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Regional Farm & Food Project May 2006 News If you think small farms are key to your quality of life, these news stories should interest you! 9 news stories...
1. Why Isn't the Richest Country in the World the Healthiest Country in the World? Study Shows Americans Sicker Than English CHICAGO - Middle-aged, white Americans are much sicker than their counterparts in England, startling new research shows, despite U.S. health care spending per person that's more than double what England spends. A higher rate of Americans tested positive for diabetes and heart disease than the English. Americans also self-reported more diabetes, heart attacks, strokes, lung disease and cancer. The gap between the countries holds true for educated and uneducated, rich and poor. "At every point in the social hierarchy there is more illness in the United States than in England and the differences are really dramatic," said study co-author Dr. Michael Marmot, an epidemiologist at University College London in England. The study, appearing in Wednesday's Journal of the American Medical Association, adds context to the already-known fact that the United States spends more on health care than any other industrialized nation, yet trails in rankings of life expectancy. The United States spends about $5,200 per person on health care while England spends about half that in adjusted dollars. "Everybody should be discussing it: Why isn't the richest country in the world the healthiest country in the world?" Marmot said. "It's something of a mystery," said Richard Suzman of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, which helped fund the study. The researchers looked for answers in the data, which came from government-sponsored health surveys. The research was supported by grants from government agencies in both countries. A U.S. researcher from the Rand Corp. was on the team. Smoking rates are about the same on both sides of the pond. The English have a higher rate of heavy drinking, but a higher percentage of Americans are obese. The researchers crunched numbers to create a hypothetical statistical world in which the English had American lifestyle risk factors, including being as fat as Americans. In that model, the researchers found Americans still would be sicker. Only non-Hispanic whites were included in the study to eliminate the influence of racial disparities. The researchers looked only at people ages 55 through 64, and the average age of the samples was the same. Americans reported twice the rate of diabetes compared to the English: 12.5 percent versus 6 percent. For high blood pressure, it was 42 percent for Americans versus 34 percent for the English; cancer showed up in 9.5 percent of Americans compared to 5.5 percent of English. The upper crust in both countries was healthier than middle-class and low-income people in the same country. But richer Americans' health status resembled the health of the low-income British. Health experts have known the U.S. population is less healthy than that of other industrialized nations, according to several important measurements. US. life expectancy, for example, ranks behind that of about two dozen other countries, according to the World Health Organization. Some have believed the U.S. has lagged because it has a more ethnically diverse population than some of the higher-ranking countries, said Suzman, who heads the National Institute on Aging's Behavioral and Social Research Program. "Minority health in general is worse than white health," he said. But the new study showed that when minorities are removed from the equation, and adjustments are made to control for education and income, white people in England are still healthier than white people in the United States. "As far as I know, this is the first study showing this," said Suzman who called the results "surprising." But some other experts said the findings were predictable. Earlier studies have shown the United States does a poorer job than other industrialized countries at providing primary medical care to its citizens, particularly to those with less education and income, said Dr. Barbara Starfield, a professor of health policy and pediatrics at Johns Hopkins University. "Countries oriented toward providing good primary care basically do better in health," she said. Marmot offered yet another explanation for the gap: Americans' financial insecurity. Improvements in household income have eluded all but the top fifth of Americans since the mid-1970s. Meanwhile, English citizens saw their incomes improve, he said. Robert Blendon, a professor of health policy at the Harvard School of Public Health who was not involved in the study, said the stress of striving for the American dream may account for Americans' lousy health. "The opportunity to go both up and down the socioeconomic scale in America may create stress," Blendon said. Americans don't have a