The Big Pile

There are new articles in our local newspaper – the Vancouver Sun regarding the use of GMO foods. This blog post was first posted on May 30, 2013.

An article in the Wall Street Journal on May 21, 2013 reported that pesticide use is increasing again in the US – “Many Corn Farmers Go Back to Using Chemicals as Mother Nature Outwits Genetically Modified Seeds” http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323463704578496923254944066.html. Following the introduction of GMO corn seeds in 2003, the acreage of corn treated with insecticide dropped from 25% in 2005 to 9% in 2010, which is a substantial decrease. Now apparently two-thirds of corn grown in the US includes the Bt gene. It was reported that farmers are beginning to increase their use of insecticides again because some of the yields have declined by 60% due to the rootworms becoming immune to the gene modification.  And we were all so hoping that GMO was going to dramatically reduce our need for pesticides.

The promises were big. First, we had the development of Roundup®: “Developed in 1974, Roundup® brand agricultural herbicides continue to be a perfect fit with the vision of sustainable agriculture and environmental protection” http://www.monsanto.com/weedmanagement/Pages/roundup-ready-system.aspx. Starting around 1996, Monsanto released GMO seeds that were Roundup® resistant. What this means is that seeds were generated with a gene that rendered the crop immune to Roundup® (glyphosate), which meant that entire fields could be sprayed with the herbicide, which according to the manufacturer, was safe and environmentally friendly.  “This means you can spray Roundup agricultural herbicides in-crop from emergence through flowering for unsurpassed weed control, proven crop safety and maximum yield potential.” http://www.monsanto.com/weedmanagement/Pages/roundup-ready-system.aspx

In 2003, GMO seeds were introduced that included a toxin against insects: “For farmers today, it’s all about getting the most yield out of every acre of corn, while using as few inputs as possible — such as insecticides and nitrogen. Monsanto’s corn traits help farmers do this by providing cutting-edge technology that protects the plant’s yield.”  http://www.monsanto.com/products/Pages/corn-seeds.aspx. Now there is increasing concern about neonicotinoid pesticides.

Somehow the promises that biotechnology will improve the sustainability of our agriculture are not coming true. When we think of sustainability, we consider the social, the environmental and the economics.

1. the promise of safer herbicide – an increasing body of evidence suggests adverse health affects to humans and the environment

2. the promise of less harmful insecticides – an increasing body of evidence that insects adapt quickly and use of harmful insecticides may not decrease as promised

3. the promise of safer crops – a growing body of evidence of the affects of glyphosate and other pesticide and insecticide residues on human health.

3. the promise of increased profits for the farmers – increasing evidence that the net profits for the farmers are not increasing, and in some cases are actually decreasing.

There are a growing number of our food consumers that are not quite as convinced about all of this. “Many countries around the world will not accept imports of genetically modified  foods…American consumers also have shown increasing interest in avoiding genetically  modified foods”  http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Japan+suspends+wheat+imports/8465979/story.html#ixzz2Uyyd3lRM. There is a growing body of scientific evidence that challenges the claims of GMO safety that is getting more difficult to ignore. A former colleague is also now questioning the value of GMO (for more information, you can google Dr. Thierry Vrain).

This makes us think about whether there are alternatives? Some would argue that the only alternative is to go backward as a society. As a soil scientist, I think that the opportunities are boundless to further develop the principles of agroecology – which involves learning and understanding how soil organic matter management and plant diversity can not only resolve some of the pest problems, but also increase yields. We have so much to learn about interactions and synergies between microbes and plants in our plant and soil systems. There is an increasing body of evidence that increasing our learning of these interactions and synergies will be able to provide enough food for our world’s growing population. There is also increasing evidence that this can be done in a manner that improves the social and economic well being of our farmers, improves the sustainability of our environment.

As a scientist and a citizen of this planet, I vote for using our God-given brains to figure out how to benefit from the interactions and synergies between microbes and plants in our plant-soil systems. Safer, more sustainable, more fun….

We so often use the word “sustainable” in relation to our agricultural systems. What does this really mean? I am going to use some quotations from a definition from Dr. John Ikerd, a retired agricultural economist(http://www.sustainable-ag.ncsu.edu/onsustaibableag.htm), simply because he explains it so incredibly well.

“Agriculture, by its very nature, is an effort to shift the ecological balance so as to favor humans relative to other species in production of food and physical protection. Thus, if we sustain “agriculture” we are sustaining it for the ultimate benefit of humankind. I believe there is a general consensus also that we want to sustain agriculture for the well being of people, both of this generations and for all generations to follow, forever. I have seen no definition of sustainable agriculture that places a time horizon on how long agriculture should be sustained.”

