Home News & Events Alternative Agriculture News -- March '98

Headlines:
New Plan Boosts Clean Water Issues, But Raises Questions
USDA's 1999 Budget Looks Good for Sustainable Ag
Report Calls for New Plans to Save Bt
Whole Foods Market Benefits from Boom in Organic Food
Monsanto Pays Farmers for Genetic Cotton Failures
Farmers Fight Maryland Plan to Limit Fertilizer
Rep. Miller's Bill Would Reduce Animal Waste Pollution
Resources
Position
Upcoming Events

Back Issues

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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. 4) features articles on:

• The effects of clover and small grain cover crops, and tillage techniques on seedling emergence of some weed species.
• The growth of apple trees, nitrate mobility, and pest populations.
• The growth of corn roots under low-input and conventional farming systems.
• The effects of pearl millet in an arid region.
• A regional approach to soil erosion and productivity research.

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

New Plan Boosts Clean Water Issues, But Raises Questions

President Clinton last month proposed a Clean Water Action Plan that was perceived as a boost for clean water issues, but consisted primarily of "doing existing programs smarter," according to David Ervin, Director of the Wallace Institute's Policy Studies Program.

The President requested an additional $568 million in Fiscal Year 1999 to implement the plan, bringing total expenditures on the package to $2.3 billion over five years. The plan lists 110 key action steps, including asking for $120 million in new assistance to states and tribes to curb polluted runoff and encourage the adoption of enforceable controls.

The most significant actions, according to Ervin, are a commitment to create numeric criteria for nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorous, in water bodies by 2000 and initiate standards to enforce them if states do not; and a new strategy to control runoff from cattle, poultry, and pig farms with a goal of issuing discharge permits to the largest farms by 2005.

"These are steps in the right direction," Ervin said. "We hope they will be done sooner, and that the criteria and standards are well set." The plan, however, lacks an aggressive research and technology innovation strategy, and a clear approach for solving transboundary water pollution issues, he said.

Although the plan highlights the Conservation Reserve Program and Buffer Initiative, the related actions raise questions, according to Kathleen Merrigan, the Wallace Institute's Senior Analyst. The plan would cut the acres reserved for the CRP continuous sign-up of special conservation practices, including buffers, and the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program from 7 million acres to 5 million. Under the plan, incentive rates for buffer enrollments continue to be "under review," and no action is taken to add other conservation practices and high-priority partial field enrollments to the continuous sign-ups.

USDA's 1999 Budget Looks Good for Sustainable Ag

The USDA budget submitted by President Clinton for Fiscal Year 1999, which begins in October, contained solid funding -- and some increases -- for sustainable agriculture programs. Here are the proposed appropriations for several sustainable agriculture discretionary programs:

• SARE: A $10 million appropriation is requested for the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program, an increase from the FY98 appropriation of $8 million.
• SAPDP: A $3.3 million appropriation is requested for the SARE (Chapter 3) Professional Development Program, the same as the FY98 appropriation.
• ATTRA: A $2 million appropriation is requested for the Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas, an increase from the FY98 appropriation of $1.3 million.
• OFPA: A $1 million appropriation is requested for the Organic Foods Production Act, a doubling of the FY98 appropriation of $500,000.

In addition, the following appropriations were requested for mandatory programs:

• CFO: A $25 million appropriation is requested for the Conservation Farm Option, an increase from the FY98 appropriation of $15 million.
• EQIP: A $300 million appropriation is requested for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, an increase from the FY98 appropriation of $200 million.
• WRP: A $124 million appropriation is requested for the Wetlands Reserve Program, a decrease from the estimated final FY98 appropriation of $219 million.
• CFSA: A $2.5 million appropriation is requested for the Community Food Security Act, the same appropriation as FY98.
• FRA: A $100 million appropriation is requested for the Fund for Rural America, which was appropriated $80 million in FY97. The Farm Bill did not authorize any FRA funds for FY98.

Report Calls for New Plans to Save Bt

The Bt toxins, natural pest-control products, are threatened by the development of genetically engineered crops which will make insects resistant to Bt, according to a new report by the Union of Concerned Scientists.

Now or Never: Serious New Plans to Save a Natural Pest Control recommends ways to strengthen the resistance management plans for the three genetically engineered, or transgenic, Bt crops currently commercialized in the United States. These three crops -- corn, cotton, and potato -- are genetically engineered to produce Bt toxins.

"Transgenic crops are a threat to Bt because they produce toxin throughout much, if not all, of the plant's life," the report says. "Constant long- term exposure of pest populations to Bt encourages survival of individual pests that are genetically resistant to the toxin. Over many generations, the proportion of resistant individuals in pest populations can increase, reducing the efficacy of the Bt toxin as a pesticide."