reliable government safety net like the English enjoy, he said. However, Britain's universal health-care system shouldn't get credit for better health, Marmot and Blendon agreed. Both said it might explain better health for low-income citizens, but can't account for better health of England's more affluent residents. Marmot cautioned against looking for explanations in the two countries' health-care systems. "It's not just how we treat people when they get ill, but why they get ill in the first place," Marmot said. More info on this at www.non-gm-farmers.com, www.rachel.org. 2. Irish Farmers Ask for Ban on GM Crop Trials Farmers Ask Council to Ban GM Trials A NUMBER of farmers in the Summerhill area are to formally request Meath County Council to pass a motion prohibiting the cultivation of genetically modified (GMO) seeds and crops in Meath. The landowners are also asking the local authority to exclude county council funding for the procurement of food containing GM ingredients and to prohibit the transportation of live GMO seeds (including rape seed approved for animal feed) on roads in its jurisdiction. At an emergency meeting in Summerhill last week, local farmers expressed concern about the economic impacts of GMO contamination on the future of Irish farming. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has received 96 submissions from the public, of which all but one oppose the proposed five-year experiment with 450,000 patented genetically modified potatoes near Summerhill. The GM experiment is thought likely to get the go-ahead in coming weeks. Jim Cosgrave, a drystock and tillage farm from Enfield, said farmers who become contaminated by GM potatoes or GM superweeds would not only face patent issues, but would also face mandatory GM labelling, loss of market share and a significant drop in the property value of their land. According to the GM-Free Ireland Network, which organised the meeting, the local community is worried about the fact that farmers who become contaminated by the patented potatoes may lose ownership of their crops. They are also worried about the scientific evidence of health and environmental risks and a threatened boycott of Irish potatoes if the experiment goes ahead. BASF Plant Science GmbH, a subsidiary of the world's largest chemicals company, notified the EPA on 13th January last of its intention to conduct the open air experiment to test the GMO potatoes, which have been modified with DNA from viruses, bacteria and a Mexican wild potato relative to make them more blight-resistant. The experiment will take place on a farm at Arodstown from this month to October 2010. Under the EC's precautionary rules for GMO trials, the EPA has 28 days to approve or reject the application. Failure to do so provides the applicant with an automatic go ahead. The current deadline for the EPA's decision is Friday 12th May. The GM-Free Ireland Network is hosting another meeting in the Newgrange Hotel, Navan, this Friday night at 8pm. It has indicated that over 5,000 citizens have signed a petition requesting the Government to join other EU countries with a blanket ban on GM seeds and crops. Michael O'Callaghan of the GM-Free Ireland Network said it was clearly in the economic, health and environmental interest of Meath farmers and consumers to prevent the GMO potato experiment from going ahead. "So long as this Government continues to put the interests of trans-national biotech companies before the food security of its own citizens by failing to prohibit all GMO seeds and crops, it is up to local communities and county councils to take responsibility." 3. Using Disease Hysteria to Target Independent Producers Whether the disease attacks animals or humans, these days the USDA's strategy for threat management seems to be to shut down the smallest operations first, and ignore or deny the threat posed by the largest operations. Some folks suspect that this is part of an unspoken strategy to eliminate small farms from the food system altogether, which would be consistent with the USDA's long held view that farmers need to get big or get out. Examples of USDA policies that put a disproportionate burden on small farms are the proposed National Animal Identification System, the current approach to Mad Cow disease, the current approach to Avian Flu, the continued allowance of antibiotics to be used routinely in livestock feed, the promotion of genetic monocultures, the current "reactor" approach to identifying and eliminating livestock disease, support for genetically modified crops, lack of support for raw milk products, lack of food safety inspection services for small producers, and food safety regulations that favor the largest producers. To learn more about the regulatory threats to small farms check out Acres U.S.A. "A Voice for Eco-Agriculture". Executive editor, Charles Walters, a longtime farm and food policy watch dog, articulates the threat to small farms