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

Biotechnology May Threaten Sustainable Farming, Says N.Y. Times
Research Initiative Deleted from Final Budget
Organic Papers Available on Web Sites
Wallace Institute Seeks New Executive Director
New Reports Examine Soil Quality, Industrialization
Resource
Civil War in Guatemala Results in Organic Farming Boom
USDA Creates Council on Small Farms
Jolly Names to Research, Extension Advisory Board
Positions
Upcoming Events

Back Issues

This newsletter is also available to subscribers to the sanet-mg discussion group. 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 13, No. 3) features articles on:

• Alternative practices for managing plant-parasitic nematodes.
• The impact of agricultural management on nitrate concentrations in drainage waters.
• An assessment of legume and non-legume ground covers on coleoptera.
• The agronomic and economic performance of wheat and canola-based double-crop systems.
• Soil improvement following addition of chipped wood.
• An examination of microbiological and biochemical parameters in a long-term fertilization trial.

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

Though biotechnology is being heralded by industry as the tool to "rescue the American food chain," that "version of sustainable agriculture may threaten precisely those farmers who pioneered sustainable farming," according to a cover story in The New York Times Magazine (October 25, 1998). "Organic farmers are up in arms: the widespread use of Bt in biotech crops is likely to lead to insect resistance, thus robbing organic growers of one of their most critical tools."

By planting genetically altered plants, "we have introduced something novel into the environment and the food chain, the consequences of which are not -- and at this point, cannot be -- completely understood." One unknown is the resistance problem, which industry scientists say can be postponed for 30 years, but other scientists say will come within three to five years.

In the article, author Michael Pollan interviews farmers who plant genetically engineered potatoes, and a farmer who plants organically grown potatoes, concluding that organic agriculture "doesn't leave much room for the Monsantos of this world: organic farmers buy remarkably little -- some seed, a few tons of compost, maybe a few gallons of ladybugs."

Organic farmers have also rejected the "cornerstone of industrial agriculture" -- the economies of scale that only a monoculture can achieve, according to the article. In addition, the USDA has long been "hostile" to organic methods, Pollan writes.

"Like the silver bullets that preceded them -- the modern hybrids, the pesticides and the chemical fertilizers -- the new biotech crops will probably, as advertised, increase yields. But equally important, they will also speed the process by which agriculture is being concentrated in a shrinking number of corporate hands."

The proposed new federal Initiative for Future Agriculture and Food Systems, slated to start in Fiscal Year 1999 as a five-year, $600 million competitive grants program, was deleted last month from the final agriculture appropriations bill. Although the Senate had approved $120 million for the program, the House of Representatives deleted those funds, and the final conference committee upheld the House vote. The final USDA budget was included in the Omnibus Appropriations Bill passed by Congress.

Here are the final appropriations approved by Congress for several sustainable agriculture programs:

• SARE: $8 million appropriation approved for the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program, the same as FY98.
• SAPDP: $3.3 million appropriation approved for the SARE (Chapter 3) Professional Development Program, the same as FY98.
• ATTRA: $1.3 million appropriation approved for the Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas, the same as FY98.
• Organic Programs: Additional funds above last year's appropriation of $500,000 were allocated for the National Organic Standards Board, with the final amount to be determined by the Secretary in consultation with Congress. The amount is expected to include an increase of at least 50%.
• CFO: All funds deleted for the Conservation Farm Option. FY98's appropriation was $15 million.
• EQIP: $174 million appropriation approved for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, a decrease from the FY98 appropriation of $200 million.
• WRP: $90 million appropriation approved for the Wetlands Reserve Program, a decrease from the FY98 appropriation of $219 million.
• CFSA: $2.5 million appropriation approved for the Community Food Security Act.
• FRA: All funds deleted for the Fund for Rural America. The Farm Bill did not authorize any FRA funds for FY98.

