Agnet Dec. 15/03
Farmer
brings battle over gene patenting to Islanders: Percy Schmeiser of Saskatchewan
will take fight with Monsanto to Supreme Court soon
Guest
editorial
New sensing
system counts corn in a field
Nature of
Things tackles corporate agriculture
Protection
of bees: Commission steps up measures against exotic parasites
Binfluenza:
When winter weather strikes severe
Book places
forage know-how in the palm of the hand
how to subscribe
Farmer
brings battle over gene patenting to Islanders: Percy Schmeiser of Saskatchewan
will take fight with Monsanto to Supreme Court soon
December 15, 2003
The Guardian (Charlottetown)
A2
Mike Carson
SUMMERSIDE -- Saskatchewan farmer Percy Schmeiser was cited as telling a small
gathering Sunday afternoon that his case against Monsanto will be heard by the
Supreme of Canada in Jan. 20 after both the Federal Court of Canada and the
Federal Court of Appeals found Schmeiser liable of patent infringement, adding,
"There are many issues that the Supreme Court will look at. But I think the
five main areas that the Supreme Court will look at are: can a living organism,
seeds, plants, genes, human organs be protected by corporate patents? Can
genetically modified traits invade noxious weeds and then become resistant to
weed killers? That has already happened because now we have the super weed on
the prairies which is a conventional canola plant that has taken on the traits
of the GMO (genetically modified organisms) genes of a number of companies that
sell GMOs. …
"We already know what has happened to organic farmers and conventional
farmers like myself on the prairies because (there are) two crops organic
farmers can no longer raise and that is canola and soybean. So that choice has
been taken away. Another important issue is can the farmers keep the right to
save their own seed. But at the end of the day the most important item that the
Supreme Court will have to address is who owns life and if you can patent life.
I think that is one of the most important things that has come out of my
case."
Guest
editorial
December 15, 2003
BioSciNews
Channapatna S. Prakash
The use of bioengineering technology for the development of new plant varieties
has been endorsed by dozens of scientific bodies, has increased crop yields and
food production and reduced the use of synthetic chemical pesticides in both
industrialized and less developed countries.
These advances are critical in a world where natural resources are finite and
where hundreds of millions of people suffer from hunger and malnutrition.
Critics dismiss such claims as nothing more than corporate public relations
puffery. However, while it is true that most commercially available
bioengineered plants were designed for farmers in the industrialized world, the
increasing adoption of transgenic varieties by under-developed countries over
the past few years demonstrates their broader applicability.
Globally, transgenic varieties are now grown on more than 58.7 million hectares
(145 million acres) in such countries as Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada,
China, India, Mexico, the Philippines, South Africa, and the United States.
Nearly one-quarter of that hectarage is farmed by over 5 million resource-poor
farmers in less developed countries.
Why? Because they see many of the same benefits that farmers in industrialized
nations do.
The first generation of transgenic crops - approximately 50 different varieties
of maize, cotton, potato, squash, soybean, rapeseed, and others - were designed
to aid in protecting crops from insect pests, weeds, and plant diseases.
As much as 40 percent of crop productivity in Africa and Asia and about 20
percent in the industrialized countries of North America and Europe is lost to
these biotic stresses, despite the use of large amounts of insecticides,
herbicides, and other agricultural chemicals.
Poor tropical farmers may face different pest species than their industrial
country counterparts, but both must do constant battle against these threats to
their productivity.
That's why South African and Filipino farmers are so eager to grow transgenic
corn resistant to insect pests, and why South African and Chinese farmers like
transgenic insect-resistant cotton so much.
Indian cotton farmers and Brazilian and Paraguayan soya growers didn't even wait
for their governments to approve transgenic varieties before they began growing
them. It was discovered in 2001 that Indian farmers were planting seed obtained
illegally from field trials of a transgenic cotton variety then still under
governmental review.