particularly well in the April 2006 issue. Also in that issue is a very provocative article on "GM Soil" by Darrin Qualman of the Canadian Farmer's Union. www.acresusa.com/magazines/magazine.htm 4. Will We Grow Vegetables in Winter? High Tunnel Tour Innovative Farmers Educate Agency Personnel and Other Farmers about the Design and Management of High Tunnels High tunnels are greenhouse-like structures that offer farmers an inexpensive means to extend the growing and marketing seasons, intensify production, and reduce weather-related risk. Learn how a handful of experienced farmers use these cost-effective structures to grow early tomatoes, cucumbers, salad greens, cut flowers and a wide range of fall and winter salad crops. For the past year and a half, a Northeast SARE project, sponsored by the Regional Farm & Food Project, has been documenting how innovative farmers in four states are using high tunnels to enhance their enterprises. On Thursday, June 8, 2006, from 10 AM until 3 PM, a free tour is offered to educate extension educators, researchers, agricultural marketers, farmers’ market managers, and other agricultural service providers as well as farmers about the real world uses and designs of high tunnels. The tour will visit three farms in southern Washington County. The first stop, Windflower Farm, in Easton, is 30 miles northeast of Albany, NY. The final stop, Slack Hollow Farm, in Argyle, is 25 miles farther north, and the second farm, New Minglewood Farm, in Greenwich, is located in between. This free tour, sponsored by the Regional Farm & Food Project and Cornell Cooperative Extension, is made possible by a grant from the Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program. A video featuring case studies of high tunnels on six farms and a high tunnel decision-making manual will be released in early summer. A delicious catered three-course lunch will be available for $12 if you RSVP by June 5 or $15 at the tour, quantities permitting. To make reservations, please call Carol McDonald at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Rensselaer County at 518-272-4210. Or email Ted Blomgren at tab17@@cornell.edu. Tour Itinerary:
Directions to Windflower Farm:
5. Farm Tourists Find School of Country Wisdom Country Wisdom Sampler - Farms, Food, Fun & More Food! Save your gas. We'll give you a day trip to remember. Register online at www.schoolofcountrywisdom.com/course_view.asp?key=2818>
School Hill Farm is a 200-acre pastured dairy with environmentally-friendly grown vegetables and hydroponic greens, owned by John and Terran Radliff and their family. The 40-cow Holstein herd is rotated through paddocks of fresh green grass to produce milk that is sought after by McGillycuddy's, a local milk soap artisan. John's sons and daughter lead the vegetable operations including selling at the Festival Farmers Market in Cobleskill and maintaining the farm stand. Jed Radliff began growing greens last year using an inexpensive, low-tech approach to hydroponic production from March through November. Their farm also has plenty of kittens, chickens, ducks and a goat. We'll take a spot on John and Terran's lawn for a 3-course (salad, sandwich and dessert) gourmet boxed lunch featuring meat from Sweet Tree Farm in Carlisle, Schoharie County. Sweet Tree Farm is a 200-acre pastured livestock farm owned by Judy Pangman and Frank Johnson. Cows, pigs and chickens are rotated through paddocks of fresh green grass to produce meat and eggs with superior flavor and more nutrients. Frank and Judy cut their own meat on a mobile processing unit, and sell it at their farm store as well as the Troy Farmers Market. Then we will visit McGillycuddy's Natural Soap shop filled with fine handcrafted natural soaps and bath products in an array of scents, colors, shapes and sizes. Featuring moisturizing cow and goat milk soap and olive oil based bar soaps, all created with pure natural ingredients including essential oils, dried flowers and herbs to sooth and pamper all skin types. See where John's milk goes. And we'll see their horse farm, too! Next at Thyme for Tea Tasting your taste buds will take over during a leisurely lesson in exploring the five main types of tea, while homemade scones cleanse your palate between samples. Like perfume, you''ll find a tea that suits you. Sip and relax. With over 15 years experience in the natural food industry, Christine Rhicter opened Thyme for Tea in the heart of Lawyersville. Her shop is in a stately home built in 1810 for Thomas Lawyer, Schoharie County''s first Congressman. Christine is an avid gardener, a graduate of the California Culinary Academy, and currently teaches baking and pastry making as an adjunct instructor at SUNY Cobleskill. When you register, please indicate sandwich choice during registration from options below: www.schoolofcountrywisdom.com/course_view.asp?key=2818> 6. Addressing the Challenges of Farm-to-School Programs While there is generally