OPINION
Gorillas Vs. Man
Editor’s Note: The following editorial was written by William Troxell,
executive secretary of the Pennsylvania Vegetable Growers Association
(PVGA), and appeared in the association’s May 2001 newsletter.
I was recently handed a copy of an article from the Tribune Media
Services, Inc. entitled “Eco-groups pushing organic food twist facts about
modem farming.” The article quotes the text on an EnviroKidz Organic
Gorilla Munch cereal box. The cereal box tells children that people are
“the only natural enemy gorillas have” and that “the most serious threat
to free-living gorillas is the explosion of our human population.” Agricul
ture and logging are implicated as the major threats to gorilla habitat.
The cereal box goes on to say, “EnviroKidz chooz (sic) organic food.
Organic agriculture respects the land and the wild creatures who live on
it.” It ends by saying, “So, if you want the kind of planet where biodiversi
ty is protected and human beings tread more softly upon the Earth, then
chooz certified organic cereals from EnviroKidz. Wouldn’t it be nice if all
the food we ate was certified organic?” (Emphasis in original).
The article goes on to refute organic claims that organically produced
foods taste better, are more nutritional, and better for the environment.
The article cites blind taste tests that show people cannot tell the differ
ence in taste between organically and conventionally grown food unless
they know which is which. It also cites researchers who reluctantly admit
they really cannot find significant nutritional differences between organi
cally and conventionally produced foods.
As for claims that there are 110,000 cases of acute pesticide poisoning
each year, the article cites the National Poison Control as reporting that
these cases are instances where people, usually children, have eaten pesti
cides directly oftentimes ones found in the home like rat poison. They
are not cases of poisoning that occurred because of pesticide residues on
food. It contends that pesticide residues actually on food have not been
found to pose a health threat.
The article finally refutes the claim that producing all the world’s food
organically would provide more habitat for gorillas. It cites the Center for
Global Food Issues that estimates that 10 million square miles of wild
lands would have to be cleared for farmland if all food was grown organi
cally.
Unfortunately, debates about organic versus conventional agricultural
practices often become more ideological than reasonable, more rhetorical
than factual, more emotional than scientific. Oftentimes I suspect the real
truth lips somewhere between the two sides of the debate.
It was reported at a recent PVGA board of directors’ meeting that an
organic speaker at the convention made a statement to the effect that they
jdid not apply pesticides because they did not want to poison their workers
the implication being that any grower who applies pesticides is will
ingly poisoning his workers. I doubt that sentiment is shared by all organ
ic growers and I am sure that no grower has any intention of poisoning
his workers.
While most PVGA members use conventional growing practices, our
editorial policy for the newsletter is to be respectful of both sides of this
question, since we also have PVGA members who utilize organic or sus
tainable growing practices.
While I personally question the feasibility of all food being grown or
ganically (I have no valid estimates of how much more land it takes al
though I expect it would indeed take more land and more farm workers),
I also believe we must pay attention to the environmental impact of con
ventional methods. Few people would now argue than banning DOT was
a mistake. Moreover, the routine presence of certain pesticides (I believe
atrazine is one of the major ones) in wells in major agricultural regions
should be of concern. Can any farmer reasonably argue that increasing
the organic matter content of a soil is not a benefit to the health of the soil
and crops?
Good farmers for hundreds of years have recognized that good stew
ardship of their land requires them to put back into their ground what
they take out. We need to recognize that the Creator has made our earth
with an intricate system of organisms that benefit each other as well as
hold each other in balance. While any type of agriculture disrupts the na
tive ecosystem, we will do well to preserve what we can. However, it
would be foolish to turn our backs on the technological ability that hu
mans have been endowed with by abandoning the use of all pesticides and
conventional farming methods that have provided us with such an abun
dant supply of food.
1 hope PVGA can continue to serve growers of both persuasions and
foster a degree of mutual respect. While I strongly believe in being good
stewards of our environment, I also believe that if it comes to a choice be
tween the gorillas and people, the Creator intended for people to take
precedence.
