Home News & Events Alternative Agriculture News -- October '97

Headlines:
U.S. Geological Survey Finds Widespread Pesticides in Water
Chemicals Possible Cause of Rise in Children's Cancer
Wallace Board Approves New Journal Editor
President's Council Members Named
Positions
Final Conference Maintains Funding for Sustainable Ag
USDA Creates New Office of Pest Management
Farmers Take the Lead in Protecting Ohio Watershed
Nominations Sought for Steward of Land Award
Resources
Upcoming Events

Back Issues

This newsletter is also available to subscribers to the sanet-mg listserv. To subscribe, send a message to: almanac@ces.ncsu.edu. Leave the subject line blank and in the body of the message type only: subscribe sanet-mg

Subscription information for the hard-copy version is available at the Wallace Institute website.

In addition to this monthly newsletter, the Henry A. Wallace Institute for Alternative Agriculture publishes the American Journal of Alternative Agriculture, a quarterly, peer-reviewed journal of research on alternative agriculture. It is a scientific forum for disseminating technical, economic, and social research findings about the character and requirements of alternative agriculture systems.

The current issue (Volume 12, No. 1) features a comparison of organic versus conventional grain production in the Mid-Atlantic region, with an economic and farming system overview. Other articles examine:

• A laboratory experiment involving nutrient release from decomposing crop residues.
• Farm structure, market structure and agricultural sustainability goals in New York state dairying.
• Farmers' commitment to continued use of the late spring soil nitrogen test
• Local food systems and sustainable communities.
• Community-controlled economic development as a strategic vision for the sustainable agriculture movement.

Subscriptions to AJAA are $44 for libraries; $24 for individuals; and $12 for students. Find more information about AJAA at he Wallace Institute website.

U.S. Geological Survey Finds Widespread Pesticides in Water

The first cycle of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water Quality Assessment has found widespread pesticides in streams and groundwater, with most of the 84 pesticide compounds investigated detected in those waters at least once, according to a preliminary summary of the assessment's first results.

The assessment was conducted on 5,000 samples of groundwater and surface water in 20 major hydrologic basins from 1991 to 1995, predominantly in agricultural and urban settings. The data collected are the most extensive ever compiled for such a wide range of pesticides and locations. The 84 pesticides investigated account for approximately 75% of the agricultural uses and a substantial portion of urban and suburban uses in the United States.

The assessment found pesticides more often in streams than in groundwater, with most streams containing low-level mixtures of pesticides during much of the year. Other findings include:

• At least one pesticide was found in every stream and in half the wells sampled. There was an average of seven to eight pesticides in each stream sample.
  
  
• The same herbicides were most commonly found in streams and groundwater: atrazine and metolachlor, used primarily on corn and soybeans; prometon, used primarily in urban and suburban settings; and simazine, used in both agricultural and non- agricultural settings.
  
  
• Insecticides were not found often in groundwater, but those most frequently detected in streams were diazinon, chlopyrifos, and carbaryl, all of which have substantial urban and suburban use.
  
  
• In most agricultural areas, the highest levels of pesticides, often above drinking water standards, occur as seasonal pulses lasting from a few days to several months.
  
  

The final assessment and other publications related to the assessment are expected to be available by the end of this year. For more information, contact Tim Miller, Chief of the National Water Quality Assessment, at (703) 648-5716.

Chemicals Possible Cause of Rise in Children's Cancer

The rate of cancer among American children has been rising almost one percent a year for decades, with many experts suspecting "the increase may be partly the result of growing exposure to new chemicals in the environment," according to The New York Times (September 29, 1997).

"Although the causes are not known and are probably many, some experts say, toxins in the air, food, dust, soil and drinking water are prime suspects." According to Dr. Philip Landrigan, senior adviser to the EPA's office of children's health, "the strong probability exists that environmental factors are playing a role."

In their research, experts will probably examine "the estimated 75,000 new synthetic chemicals introduced in the last half century, the emissions from cars, the pesticides in foods and in neighborhoods -- the whole collection of chemicals out there, mostly untested for toxicity to humans."

If there is a link between childhood cancer and chemicals, the results could be an expansion of federally supported research and eventually, tighter controls on pesticides, toxic wastes, and other chemicals, according to the article. "I'm talking about new research on air pollutants, water pollutants and pesticides, and their effects on children," said EPA Administrator Carol Browner. She also promised to pursue better interdisciplinary and collaborative studies of suspected environmental causes and mechanisms of childhood cancer.

Wallace Board Approves New Journal Editor

The Wallace Institute's Board of Directors, at its mid-year meeting in Salinas, California, on September 5-6, approved the appointment of Dr. Robert I. Papendick to be the new Editor of American Journal of Alternative Agriculture, the Institute's quarterly, peer-reviewed journal of research on alternative agriculture.

