Solutions for Organics

By following intensive biological farming practices, Sustainable Cotton Project growers reduced the use of the most toxic pesticides on their cotton. Moreover, they slashed overall pesticide use by up to 70%.

A short documentary produced by the Davis, California-based Sustainable Cotton Project (SCP)has been produced by Gibbs and videographer Liam Creighton. The "Cleaner Cotton" video documents the cotton project's impressive campaign to improve the environment, public health and agriculture economy of Firebaugh, a small rural Central Valley farming town about 40 miles west of Fresno.

"Look at the things we're doing for the community, reducing pesticides in the watershed," Firebaugh grower John Texeira says in the video. The eco-friendly farming practices paid off at harvest, too. "We had yields better than our neighbors."

Indeed, Sustainable Cotton Project growers are leaving an imprint on the San Joaquin Valley, which produces some of the finest cotton in the world, a high-quality fiber that can command a premium price.

The region produces about 90% of the nation's Pima cotton, the Cadillac of cotton in the U.S., rivaling the fine Egyptian quality.

Global Green Cotton Market

In the past six years, participating farmers have produced more than one million pounds of Sustainable Cotton Project's trademarked Cleaner Cotton® for the $5 billion-a-year global green cotton market. The project is working with major retailers such as Gap Inc, Levi Strauss & Co, Williams Sonoma, North Face and others to incorporate the eco-friendly cotton into their product lines.

View "Cleaner Cotton" Online

The cotton video is part of the work of the Sustainable Cotton Project. Learn more at: Cleaner Cotton. The Sustainable Cotton Project is a private non-profit working under the direction of the Community Alliance with Family Farmers in Davis.

Humans pee! Yep, and a lot. And wastewater treatment has become BIG systems. But the story isn't a simple one. Sewer treatment is necessary because our urine collects all the waste chemicals from our medications and foods and drinks...and it goes back into our water system. Those New Yorkers are innovative! They are developing an open source innovation project to develop ideas on how to turn pee into hydroponic farming fertilizer.

Urban farming, vertical farms...apartment gardening, these are all new techniques for urban food production in small urban spaces.

Urban food production is a necessary part of food security and reducing the 2,000 miles our typical meal travels to our mouths!

The Windowsfarms Project in New York City is putting together innovative solutions and projects for window gardening.  See their videos at their Windowfarms YouTube channel.

"Killer spices" provide eco-friendly pesticides for organic fruits and veggies

Rosemary, thyme, clove, and mint are well-known spices that are emerging as organic agriculture's key weapons against insect pests.

Scientists in Canada are reporting new research on these so-called "essential oil pesticides" or "killer spices." These pesticides have added to the crop-preserving arsenal of organic growers and offer several advantages over their counterparts -- they're readily available and don't require lots of regulatory approval.

And they're safer for gardeners and farm workers, who are at high risk for pesticide exposure.

Murray Isman, Ph.D., of the University of British Columbia is developing these pesticides.

So, just what is it exactly about these spices that allow them to work their magic outside the kitchen? Here's Dr. Isman again:

"It turns out that some of these oils and some of the chemical constituents in the oils are neurotoxic to many types of insects. At least one of their actions, and we're not certain about all of their actions, one of their actions is they interfere with a neuromodulator in insects called octopamine. It's sort of an internal valium for insects, it sort of calms them down so their nervous systems
don't get overstimulated by external stimuli. If you remove that octopamine, which is what
some of these oils do, they get hyperexcited and eventually die."

These pesticides, usually a combination of spices diluted with water, have added to the crop-preserving arsenal of organic growers and offer several advantages over their counterparts. First, they are readily available and don't require lots of regulatory approval. Also, insects exposed to the spices are less likely to evolve resistance to the toxins. And, they're safer for farm workers, who are at high risk for pesticide exposure. 

"Some of these oils, as some other people have mentioned, are very good antimicrobials,
so they could be very useful against food spoilage organisms, for example. They are useful
against certain plant pathogenic fungi and bacteria, and they do have this phytotoxic effect
on plants, so at high concentrations they can be used as natural herbicides."

