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05/17/2018 / By Vicki Batts

An appeals court says CA can list the herbicide glyphosate as a carcinogen

After much fanfare, a state appeals court has ruled that California can list glyphosate as a carcinogen — and that the state’s ban on discharging the herbicide into public waterways stands, too. Despite Monsanto’s best efforts to keep the toxicity of their product under wraps, the ruling in California is undoubtedly a small victory for […]

05/14/2018 / By Tracey Watson

Environmentalists take EPA to court to reverse its approval of Dow Chemical’s toxic “Enlist Duo” pesticide

The stated mission of the US. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is to protect both human health and the environment, ensuring that Americans have access to clean land, air and water. They also promise to review all chemicals in the marketplace for safety. More often than not, though, they have failed to uphold these lofty ideals. […]

05/03/2018 / By David Williams

New soil science study shows how plants release specific metabolites that enrich productivity

It’s well-understood that most plants rely heavily on the condition of the soil on which they are planted, and that the microbes that are present in the soil itself affect the overall health of the plant as it grows. Now a new study performed by scientists from the Department of Energy‘s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory […]

04/30/2018 / By Tracey Watson

A new, supposedly “bee-friendly” pesticide found to impair taste, learning, memory of the critically necessary insects

Honeybees are in trouble – BIG trouble. Bee populations have been dwindling all around the globe at an alarming rate in recent years, and some species have even made it on to the endangered list. Scientists have been scrambling to find out what is causing this alarming trend, but Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, and […]

04/18/2018 / By Isabelle Z.

Canadian farmer converts his 40,000-acre farm to all-organic

Consumers have been voting with their wallets in recent years, shying away from toxin-laced conventional produce and shelling out for organic varieties instead. Some observers might have initially dismissed this as a trend that would eventually fade, but it’s clear that a desire for good health and environmental friendliness is not going out of fashion […]

04/11/2018 / By Michelle Simmons

Edamame farmers are using rye as a cover crop to reduce the use of herbicides

Farmers continue to search for alternatives to herbicides to control weeds due to the increase of herbicide-resistant weeds in most grain and vegetable crops. Fortunately, edamame farmers have found a way to reduce the use of herbicides by using rye as a cover crop, according to a study published in the journal Weed Science. The […]

04/03/2018 / By Ralph Flores

What is the right amount of nitrogen in agriculture? Not enough contributes to hunger, too much damages the environment

Nitrogen is essential in crop production, but it comes with a caveat: Use too much of it, and you risk polluting the environment; use too little, and you risk limiting your crop yield. This was also the focus of an article that appeared in the journal Nutrient Cycling in Agrosystems. The paper, led by researchers from […]

03/25/2018 / By Tracey Watson

Working with nature to reduce pesticide use: Farmers around the world are rediscovering the increased yields offered by biodiversity

The face of agriculture has changed dramatically over the past century. Instead of working with what nature has provided, encouraging biodiversity and companion planting to ward off pests, farmers have been encouraged to use chemical fertilizers and pesticides, with disastrous results. Despite being promised greater crop protection and increased yields, the results have been low-yielding […]

03/22/2018 / By Zoey Sky

Birds help produce rare wild chili peppers through symbiotic relationships

A study conducted by researchers from Iowa State University revealed that a certain species of birds helps chili peppers grow in the wild. According to the researchers, the data from their study helped them learn more about “a mutualistic, or mutually beneficial, relationship between birds and chili peppers in the Mariana Islands.” Haldre Rogers, an assistant professor […]

03/19/2018 / By Frances Bloomfield

Organic fertilizer alternatives: Composted chicken litter promotes sustainable agro-ecosystems with minimal nutrient leeching

The idea of nutrient loss is a common but troublesome problem that plagues all kinds of soils. Efforts have been made by a number of institutions to combat this issue, to varying degrees of success. Yet, as a team of researchers has demonstrated, the answer could very well lie in a tool widely used by […]

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