food-supply

A collection of 178 posts

"Invasion Biology"

Book Review... "Eager: The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter"

A reader remarks: “Ben has woven together a holistic picture about beavers, illustrating the remarkably diverse interactions between this species’ biology and the history of the North American landscape, both geologically and culturally.” NOTE: this book, Eager: The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter is available for

"Invasion Biology"

Coyotes & Prairie Dogs

Coyotes and prairie dogs are essential to the the health of desert grasslands. For decades, both were targets of widespread eradication efforts, paid by the public and conducted by ‘conservation’ agencies.

"Invasion Biology"

Hunting's Remarkable Resilience

Hunters defend their tradition because it helps control population, generates conservation revenues and Fair Chase expresses good sportsmanship. But predation is also physiologically better for wildlife and habitats. Hunters are often as unaware of this natural principle as non-hunters. Just like wolves, cougars, bears and other apex predators, humans have

"Invasion Biology"

The Art Of The Cattle Move II: Grazing Plans

This beautiful video discusses the importance of the grazing plan in sustainable ranching. The authors explain, “The most important tool we use in management of the land is being able to control the amount of time that cattle graze a particular pasture. Too long in a pasture and the grass

Bio-Diversity

Roundup Verdict

Monsanto’s Roundup reckoning will take years, given the power the agro-giants wield within the agencies, universities and courts. Meanwhile, new and more powerful poisons are coming on the market to replace glyphosate/Roundup. NOTE: this article initially appeared on KSAT.com on August 10, 2018. It is via CNN,

"Invasion Biology"

Can American Soil be Brought Back to Life?

Many factors have contributed to the destruction of soil fertility, starting with biodiversity loss which is the root cause of the decline of wildlife, habitat and croplands. Farming, ranching and wildlife practices are best judged according to the extent to which they restore soil fertility. Most everything we do fails

"Invasion Biology"

EU Member States Support Near-Total Neonicotinoids Ban

Once again, the Europeans lead the US with policies and practices that ensure public and environmental health. As reported in the article below, neonicotinoid-based insecticides are used on most of our seeds to prevent their being eaten by insects. These are very harmful for the very reason that they are

"Invasion Biology"

Monsanto’s New Weed Killer, Dicamba, Divides Farmers

The ever growing use of stronger and stronger poisons defines Industrial Agriculture. This article tells how farmers who try to avoid using the GMO seeds that are bred to withstand these poisons have their crops ruined. This is one small example of the vast damage Industrial Agriculture is doing to

"Invasion Biology"

This Man Wants You to Eat More Meat

“We’ve had about a hundred years of ‘range science.’ I hate that term because it’s not science, it’s range beliefs that assume scientific proportion. They come up with rotational grazing and other approaches on and on endlessly, and those have turned pastures into deserts.”            … Allan Savory NOTE:

food safety

Roundup’s Toxic Chemical Glyphosate, Found in 100% of California Wines Tested

You can run but you can’t hide…. Grape growers use Roundup® (glyphosate) to suppress weeds between vines. Cotton growers use it to defoliate plants before harvest. Farmers’ GMO seeds like soybeans and corn are modified to survive repeated spraying of this non-selective “weed” poison. Because it remains long after

Animal Development

The Case for a Carbon Tax on Beef

This article does a good job of summarizing the many environmental problems caused by Big Meat’s method of raising beef. However, the author mistakenly assumes that there is no other way to raise beef than in these artificial, energy-intensive, environmentally-destructive, cruel and unhealthy mega-feedlots. And the author seems to

Bio-Diversity

Bird Deaths a Setback in Texas Feral Hog Poison Testing

It turns out Texas’ latest wonder poison was a Pig in a Poke. Times Record News reports: “Field testing of a new feral hog control method experienced a major setback recently after nearly 200 birds were found dead. Justin Foster, Texas Parks and Wildlife Research Coordinator for Region 2, said

"Invasion Biology"