Scientifically credible resistance management plans, which consist of measures to delay or prevent resistance, are the key element of any strategy to save Bt, according to the report. The scientists contributing to the UCS report developed plans they say would substantially delay the evolution of resistance to Bt. They make recommendations specific to each Bt crop, and several recommendations for all three, including implementing mandatory resistance management plans for each Bt crop, and monitoring the susceptibility of pest populations to evaluate the success of resistance management plans.

Now or Never is $14.95 plus $3 shipping/handling from UCS Publications, Department N, Two Brattle Square, Cambridge, MA 02238-9105; (617) 547-5552.

Whole Foods Market Benefits from Boom in Organic Food

The chief beneficiary of the boom in organic food during the past decade is Whole Foods Market, "whose 900% growth in the 1990s has produced a billion-dollar juggernaut with 78 stores in 17 states," according to Time (February 23, 1998).

"Consumers aren't willing to pay a hefty premium for organic, nor do they want to give up any of the conveniences of shopping in large stores that stock everything from soup to lug nuts." Whole Foods meets those goals by offering chemical and preservative-free foods, organic produce, hormone-free meats, cruelty-free cosmetics, and ecologically friendly household products. But the stores also stock conventional items and non-organic produce. Having bought out several of its competitors in the last three years, Whole Foods is expected to grow 25% annually for the next five years.

Monsanto Pays Farmers for Genetic Cotton Failures

The Monsanto Company has begun paying settlements to Mississippi Delta farmers who say that a strain of cotton, genetically engineered to resist spraying with Roundup weed killer, failed to perform as promised and produced considerable losses, according to The New York Times (Feb. 24, 1998).

"In Mississippi, Monsanto has offered settlements of several million dollars in total to about 45 of the 60 complaining farmers," the article said. "At least 10 farmers have spurned offers that fall far short of their losses."

In addition, Monsanto and the Delta Pine and Land Company have withdrawn from sale 100,000 50-pound bags of a different strain of genetically altered seed for reasons that the companies say are not related to the Mississippi problems. "State and federal agricultural experts in Mississippi, often clashing with company salesmen and executives, have cautioned farmers about planting the new varieties too widely too soon," according to the article.

Farmers Fight Maryland Plan to Limit Fertilizer

At hearings in Maryland last month, farmers in the Chesapeake Bay area objected to mandatory fertilizer limits proposed by Maryland Governor Parris Glendening as a way to control the toxic microbe called Pfiesteria.

Many objected to the idea of enforcement teams which would ensure that farmers follow fertilizer plans or be fined. "Fueling farmers' anger is their feeling that they already are doing their part to protect the Chesapeake Bay by participating in now-voluntary state programs advising them how to conserve their use of fertilizers," wrote The Washington Post (Feb. 14, 1998).

According to the Associated Press, farmers also argued that "burdening farmers with costs of trucking away their manure, rather than spreading it on crop fields, could drive them out of business." Responding to criticism that poultry pollution is linked to Pfiesteria outbreaks, the National Broiler Council, environmentalists, and government representatives met last month in Atlanta to develop ways for the poultry industry to "assume greater responsibility for the environment and public health."

Rep. Miller's Bill Would Reduce Animal Waste Pollution

Rep. George Miller (D-CA) last month introduced a bill to reduce the pollution caused by animal waste runoff from large farms and dairies by expanding existing regulation of concentrated animal feeding operations under the Clean Water Act.

The Farm Sustainability and Feedlot Enforcement Act would extend the Clean Water Act to require that feed operations be inspected and that operators monitor water quality to prevent pollution. It would also require such facilities to adopt a whole farm waste management plan, and limit land application of animal waste.

Although Rep. Miller's bill is similar to one introduced last year by Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA), it would have EPA enforce its policies under the Clean Water Act; Senator Harkin's bill would require USDA to enforce its policies and approve waste management plans.

Resources

• Produce Handling for Direct Marketing ($10.50) and Farming Alternatives: A Guide to Evaluating the Feasibility of New Farm-Based Enterprises ($11.50) are available from Northeast Regional Agricultural Engineering Service, 152 Riley-Robb Hall, Ithaca, N.Y. 14853; (607) 255-7654; e-mail nraes@cornell.edu.
  
  
• University of California Statewide IPM Project Annual Report is available from the Project, University of California, One Shields Ave., Davis, CA 95616; e-mail ipmig@ucdavis.edu.
  
  
• Walnut Production Manual, 317 pages, is $35 from University of California, DANR Communication Services, 6701 San Pablo Ave., Oakland, CA 94608; 1-800-994-8849.
  