Kutztown German Festival,
Kutztown Fairgrounds, thru
July 8.
U.S. Forage Research Center
Open House, Madison, Wis., 1
p.m.-5 p.m.
ason-Oixon Horse - ,iow, Eng
lish and Western, Delta, (717)
456-9936.
William Troxell
PVGA Executive Secretary
* Farm Calendar ❖
Wolfs Corner
Lancaster FarmingomcecwsecT
National Junior Summer Swine
Spectacular, Louisville, Ky.,
thru July 7.1765) 463-3594.
National
(Turn to Page A 35) A
To Renovate
Strawberry Fields
Conventional strawberry fields
can be productive for several years
if one renovates them properly.
Renovation should begin as soon as
possible after harvest is finished.
The first step is to apply 2-4-D
(Formula 40) for broadleaf control
if necessary. Wait four to seven
days for the weeds to absorb the
herbicide. Then mow off the straw
berries as close to the ground as
possible without damaging the
crowns.
Next narrow the rows to 6 to 12
inches wide with a rototiller or cul
tivator. Allow one inch of soil to
cover the crowns. Fertilize with
40-50 pounds of actual nitrogen
per acre and apply phosphorus and
potash according to soil test re
quirements.
One should also apply herbicides
for summer weed control as sug
gested in Penn State’s Commercial
WHO NEEDS
JUDGMENT?
Background Scripture:
Amos 1 through 2.
Devotional Reading:
Hebrews 10:20-30.
Someone once told me that he
liked everything about Christianity
except judgment. “I would think,”
he said, “that if you are a Chris
tian, you don’t need it.”
They may not say it so blatantly,
but many must share his point of
view. Mention “judgment” and
they immediately think of their
neighbor, their boss, or their ene
mies.
The Prophet Amos was aware of
that, so he begins with the condem
nation of Israel’s neighbors. “For
three transgressions of Damascus,
and for four, 1 will not revoke the
punishment” (1:3). Note that this
phrase means that Damascus has
done enough and more than
enough to merit God’s judgment.
In the case of Damascus, “more
than enough” is a reference to Syri
a’s crimes against Gilead. Damas
cus will pay, as will Syria’s rulers
Hazeal and Benhadad. (The writer
doesn’t tell us if the Israelites
shouted “Hooray!” or stifled their
glee at this good bad news.)
Lancaster Farming
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Berry Production Pest Manage
ment Guide. This guide is available
from your County Extension Office
for $lO and has a wealth of inform
ation for the commercial berry pro
ducer.
Sinbar or Devrinol are two pre
emergent herbicides commonly
used for summer weed control. Ir
rigate to incorporate the fertilizer
and herbicide. Late in August the
strawberries will form buds for
next year’s fruit crop. Fertilize
again at this time with 20 pounds
of actual nitrogen per acre.
To Pull Over
When Using A Cell
Phone While Driving
The cell phone has become a
very useful tool on the farm as it
has for urban folks. Most people
understand that drinking alcohol
before driving is a very foolish and
dangerous action since it seriously
increases your risk of an accident.
Many people however are not as
aware that using a cell phone while
driving also greatly increases your
chance for a serious collision. That
has been documented by several
studies, says John Shutske, Farm
Safety and Health Specialist with
the University of Minnesota Exten
sion Service.
“The potential for a serious colli
sion is four times greater when
driving and using a cell phone,”
says Shutske. “That makes your
risk nearly as high as driving with
a blood alcohol level above the
legal limit.”
Farmers and others driving on
rural roads are in just as much
danger as urban drivers, Shutske
points out. “Cell phones are be
coming incredibly popular in near
ly all areas, including rural Ameri
ca,” he says.
“Several farmers have told me
they simply could not get by with
out a wireless phone. It has become
a routine part of their business for
things such as ordering supplies,
The prophet goes on to pro
nounce the judgment of God upon
Gaza, Tyre, Edom, the Ammonites,
and Moab. The sins erf Israel’s ene
mies have been more than enough
to warrant God’s judgment. I can
imagine the anticipation of those
who listened to the prophecy
would he also pronounce judgment
upon their brother nation, Judah?
