Agriculture

Handling Pesticides Associated With Greater Asthma Risk In Farm Women
"Farm women are an understudied occupational group," said Jane Hoppin, Sc.D., of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and lead author of the study. "More than half the women in our study applied pesticides, but there is very little known about the risks." >> Read the Full Article
Thousands of Tons of Organic Food Produced Using Toxic Chemicals
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Loosing more than we gain from Autumn warming in the north
Gif-sur-Yvette, France - An international study investigating the carbon sink capacity of northern terrestrial ecosystems discovered that the duration of the net carbon uptake period (CUP) has on average decreased due to warmer autumn temperatures. >> Read the Full Article
European conference aims to create global commodity market for non-GM soy and feed
Brussels, Belgium - Ensuring a reliable, global supply of non-GM soy for feed was the focus of a two-day conference held in December in Brussels, Belgium. The conference, â€œNon-GM Feedstuffs, Quality Productions and European Regional Agriculturesâ€™ Strategy,â€ was organized by Europeâ€™s GMO-Free Regions Network and the European Committee of Regions, which hosted the event at its Brussels headquarters. >> Read the Full Article
Study: Growing more rice with less water
Tripura, India â€“ A new method to grow rice could save hundreds of billions of cubic metres of water while increasing food security, according to a study by WWF published today. With a focus on India â€“ a country which faces a major water crisis, yet has the worldâ€™s largest rice cultivated area â€“ the study found that the system of rice intensification (SRI) method has helped increase yields by over 30% â€” four to five tonnes per hectare instead of three tonnes per hectare, while using 40% less water than conventional methods. >> Read the Full Article
China to crack down on unlicensed production, sale of food
Beijing - China will launch another nationwide campaign on Jan. 1 next year to crack down on unlicensed production and sale of food, in a fresh effort to ensure food safety, the country's top quality inspection watchdog said. >> Read the Full Article
Bhutan's Green Postage Stamp, A Mini CD ROM
PITTSBURGH - The tiny nation of Bhutan, whose national credo is "Gross National Happiness," has launched an innovative postage stamps to support its economic development-and to preserve its pristine Himalayan environment-at the same time. The CD stamps are the latest in a series of postage stamp "firsts" by Bhutan since the 1960s. The stamps are mini-CDs that fit into exquisitely decorated self-adhesive envelopes. When affixed to a larger envelop, the CD stamp can be used as postage. >> Read the Full Article
U.S. Organic Cotton Production Gains Ground
GREENFIELD, Mass. - U.S. acreage planted to organic cotton in 2006 increased 14% from that planted the previous year, according to a 2007 survey conducted by the Organic Trade Association (OTA) and funded by a grant from Cotton Incorporated. >> Read the Full Article
Conifers or condos?
Seattle, Washington - The Northwest Environmental Forum is a University of Washington College of Forest Resources think tank involving forest companies, small landowners, environmental advocates, Native American tribes, government agencies and land conservation organizations is trying to decide how to develop strategies for the legislature, the Department of Natural Resources, other land owners and non-governmental organizations to retain and acquire working forests in the state. >> Read the Full Article
Chile approves native forest law after 15 years
[SANTIAGO] The Chilean parliament has unanimously approved a law to preserve the country's forests, promote their sustainable use and foster related scientific research. >> Read the Full Article