  
• 1998 Directory of Flower & Herb Buyers is $10 from Prairie Oak Seeds, P.O. Box 382, Maryville, MO 64468; (816) 582-4084.
  
  
• Wisconsin Farmers' Views on Livestock Expansion is available from the Program on Agricultural Tech. Studies, 1450 Linden Dr., #146, UW-Madison, WI 53705; (608) 265-2908.

Position

• Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association seeks applicants for its apprenticeship program, to work year-round on farms in Maine; contact MOFGA, Dept. H, P.O. Box 2176, Augusta, ME 04339; (207) 622-3118.

Upcoming Events

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

• March-November, classes in draft animal power, small-scale farming, blacksmithing, and woodworking will be held in Kalamazoo, MI, by Tillers International; for catalog, contact Tillers, 5239 South 24th St., Kalamazoo, MI 49002; 1-800-498- 2700; e-mail TillersInt@aol.com.; on the Internet, http://www.wmich.edu/tillers/
  
  
• March 22, "40 Acres and 15 College Kids: Lessons Learned After 25 Years," a lecture by Chip Planck, will be held at the Accokeek Foundation, 3400 Bryan Point Road, Accokeek, MD 20607; (301) 283-2113.
  
  
• March 23-24, "Ensuring Safe and Healthy Food: Finding the Right Solutions," the 21st annual National Food Policy Conference, will be held in Washington, D.C.; contact Public Voice for Food and Health Policy, 1012 14th St., NW, #800, Washington, D.C. 20005; (202) 347-6200.
  
  
• March 24, Women in Agriculture Symposium will be held in Greensboro, N.C.; contact Mary Mafuyai, Cooperative Extension Program, North Carolina A&T State University, P.O. Box 21928, Greensboro, N.C. 27420-1928; (336) 334-7734; e-mail mafuyai@ncat.edu.
  
  
• March 25 (Atlanta, GA), March 26 (Knoxville, TN), March 27 (Raleigh, N.C.), and March 31 (Rochester, N.Y.), April 3 (Des Moines, IA), April 6 (Detroit, MI), April 14 (Tacoma, WA), and April 17 (New Brunswick, N.J.), Community Food Security Training Workshops will be held, sponsored by Community Food Security Coalition; in N.Y., N.J., contact Mark Winne, Hartford, CT, (860) 296-9325; in GA, TN, N.C., contact Kate Fitzgerald, Austin, TX, (512) 385-0080; in IA, MI, and WA, contact Andy Fisher, Venice, CA, (310) 822-5410.
  
  
• March 25-26, "Grazing in the Northeast: Assessing Current Technologies, Research Directions, and Education Needs" will be held in Camp Hill, PA; contact Northeast Regional Agricultural Engineering Service, 152 Riley-Robb Hall, Cooperative Extension, Ithaca, N.Y. 14853; (607) 255-7654; e-mail nraes@cornell.edu; on the Internet, http://rcwpsun.cas.psu.edu/NRAES
  
  
• April 2, 37th Annual Southern Regional Science Association Meetings will be held in Savannah, GA; contact Andy Bernat, Southern Regional Science Association, (202) 606-9235; e-mail andrew.bernat@bea.doc.go.
  
  
• April 3-5, "Beyond Pesticides: Empowering Communities for Change," the 16th National Pesticide Forum and 7th Annual California Pesticide Organizing Conference, will be held in Watsonville, CA; contact National Coalition Against the Misuse of Pesticides, 701 E St., SE, Washington, D.C. 20003; (202) 543- 5450; e-mail ncamp@ncamp.org.
  
  
• April 6-7, First National Mitigation Banking Conference will be held in Washington, D.C.; contact Terrene Institute, 4 Herbert St., Alexandria, VA 22305; 1-800-726-4853 or (703) 548-5473; e- mail terrinst@aol.com.
  
  
• April 15-17, "Team Wetlands: 101 Ways to Win for Wetlands" will be held in Arlington, VA; contact Terrene Institute, 4 Herbert St., Alexandria, VA 22305; 1-800-726-4853 or (703) 548- 5473; e-mail terrinst@aol.com.
  
  
• April 25-28, "Rally for America's Real Places: Best Practices in Heritage Development and Cultural Tourism" will be held in Chicago, IL; contact National Center for Heritage Development, 5520 Connecticut Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. 20015; information available on the Internet at http://www.nchd.org.
  
  
• April 27-28, Amish Community Study Tour will be held; contact Ed Martsolf, A Whole New Approach, 1039 Winrock Dr., Morrilton, AR 72110; (501) 727-5659.

Home News & Events Alternative Agriculture News -- March '98