. Got their Repub buddies to pass law prohibiting more than spot testing. Now who is it that this law protects?

Clip Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

Court: Republicans Can Force Companies NOT To Protect Citizens

In a new twist on the role of government a federal appeals court has ruled that the government can force companies to NOT test beef for mad cow disease.

The background is that some smaller meat packers wanted to test every cow, to ensure that citizens are safe from mad cow disease. Large meat packing companies felt this would lead consumers to buy from these companies that do the testing, and they don't want to spend any extra money to test their own beef.

And there are enough Republican judges appointed now that they got this approved by a court.

Because the Agriculture Department tests only a small percentage of cows for the deadly disease, Kansas meatpacker Creekstone Farms Premium Beef wanted to test all of its cows. The government said it could not.

Larger meat companies worry that if Creekstone performed the test and advertised its meat as safe, they could be forced to do the expensive test, too.

Tags: beef

Utopia for a modern age.

Sat, 30 Aug 2008 18:01:00 GMT

clipped by: zalisan
clipper's remarks: Our goals include returning healthy biodiversity to the heart of our cities, agriculture to community gardens and the streets, and convenience and pleasure to walking, bicycling and transit.

We work to build thriving city and neighborhood centers while reversing sprawl development; to build whole cities based on human needs and “access by proximity” rather than cities built in the current pattern of automobile driven excess, wasteful consumption and the destruction of the biosphere.

We visualize a future in which waterways in neighborhood environments and prosperous downtown centers are opened for curious children and native plants and animals.

Clip Source: www.ecocitybuilders.org

An ecocity is a human settlement that enables its residents to live a good quality of life while using minimal natural resources.

Its buildings make best use of sun, wind and rainfall to help supply the energy and water needs of occupants. Generally multistory to maximize the land available for greenspace.

It is threaded with natural habitat corridors, to foster biodiversity and to give residents access to nature for recreation.

Its food and other goods are sourced from within its borders or from nearby, in order to cut down on transport costs.

The majority of its residents live within walking or cycling distance of their workplace, to minimise the need for motorised transport.

The goods it produces are designed for reuse, remanufacture, and recycling.

It has a labour intensive rather than a material, energy, and water intensive economy, to maintain full employment and minimise material throughput

Clip Source: www.ecocitybuilders.org

Ecocities: Rebuilding Cities in Balance with Nature

Ecocity Berkeley

Village Wisdom/Future Cities

Clip Source: www.ecocitybuilders.org

[Video]

The general public remains ignorant....

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 01:51:00 GMT

clipped by: eboiesedan

Clip Source: allbestofphilippines.blogspot.com

Touted by scientists as "miracle vegetable," malunggay has been promoted by the World Health Organization (WHO) for the past 20 years as a low-cost health enhancer in poor countries around the globe. In fact, during the Marcos administration, there was already a craze about malunggay, being a solution to the malnutrition problem in the countryside.

The "next big thing" in Philippine agriculture. That is how the agriculture department considers malunggay. "Malunggay can save lives, increase incomes, generate millions of jobs, utilize vast tracts of idle agricultural lands, make the Philippines globally competitive, impact local and international market, and help attain socio-economic equity," explained Alice Ilaga, director of the DA's Biotechnology Program.

IF UNITED States has apple to keep the doctors away, here in the Philippines, it's the common malunggay.

Ouebec's Outbreak of Salmonella

Sun, 31 Aug 2008 23:34:49 GMT

clipped by: Imnclady

Clip Source: news.yahoo.com

87 salmonella cases reported across Quebec

MONTREAL, Quebec - A provincial health official says that an unusually high number of people have fallen ill with salmonella food poisoning across Quebec.

87 cases of salmonellosis have been reported and one death has been linked to the outbreak.

He said that there were as many cases in one week this month in the eastern province than there are during the average year.

The bacteria can cause diarrhea, fever and vomiting. The Food and Agriculture Ministry has issued recalls of some brands of cheese that are a suspected source of the outbreak.

The Food and Agriculture Ministry has issued recalls of three different types of cheese throughout the province that are a suspected source of the salmonella outbreak. Spokesman Guy Auclair said the salmonella outbreak is not connected to a recent listeria outbreak in Canada linked to the 15 deaths.

A recent salmonella outbreak in the United States sickened at least 1,440 people.

Tags: canada, bacteria, virus, health, death, signs

US Can Block Mad Cow Testing

Sun, 31 Aug 2008 23:43:16 GMT

clipped by: Imnclady

Clip Source: news.yahoo.com

Court: US can block mad cow testing

WASHINGTON - The Bush administration can prohibit meat packers from testing their animals for mad cow disease, a federal appeals court said Friday.

The dispute pits the Agriculture Department, which tests about 1 percent of cows for the potentially deadly disease, against a Kansas meat packer that wants to test all its animals.

Larger meat packers opposed such testing. If Creekstone Farms Premium Beef began advertising that its cows have all been tested, other companies fear they too will have to conduct the expensive tests.

The Bush administration says the low level of testing reflects the rareness of the disease. Mad cow disease has been linked to more than 150 human deaths worldwide, mostly in Great Britain. Only three cases have been reported in the U.S., all involving cows, not humans.

the Agriculture Department can only regulate disease "treatment.

no cure for mad cow disease

test is performed on dead animals,

ruled, the test is not a treatment.

Tags: disease, animals, court, us, death, farming

Mad Cow Desease and The FDA Testings

Sun, 31 Aug 2008 01:43:16 GMT

clipped by: klippety
clipper's remarks: According to a law from 1913, yes 1913, that was supposed to eliminate drugs and tests that were ineffective, has been used to limit testing for meat packers and processors. So we will find out only after the bad, mad cow has been eatin'.

Clip Source: www.reuters.com

Court bars meatpacker tests for mad cow

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Agriculture Department is within bounds to bar meatpackers from testing slaughter cattle for mad cow disease, a U.S. Court of Appeals panel said in a 2-1 ruling on Friday.

In a 25-page ruling, Appellate Judges Karen Henderson and Judith Rogers said USDA has authority under the 1913 Virus-Serum-Toxin Act to prevent sale of mad-cow test kits to meatpackers. USDA interprets the law to control products for "prevention, diagnosis, management or care of diseases of animals."

USDA allows the mad-cow test kits to be sold only to laboratories that it approves. It says the tests should not be used as a marketing tool and the cattle that comprise the bulk of the meat supply are too young to be tested reliably.

Two large export markets, Japan and South Korea, accept beef only from younger U.S. cattle. Mad cow is found mostly in older cattle. Its incubation period is two to eight years.