Newsletter November 20, 2009: Tracking impacts good and bad

Hello: This update comes out as we’re preparing to make the case for organic farming’s role in carbon sequestration to world leaders at next month’s Copenhagen climate conference. To fight climate change impacts that are hurting food production in poor nations, agreements have to link these issues in soil-building ways.

This week: Warren Porter, Ph.D., explains research linking in utero exposure to the insecticide chlorpyrifos to learning disabilities and thyroid levels in mice. Krista Hozyash explains how federal incentives for volume of crops—rather than quality of soil management—leads to a real hurt on seafood and clean water in the gulf. Christine Ziegler Ulsh describes Rodale Institute research to help farmers who farm well document the soil carbon (humus-like materials) added to their soil..

Ag pollution kills aquatic life in the Gulf, with resulting “dead zone” another displaced cost of “cheap food.”
Farmers have made improvements, but incentives drive high yield more than cropping systems that keep more fertility from flowing out to sea.

Tiny pesticide exposure during pregnancy can have long-term impact on female offspring

Tillage, fertilizer results surprising in greenhouse gas crop check

Tim LaSalle in Huffington Post:
Dead Zones, Fertilizer and Personal Responsibility

Lupus, other autoimmune diseases linked to insecticide exposure