Three "current thinking papers" about the proposed regulations for national organic standards are now available on two federal government Web sites. The National Organic Standards Board asked the USDA to prepare the papers to signal to the organic community the potential direction of USDA actions.

The papers, which were presented at the NOSB's meeting late last month, cover three issues: paraciticide and antibiotic use; livestock confinement; and revocation of certification authority. They are available on the USDA's Web site at http://www.usda.gov; and on the Federal Register Web site at http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/aces140.html.

The Wallace Institute is seeking a new Executive Director to start on June 1, 1999. Garth Youngberg, who has served as the Institute's Executive Director since its founding in 1983, has resigned as Executive Director, but will continue with the Institute in an advisory and consultative role.

A complete job description and application instructions are available from the Wallace Institute, 9200 Edmonston Road, #117, Greenbelt, MD 20770-1551; (301) 441-8777; on the Internet at http://www.hawiaa.org; or by e-mail hawiaa@access.digex.net (put "Search Committee" in subject).

Two new reports just published by the Wallace Institute examine soil quality's contribution to environmental health, and industrialization in U.S. rural communities.

From the Ground Up: Exploring Soil Quality's Contribution to Environmental Health, by Edward Jaenicke of the University of Tennessee, investigates the current state of scientific knowledge on soil quality and points out research gaps that must be filled before soil policy can target potential social benefits. The report describes several timely soil-quality issues, including the potential for healthy soils to sequester vast amounts of atmospheric carbon, which contributes to global warming; the need to incorporate an understanding of healthy soil quality when increasing the efficiency of farm inputs and profits through precision farming; and the benefits of a healthy soil ecology for food safety.

Agricultural Industrialization in the American Countryside, by Emery Castle of Oregon State University, offers an approach for rural communities as they face conflicts resulting from the spread of industrialization, particularly large confined animal feeding facilities. These conflicts include farmer against farmer, rural neighbor against farmer, rural townspeople against immigrant farm laborers, environmental advocates against agri-business, and local versus state governments. The report explains the concept of "rural capital stock," in which natural, human, and social capital elements are used to measure and evaluate the effects of industrialized farms.

Both reports will be available after November 6 on the Wallace Institute's Web site at http://www.hawiaa.org; each is $10 from the Wallace Institute, 9200 Edmonston Road, #117, Greenbelt, MD 20770; (301) 441-8777.

• Greenbook 98: A Diversity of Tools is available from Energy and Sustainable Agriculture Program, Minnesota Dept. of Agriculture, 90 W. Plato Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55107; (651) 296-7673.

An unexpected but beneficial result of the 35-year civil war in Guatemala has turned out to be the growth of small-scale organic farmers who are "capitalizing on the growth in the organic products market," according to an article in The Wall Street Journal (October 9, 1998).

During the civil war, farmers abandoned their land, which became jungle again and purified of its pesticides. Wild native plants and spices began to thrive at the same time farmers learned of "the comparative advantages of selling organic premium-priced goods, making them some of the country's first enviro-capitalists."

For coffee and spices, organic farming requires a shift away from large plantations to smaller farms, which has helped the country's peasant farmers, according to the article. These farmers cannot afford expensive chemicals or tractors, but are now catering to the U.S. and European buyers who pay premiums for organic produce.

"Selling eco-sensitive produce into the global marketplace offers Guatemala the chance to compete on something besides price....Guatemala has a comparative advantage in organic coffee, cacao, spices and natural dyes and can thus command premium prices."

In response to the recommendations of the Small Farms Commission, the USDA last month created a new Council on Small Farms and a Small Farms Office within the agency.

The office will identify additional opportunities for USDA involvement in small farms issues and develop a strategic plan and organization structure to integrate a small farm emphasis into USDA policies and programs. The council will assure coordination of the development of policy as it applies to small farms and the necessary follow-through to implement policy decisions. The Small Farms Commission includes two members of the Wallace Institute's Board of Directors: Commission Vice Chair Dr. Desmond Jolly of California, and Dr. Frederick Magdoff of Vermont.