“A sustainable agriculture must be ecologically sound, economically viable, and socially responsible. Furthermore, I contend that these three dimensions of sustainability are inseparable, and thus, are equally critical to long run sustainability.”

“Sustainable systems must be economically viable, either by nature or through human intervention. In many cases, farmers have economic incentives to adopt ecologically sound systems of farming. A healthy agroecosystem tends to be a productive and profitable agroecosystem. However, inherent conflicts exist between short run interests of individuals and long run interests of society as a whole. In such cases, society must provide economic incentives for individuals to act in ways consistent with long run societal interests.”

“Agriculture cannot be sustained if the only economically viable “neighbors” are those who degrade the agroecosystem in pursuit of short run profits.”

“Human societies that lack economic equity and social justice are inherently unstable, and thus, are not sustainable over time. Such systems will be characterized by recurring social conflicts which may do irreparable damage to both the economic and ecologic systems that must support them.”

“A socially responsible agriculture; one that equitably meets basic human food and fiber needs, provides economic opportunity, supports self-determination, and ensures social equity for both current and future generations; is no less critical to long run sustainability than is an ecologically sound and economically viable agriculture. We must have social incentives to create economic rewards for ecological protection. An important dimension of human nature is our ability to learn, discover new options, and to choose new and different responses. This ability to change our stimulus-response patterns is unique to the human species. Sustainability is not possible unless we develop our “collective” will to exercise this uniquely human social trait.”

“When agriculture production in a particular field is not autonomously sustainable, it places stress on the farming system as a whole. When a farm is not autonomously sustainable, it places stress on the community of which it is a part. When an agricultural sector is not sustainable, it places stress on a nation; and a nation that is not sustainable places stress on the rest of the world. Some lack of autonomous sustainability at all levels should be considered normal, even necessary, for a healthy, interdependent global society.”

“It is no less important to monitor and control the social stress an agricultural system places on farm families and others in rural communities than it is to monitor the economic stress agriculture puts on food consumers or the ecological stress agriculture puts on its natural environment.”

“Questions of social responsibility ultimately must be answered by society, by families, communities, and others affected collectively by agricultural decisions. However, it is logically imperative that we recognize ecological soundness, economic viability, and social responsibility all as essential and thus equally critical to the sustainability of agriculture.”

One of the reasons that I like this definition of sustainability is that it is inclusive, it invites participation from our communities, and it recognizes that we are part of a global community. We are all involved in this “agricultural experiment” together. How does our agriculture impact the health of our community, and what can we collectively do to maintain and improve it?

The beginning of a new year offers an opportunity to reflect on where we have been and where we are going. What model of agricultural waste management do we in the Fraser Valley have to offer the world? A similar question was posed to me a couple of weeks ago by a professional who was developing a sustainable community strategy for an agriculturally intensive area in another country. The question was actually more specific: “do you have a model for composting that can be used in other agricultural areas in the world?” It was followed up with the second question of: “How is composting done in the agriculturally intense Fraser Valley?”

There was an assumption implicit in the question. The assumption was that composting of excess agricultural waste is a strategy for sustainability. Is this true? If it is true, why isn’t it happening in the agriculturally intense Fraser Valley? What model of sustainability with respect to agricultural waste management does the Fraser Valley have to offer the world?

This conversation is also introspective. I have worked towards sustainability in agricultural waste management in the Fraser Valley for 23 years. How well have I done? How am I helping to make a safe and sustainable environment for our children and others in the world who share our planet?

In order to answer whether we in the Fraser Valley have anything to offer to the world in terms of a sustainable agricultural waste management models, I will do three things:

1. Consider applicable observations regarding our agriculture and food around the globe.

2. Address how agricultural waste management impacts some of these observations of food production and sustainability.

3. How are we doing with agricultural waste management in the Fraser Valley?

Observations Regarding Agriculture and Food Production

There are many observations regarding agriculture and food production around the world. Here are some that are global in nature, but also impact us in the Fraser Valley:

1. Food safety – microbes. We see increasing incidences of microbial contamination issues around our food. Worldwide, we are implementing Good Agricultural Practice to attempt to reduce risks.

2. Food safety – pesticides. Do we really need an increasing amount of pesticides on my food – are there alternatives? Worldwide, there is increased interest in agroecology and other farming methods to reduce the use of pesticides.

3. Food security – A significant amount of our valuable agricultural land is degraded. We also see that almost half of our organic matter in our soils has been lost – how does that affect our capability to produce food? How do we restore and maintain the quality of our soil, including our soil organic matter?

4. Water quality – we see that manure and fertilizer management can negatively impact water quality. How can we balance our need for healthy food with protecting our ground and surface water resources?

