next message in archive
next message in thread
previous message in archive
previous message in thread
Index of Subjects
e: 10pt;">it's a treadmill. You start using herbicides and then you br
------=_Part_1811041_920922746.1454604594265
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
=E2=80=9CChemical fertilizer is like heroin..." sounds familiar.=C2=A0
In a text published in 1897, Issac Roberts=C2=A0provides many pieces of cau=
tion about use of fertilizers and noted " ...the effect of fertilizers was =
likened to the effect of alcohol on the confirmed toper; but to stop meant =
collapse and to go on implied constantly increased use."=C2=A0
=C2=A0The Fertility of the Land.=C2=A0Roberts, I.P. The MacMillan Co. 1897.
In the early 1900s, Albert Howard observed that the new "artificials" cause=
d increased disease in crops and livestock and began to define the alternat=
ive approaches of organic agriculture. Interestingly, writers in the 1940s =
expressed great optimism that the chemical era was about to end=C2=A0=C2=A0=
but as we know today it was just getting geared up....
From: John and Nhung <nhungjohn@eastlink.ca>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca=20
Sent: Thursday, February 4, 2016 12:14 PM
Subject: RE: [NatureNS] Public consultation re use of pesticide... GMO cro=
ps and loss of weedy species
=20
#yiv1905593791 #yiv1905593791 -- _filtered #yiv1905593791 {font-family:Helv=
etica;panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4;} _filtered #yiv1905593791 {font-family=
:Helvetica;panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4;} _filtered #yiv1905593791 {font-f=
amily:Calibri;panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;} _filtered #yiv1905593791 {fon=
t-family:Tahoma;panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;}#yiv1905593791 #yiv190559379=
1 p.yiv1905593791MsoNormal, #yiv1905593791 li.yiv1905593791MsoNormal, #yiv1=
905593791 div.yiv1905593791MsoNormal {margin:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;font=
-size:12.0pt;}#yiv1905593791 h1 {margin-right:0cm;margin-left:0cm;font-size=
:24.0pt;}#yiv1905593791 a:link, #yiv1905593791 span.yiv1905593791MsoHyperli=
nk {color:blue;text-decoration:underline;}#yiv1905593791 a:visited, #yiv190=
5593791 span.yiv1905593791MsoHyperlinkFollowed {color:purple;text-decoratio=
n:underline;}#yiv1905593791 p.yiv1905593791MsoAcetate, #yiv1905593791 li.yi=
v1905593791MsoAcetate, #yiv1905593791 div.yiv1905593791MsoAcetate {margin:0=
cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;font-size:8.0pt;}#yiv1905593791 span.yiv1905593791=
Heading1Char {color:#365F91;font-weight:bold;}#yiv1905593791 span {}#yiv190=
5593791 span.yiv1905593791BalloonTextChar {}#yiv1905593791 span.yiv19055937=
91EmailStyle22 {color:#1F497D;}#yiv1905593791 .yiv1905593791MsoChpDefault {=
font-size:10.0pt;} _filtered #yiv1905593791 {margin:72.0pt 72.0pt 72.0pt 72=
.0pt;}#yiv1905593791 div.yiv1905593791WordSection1 {}#yiv1905593791 I remem=
ber hearing a rice farmer in Northeast Thailand make a similar comment abou=
t inorganic fertilizer. =C2=A0Literal translation: =C2=A0=E2=80=9CChemical =
fertilizer is like heroin.=C2=A0 When you start, you cannot stop and have t=
o use more and more.=E2=80=9D =C2=A0This is an area with horrendously lous=
y soil, including super--horrendously low organic content.=C2=A0 =C2=A0Fro=
m: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca [mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca] On =
Behalf Of David Patriquin
Sent: February 4, 2016 11:09 AM
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Public consultation re use of pesticide... GMO crop=
s and loss of weedy species =C2=A0The weeds close to the crop are only prob=
lematical if you dont start with a clean seedbed and/or heavily fertilize t=
he seedbed before planting the crop, which favours the weeds. Start with a =
clean seedbed and postpone fertilization, and ...OK =C2=A0it's a treadmill.=
You start using herbicides and then you breed crops that are not competiti=
ve with weeds.. so yes those crops are very difficult to control mechanical=
ly although it can be done. Mechanical tillage can be very sophisticated. A=
s well, we separate crops and livestock so we dont want straw, so shorter c=
ereals are OK. Separated livestock and crops results in massive aquatic pol=
lution-- we pay for that indirectly. Real cost accounting would not rate GM=
O crops more cost efficient today and their costs have gone up as more resi=
stance develops.=C2=A0 =C2=A0We have created an industrial production syste=
m that is part of our social fabric... it's not easy to re-evaluate.. and p=
ursue a new tack but we need to start looking at it. Those gigantic fields =
of GMO maize, soy and cannola may give us "cheaper food" but we are paying =
for it in many other ways. =C2=A0=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0From: "rita.pau=
l@ns.sympatico.ca" <rita.paul@ns.sympatico.ca>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca=20
Sent: Thursday, February 4, 2016 9:35 AM
Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Public consultation re use of pesticide... GMO crop=
s and loss of weedy species =C2=A0The reason Herbicides=C2=A0 are so much b=
etter from a farmers point of view David is that herbicides kill the weeds =
close to the planted crop. The weeds in the middle of the rows are not very=
harmful and are easy to control by cultivation. However the weeds close to=
the plants cause the reduction in yields. They rob moisture, nutrients sun=
light and harbour insects but there is no way a farmer can remove them by c=
ultivation. short of the old hand hoe. In addition they make harvesting mor=
e difficult by not allowing the crop to dry out in the short days of fall. =
Farmers tell me herbicides give the best return on investment of all their =
inputs. But maybe we would like to pay more for food! Enjoy the thaw Paul =
=C2=A0=20
On February 4, 2016 at 8:33 AM David Patriquin <davidgpatriquin@yahoo.ca> w=
rote: =C2=A0=C2=A0 =C2=A0 Incororating resistance to Roundup & now a coupl=
e of other herbicides (because weeds also becoming resistant) in GMO crops =
has one huge effect on wildlife that I don't see discussed much or at all: =
the complete obliteration of weedy species over massive areas, not seen muc=
h in NS but go to Que and Ont where field after large field of GMO soybean,=
maize and cannola are grown, and they are virtually dead except for the cr=
ops; even after the crops are taken off they remain free of weedy species. =
Under traditional management, weeds were set back by tillage to allow crop =
to get established, then a diversity of weedy species grow up in the unders=
tory, flowering and providing food for pollinators, seeds for wildlife.. an=
d after the crop is taken off, groundcover. No more so. The farmers like th=
e GMO crops because of the simplified management, but with selection of app=
ropriate cultivars, some mechanical management, reducing some types of till=
age...weeds can be controlled without eliminating them and our farm fields =
can be more supportive of wildlife.=C2=A0 =C2=A0 Glyphosate is toxic to pla=
nts and bacteria, so has huge effects on the microbiotia also.. =C2=A0 Agre=
ed, Nick: " As naturalists, impacts on natural world are our major responsi=
bility." =C2=A0 =C2=A0From: Nicholas Hill <fernhillns@gmail.com>
To: "na