Background Information

 

Reducing Petroleum Input to Farming, given reduced supply and rising prices  A Farm for the Future 01, and more in this series.   BBC documentary on the precient global farming and food crisis, filmed in the UK. Featuring Martin Crawford (Agroforestry Research Trust), Fordhall Farm, Richard Heinberg and others.   Topics covered are the influence of oil on the food production, peak-oil, food security, carbon emissions, sustainability and permaculture.

From Big-Box Stores to Organic Boutiques, Bee-Killing Pesticides Are Vanishing From Shelves

June 2, 2015, www.takepart.com | “Plant nurseries across the nation aren’t waiting for federal regulators to move on neonicotinoid pesticides, substances linked to mass die-offs of bees and other important pollinators.  Instead, as the public chorus to “save the bees” has grown from a fluttering to a loud buzz, many have taken the initiative to stop selling products that contain these chemicals.”

From Big-Box Stores to Organic Boutiques, Bee-Killing Pesticides Are Vanishing From Shelves
Retailers and nurseries are phasing out neonicotinoid products implicated in mass bee die-offs, a new report shows.
takepart.com
  • Melody Ody Phillips, Kevin Phillips, GoodNews FortheEarth, and Carlos Merino likes this.

Organic Farmers Beat Monsanto, GMO Seeds Now Banned

June 1, 2015, yournewswire.com | “Organic farmers from Oregon have successfully beaten Monsanto in a landmark court victory that allow the state to ban the use of genetically modified seeds. The repercussions of the federal lawsuit is likely to be seen nationwide as other states may introduce a ban on the use of GMO seeds as well.”

Ami Linden shared a link to GoodNews FortheEarth‘s Timeline.
Organic farmers from Oregon have successfully beaten Monsanto in a landmark court victory that allow the state to ban the use of genetically modified seeds. The…
yournewswire.com|By Sean Adl-Tabatabai

U.S. EPA Proposing Temporary Pesticide-Free Zones For Honeybees

Organic Consumers Association's photo.

May 27, 2015, www.organicconsumers.org | “U.S. environmental regulators on Thursday proposed a rule that would create temporary pesticide-free zones to protect commercial honeybees, which are critical to food production and have been dying off at alarming rates.  The restrictions would cover times when specific plants are in bloom and when commercial honeybees are being moved through certain areas, EPA officials said.”

Kevin Phillips shared a photo to GoodNews FortheEarth‘s Timeline. Organic Consumers Association

The Environmental Protection Agency is finally making moves to ‪#‎SaveTheBees‬! Learn more about this important proposal to protect our precious pollinators: http://orgcns.org/1BDiy9R
  • Robert Brothers, Jeanette Jungers, Diane Young, and Ami Linden likes this

Sri Lanka’s New President Puts Immediate Ban on Glyphosate Herbicides

sirisena

May 25, 2015, sustainablepulse.com | “Sri Lanka’s newly elected President Maithripala Sirisena announced Friday that the import of the World’s most used herbicide glyphosate will be banned with immediate effect. The release of already imported stocks has also been stopped.”

Sri Lanka’s newly elected President Maithripala Sirisena announced Friday that the imports of the World’s most used herbicide glyphosate will be banned with…
sustainablepulse.com
  • Kevin Phillips and Robert Brothers like this.

This amazing village in India plants 111 trees every time a girl is born

May 21, 2015, www.globalcitizen.org | “In a country that historically favors the birth of a son, Piplantri village in India has created a new tradition that not only celebrates the birth of a daughter, but also benefits the community and the planet. You see, every time a girl is born they plant 111 trees. That’s right, 111 trees!”

Pamela Benda shared a link to GoodNews FortheEarth‘s Timeline.
A tradition that celebrates girls and benefits the community and planet.
globalcitizen.org
  • Robert Brothers, Lisa Hawkins, and Ami Linden like this.

Meet Will Allen, The Urban Farmer Starting His Own Revolution

The Cornucopia Institute's photo.