a lot of enthusiasm for providing more fresh, whole foods in our schools, the process of sourcing food from regional farms and turning it into delicious meals presents a variety of challenges. For example, our peak growing season occurs when school is recessed for summer vacation. Our farms are just beginning to learn to grow food in winter. Farm fresh foods typically cost more than industrial packaged foods, which presents school administrators and food service directors with cost-control challenges. Food service directors don't always have time to source food directly from multiple farms. Many farms are not able to commit to a consistent supply of product, or large enough quantities for schools. Many of our schools don't have kitchens suitable for cleaning, prepping, cooking and serving farm fresh foods. And food distributors trying to be cost-competitive may be challenged to sell local foods at a price schools can afford. Yet, we know from those that have overcome all of these challenges that the benefits to children's health, school life, and our regional agriculture economy make farm-to-school programs a priority for K-12 schools across the state. The Regional Farm & Food Project is presenting a workshop to teach parents, students, faculty, staff, food service directors, farmers and food distributors how to build supply and demand for local foods in our K-12 schools. Participants will learn how the school food systems works, the role of food service directors and food distributors, and the supporting resources available from the state. Getting Organized to Have Local Foods in Your School Next Fall Saturday, May 20, 11:00 am to 4:00 pm Co-Sponsored by Please plan to attend this event if you are interested in seeing more local foods in your K-12 school cafeteria. You will learn the things you need to know to begin to build the supply of local foods for your school. If you are a farmer, a food service director or a food distributor this event will offer you an opportunity to network with the farm-to-school business community. This event is free and open to the public. Honest Weight Food Coop will provide a light lunch. If your organization would like to table at this event, please call Billie Best at 518-271-0744. SPEAKERS
For more information contact Billie Best at 518-271-0744 or billie@farmandfood.org. 7. Rethinking Food Safety: Is Small Safer? Excerpt from policy recommendations being discussed by sustainable agriculture organizations... Food Safety Inspection
There may be specified exemptions to some federal food safety inspection regulations, e.g., for on-farm processing of poultry. Meat and dairy products that are sold across state lines must be federally inspected by the USDA for food safety: the animals, the production process, the premises and the product are all subject to inspection. Federal vs. State Inspection Some states use the federal government as their food safety inspection service and have not established their own food safety inspection programs (i.e., they don’t have state food safety inspectors). If a state has its own food safety inspection program, then it is likely that the state’s regs are more restrictive than federal regs.
Reciprocity Between Federal Inspection, State Inspection & Foreign Inspection
Foreign imports are not required to be inspected by a USDA inspector to cross international and state lines.
“Any change to allow interstate sales of state inspected products would increase the locally produced and processed meat products available in the retail market, especially in cities located on or near state borders.” (The Legal Guide for Direct Farm Marketing by Neil D. Hamilton, Drake University Agriculture Law Center,1999)
State Regulations
States may require inspection of processes that are exempt under federal regulations (e.g., on-farm processing of poultry may be exempt from federal inspection, but may not be allowed in some states or may require state inspection).
Harmonizing Regulations Within States
A state level policy that encourages farm-direct sales fosters entrepreneurship, strengthens farm viability and increases community food security. Each state has the opportunity to cultivate its own community-based food systems by establishing food system regulations that favor the smallest operations. Small operators, in operations under a specified size, would benefit from a:
Recommendations for Improving Federal and State Food Safety Inspection Processes
Train and certify food safety inspectors in small-scale production processes, mobile processing units, and on-farm food processing.
Increase access to food safety inspection services for small operators.
Market theory suggests that competition among food safety inspection service providers should improve the quality of food safety inspection while increased competition reduces the cost. Build public trust in small-scale food processing by making all food safety inspection reports public.