Dr. Papendick, currently Professor Emeritus in the Department of Crop and Soil Science at Washington State University, had previously been a research soil scientist with the USDA's Agricultural Research Service for almost 30 years. Dr. Papendick, who assumes the editorship in January, 1998, succeeds Dr. Willie Lockeretz, Research Professor at Tufts University, who has edited AJAA since its inception in 1986.

After a reception on September 5 at the Emma Prusch Farm Park in San Jose, the Board of Directors met on September 6 at the Rural Development Center, directed by Jose Montenegro, a member of the Wallace Board. The Center, a project of the Association for Community Based Education, runs a Small Farm Education Program, a community-based agricultural education program designed to meet the needs and aspirations of low-income people seeking greater self-reliance.

After its meeting, the Board toured the Center and sustainable agriculture activities nearby, including the Elkhorn Slough Watershed Project, which seeks to reduce soil erosion and improve water quality in the strawberry fields of the watershed. The Board also toured the organic family farm of Phil Foster in Hollister.

President's Council Members Named

Dr. Frederick L. Kirschenmann, President of the Wallace Institute, has announced the members of the 1997-1998 President's Council, formed seven years ago to provide guidance and support for Wallace Institute activities in promoting a more sustainable agricultural system in the United States and abroad. Members are:

• Dr. Charles Benbrook, Benbrook Consulting Services
• Norman A. Berg, Washington Representative, Soil and Water Conservation Society
• Hon. George E. Brown, Jr., U.S. House of Representatives
• Robert Gray, Resource Management Consultants
• Ralph Grossi, President, American Farmland Trust
• Dr. R. Jim Hildreth, Elmhurst, Ill.
• Ms. Dana Jackson, Land Stewardship Project
• Dr. Dennis R. Keeney, Director, Leopold Center
• Hon. Patrick J. Leahy, U.S. Senate
• Dr. Ned S. Raun, Stillwater, Okla.
• Ronald L. Rosmann, farmer, Harlan, Iowa
• A; R. Neil Sampson, Executive Vice President, American Forestry Association
• Edward Sills, Pleasant Grove Farms, Pleasant Grove, Calif.
• Dr. David G. Topel, Dean, College of Agriculture and Director of Experiment Station, Iowa State University
• Dr. Stephen Viederman, President, Jessie Smith Noyes Foundation.

Positions

• National Center for Appropriate Technology seeks an Associate Director; applications are available from Jeanne Weiss, NCAT Personnel Office, P.O. Box 3838, Butte, MT 59702; (406) 494- 4572; e-mail jweiss@ncat.org.
  
  
• Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development will award fellowships in 1998 to scientists willing to research "Safe Exploitation of Micro-Organisms in Plant/Soil Systems;" applications are due November 21; contact Prof. J.M. Lynch, School of Biological Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey GU2 5XH, United Kingdom; phone (44) 1-483-259-721; e-mail J.Lynch@Surrey.ac.uk.

Final Conference Maintains Funding for Sustainable Ag

The House-Senate Agriculture Appropriations conference committee last month approved final appropriations for Fiscal Year 1998 that maintain funding levels for most sustainable agriculture programs. Funding levels approved for discretionary programs included:

• SARE: $8 million was approved for the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program, the same as last year.
• SAPDP: $3.3 million was approved for the SARE (Chapter 3) Professional Development Program, the same as last year.
• ATTRA: $1.3 million was approved for Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas, the same as last year.
• OFPA: $500,000 was approved for the Organic Foods Production Act, the same as last year.

Funding for mandatory programs was unchanged from the requested amounts:

• CFO: $15 million was approved for the new Conservation Farm Option.
• EQIP: $200 million was approved for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, the same as last year.
• WRP: $164 million was approved for the Wetlands Reserve Program, an increase from last year's appropriation of $119 million.
• CFSA: $2.5 million was approved for the Community Food Security Act, the same as last year.
• FRA: $100 million was approved for the Fund for Rural America, the same as last year.

USDA Creates New Office of Pest Management

The USDA last month announced the creation of an Office of Pest Management that will serve as the agency's focal point for pesticide regulatory issues, and part of a new approach to minor use pesticides for the USDA and the EPA.

The new office is charged with integrating and coordinating pesticide issues within the USDA, along with improving communications with and strengthening the existing network of grower organizations and crop specialists at land grant institutions. The agency can now be more responsive to the agricultural community in developing alternative pest management practices to meet critical needs that develop as a result of the regulatory process, according to Deputy Agriculture Secretary Richard Rominger.

Farmers Take the Lead in Protecting Ohio Watershed

Farmers are taking the lead in the Big Walnut Water Quality Partnership, a project designed to protect the natural resources of an important watershed in central Ohio. The initiators and decision-makers of the partnership are farmers and other land owners from the Big Walnut Creek watershed who serve on the board of trustees.

"This is the first time that I know of that farmers have been in on a watershed project from the very beginning instead of being told what to do," said Bob Weiler, a farmer from the area. Farmers in the project are committed to soil-conserving farming techniques, other best management practices, and responsible use of pesticides to ensure water quality.