May 15, 2015, www.cornucopia.org | “Will Allen is a former professional athlete who played basketball throughout college at the University of Miami and post-college in Belgium. Though he has also held jobs in corporate America, Allen has spent the last 21 years in a completely different profession: urban farmer.”

Sage Lampros shared a photo to GoodNews FortheEarth‘s Timeline. The Cornucopia Institute Will Allen is a former professional athlete who played basketball throughout college at the University of Miami and post-college in Belgium. Though he has also held jobs in corporate America, Allen has spent the last 21 years in a completely different profession: urban farmer. http://www.cornucopia.org/…/meet-will-allen-the-urban-farm…/ ‪#‎farmer‬ ‪#‎food‬ ‪#‎urbanfarmer‬

  • Cristi Land and Alice Way like this.

Brazilian Ranchers Aren’t Cutting Down As Much Forest Anymore

May 12, 2015, thinkprogress.org | “Pressure from environmental groups and federal prosecutors is helping break the link between cattle ranching and deforestation in the Amazon, according to a new study.  Agreements with Brazil’s largest slaughterhouses have “dramatically” reduced deforestation by ranchers, research published Tuesday in Conservation Letters found.”

Pamela Benda shared a link to GoodNews FortheEarth‘s Timeline.
Breaking the cycle of deforestation in the Amazon is critical to fighting climate change.
thinkprogress.org
  • Kevin Phillips, GoodNews FortheEarth and Rita Kerzen like this.

German states call for ban on household pesticide

May 12, 2015, www.euractiv.com | “Germany’s state consumer protection ministers are calling for an EU-wide ban on the leading global pesticide Glyphosate, after it was categorised as carcinogenic by the WHO. However, the federal government sees no need for action. EurActiv Germany reports.”

Kevin Phillips shared a link to GoodNews FortheEarth‘s Timeline.
Germany’s state consumer protection ministers are calling for an EU-wide ban on the leading global pesticide Glyphosat, after it was categorised as carcinogenic by the WHO. However, the federal government sees no need for action. EurActiv…
euractiv.com
  • Kevin Phillips, Robert Brothers and Rita Kerzen like this.

Mother who fought Monsanto wins the International Goldman Environmental Prize

Sofia Gatica organizer of Mothers of Ituzaingó

May 11, 2015, www.non-gmoreport.com | “A mother whose infant died as a result of pesticide poisoning, Sofía Gatica is organizing local women to stop indiscriminate spraying of toxic agrochemicals in neighboring soy fields. Gatica was recently awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize in recognition of her courageous and successful efforts.”

Ami Linden shared a link to GoodNews FortheEarth‘s Timeline.
A mother whose infant died as a result of pesticide poisoning, Sofía Gatica is organizing local women to stop indiscriminate spraying of toxic agrochemicals in neighboring soy fields. Gatica was recently awarded…
non-gmoreport.com
  • Kevin Phillips and Rita Kerzen like this.

Expansion by Indonesia’s largest palm oil company frozen for disobeying RSPO standards

May 7, 2015, www.forestpeoples.org | “The RSPO’s Complaints Panel has upheld the Forest Peoples Programme in its complaint against Golden Agri Resources, which was seeking to expand 18 of its operations in Kalimantan. After concluding that it has ‘reasonable grounds’ to conclude that the company is in violation of several RSPO norms, the latest ‘determination’ by the Panel notes: ‘The Panel hereby prohibits GAR from acquiring or developing any new areas until this complaint has been dealt with to the satisfaction of the Complaints Panel.'”

‘Expansion by Indonesia’s largest palm oil company frozen for disobeying RSPO standards’
This is a big story for Indonesia! The RSPO’s Complaints Panel has upheld the Forest Peoples Programme in its complaint against Golden Agri Resources, which was seeking to expand 18 of its operations in Kalimantan. After concluding that it has ‘reasonable grounds’ to conclude that the company is in violation of several RSPO norms, the latest ‘determination’ by the Panel notes:

“The Panel hereby prohibits GAR from acquiring or developing any new areas until this complaint has been dealt with to the satisfaction of the Complaints Panel.”