Farmers in Brazil and Paraguay looked across the border and saw how well their
Argentine neighbours were doing with transgenic soybean varieties and smuggling
of bioengineered seed became rampant.
Recent studies in India have shown that transgenic cotton reduced pesticide
spraying by half or more, delivering a 30-40 percent profit increase. Another
report showed that the farm area under Bt cotton in India tripled in just one
year to 216,000 hectares from 72,682 hectares last year.
In Brazil, it is estimated that about three million hectares of biotech soybean
were being grown illegally until now when the government has just made it legal.
As the saying goes, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. There are few
greater testaments to the benefits of biotechnology than the fact that thousands
of poor farmers are willing to acknowledge having committed a crime just to gain
access to the improved varieties.
Where transgenic varieties become available (legally or not), farmers themselves
are eager to adopt them.
There is even evidence that transgenic varieties have literally saved human
lives. In less developed nations, pesticides are typically sprayed on crops by
hand, exposing farm workers to severe health risks. Some 400 to 500 Chinese
cotton farmers die every year from acute pesticide poisoning because, until
recently, the only alternative was risking near total crop loss from voracious
insects.
A Rutgers University study found that transgenic cotton in China has lowered the
amount of pesticides used by more than 75 percent and reduced the number of
pesticide poisonings by an equivalent amount.
The productivity gains generated by transgenic crops provide yet another
important benefit: They could save millions of acres of sensitive wildlife
habitat from being converted into farmland. The loss and fragmentation of
wildlife habitats caused by agricultural development in regions experiencing the
greatest population growth are widely recognised as among the most serious
threats to biodiversity.
Thus, increasing agricultural productivity is an essential environmental goal,
and one that would be much easier in a world where bioengineering technology is
in widespread use.
Channapatna S. Prakash (prakash@tuskegee.edu) is a professor of plant
biotechnology at Tuskegee University in Alabama and the president of AgBioWorld
Foundation based in Auburn, Alabama www.agbioworld.org. Gregory Conko conko@cei.org
is director of food safety policy at the Competitive Enterprise Institute in
Washington and vice-president of AgBioWorld Foundation.
New
sensing system counts corn in a field
December 15, 2003
ARS News Service
Agricultural Research Service, USDA
www.ars.usda.gov/news
A new sensing system developed by Agricultural Research Service scientists scans
corn plants across an entire field, allowing farmers to apply fertilizer where
it's needed most.
The new sensing system is one the latest advances in precision agriculture, in
which farmers use the latest high-tech devices to help them raise crops more
efficiently and with minimal impact on the environment.
Agricultural engineer John W. Hummel and information technology specialist Scott
T. Drummond of the ARS Cropping Systems and Water Quality Research Unit in
Columbia, Mo., developed the system. It can be mounted on a tractor or combine
to collect plant spacing data from early in the season through harvest. By
tapping into overhead satellites--global positioning system (GPS)
technology--the scientists can determine exactly how many plants are located in
specific areas of the field.
Using commercially available photoelectric sensors, scientists place an emitter
on one side of the row and a receiver on the other side. An infrared light beam
shines across the row from the emitter to the receiver. The sensors are fast
enough to measure the time the beam is interrupted by a cornstalk.
Taking into account how fast the tractor is moving, scientists can determine the
diameter of the cornstalk and the space between adjacent plants. The
computerized sensor also differentiates between cornstalks and weeds.
By knowing the corn plant population in different sections of the field, a
farmer can determine how much fertilizer needs to be placed in each section.
This can save the farmer money on fertilizer as well as help the environment.
The sensors do not touch the plants, so the system can be used at any time
during the growing season. Also, the system has no moving parts and is thus more
durable. The researchers have tested their system only with corn, so far, but
the software probably could be adapted for other row crops.
Nature
of Things tackles corporate agriculture
December 14, 2003
Central Alberta Adviser
21
A Nature of Things special slated for January explores how corporations are
turning agriculture into agri-business.
