Scars of War Remain for Laotian Farmers

(NEWSER) - The various sectors of the global economy have become so entwined with food production that prices are acting in a very “puzzling” manner, the Economist reports. Last year, the market responded rationally to the global food crisis of 2007-08, increasing production and thus lowering prices. But with another bumper crop expected, prices are up, “increasing at a time of plenty.” More»

Dow's 'Enlist' resists powerful herbicide

(NEWSER) - Debate is raging over a new biotech corn engineered by Dow Chemical. The corn, called "Enlist," is intended to solve farmers' struggle against tough weeds; that's because it's resistant to a powerful herbicide, also made by Dow. But environmentalists fear that wind, heat, and humidity would carry the herbicide toward distant areas where it could damage other crops, as well as trees and gardens, reports Reuters . Dow says its new version of the herbicide, called 2,4-D, cuts such "drift" by 90%. More»

'No-till' agriculture is eco-friendly and rising in popularity

(NEWSER) - A transformation in farming may be under way, one that leaves plows in the dust. It's called "no-till" farming, and the AFP (via Raw Story ) catches up with the growing trend in Indiana. The idea is that a plow—or on a smaller scale, a garden shovel—disrupts the natural structure of soil. Leaving the earth intact results in healthier soil in the long run, thus reducing the need for fertilizers. About 35% of US crops, including half of all soybeans, are now grown with the practice, says the Agriculture Department. More»

Small-scale agriculture provides a path toward real solutions: Joel Salatin

(NEWSER) - In a recent New York Times op-ed , James McWilliams dismissed the movement toward smaller-scale, sustainable farming as ultimately unworkable in terms of logistics, and nowhere near as good for the environment as proponents suggest. In doing so, he called out one of the movement's leaders, Joel Salatin of Virginia's Polyface Farms, who writes in Grist that McWilliams' essay has "enough factual errors and skewed assumptions to fill a book." More»

Human Rights Watch cites eyewitness near Turkey, Lebanon

(NEWSER) - Earlier reports accused Syria of planting landmines along its Lebanese border, and according to witnesses, the practice shows no sign of waning. Mines are being placed along the routes refugees typically use to flee into neighboring Lebanon and Turkey, Human Rights Watch said today, citing eyewitness reports. One former Syrian Army deminer said he has removed around 300 from a route leading to Turkey this month, while a 15-year-old boy said he'd lost a leg while crossing into Lebanon. "I was less than [165-195 feet] away from the crossing border when the landmine exploded," he said; a friend he was helping to cross died. More»