These "killer spices" aren't just limited to agricultural use. Some show promise in the home as eco-friendly repellents against mosquitoes, flies and roaches. And, perhaps as an unexpected bonus, these natural pesticides can have a pleasant, spicy aroma. Some in fact contain the same oils used in aromatherapy products, including cinnamon and peppermint.

A recent study at Oregon State University has shown that native bumble bee species have consistently high pollination and seed production levels in red clover.

The bumble bee pollination findings offer promise for the use of bumble bee crop pollinators as an alternative to European honey bees, whose populations have recently declined in many areas of the United States.

Red clover, which is grown for forage and as a rotation crop to improve soil, is raised for seed in western Oregon's Willamette Valley. It will not produce seed without pollination, so growers typically place two to five European honey bee hives on each hectare. 

Search for Alternative Pollinators

Bee diseases, mites, and colony collapse disorder have recently limited availability and resulted in higher costs for hive rentals. Given these changes, an alternative pollinator for red clover seed crops is needed.

Worldwide there are over 200 species of bumble bees; some of whom are known to pollinate red clover. While commercially reared bumble bee species are available to growers elsewhere, they are considered exotic species in Oregon and cannot be introduced into the state. This leaves Oregon growers dependent on naturally occurring populations of bumble bees as pollinators. However, there is currently no information on the pollination efficiency of native bumble bee species.

Scientific Evaluation of Blooms and Seed Set

Through funding from the Clover Commission, scientists at Oregon State University investigated native bumble bees in commercial fields of red clover seed crops in the Polk County region of the Willamette Valley. Prior to bloom, researchers covered plants with mesh-screened cages. European honey bee hives were placed in some cages and nests of B. vosnesenskii, a native Oregon bumble bee,in others. Some cages were also left vacant. After bloom, seed yield and seed set were compared amongst the different cages. Seed set was also evaluated in four different fields without cages to assess the efficiency of existing bee pollinators. In addition to analyzing seed set, researchers assessed the diversity and abundance of native bumble bees through visual observations of foragers on red clover flowers and through trapping bumble bees in blue vane traps. 

Pollination Differences between Bumble Bees and Honey Bees

While there were no differences in seed yield or average seed set in cages with bumble bees compared to honey bees, the study revealed:

• Variability across cages was lower with bumble bees indicating that bumble bee pollination is more uniform than pollination by European honey bees.
  
• The abundance of bumble bee peaked during mid-to-late bloom.
  
• They recorded six species of bumble bees gathering pollen from red clover flowers. Of these, more than 92% consisted of B. vosnesenskii, indicating that it is the key pollinator in Oregon.
  
• 25 more species of native solitary bees, belonging to 12 genera and five families, were collected in the bee traps.

Research Findings

The study has not only documented a great diversity of native bees in synchrony with red clover bloom, but it has also found that seed set was uniform and high across four fields. Under current pollinator regimes, researchers believe red clover seed production is close to its maximum in Oregon.

Solutions for Pollination

"To sustain these high yields in Oregon, we must

• Conserve the habitat of bees,
  
• Use pesticides judiciously and
  
• Provide floral resources prior to red clover bloom

Oregon State University entomologist Sujaya Rao, one of the researchers on the study, concluded,  "Globally, where red clover seed is produced, similar studies are needed. If seed set is found to be well below the maximum, appropriate alternative options such as augmentation with commercial bumble bees could be considered."

Research is ongoing at Oregon State University to determine whether high yields can be achieved by native pollinators alone. If so, European honey bee hive rentals would not be required, and this could lead to more economic red clover seed production in Oregon.

The Crop Science Society of America (CSSA), founded in 1955, is an international scientific society comprised of 6,000+ members with its headquarters in Madison, WI. Members advance the discipline of crop science by acquiring and disseminating information about crop breeding and genetics; crop physiology; crop ecology, management, and quality; seed physiology, production, and technology; turfgrass science; forage and grazinglands; genomics, molecular genetics, and biotechnology; and biomedical and enhanced plants.

