Category: What We’re Reading

Pesticide Police, Overwhelmed By Dicamba Complaints, Ask EPA For Help

Written by Lacey Benz on February 6, 2020. Posted in What We're Reading.

NPR reports on dicamba drift overwhelming Midwestern pesticide testing labs. Dicamba is a Bayer Monsanto-manufactured herbicide that was approved for use by the EPA in 2016. Dicamba is sprayed on genetically engineered soybean plants that are resistant to the herbicide and survive, while surrounding weeds die. Since its implementation, dicamba has faced harsh criticism because of its propensity to drift. Pesticide drift has long been a danger to organic farmers. It’s one reason that...

Is Organic Farming Risky?

Written by Lacey Benz on October 25, 2019. Posted in What We're Reading.

The National Center for Appropriate Technology recently released a report evaluating risk in organic agriculture based on five years of research. “I’m able to report that we found no strong evidence that organic farms are any riskier than non-organic ones, and at least some evidence to the contrary”, says Jeff Schahczenski, an Agriculture and Natural Resource Economist who helped author the report. Our own farmer partner, Doug Crabtree, who operates Vilicus Farms with...

Soil Wealth

Written by Lacey Benz on August 8, 2019. Posted in What We're Reading.

Croatan Institute recently released Soil Wealth, a comprehensive look at investing in regenerative agriculture across the US. Their term, soil wealth, relates to “the constellation of benefits associated with building both soil health and community wealth through regenerative agriculture.” The report offers an in-depth study of what’s already happening in this space alongside recommendations for capacity-building and growing the movement. We’re highlighted...

‘A major punch in the gut’: Midwest rains projected to create near-record dead zone in Gulf

Written by Lacey Benz on June 20, 2019. Posted in What We're Reading.

It’s been a slow spring in the Midwest, marked by historically wet conditions that have caused floods and delayed planting throughout the region. These effects are being felt throughout the region and beyond: flooding in the Midwest is accelerating the flow of water from the Mississippi River into the Gulf of Mexico. The Washington Post recently reported on the connection between Midwestern agriculture and ocean health – and it’s not pretty. It’s critical that the farms in the Mississippi...

The Chicken and The Egg: Stop Linear Farming and Embrace Circular Agriculture

Written by Lacey Benz on October 24, 2018. Posted in What We're Reading.

In a recent Forbes article, “The Chicken and The Egg: Stop Linear Farming and Embrace Circular Agriculture,” our partners at Main Street Project had their poultry-centered permaculture model featured in an interview with head agronomist, Reginaldo Haslett-Marroquin. In it, he speaks about Main Street’s holistic approach to farming with nature and building an equitable model where smallholder farmers can succeed. Our favorite quotes from the article: On their vision – “As farmers...