They were not disappointed, for
Amos begins again: “Thus says the
Lord: ‘For three transgressions of
Judah, and for four, I will not re
voke the punishment’” (2:4).
They, too, have done more than
enough to deserve God’s judgment;
they have rejected the law of God,
not kept his statutes, and been led
astray by their own lies.
“So, I will send a fire upon
Judah, and it shall devour the
strongholds of Jerusalem” (2:5).
Just Desserts?
Now, if Amos had quit at that
point, it would be a very happy
message the prophet was deliver
ing. But if prophecy was for Isra
el’s enemies, neighbors and kin, it
was also for Israel. And, if you no
tice, see that the prophecy against
Israel was three times as long in
print as the others. I’m certain that
there were certain of his hearers
who protested, “But we haven’t
done anything to deserve this!”
Amos, however, says they also
have done more than enough to at
tract God’s judgment. That “more
than enough” can be distilled into
three complaints. The first of these
is their treatment of the poor and
defenseless. They “sell the righ
teous for silver and the needy for a
pair of shoes they that trample
the head of the poor into the dust
of the earth and turn aside the way
of the afflicted” (2:6,7a). Is it by
checking prices, coordinating work
schedules, and keeping in touch
with family during busy crunch
seasons.”
Avoid using a wireless phone
any time you’re driving, says Shut
ske. Most cell phone calls last five
minutes or less. You’re better off
stopping in a safe location before
you place your call.
If you feel you have to make a
call while driving, Shutske recom
mends the following strategies to
lessen the danger:
Program commonly called num
bers into your phone. Having to
dial seven or ten numbers can be
extremely distracting and can lead
to a crash. Most phones now allow
you to “speed dial” by pressing
only one or two keys.
Don’t make calls that require a
lot of thought, concentration, or
emotion while you’re driving.
Much of the risk in talking on a
cell phone while driving comes
from simply being preoccupied
with the thought process involved
in talking on the phone.
Don’t try to write down impor
tant information while driving and
talking. That’s an almost certain
recipe for disaster, especially on a
narrow rural road.
Because of the safety and liabili
ty concerns associated with using a
cell phone while driving, most
phone manufacturers and wireless
service providers now include safe
ty information with their phones.
Take a few minutes to review that
information and think about how it
applies to your driving situation.
Quote of The Week
“My attitude has always been: if
it’s worth the playing, it’s worth
paying the price to win. ”
Paul “Bear” Bryant
Legendary Alabama
football coach
(Bryant’s record 0f323 wins is
the all time high for college foot
ball. Joe Patemo is likely to
break that record this fall.)
chance that Amos lists their treat
ment of the poor first? I think not,
because throughout the Bible,
treatment of the poor seems to be
at the top of every list. And it is
just as relevant today, for the grow
ing hostility to the poor in our
country and elsewhere is surely
more than enough to incur the
judgment of God.
The second charge is that of sex
ual and ritual debauchery. I say
“sexual and ritual debauchery” be
cause Amos is speaking of a special
context for the sexual sins: temple
prostitution as a integral part of
the worship of the Canaanite reli
gion. To emphasize the depravity,
Amos says a man and his father
use the same prostitute.
Temple prostitution alone would
have been more than enough to
justify God’s judgment, but this fa
ther and son have gone beyond
that. Have they no shame? Is this
not a judgment on us, too?
The last charge is related to the
first. It was law that a garment
taken as pledge for a loan or a debt
must be returned to the debtor be
fore sundown. But some Israelites
were obviously keeping these gar
ments as collateral. I’m sure this
judgment angered the Israelites.
After all, business is business! I’m
in this business for profit, not be
nevolence.
Israel was condemned because
people thought little of cheating
and abusing others in the name of
“good business.” Don’t we all?
Who needs judgment? One guess
should be sufficient.
Lancaster Farming
Established 1955
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Lancaster Farming, Inc.
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William J Burgess General Manager
Andy Andrews, Editor
Copyright 2001 by Lancaster Farming