SOURCE:  ©2009 Newswise, Inc

Organics are usually considered part of the resulting crops...not the value of the land itself.  But that might be changing.  In New Jersey, the residual pesticides in the soil of farmland is being looked at carefully for the implications on future residents.  Hmmm....

A New Jersey case raises questions about what restrictions should be placed on builders seeking to develop former farmland where pesticides were used.

Long-term exposure to the contaminants found in the soil, arsenic and dieldrin, can lead to skin, liver and pancreatic cancer, according to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection's Web site. No illnesses have been reported among residents, but the uncertainty has altered daily routines.

NJ SUITS PUT FARMLAND DEVELOPMENT UNDER MICROSCOPE"

A tangle of New Jersey lawsuits raises issues about what restrictions
should be placed on builders seeking to develop farmland where
pesticides were formerly used. David Porter reports for the Associated
Press August 2, 2009.

Who, if anyone, was legally obligated to notify the homeowners is at the heart of the case, and the answer isn't readily apparent in existing state and federal environmental law.

New Jersey and other states have laws that require property owners to notify potential buyers if a property is near a former toxic waste site, for example, but those laws generally don't apply to farmland where pesticides were used.

Decontaminating soil isn't just about immediate food or crop production.  It also has long term land value implications, and risk management.  There are ways today to quickly decontaminate soils using new methods.  The solution is to decontaminate soil of toxic chemicals in a cost efficient way.  The value is immediate and long term.

I've followed the honey bee crisis known as "colony collapse disorder" because of their close connection with our food supply, with nature, and because bees are one of the few "domesticated" insects in our economy.

Science is finally making headway on what is causing the die off of complete hives of bees.

Penn State researchers worked with the National Science Laboratory of the U.S. Department of Agricultural Marketing Service that already tests commodities such as milk and fruits and vegetables.

Honey has not regularly been analyzed, and bee pollen was not a commodity and so was not analyzed at all. The researchers decided to use types of screening the lab uses for milk and apples, which looks at over 170 pesticides. What they found is quite astounding to me... because of what it says about our agricultural practices.

All of the bees tested showed at least 1 pesticide and pollen averaged 6 pesticides with as many as 31 in a sample.

Honeycomb may contain pesticides applied years ago.

Scientists do not know that these chemicals have anything to do with colony collapse disorder, but scientists have concluded that these pesticides are definitely stressors. Penn State's Dr. Maryann Frazier say, "Pesticides alone have not shown they are the cause of CCD. We believe that it is a combination of a variety of factors, possibly including mites, viruses and pesticides."

While beekeepers will have a difficult time controlling pesticide exposure outside the hive, the Penn State researchers tested a method using gamma radiation for reducing the chemical load in beeswax and they found that irradiation broke down about 50% of the acaricides, pesticides that kill mites.

Read all the details at the Environment News Service.

The survey's preliminary findings suggest agritourism can indeed be a profitable supplement to a farm or ranch business. Agricultural tourism allows travelers a chance to visit working farms and ranches and can include experiences such as picking their own fruit, visiting a petting zoo, touring a vineyard, buying fresh produce or riding horses. Small farms made up more than two-thirds of the farms that reported offering agritourism.

"We are excited to find that agritourism really seems to work for a lot of small farms," said Penny Leff, statewide agritourism coordinator for the UC Small Farm Program. "Our results also show that agritourism is primarily local. More than 85 percent of reported visitors were from California."

Most agritourism operators who responded to the survey reported their agritourism businesses generated some profit. A majority said they are planning to expand or diversify their agritourism offerings over the next five years. In addition, 22 percent of agritourism operators reported more than $100,000 in agritourism receipts for 2008.

The survey was conducted by a group of researchers from University of California Cooperative Extension and the UC Small Farm Program, with funding from the California Communities Program. Researchers first mailed questionnaires in January to nearly 2,000 potential agritourism operators in every California county.

Sustainable farming is taking "organics" a step further.  The health of an ecosystem is about more than organic production methods... it also depends on habitat for native wildlife, water management ... and more.

