News & Views

CDC releases "Third Report" on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals

On July 21, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released the most extensive report to date on the exposure of the population of the United States to chemicals in the environment. It was the third in a series of assessments that measure levels of chemicals or their metabolites in human blood or urine. The report provides a sobering look at the degree to which chemical contamination, much of it from agricultural practices, permeates our environment.

After taking samples from thousands of subjects across a wide demographic range in 2001 and 2002, the researchers tested for 148 chemicals, 43 of them commonly used pesticides. While this represents less than 5% of the pesticides currently registered for use in the U.S., the study found that more than 90% of the U.S. population carries a mixture of pesticides in their bodies. In some cases the levels were higher in children. For example, while the organophosphate pesticide chlorpyrifos was found in over 75% of the population, it was discovered at exposure levels more than four times what EPA considers safe for children. Home use of chlorpyrifos was banned in 2001 because of concern over health effects in children, but according to Dow Chemical, the leading manufacturer of the chemical, it is still one of the most widely used pesticides in the world.

Another persistent pesticide found in over 75% of subjects was pyrethroid, a class of pesticides in wide use in home and agricultural products and included in the study for the first time. Among other effects, pyrethroids are suspected to cause endocrine disruption and may be linked to cancer.

In reaction the Report, the Pesticide Action Network (PANNA) recommends, among other things, suggests that consumers choose organic food and pesticide-free household and hygiene products to protect their families and support markets for healthy alternatives.

To view the report or a summary visit:
http://www.cdc.gov/exposurereport/3rd/

New Tractor Finally Arrives at the Seeds of Change Research Farm

After a long and arduous process, the Seeds of Change Research Farm has received delivery of a new John Deere 5300 tractor. This model was selected specifically to match the PTO and horsepower requirements of a recently acquired spader, which works the soil deeply with minimal disruption to the soil strata. Other considerations were tires wide enough to go along side a new bed maker and the ability to power a compost turner, which will greatly increase on-farm compost production. This new acquisition should increase the overall efficiency of the farm and allow for more data to be collected with less effort. When asked why a John Deere, Farm manager Erica Renaud replied, "I was afraid to buy anything else around here because who would fix it!"

EcoVersity to conduct a two week Permaculture Design Course in Santa Fe, NM

A two week intensive residential Permaculture Design Certification Course will be held August 26th – September 9th. It will be led by Scott Pittman, founder of the Permaculture Drylands Institute, cofounder of the Permaculture Credit Union, and director of the Permaculture Institute. He will teach this course with a team of instructors. Focus is placed on dryland strategies, cultivated ecologies, and land restoration. Students will complete a design project. On-site camping and yurt housing is available. EcoVersity is an educational and community center offering a land-based and ethics-informed curriculum in all aspects of sustainability.

For more information go to www.ecoversity.org/permaculture.html or contact Arina Pittman at EcoVersity, 2639 Agua Fria Street, Santa Fe, NM 87505.