FEED - February 2010
Contents
1. Scientists call on Farm Bureau to use global warming science
2. Health concerns used to block imports of U.S. meat
3. Antibiotic-resistance genes in environment are increasing
4. Smithsonian's "Dig It!" exhibition reveals the secrets of soil
1. Scientists call on Farm Bureau to use global warming science
More than 45 scientists with expertise in climate, agriculture, soil science, and entomology sent a letter to American Farm Bureau President Bob Stallman requesting a meeting to discuss his organization's stance on global warming. The Farm Bureau, which represents industrial agriculture, denies the overwhelming evidence and scientific consensus that human activities are the primary driver of global warming. Copies of the letter were personally delivered to members of Congress and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and it garnered considerable interest in the media. Stallman responded to the letter's three original signers, reiterating the group's position and offering to meet with them to continue the discussion. Read the press release and letter.
| "Farmers stand to benefit from meaningful, substantial action to address climate change. The stance of the Farm Bureau leadership is doing them a disservice." ~ Noel Gurwick, Senior Scientist |
2. Health concerns used to block imports of U.S. meat
Russia has used two concerns about health - use of chlorine as a disinfectant in poultry processing plants and use of antibiotics in pork production – as reasons to ban some U.S. meat imports. Russia, a major trading partner, began blocking imports of U.S. poultry in January, citing concerns about chlorine treatment, which is a long-standing and common practice in the United States. European Union countries have also invoked chlorine treatment as a reason to block U.S. poultry imports in the past. Russia has also banned U.S. pork imports from all but a few production plants due to quality issues, primarily antibiotic residues in pork. Antibiotic resistance is another health concern that could be used by our trading partners as an excuse to block imports. Read more from Reuters, or read Representative Louise Slaughter's op-ed in The Columbia Missourian about antibiotic resistance and trade issues.
| "Why give other countries even more reasons to reject our meat and prefer the European products? To protect our trade position, we need to proactively reduce our antibiotic use to meet their standards." ~ Margaret Mellon, Food & Environment Program Director |
3. Antibiotic-resistance genes in environment are increasing
The number of genes for antibiotic resistance in soil microbes has significantly increased over the past 70 years. A team of British scientists tested samples of benign and disease-causing bacteria from a soil archive in the Netherlands that dates back to 1940, the era when antibiotic use became common. Genes that confer resistance significantly increased over time for every antibiotic drug class they tested. Genes that confer resistance to tetracycline antibiotics are 15 times more abundant in current-day soil samples than in samples even from the 1970s. Levels of resistance rose in spite of improved waste management practices and the Dutch policy restricting nontherapeutic antibiotic use in agriculture, which is tougher than that of many other countries including the United States. The team concluded that environmental levels of antibiotic-resistance genes are probably still increasing in similar locations worldwide. Read the study abstract in Environmental Science and Technology.
4. Smithsonian's "Dig It!" exhibition reveals the secrets of soil
Soil is the basis for our agriculture and our food system and therefore our very civilization. A recent exhibition at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History explored the connection between soil and our daily lives. You can still dig into the exhibition's companion website, which features captivating videos, slideshows, and interactive puzzles. Admire the beautiful variation in the 12 types of soil distributed across the globe, find out what type of soil is predominant in your state, or watch a video that celebrates the ways different cultures have used soil – to grow crops, to dye fabric and paint skin, to make pottery, and more. Visit the website for "Dig It! The Secrets of Soil."
