Soil Erosion

The first time I learned about erosion, I was a starry eyed ten year old in my very first science class.  It was during our unit on the environment, where we learned all the basics: the water cycle, how plants turn carbon dioxide into oxygen, the layers of the earth, and most importantly, how pollution and overproduction can affect these systems.  Now, as a concerned member of a fragile ecosystem, I find it hard to believe how many people have forgotten these lessons.

Soil erosion is a natural occurrence arising largely from rain and dust storms.  This can happen to any ecosystem, and once upon a time it would not have been much of an issue; lost soil will be replaced over time.   However, for obvious reasons, losing top soil-the first few inches of dirt from which plants derive most of their nutrients-is a very big problem if you're trying to grow food for a country.  For this reason, Iowa, our nation's largest producer of corn, has received particular attention recently for its unparalleled loss of soil.

In the last few months, the price of corn and soybeans has increased dramatically, leading Iowa's farmers to grow these crops on a scale that is just irresponsible.  To increase their yields, crops are being planted row to row all the way up to rivers and streams at the edges of a field.  Not only does this type of overzealous planting cause significant farm run-off from nitrogen based fertilizers, but also creates the perfect conditions if you're looking to destroy the land for future generations.  Soil erodes the fastest next to bodies of water; couple this scientific fact with artificial chemicals from industrial fertilizer, plowing, and climate change causing more frequent and severe storms throughout Iowa, and you get a state depleting its soil at a rate unacceptable to sustain this system.

For more information on the situation in Iowa and how soil loss affects our food system, I recommend you read the research recently conducted by the Environmental Working Group, an organization dedicated to distributing information related to public health and environmental protection.  EWG just released a report on soil erosion, the summary of which can be found quickly and easily on youtube, and supplied here for your viewing pleasure.

Monsanto and Corporate Takeover

In the past, I've mentioned the shift in control of the farming industry from your local farmer to your national suppliers.  Right now I want to take a look at one particular company that is working hard to control the food chain: Monsanto.

Monsanto makes its money selling seeds and herbicides and bankrupting farmers in the process.  You may recognize their biggest "cash crop," if you will, from your own garden-Roundup, the most popular weed killer on the market today.  That's their claim to fame, and in the great tradition of "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" thinking, Monsanto has found a clever way to market the same product to farmers in different permutations by genetically engineering their seed to be Roundup Ready.  Generally, Roundup is so popular because it takes no prisoners; it just kills anything that photosynthesizes.  Therefore, you used to have to be a little careful where you sprayed it, but these genetically engineered Roundup Ready seeds are able to resist the effects of the harmful herbicide.  This innovation made spraying easier for farmers and allowed the company to take control of both the seed and herbicide industries.  Now, Monsanto has the largest number of patents on seeds and owns twenty different seed distributors. 

Basically, that means it is Monsanto's mission to control every field America, and beyond!  But you know, there is a reason America went to so much trouble to break up monopolies like this a century ago: it's bad for consumer's when one company owns an entire industry.  For decades now, Monsanto has been making all the rules because they know how to play the game.  Making money isn't just about selling products when its on such a large scale, you also have to play the politicians.  So, over the past few decades Monsanto has managed to get their employees into important positions with the EPA, FDA, and USDA, including President Obama's appointing Tom Vilsack as the Secretary of Agriculture in 2008.  Vilsack is a long time supporter of Monsanto and the Biotech industry, so this particular appointment has been tough for many environmentalists to stomach.  With this man making decisions about how the $97 billion dollar USDA budget is being spent, it is more than unfortunate that the agricultural community does not agree with him.  For instance, the government's recent approval of Monsanto's GE Alfalfa Hay has been attributed in large part to Vilsack by several sources. 

In the end, supporting Monsanto is directly opposing the small farmer.  As you may already know, spraying herbicides only works for so long.  Eventually, nature catches up to modern pest control, which leads farmers to spray more and more to achieve the same effects, like crazy herbicide addicts.  As for the actual seed, studies show genetically modified seeds have lose their effectiveness and viability after one growing season.  In the good old days, a farmer could have saved themselves money by cultivating and saving their own seed.  Thanks to the innovators at Monsanto, that's slowly becoming a thing of the past. Even more unbelievable, if you wanted to save your seed for some reason, you are no longer allowed.  Because they hold a patent on seeds (a.k.a. nature), Monsanto and companies like it have made it illegal to save and store any subsequent generations.  In effect, they are trying to make it illegal to plant reproduction.  Who benefits from this type of legislation?  The big companies.  Who does it hurt?  Farmers and eaters.

The Benefits of Organic Farming

Organic (in three definitions):

-being or relating to or derived from or having properties characteristic of living organisms
-involving or affecting physiology or bodily organs (an organic illness)
-of or relating to foodstuff grown or raised without synthetic fertilizers or pesticides or hormones


Today, I'm going to be talking about that third definition, but I thought it was important to remind you readers that it is related to the first two.  It seems to me like the term has been twisted around about itself a lot since the beginning of the organic farming movement in the 60s, and I don't want its roots to get lost in history.

Organic farming often gets flak from those shoppers strongly committed to their cheap, industrial meat and produce, and I think I understand where the animosity comes from.  Just to look at, the only observable difference between a bag of organic baby carrots and the regular stuff is the price, and why would you ever want to pay more for the same product?  But, if you could see the processing that went behind these two bags with the same cursory glance you give a price tag, you might see my point.

One of the biggest problems with factory farming that can be easily avoided with organic practices is pollution.  Like any kind of pollution, the industrial farm is one link in a long chain we call our environment, so what you put into the soil on a farm in Mississippi could travel downstream and contaminate the drinking water of a family in New Orleans.  Nitrogen-based fertilizers are a common cause of groundwater pollution in communities that rely on farming and the surrounding areas across the country.  Furthermore, these fertilizers are used to increase the growing potential of a field of course, but over time they produce the opposite effect.  The soil is degraded by harsh chemical additives like ammonia, and eventually even effects the amount of nutrients (especially antioxidants) to be found in the foods growing there.

In addition to reducing pollution and enhancing the nutritiousness of your food, organic farming has positive effects on biodiversity, small farmers, and your very own body.  For more information, visit The Organic Trade Association, and see what a difference a few dollars really makes.