Recommendation for Improving Small Livestock Farm Viability
There is no logical, science-based reason why it is safer to produce 3,000 pounds of chicken on farm than it is to produce 3,000 pounds of beef, pork or lamb, yet the food safety regs for those livestock are the same whether the amount sold is one pound or ten thousand pounds.
Recommendation for Increasing Consumer Confidence in On-Farm Processing
A sustainable regional food system policy must challenge these assumptions and change public opinion.
Why might food processed on farms or by small food processors be safer than food produced in factories?
8. Sustainable Tree Harvesting & Composting-Mini-Conference Sunday May 21st, 8:30am-5pm This mini-conference will focus on ecological and financial sustainability, exploring the options we have when attempting to manage and harvest trees and forests. Efficiency and finances will mix with ecology. Topics covered and demonstrated to include, but not limited to: the Individual Tree Selection Method (ITS), basic chainsaw maintenance and use, felling, bucking, moving logs with minimal equipment/labor, splitting and seasoning firewood, logs to lumber with a portable band saw mill on location, drying lumber, and what to do with slab wood and sawdust. Furthermore, we will cover composting humanure, table scraps and yard rakings---naturally and thermophilically. Detailed handouts and lists of local resources included. Space limited. Ideal for small farmers, homesteaders, granola heads, tree huggers and those inclined to frugality and tight-wad-ness! Bring a lunch, water, your enthusiasm and an open mind, and dress for the weather! Betty Pillsbury is searching for a few pounds of mutton tallow so she can make salve using her grandfather’s recipe. She writes: I’ll render it myself – I know how odiferous that can be! If anyone has some they would sell to me, please email me at bpills@midtel.net or call me at 518-827-8730. Unfortunately, I can’t give out Grandpa’s recipe. Old family tradition of that. Plus, I make it to sell! It is a wonderful drawing salve. Put some on a bandage, place on a splinter or infected cut and in the morning the offending bit is pulled out. Although I don’t recommend this particular use….one time my brother had a tooth abscess that wasn’t responding to antibiotics, even after three rounds. So, he pushed a little bit of salve up by the gum line, like a piece of chaw, and the next morning his tooth had drained and the pain was gone! I make other herbal salves, which don’t require mutton tallow. This is the only one. I grew up just north of Watertown, NY, near the Canadian border. As a young teen, I would wander the woods. I constantly brought back wildflowers and other plants to ask my mother its identity. I quickly exhausted her knowledge and the local library’s. Remember, this was the mid-70s and there wasn’t a lot of written information anywhere about herbs. The Foxfire books quickly went on my Christmas wish list! Then she told me that her father used to make a salve with some sort of plant and she had the recipe somewhere. Grandpa had died when I was 5. After a time, she found the recipe. Well, it was a list of ingredients, but no instructions. She also found a partial, dried-up jar of the salve. She presented me with these treasures and said, “Here you go. You’ll have to figure it out.” And after some experimentation, I did. She also told me how he would use many plants in healing, as did his mother, Ardelia. My aunts would recall, “Oh, ahuh, Grandma would have us go out in the field and pick this yellow flower or that red one and bring it to her. She would then help someone who was having a difficult time of the month or had a bellyache or such. Everyone did their own doctoring then.” None of them could remember which plant was used for what though. They were simply youngsters following their grandmother’s instructions. Skip a few generations and enter me. I’ve been growing herbs since my teens. Doesn’t matter if it was a pot of coriander and chives in an apartment window, roses and basil in military housing or the extensive herb garden I now have since my husband finished his 20-year military service. There are herb books and herb magazines in my library. I attend (and give) herb talks and workshops. Herbal salves, jellies, spice rubs, lip balms, room sprays, powders and all manner of herb stuff fill my house. Last year, we decided to see if some of these items I had been making for years would sell at festivals. We had a successful year and have decided to pursue this a little more intentionally. Betty: www.bettypillsbury.com |
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