Buy food from a sustainable farmer! Chemical-free fruits, vegetables, and grains, antibiotic and hormone free meats, free-range chickens and eggs, milk and cheese from grass-fed cows, and more.

A growing number of farmers are choosing to work with nature, and are adopting farming practices that build up the soil, reduce runoff, create habitat for wildlife, treat livestock humanely and best of all, produce safe, wholesome food. But the most environmentally sound farming practices in the world mean little if they don't provide a good income for the farmer. 

Farmers using sustainable methods cannot prosper without the help of urban and rural consumers.

As sustainable and organic farmers explore creative new ways to market their carefully grown products, consumers can support their choice to farm sustainably by purchasing those products listed in the Stewardship Food Directory.

To assist you in preparing meals using locally grown, sustainably-raised products, see our collection of recipes. We also encourage you to hold your own local foods dinner (or potluck, cook-out, banquet, or brunch) to promote the connection between good food and good farming. We have compiled a Local Food Dinner Planning Guide with a few suggestions and resources to get you started. 

The Land Stewardship Project (LSP) is a private, nonprofit organization founded in 1982 to foster an ethic of stewardship for farmland, to promote sustainable agriculture and to develop sustainable communities.

Commemorative 25th Anniversary Poster

For its 25th anniversary, LSP commissioned a commemorative poster by artist Ricardo Levins Morales of the Northland Poster Collective. For almost three decades, the Northland Poster Collective (http://www.northlandposter.com) has featured the art of social justice, the tools of grassroots organizing and activism, and the craft of union workers. For LSP, the artist has created a beautiful piece entitled, "KEEPING THE LAND AND PEOPLE TOGETHER." It is a colorful poster portraying a food and farming system that benefits the land, its people and our communities.

To order by mail, contact Louise Arbuckle in LSP's Minneapolis office at 612-722-6377 or info@landstewardshipproject.org. 

Since its founding in 1982, the Land Stewardship Project (LSP) has worked steadfastly for environmental and social justice in rural America. They began by educating rural and urban people on the ethics of farmland stewardship through cultural programs and by creating a farmer-to-farmer network to help farmers move to more sustainable farming methods. In response to growing concentration of farmland ownership, they demanded that corporations owning farmland be held accountable to good land stewardship practices. In response to urban sprawl, they initiated discussions on smart growth and farmland preservation options.

LSP has helped dozens of communities organize to stop factory farms and linked sustainable livestock producers to potential urban customers. Working in the Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, LSP backed federal policy promoting farming alternatives that are good for the land and good for farmers. We have introduced hundreds to Whole Farm Planning and Monitoring. And they have helped Community Supported Agriculture farms get established throughout the region.

Land Stewardship Project
812 E. 35th St., Suite 200
Minneapolis, MN 55407
Phone: 612-722-6377
Fax: 612-722-6474
www.landstewardshipproject.org

"Eating Local" and Sustainable Food Production in the San Francisco Foodshed

Local food is distinguished not only by where it originates, but also by who produces it and how. The question is being asked, "Could the City of San Francisco feed itself with local food from farms and ranches within 100 miles of the Golden Gate?"

Agriculture within the San Francisco Bay area "foodshed," as defined for a 2008 study, produces 20 million tons of food annually, compared with annual food consumption of 935,000 tons in San Francisco and 5.9 million tons in the Bay Area as a whole.

More than 80 different commodities are represented, only a few of which are not produced in enough abundance to satisfy the demands of the City and Bay Area: eggs, citrus fruit, wheat, corn, pork and potatoes. Many other commodities are available only seasonally, even though northern California has a long growing season.

Most of what is produced in the San Francisco foodshed study area comes from the Central Valley and the Salinas Valley. Only 18% of the farmland in the 10 million acre study area is irrigated cropland, but it is responsible for 3/4 of total agricultural production by dollar value. This land is increasingly threatened by urban development. Already, 12% of the foodshed study area is already developed and new development is consuming farmland at the rate of an acre for every 9.7 residents.

If this continues, 800,000 more acres of farmland will be lost by 2050.