Farm Inc. looks at the battle between individual farmers and corporate factor
farms that's being fought across North America.
It airs Jan. 7 on CBC's The Nature of Things, and continues Jan. 14.
Part one looks at the growth of corporate factory agriculture.
Part two looks at alternatives to corporate farming, and the growing demand for
nature-based or organic foods.
Farm Inc. was written, produced and directed by Ray Burley.
Protection
of bees: Commission steps up measures against exotic parasites
December 11, 2003
The European Commission
http://europa.eu.int/rapid/start/cgi/guesten.ksh?p_action.gettxt=gt&doc=IP/03/1711|0|RAPID&lg=EN&display=
The European Commission today adopted a Decision stepping up measures to protect
the EU bee population from two exotic parasites. The small hive beetle Aethina
tumida and the parasitic mite Tropilaelaps have never been reported in the EU
but, if introduced from third countries, they could severely endanger bee
health, the apiculture industry and honey production. To prevent the parasites
from being introduced into the EU the measures now adopted will limit imports of
both live honey bees and bumble bees and require imported bees to be examined
for signs of the parasites when they arrive in the EU.
"These two parasites have had a devastating effect on the health of honey
bees, the bee industry and the production of honey in affected third
countries," said David Byrne, EU Commissioner for Health and Consumer
Protection. "The EU needs simple import rules to make sure these bee
parasites do not hitch a ride to Europe."
What damage do the parasites cause?
The small hive beetle can multiply rapidly in infested colonies where it eats
brood stock, destroys combs and, if unchecked, ultimately destroys the colony.
The Tropilaelaps mite has also been shown to cause high mortality in affected
bee colonies. The mites have also been linked to bees suffering leg and wing
deformities.
These pests can disrupt pollination so they also pose a risk to the
sustainability of the apiculture industry as well as agriculture and the
environment in the EU.
What measures are already in place?
In July 2003, the Commission added these two parasites to the list of notifiable
diseases in the EU(1). This means all beekeepers who suspect their colonies are
infested have to inform the appropriate authorities in their Member States.
Bees are imported into the EU to extend breeding stocks and to improve the
productivity of the apiculture industry but at the moment bees can enter the EU
in large consignments that are very difficult to examine rigorously for the
presence of parasites.
In view of the risks posed by these pests, additional measures were deemed
necessary. This is why the Commission proposed to limit the imports of both live
honey bees and bumble bees from third countries to prevent the parasites
spreading to the EU and introduce stringent checks for the presence of these
parasites for bee imports. The Commission's proposal was agreed with the Member
States through the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health on 4-5
November 2003.
What changes can be expected?
Under the new Decision, imports of bees will be limited to consignments
containing a single queen bee with a maximum of 20 accompanying attendants.
Imports will only be authorised from third countries that have demonstrated the
necessary veterinary competence(2) to certify that animals fulfil all criteria
for import into the EU and where the small hive beetle and the Tropilaelaps mite
are notifiable diseases.
When the consignment arrives in the EU, the cages, attendants, and any other
material accompanying queens from the third country of origin must also be sent
to a laboratory where they will all be examined for the presence of the small
hive beetle, their eggs or larvae and signs of the Tropilaelaps mite.
Small colonies of bumble bees up to a maximum of 200 adults can still be
authorised for import into the EU if they have been bred and reared solely under
environmentally controlled conditions.
Next steps
The Decision will enter into force ten days after its publication in the
Official Journal. It must then be applied by all Member States. In a separate
proposal to amend Council Regulation 1774/ 2002, certain measures to protect the
EU from the small hive beetle and the Tropilaelaps mite, together with further
additional health requirements will also be laid down in a new health
certificate to accompany products for use in apiculture.
