Agriculture

"EPA Cancels Pesticide Shown To Be Harmful To Unborn Babies"

"Citing a need to protect the unborn babies of pregnant women, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Tuesday banned a pesticide used to kill weeds on farms, golf courses and athletic fields."

Source: The New Lede, 10/23/2024

As Bird Flu Outbreaks Rise, Piles Of Dead Cattle Shock Central Valley

"The mortality rate among H5N1 infected dairy cows has been much higher than anticipated. Since early August, outbreaks have been reported in 124 California dairy herds. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the current public health risk is low."

Source: LA Times, 10/22/2024

Canadian Regulator Colluded With A Pesticide Maker To Silence Researcher

"The federal pesticide regulator collaborated with an agrochemical giant to undermine research by a prominent Canadian scientist to stave off an impending ban of a class of pesticides harmful to human brains and sperm and deadly to bees, insects and birds, Canada's National Observer has found."

Source: National Observer, 10/21/2024

Scientist Recounts Great Barrier Reef’s ‘Final Battle’

The Great Barrier Reef is one of nature’s marvels, home to a startling array of life. It’s also the victim of forces rapidly bringing about its demise, from runoff to climate change. With “In Hot Water,” scientist Paul Hardisty recounts the struggle to save this remarkable ecosystem, amid forces of capital, politics and conflicting science. The latest BookShelf review from contributor Melody Kemp.

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Sewage Sludge Can Spread the Harm of Many Toxic Chemicals

What was once benignly dubbed biosolids is more accurately tagged toxic sludge. And some of it may be finding its way into our food. The latest TipSheet reports how that came to be despite (or perhaps because of) Clean Water Act regulation, and how hard it is to calculate the potential harms. Plus, more than a dozen reporting ideas and resources for this highly localizable story.

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"Water Crises Threaten the World’s Ability to Eat, Studies Show"

"The world’s food supply is under threat because so much of what we eat is concentrated in so few countries, and many of those countries are increasingly facing a water shortage. That’s the conclusion of three independent studies published this week.'

Source: NYTimes, 10/17/2024

"How Farms Are Fighting A Pesky Almond Moth Without Pesticides"

"Every year, navel orangeworms eat through roughly 2% of California’s almonds before they can make it to grocery store shelves. With climate change threatening to make the situation worse, researchers are hoping to sterilize millions of moths a day with radiation and drop them from airplanes."

Source: LA Times, 10/11/2024

Wisconsin Estimates Around 40 Percent Of Private Wells Contain Pesticides

"The state estimates one or more pesticides are found in around 43 percent of 800,000 private wells in Wisconsin, and more than half of the pesticides detected aren’t regulated in groundwater by the state or federal governments."

Source: Wisconsin Public Radio, 10/11/2024

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