20/October/20

 

Researchers analysed 14 glyphosate-free herbicides marketed in Europe and found that they contain heavy metals, including arsenic, lead, iron, nickel, and titanium. They also contained carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), a class of chemicals found in coal, crude oil, and gasoline. Some of the substances were found at levels above regulatory safety limits for water. The researchers conclude in their paper that as vinegar and glyphosate-free acetic acid-based herbicide both contain around 6% acetic acid, people may as well use vinegar, which is less toxic and cheaper. GMWatch

 

 

Saturday 24 October: Take action against the US trade deal to protect services, standards, rights and democracy! A number of different actions are proposed – there's something for everyone. Here's a short video explaining the issues. Nick Dearden of Global Justice Now said, "“The US has a way more deregulated and liberalised market than we have here. We don’t want to import that regulatory system into this country. That would be bad for us and bad for campaigners in the US who are fighting for something better there." Global Justice Now

 

 

Farmers in Thailand use armies of 10,000 "field chasing ducks" to eat their way through rice paddies after a harvest. The tradition has long been practiced in Thailand and surrounding countries to rid rice paddies of pests and rice husks and reduce the cost of feeding the ducks. Studies have shown this method of farming is not only beneficial to the environment, but can also increase crop yield. Business Insider

 

 

EU agriculture ministers said the EU should make use of “new innovative ingredients and techniques” – apparently a reference to gene editing technologies – to boost the sustainability of food production, as long as they are shown to be safe for humans, animals and the environment. They also gave their stamp of approval to the European Commission’s Farm to Fork plan to reduce the use of fertilisers by 30 per cent and turn 25 per cent of agricultural land over to organic farming. [GMW: There is zero evidence that gene editing could boost sustainability – and gene-edited crops and foods have emphatically not been shown to be safe for consumption or the environment. Farm to Fork should focus on proven successful and safe agroecological methods to improve sustainability.] Science Business