USDA downplays own scientist’s research on ill effects of Monsanto herbicide

from Grist Magazine:



USDA downplays own scientist’s research on ill effects of Monsanto herbicide
by Tom Laskawy

20 Apr 2010 11:02 AM


What would happen if a USDA scientist discovered that one of the most commonly used pesticides on the planet with a reputation for having saved millions of tons of US soil from erosion was -- rather than a soil savior -- a soil killer?

That, to quote a certain paranormal expert, would be bad. And yet, it's true.

This news came to the fore thanks to a recently published must-read article from Reuters on how government regulators are “dropping the ball” on agricultural biotechnology. It begins with the story of USDA scientist Dr. Robert Kremer. Kremer has spent the last fifteen years looking at Monsanto's blockbuster broad-spectrum herbicide glyphosate (aka RoundUp), the most commonly used pesticide in the world and the companion to Monsanto’s possibly monopolistic RoundupReady lines of genetically engineered seeds.

While exact figures are a closely guarded secret thanks to the USDA's refusal to update its pesticide use database after 2007, estimates suggest upwards of 200 million pounds of glyphosate were dumped on fields and farms in the US in 2008 alone. That's almost double the amount used in 2005.

Glyphosate has a reputation as the “safest” of all the agricultural herbicides and has become the primary means of weed control in industrial agriculture. While being the best of an extremely nasty bunch may be the faintest of praise, the USDA relies on this perception, which has been fueled by industry and government research indicating that the chemical dissipates quickly and shows low toxicity (as poisons go, that is) to humans. .......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.grist.org/article/usda-downplays-own-scientists-research-on-danger-of-roundup/

and all the infiltrators from Monsanto, Cargill, ADM et al fired and real Ag experts hired.

I have to admit to using weed killers, on poison ivy(we are trip to the emergency room allergic) so we cut it down, using gloves and face masks pile it up and burn it out in the middle of the north field so as not to set the place on fire and spot spray only on the root top/stem not broadcast. When we moved in the poison ivy was literally crawling up the sides of the foundations. Im still pulling it when I see it. We also mow down Asian Honeysuckle and kudzu and keep mowing it till it dies.

They LOVE kudzu and poison ivy -- YUM!

:+

We have 9 acres 6 1/2 woods the rest is the field surrounding the house. The yard when we moved in was half way up the windows it has taken 3 summers just to reclaim that much.
We plan on getting goats, but the 2,000$ or more to build goat resistant fence and clearing the property line will cost more than is in the budget. We have only been clearing the poison ivy on the part of the land we actually occupy pushing the edges around the yard a little each year by mowing, and spot spraying the more persistent vines.

My preference is for 5+ ft fence with solar electric, the unit is a few hundred$ which is kind of tough on a fixed income.

Build a small enclosure out of scrap lumber for a goat pen, and get collars and tie out stakes and move them around. Running fences around property lines is what rich Americans do; people in the Third World and on a budget improvise. I find that when you have animals to feed, there is a purpose to chopping weeds and it goes easier.

I just don't have the energy to argue on the internets about this topic anymore.

Dr Shiva. I much respect her.
We have been moving away from hybrid crops and to organic heirloom for several years..we lived in so fla until 2002 and had some potted plants on the patio, but any food/fruit would be stolen. ]
We started backyard gardening several years ago and moved here 3 winters ago with the prime intent of organic gardening using heirlooms and trying to spread the word about it to others.

Our neighbors father has honey bees, he lost 3/4 of them and my partner (being nicer and more tactful than I can be) told them maybe we should all quit using sevin dust and gmo seeds.
Other than herbicide which I have said i only use sparingly we use Volk oil and Neem at need, and plant companion crops to support pollination and drive off or kill invader insects. 4 o'clocks are great to get rid of Japanese beetles.

I would love to see the end of Monsanto and Cargills seeds, patents, and supplies since they amount to monopolistic strangle hold

I mean, just look at this bullying:

"T]he advice and counsel provided by extension agents in the field is not “approved” or “sanctioned” by NIFA; typically, these materials are developed through state and county extension offices, which receive some NIFA funding (how much varies from state to state) but are not managed by NIFA

NIFA does not take positions on research papers, and has not produced any guidance about Dr. Kremer’s work."