5. Air quality – How can our agriculture and forestry absorb increasing amounts of carbon dioxide? How can we reduce air and water quality impacts of gaseous emissions of ammonia, methane and other gases from agriculture?

How does agricultural waste management affect sustainability?

1. Animal manures contain 50% or more of the nutrients that were fed to the animals. How can we recycle these nutrients to reduce cost and environmental implications of producing nitrogen from fossil fuel, and mining of our finite resources of phosphorus and potash? How can we recycle the other micronutrients that are so important for enzyme production that produces healthy and sustainable food?

2. Animal waste contains bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella, among other microorganisms that may potentially cause contamination of vegetable and fruit crops through contaminated ditch water or from raw manures used to fertilize crops.

3. Agricultural wastes from field production, horticulture, greenhouse production and from animal production may contaminate ground and surface water, such as nitrate contamination of drinking water, and eutrophication of surface waters.

4. Agricultural wastes contain organic matter that is crucial for local healthy and sustainable food production from our soils, which also promote healthy microbial communities that provide resistance to disease.

5. Agricultural wastes may contribute to air quality concerns, specifically ammonia emission from animal agriculture. Methane emission is also a factor – however, most of the methane comes from the animals themselves in the case of cattle, not animal waste.

What model does the Fraser Valley use for agricultural waste management?

All of the above observations and impacts of agricultural waste management are relevant to agriculture in the Fraser Valley. Most of them had been documented and addressed already in the early 1990s with funding from British Columbia and Canada.

I would suggest that two significant questions that we have to address regarding agricultural waste in the Fraser Valley are:

1.  How will we sustainably manage the excess nutrients produced from agriculture, particularly from animal farms that import most or all of their feed?

2. How will we address the potential microbial contamination of vegetable and fruit crops?

The current model being promoted in the Fraser Valley for agricultural waste management is anaerobic digestion.  Although anaerobic digestion does not address how to manage excess nutrients, and only partially addresses potential microbial contamination of crops, the hope is that somehow there will be enough economic profit from anaerobic digestion that will allow agriculture to voluntarily manage nutrients and microbes. (Many areas concerned about excess nutrients place restrictions on land application rates, and then allow the market to determine whether anaerobic digestion is a good waste management option to meet these requirements).

Opportunities for sustainable agricultural waste management exist where solutions are required. Recently I considered an opportunity to obtain heat energy and create organic fertilizer from one of the types of agricultural waste produced in the Fraser Valley. What I realized when I started inquiring, that if no parties, including the BC Ministry of Agriculture, the BC Ministry of Environment or the Agricultural Land Commission are expressing concern regarding agricultural waste management, there is very little opportunity for developing solutions. I have had to suggest that the potential investors look for better opportunities.

I think that we have the setting, the resources and the ability to create some excellent models of sustainability to pass on to future generations and to other areas of our world. We have intensive animal agriculture and intensive crop production occurring on a very vulnerable aquifer that provides drinking water to communities in both Canada and the US. How can we develop a model of sustainability that encourages the agricultural production while protecting the aquifer? We have large animal farms in close proximity to intensive vegetable and fruit production that requires clean water for irrigation. How can we manage our agricultural wastes to protect irrigation water? These are only two examples of the opportunities that exist for us with agricultural waste management in the Fraser Valley.

Opportunties for sustainability – how can we improve our organic waste management to reduce the discharge of E. coli into the irrigation water for our blueberries? (a discharge of >15,000 MPN E. coli/100 mL water to an irrigation ditch from an MOE regulated facility is considered by some to be high).

Each one of us has a desire to somehow make a difference in our world – it gives our life meaning. Whether we want to create sustainable models of waste management that can be implemented by others in the world is likely more a question of how we view the world and our place in it.

Given the global questions of food quality and food security, there are many areas who are hungry for the hope of opportunity for sustainable agriculture waste management. My own goal is to create models of sustainability in keepng with international priorities such as outlined by the United Nations

“205. We recognize the economic and social significance of good land management, including soil, particularly its contribution to economic growth, biodiversity, sustainable agriculture and food security, eradicating poverty, the empowerment of women, addressing climate change and improving water availability.” (United Nations 2012)

“agriculture must not compromise its ability to satisfy future needs. The loss of biodiversity, unsustainable use of water, and pollution of soils and water are issues which compromise the continuing ability for natural resources to support agriculture.” (United Nations 2010)

References

United Nations. 2010. Report submitted by the Special Rapporteur on the right to food, Olivier De Schutter. http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/food/docs/A-HRC-16-49.pdf

United Nations. 2012. Rio +20 – The Future We Want. http://www.globalagriculture.org/fileadmin/pics/weltagrarbericht/Bilder_Global_Agriculture/TheFutureWeWant.pdf