Binfluenza:
When winter weather strikes severe
December 12, 2003
Integrated Pest Crop Management Newsletter
University of Missouri-Columbia
Vol. 13, No. 26
Bill Casady
http://ipm.missouri.edu/ipcm/archives/v13n26/ipmltr3.htm
Influenza seems to be the media pet project this year with the onslaught of
severe winter weather, so let's take a moment to talk about grain condition
through an imprecise yet interesting analogy to the human condition. What do
bins full of grain and people have in common when winter weather strikes? Both
stand an increased chance of getting sick, but there are preventative measures
that can help.
Influenza seems to strike when the weather begins to turn severe. At the root of
all of the misery are microscopic viruses that we take for granted, but it takes
a combination of factors to bring you down. The virus must be present, it must
find an entry point such as the eyes or the nose, and it's more likely that it
will get a good foothold if the host is weakened for some other reason like
weather extremes.
We protect ourselves as the weather changes by wearing warmer clothing and hats,
and we may run a humidifier to keep nasal passages from drying out. Above all,
using good sanitation practices such as washing hands and taking good care of
your health by getting plenty of rest can help protect against a cold or flu.
Binfluenza can also be brought on when winter weather strikes. Storage molds or
fungi are always present in small amounts, but it takes a combination of factors
to cause a bin to come down with something. For the waiting organisms to grow
and reproduce, the temperature must be in the right range, and there must be
enough moisture to support the new growth. It's more likely that fungi will get
a good foothold if the host — in this case the grain mass — is weakened by
extreme and imbalanced temperatures.
Binfluenza can strike even those bins filled with thoroughly and uniformly dried
grain, and it can strike bins with grain that has been dried even a point or two
below what we consider safe storage conditions. As temperatures drop with the
beginning of winter weather, moisture can migrate from even relatively dry grain
in one location within the grain mass to another, especially if the grain mass
is still at early fall temperatures (see “Moisture Migration: An Imbalanced
Science”). The moving moisture can become concentrated in another location and
suddenly storage fungi go to work. The growing fungi create their own heat and
become self-sustaining providing an environment for other opportunistic storage
pests including insects.
We can protect bins as the weather changes by taking advantage of the cooler
outside temperatures to cool the grain mass to temperatures just above freezing.
Keeping the grain mass cool removes some of the left over energy from the grain
and helps keep grain temperatures uniform throughout the bin to prevent moisture
migration. A cool grain mass also has extended storage life (Table 1).
The effectiveness of aeration to cool the grain mass and reduce mold growth is
improved by good sanitation and loading practices earlier in the fall. A clean
bin properly loaded with clean grain is the foundation for successful long-term
grain storage. For a series of articles providing a step-by-step procedure based
on the SLAM strategy for successful long term grain storage see the following
links and SLAM the Lid on Spoiled Grain.
Sanitation ipm.missouri.edu/ipcm/archives/v13n18/ipmltr5.htm
Loading ipm.missouri.edu/ipcm/archives/v13n21/ipmltr7.htm
Aeration ipm.missouri.edu/ipcm/archives/v13n23/ipmltr4.htm
Monitoring ipm.missouri.edu/ipcm/archives/v13n24/ipmltr7.htm
Moisture Migration: An Imbalanced Science
As temperatures drop with the beginning of winter weather, moisture can migrate
from even relatively dry grain in one location within the grain mass to another.
All it takes is a little natural imbalance in temperatures from one location to
another inside a bin. The typical scenario is something like this. Cold outside
temperatures drop the temperature of grain and the interstitial air in contact
with the outside walls of the bin. This denser, heavier interstitial air tends
to move downward along the outside walls. As it moves, it replaces other warmer
air. Likewise, warmer air from somewhere else in the grain mass replaces the
cooler interstitial air at the walls. This natural movement and replacement of
air in interstitial spaces constitutes an air current. Compare these natural air
currents to ocean currents that we associate with el niño or la niña. As the
air moves, it tends to pick up moisture near warm areas and drop moisture on
cold surfaces. In the typical situation, the warm moist air will be moving from
the core of the bin and upward toward the cooler surface grain. Hence, the final
destination for moisture is the colder grain at the top of the bin.
