FEED - January 2010
Contents
1. Farmers growing engineered corn break federal rules
2. States ban practices that support CAFOs
3. Second recall issued for Salmonella-tainted ground beef
4. Agency blocked from collecting CAFO pollution data
5. Monsanto tightens control over nation's food supply
1. Farmers growing engineered corn break federal rules
About 25 percent of farmers who grow corn that is genetically engineered (GE) to kill insect pests aren't complying with federal requirements, according to a new report from the Center for Science in the Public Interest. GE corn contains a gene obtained from a bacterium (Bacillus thuringiensis, or Bt), and this gene leads to production of insecticides within the plant. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires companies that sell Bt crops to set up a system under which farmers must plant refuges (areas planted with non-Bt corn) to prevent pests from developing resistance to Bt. However, neither the EPA nor the companies are ensuring compliance with refuge rules. If insect pests develop resistance, Bt insecticides will no longer be effective and farmers who are now using Bt crops will turn to synthetic insecticides that are harmful to the environment and people. Organic farmers, who are allowed to use Bt insecticides on crops as a natural means of pest control, would also lose a valuable tool. Read the report (pdf).
| "Refuges are crucial to preventing insect pests from developing resistance to Bt. The EPA must do whatever it takes—levy fines against companies or suspend their sales of Bt-corn seed—to force the companies to ensure farmers' compliance with refuge requirements." ~ Jane Rissler, Senior Scientist/Deputy Director, Food & Environment |
2. States ban practices that support CAFOs
Several states recently banned specific practices that are common in CAFOs (confined animal feeding operations), taking small steps to level the playing field for more sustainable farms. California outlawed the amputation of dairy cows' tails, and Michigan passed a law phasing out restrictive crates for veal calves and pregnant sows, and tiny "battery" cages for egg-laying chickens, used to pack many animals together in a small space. Arizona, California, Florida, Maine, Colorado, and Oregon had previously acted to ban crates and battery cages, which, along with tail docking, are unnecessary practices that serve only to make large, polluting CAFOs viable. Meanwhile, examples abound of farmers successfully working with nature rather than against it to produce animal products without the problems associated with CAFOs. Listen to this recent National Public Radio story about one Ohio dairyman's efforts to transform the industry and produce fresher, more flavorful milk from cows on pasture.
3. Second recall issued for Salmonella-tainted ground beef
For the second time in a year, a company has recalled thousands of pounds of ground beef that were contaminated by antibiotic-resistant Salmonella bacteria. Fresno-based Beef Packers, Inc. recalled 826,000 pounds of beef last summer after people in 11 states grew ill and now is recalling 23,000 pounds linked to a new outbreak. The Salmonella contaminating the beef was resistant to multiple antibiotics, including cephalosporins, which are very valuable in human medicine. Read more about the recall from USA Today.
| "The recalls are wake-up calls that we need new federal food safety legislation to ensure the safety of meat products and to address the problem of antibiotic-resistant bacteria at its source—the overuse of antibiotics in agriculture." ~ Margaret Mellon, Director, Food & Environment Program |
4. Agency blocked from collecting CAFO pollution data
The EPA announced last fall that it would start requiring the nation's largest CAFOs to report the amount of global warming pollution they generate. But in a setback for environmental and sustainable farming advocates, Congress blocked the agency from collecting this data in 2010. The EPA regulation, issued under the Clean Air Act, would have applied to about 100 large CAFOs nationwide. It was blocked by a last-minute addition to the bill that determines the agency's funding for the next year. Collection of this data is an important first step in controlling the harmful emissions, so the delay will allow the pollution to go unchecked for another year. Read a blog post about what happened from the nonprofit OMB Watch.
5. Monsanto tightens control over nation's food supply
An Associated Press (AP) investigation has detailed practices by seed giant Monsanto that allow it to control access to its seeds and stifle competition. For example, Monsanto licensing agreements bar independent biotechnology companies from breeding plants that include both genes from Monsanto and genes from any of its rivals. Since 95 percent of the soybeans and 80 percent of the corn grown in the United States are Monsanto products, these agreements hobble the improvement of competitors' products and put Monsanto in a position to dominate the U.S. grain supply, which could pave the way for increases in food prices. Read more about the AP investigation. The Department of Justice is investigating Monsanto for anticompetitive practices (see our November FEED story on this topic).