Support for the project comes from local, state, and federal agencies, including the USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Nominations Sought for Steward of Land Award

American Farmland Trust seeks nominations for its second annual Steward of the Land Award, which recognizes efforts by an individual farmer or farm family in land stewardship, agricultural conservation policy, or the use of environmentally and economically sustainable farming practices.

Nominations for the $10,000 award must be received by AFT by December 1. For a brochure and nomination form, contact Shannon Weller, AFT, 1920 N St., NW, #400, Washington, D.C. 20036; (202) 659-5170, ext. 3034.

Resources

• "Sustainable Agriculture in Print: Current Books" is available from Alternative Farming Systems Information Center, National Agricultural Library, 10301 Baltimore Blvd., Beltsville, MD 20705; (301) 504-6559; e-mail afsic@nal.usda.gov.
  
  
• "Free-Range Poultry Production and Marketing" is $39.50 plus $4.50 shipping from Back Forty Books, Dept. A, 26328 Locust Grove Road, Creola, OH 45622; (614) 596-4379.

Upcoming Events

For additional listings, see the Sustainable Agriculture Network's Calendar of Events.

• October 28-31, "Regenerative Agriculture for the 21st Century" will be held at the Rodale Institute, 611 Siegfriedale Road, Kutztown, PA 19530; contact Jane Fisher at (610) 683-1428; e-mail jfishe@rodaleinst.org.
  
  
• November 1, 2nd Annual Membership Meeting of the Wisconsin Rural Development Center will be held in Verona, WI; contact WRDC, (608) 437-5971.
  
  
• November 1-3, "Teaching Sustainable Agriculture to Students, Apprentices and Farm Workers" will be held at NewFarms, NC 69 Box 62, Rociada, N.M. 87742; (505) 425-5457.
  
  
• November 2-4, "Food Safety, Sufficiency, and Security" will be held in Chicago, IL; contact Council for Agricultural Science and Technology, 4420 West Lincoln Way, Ames, IA 50014; (515) 292- 2125; e-mail cast@cast-science.org; World Wide Web, http://www.netins.net/showcase/cast/
  
  
• November 3 is the application deadline for the Center for Agroecology and University of California Extension's course, Apprenticeship in Ecological Horticulture, in 1998; contact Farm and Garden Apprenticeship, UCSC, 1156 High St., Santa Cruz, CA 95064; (408) 459-4140.
  
  
• November 3-4, 9th Annual Symposium and Banquet of the Wildlife Habitat Council will be held in Bethesda, MD; contact WHC, 1010 Wayne Ave., #920; Silver Spring, MD 20910; (301) 588- 8994.
  
  
• November 3-5, Research Conference on Methyl Bromide Alternatives will be held in San Diego, CA; contact Methyl Bromide Alternatives Outreach, (209) 244-4710.
  
  
• November 5-7, Agriculture and Natural Resources Products Tourism Conference will be held in Benton Harbor, MI; contact Bob Neumann, Michigan State University Extension, (517) 432-1555.
  
  
• November 7-8, 5th Small Farm Trade Show and Conference will be held in Columbia, MO; contact Small Farm Today, 1-800-633- 2535.
  
  
• November 7-9, "Mediator Between Heaven & Earth: Towards a New Consciousness of Water" will be held in Pasadena, CA; contact Faith Perry, Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Association, (909) 625-6720.
  
  
• November 7-9, "California Gold Rush Tour" will be held in Sacramento and several other cities; contact Pacific Northwest Farm Direct Marketing Association, P.O. Box 4612, Pasco, WA 99302; (509) 547-5538.
  
  
• November 14-15, "Preserving Crop Biodiversity and Saving Seeds in the Northeast" will be held in State College, PA; contact Carolyn Sachs, Penn State University, (814) 863-8641.
  
  
• November 14-16, "Local Food, Local Farms, Local Futures," the 12th Annual Sustainable Agriculture Conference, will be held in Flat Rock, N.C.; contact Carolina Farm Stewardship Association, P.O. Box 448, Pittsboro, N.C. 27312; (919) 542-2402; e-mail cfsa@sunsite.unc.edu.
  
  
• November 14-16, "Growing Together: Exploring a New Vision of Agriculture and Community" will be held in Mt. Vernon, WA; contact Washington Tilth Producers, 1-800-731-1143.
  
  
• November 16-19, 6th International Conference of the Greening of Industry Network will be held in Santa Barbara, CA; contact Monica Dunne, School of Environmental Science and Management, 4670 Physical Sciences North, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106; (805) 893-7979.
  
  
• November 17-19, "New Opportunities in Composting and Organics Recycling" will be held in Dallas/Forth Worth, TX; contact BioCycle, 1-800-661-4905.
  
  
• November 21-23, Advanced Organic Vegetable Farming Workshop will be held in Hudson Valley, N.Y.; contact Regional Farm & Food Project, 27 Elm St., Albany, N.Y. 12202; (518) 426-9331.
  
  

Home News & Events Alternative Agriculture News -- October '97