Dr. Desmond A. Jolly, a member of the Wallace Institute's Board of Directors, has been named to serve a three-year term on the USDA's National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board. Dr. Jolly, Vice Chair of the National Commission on Small Farms and Director of University of California-Davis Small Farms Center, is one of eight new members of the advisory board.

The others are John Clemmons, rancher, N.M.; Martin Massengale, president emeritus, University of Nebraska Center of Grassland Studies; Walter Hill, Dean of Agriculture, Tuskegee University, AL; Gerald Monette, President, Turtle Mountain Community College, N.D.; Cynthia Dunn, director, Pennsylvania Audubon Society; T. Michael Freeze, owner, Keo Fish Farms, AR; and William Scouten, director, Utah State University Biotechnology Center.
The board advises the USDA Secretary and land-grant colleges and universities on agricultural policy and priorities.

• Iowa State University seeks applicants for the Henry A. Wallace Endowed Chair for Sustainable Agriculture, a three- to five-year term position; information about the Chair is available on the Internet at http://www.leopold.istate.edu; application deadline is February 1, 1999; send summary of education, research accomplishments, and other professional activities, list of publications, and names of three references to Dr. Dennis Keeney, Chair, Search Committee for Wallace Endowed Chair, Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, 209 Curtiss Hall, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011; e-mail drkeeney@iastate.edu
  
  
• Fires of Hope seeks a Grassroots Campaign Coordinator to promote sustainable agriculture in Maryland; send cover letter, resume, and three writing samples to Community Media Inc., c/o Vanguard Communications, 1019 19th St., NW, #1200, Washington, D.C. 20036.

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

• December 5, Midwest Small Farm Conference and Trade Show will be held in Noblesville, IN; contact Sustainable Earth, 100 Georgton Ct., West Lafayette, IN 47906; (765) 463-9366; e-mail sbonney@iquest.net
  
  
• December 5-6, "Diversified Vegetable Production & Management for Small & Large-Scale Organic Farmers"; January 16-17, 1999, "Biological Principles of Organic Agriculture"; and February 20, 1999, "Creating Successful Grower Marketing Cooperatives" will be held in Albany, NY; contact Regional Farm & Food Project, 27 Elm St., Albany, NY 12202; (518) 426-9331.
  
  
• December 7-8, Minnesota Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts' Annual Convention and Trade Show will be held in Bloomington; contact Steve Humerickhouse, Government Training Service, 480 Cedar St., #401, St. Paul, MN 55101; (651) 222-7409; e-mail gts@mngts.org
  
  
• December 8, "Risks and Opportunities for California Agriculture" will be held in Sacramento, CA; contact Agricultural Issues Center, University of California Davis, (530) 752-2320; e-mail agissues@ucdavis.edu
  
  
• December 8-10, "Dairy Feeding Systems: Management, Components, and Nutrients" will be held in Camp Hill, PA; contact Northeast Regional Agricultural Engineering Service, 152 Riley-Robb Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853; (607) 255-7654; e-mail NRAES@CORNELL.EDU
  
  
• December 10, "Farming Profitably in a Changing Environment" will be held in Urbana, IL; contact Deborah Cavanaugh-Grant, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Agroecology Sustainable Agriculture Program, (217) 968-5512; e-mail cavanaughd@ces.aces.uiuc.edu
  
  
• December 10-12, "Tools of the Trade," an eco-farming conference, will be held in Minneapolis, MN; contact ACRES USA, P.O. Box 8800, Metairie, LA 70011; 1-800-355-5313.
  
  
• December 15, "Passing on the Farm" workshop will be held in Chambersburg; contact Pennsylvania Farm Link, Inc., Point Shopping Center, #205, Harrisburg, PA 17111; (717) 558-7726; e-mail pafarmlink@redrose.net

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