Book
places forage know-how in the palm of the hand
December 9, 2003
Ag Answers
Ohio State/Purdue University
http://www.agriculture.purdue.edu/aganswers/2003/12-09_Forage_Field_Guide.htm
Forage growers looking to line their barns with high-quality hay might start by
lining their shirt pockets with a new Purdue University Extension publication.
The "Purdue Forage Field Guide" packs a wealth of useful information
into a palm-size 264-page book that farmers and agricultural industry personnel
can use to make in-the-field decisions.
Orders for the book -- Extension publication ID-317 -- can be made through
Purdue's Media Distribution Center.
The book does for forage producers what the annual "Purdue Corn and Soybean
Field Guide" does for row crop farmers, said Keith Johnson, Extension
forage specialist.
"The 'Purdue Forage Field Guide' has information about forage crops in all
aspects of managing them, harvesting them and utilizing them," Johnson
said.
"It starts by looking at the seeding of forages, then moves into the traits
of different forage crops and what they're best used for in this region of the
United States. The book examines pest problems associated with forages --
insects, weeds and diseases -- and harvest management and storage management
strategies for hay and silage. We've also included information about nutrient
needs for livestock."
Approximately 60 sections are listed in the book's table of contents. Among
them:
* Choosing a Forage Species.
* Renovating Pastures.
* Diagnosing Soil Compaction.
* Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition.
* Diagnosing Herbicide Injury.
* Crop Rotation Restrictions.
* Plants Toxic to Herbivores.
* Dry Matter Losses During Harvest and Storage.
* Improving Hay Drying Rates with Proper Mower-Conditioner Adjustments.
* Estimating Silage Value.
* Legume, Grass and Legume-Grass Mixture Quality Standards.
* Forage Tips for the Year.
The book also provides nutrient recommendations for cattle, goats, horses and
sheep, as well as instructions for submitting forage samples to Purdue's Plant
and Pest Diagnostic Laboratory for testing. Color photos, graphics and
conversion tables are spread throughout the publication.
While the Purdue publication is not the first devoted to forages it might be the
most comprehensive, Johnson said.
"There have been forage field guides that have emphasized alfalfa as the
sole forage," Johnson said. "But within this guide, we have pictures
and information on roughly 20 different forages. So from that point it's quite
unique.
"This publication has a lot of color, particularly in those sections on the
identification of pests. The pictures of the forages also are in color, and the
charts have enough detail to make them useful."
Forage producers from the Midwest and beyond should find the guide a valuable
reference tool.
"I think the book has tremendous adaptation to the states bordering
Indiana," Johnson said. "Also, the publication should have broad
appeal for forage producers from the Great Plains region to the Northeast."
Many Extension specialists from Purdue's School of Agriculture contributed
content and photos for the forage guide. Contributors represented the
departments of agronomy, agricultural and biological engineering, animal
sciences, botany and plant pathology, and entomology. Forage professionals
outside the university provided additional photos.
Internet users can preview the forage guide by logging on to the Purdue Crop
Diagnostic Training and Research Center Web site, located at http://www.agry.purdue.edu/dtc/index.html.
The field guide is $8. To order, call the toll-free Purdue Extension hotline at
(888) 398-4636 (EXT-INFO) and ask for the Media Distribution Center. Order forms
are available via e-mail at media.order@purdue.edu and on the Crop Diagnostic
Training and Research Center Web page.
Discounts are available for bulk orders of 300 books or more.
For more information, contact Johnson at (765) 494-4800 or by e-mail at johnsonk@purdue.edu.
Agnet is produced by the Food Safety Network at
the University of Guelph and is sponsored by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture
and Food, Plants Program at the University of Guelph, Agricultural Adaptation
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Monsanto Canada, Meat and Livestock Australia, National Pork Board, Pew
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Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization, JIFSAN, National Cattlemen's Beef
Association, National Food Processors Association, Ontario Agri-Food
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