8/19/04

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1.  Factory Farms - Get Out of Dodge! 
2.Frozen Ark Highlights Plight of Endangered Species 
3.  Judge Rules For Disclosure of BioPharm Locations 
4.  Cornell Opens Organic Demonstration Farm

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FACTORY FARMS - GET OUT OF DODGE! 

In Minnesota, residents of the Ripley Township and their neighbors are mobilizing against corporate interests that want to put a huge mega dairy near the township. While the majority of the residents have strongly opposed the idea, the factory farm is being aggressively pushed by giant agri-business interests.

When the Minnesota Agri-Growth Council, a lobby group for some of the largest corporate ag interests in the state visited the township, residents and local farmers gathered with trucks and tractors and carrying signs that read "MN Agri-Growth Get Out Of Dodge," "Citizens for a Healthy Dodge County," and "No Factory Farms." 

Minnesota's governor, Tim Pawlentry is obfuscating the issue. On one hand he his telling farmers he wants local citizens to maintain control over local issues. On the other he had officially endorsed the conclusions of a statewide livestock task force that is recommending weakening the rights of townships to decide the siting of large feedlots. Learn more.

FROZEN ARK HIGHLIGHTS PLIGHT OF ENDANGERED SPECIES 

Five periods over the span of geologic time have witnessed massive extinctions on Earth. The latest was 65 million years ago when a comet or meteorite apparently wiped out the dinosaurs. Now scientists say species on Earth are facing another mass extinction, this one caused by humans. 

The rate is so alarming they are calling this period the "Sixth Great Extinction" and more than 34,000 plant species and 5,200 animal species around the world are now said to be endangered. 

To counter this decline, global scientists concerned about the loss of precious endangered DNA have launched a project they claim would make Noah proud. They are calling it the Frozen Ark – a DNA storage project that will house the DNA from 10,000 endangered species from around the globe. 

According to Nottingham University population geneticist Bryan Clarke, "The Frozen Ark is not a conservation measure but rather a back-up plan for when all best conservation efforts have failed."  

JUDGE RULES FOR DISCLOSURE OF BIOPHARM CROP LOCATIONS 

A federal district court judge last week ordered the United States Department of Agriculture to disclose the locations of open-air field tests in Hawaii of biopharmaceutical crops. BioPharm are those that crops that have been genetically modified to produce industrial chemicals and drugs, potentially including contraceptives, hormones, vaccines and other compounds. 

Consumer and food safety groups have long been concerned that open-air test plots of BioPharm crops, including corn and soybeans, could potentially contaminate the human food supply and the environment. The USDA and biotech industries, however, had resisted divulging the location of the test plots, citing fears of espionage, vandalism, and civil unrest. 

In last week's ruling, the judge ordered the USDA to provide the plaintiffs with the location information and ordered that the information would become public in 90 days unless USDA came up with better evidence of specific harm. Earthjustice attorney Paul Achitoff, who argued the case on behalf of the Center for Food Safety, Friends of the Earth, Pesticide Action Network North America, and KAHEA: The Hawaiian-Environmental Alliance, said of the ruling: "At least now plaintiffs can find out if these crops are being grown near conventional crops that can be cross-pollinated, in ecologically sensitive areas, or near schools or homes." 

CORNELL OPENS ORGANIC DEMONSTRATION FARM 

With the organic produce market topping 7 billion dollars in annual sales many farmers are looking to transition to niche markets in the lucrative industry. To help them out, Cornell University has just opened an organic research site to illustrate and study various organic production methods. The Freeville Organic Research Farm, sponsored by the University opened to the public this week and dedicates five acres to modeling various organic production methods. 

Cornell, supported by funds from the USDA, is also conducting field research in surrounding areas helping to gather information on a host of issues ranging from composting to natural pesticide protection. With the organic industry growing at a rate of 20% annually, smart producers are finding income alternatives through locally sold organic produce production. 

Cultivating a vision where rural and urban communities join together
 to ensure abundant family farms, healthy critters, clean water and a wild Earth.  

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Rural Updates!
Scotty Johnson and Aimee Delach
National Rural Community Outreach Campaign
sjohnson@defenders.org