A Better Fight Against Cattle Fever Ticks

Planned grazing has been shown to significantly control fever ticks without medications when the recovery (rest) periods – the time between when a herd leaves a pasture and when it returns – exceeds 150 days. This is because the ticks’ life cycle cannot survive absence of host animals for that long.   Decades

Agriculture

Farmers Across High Plains Brace for Hard Times as Drought Bears Down

On the Southern Great Plains dry spells are normal. Although farmers and ranchers can’t make it rain, they can keep soil healthy, to make the most of what rain they get. Any home gardener knows that plant beds without mulch cover or plenty of soil organics need more water,

"Invasion Biology"

Farmland Birds in France Are in Steep Decline

Scientists involved in long-running regional and national bird-counting surveys in France have reported precipitous declines in agricultural regions, even among common birds such as blackbirds that are well adapted to human activity and do well in most circumstances. They concluded, “We have to change completely the way we do agriculture.

"Invasion Biology"

Needed: A Safer Way to Fight Wildfire

Recently I was touring ranches near Ruidosa, New Mexico, and learned that toxic chemicals contained in fire-retardants like these had washed into their river systems, killing the fisheries which they are now trying to detoxify and restock. For over 100 years we have been using poisonous chemicals on fires, weeds,

"Invasion Biology"

A New Study Suggests That Even The Toughest Pesticide Regulations Aren’t Nearly Tough Enough

“There were 1.6 million new cases of cancer last year, with 580,000 dying of the disease. Farm and industrial chemicals certainly play a major role in this epidemic. Yet little is done, with the poison-makers smugly repeating the myths of safe pesticides and obfuscating the true dangers of

"Invasion Biology"

Greening the Chihuahuan Desert

Chihuahuan ranchers are at the forefront of restorative grazing practices.

Bio-Diversity

The Great Nutrient Collapse

Food nutrition is changing. This article blames atmospheric carbon, ignoring genetic modification of plants combined with the effect of the agricultural poisons our food plants have been engineered to survive. For example, a bushel of corn weighs significantly less than before corn was reengineered to withstand Roundup, which blocks cells’

"Invasion Biology"

Survival of Trans-Pecos Gambel’s Quail

The rapid disappearance of quail across North America, including the iconic Gambel’s Quail, is of great concern and merits study. Objectivity, though, is missing because the universities, agencies and conservation organizations that conduct the research and give advice assume the practices they promote are beneficial for ranches and wildlife.

Bio-Diversity

A Gloomy Forecast for Climate Change

Planned grazing of cattle is an inexpensive and effective tool for restoring damaged grasslands, thereby helping habitat and wildlife. It also helps to reduce – and possibly reverse –  the atmospheric carbon accumulation discussed below. NOTE: This article is taken from Worldview.Stratfor.comand was published December 6th. Feature image is with

"Invasion Biology"

Soil Power! The Dirty Way to a Green Planet

“People reap more benefit from nature when they give up trying to vanquish it and instead see it clearly, as a demanding but indispensable ally. Because of carbon’s climate change connection, we’ve been conditioned to think of it as the enemy, when in fact it’s as vital

Bio-Diversity

Environmental Quality Is More Than Just the Climate

The United States has done a very good job of reducing carbon emissions and human pollutants from sewage and industrial chemicals. But, simultaneously we have unleashed a devastating new environmental problem that has no smell or taste: pesticides and other farmland and rangeland chemicals. These have been in growing use

"Invasion Biology"

The Agriculture Of Hope: Climate Farmers Of North America

We can debate whether human impact contributes to climate change, but we cannot deny that human agricultural practices harm range and farm lands. These practices can be changed in ways that will restore the land, its profitability and conceivably, help the climate as well. NOTE: This post initially appeared on

food safety

This Tiny Country Feeds the World

Humane, low chemical, sustainable intensive agriculture, Dutch style. NOTE: this article initially appeared on NationalGeographic.com . It appeared in the September 2017 edition of the magazine. The Netherlands has become an agricultural giant by showing what the future of farming could look like. The great indoors provides optimal growing conditions