Claiming economic hardship, lobbyists have convinced the federal government to allow Louisiana rice producers to use a once-banned pesticide, carbofuran, on 2,500 acres or rice. This pesticide, used to control rice weevil, is so toxic that a single, birdseed-sized granule can kill a songbird. Millions of birds, representing over 100 species (including endangered bald eagles), died from the chemical before carbofuran was taken off the market in the mid 1990s. 

Birds are susceptible to carbofuran from direct spraying, ingestion of granules or contaminated drinking water and from the consumption of contaminated prey. Carbofuran has also killed mammals and fish and the effects on humans is not known. 

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says it poses an unreasonable hazard to birds and biologists have stated, "There are no known circumstances under which carbofuran can be used without killing birds." 

Nonetheless, on June 19, the Environmental Protection Agency lifted its ban on carbofuran, without consulting either the Fish and Wildlife Service or the public. Following an outcry, they generously opened a comment period for July 1 through July 7.

Was your Fourth of July filled with a slow and pleasurable sampling of the culinary arts? Or did this Holiday's hustle and bustle leave your spirit and appetite wanting? If you are tired of being just a cog in a fast food nation, why not simply slow down and begin to enjoy the simple pleasure of eating? 

The folks at Slow Food want you to do just that. From an idea seeded in Europe two years ago, the Slow Food movement has spread to the US where many cities now have their own "slow food" chapters. This Fourth of July one local chapter encouraged people to buy sustainably produced, locally grown foods and, above all, eat slowly. 

To inspire this the Baltimore Slow Food chapter hosted the "Slowest Crab Feast of the Year"and featured Maryland Blue Crabs and locally produced home brew. The event garnered much attention including a special report on National Public Radio. Does the idea whet your appetite for more? Check out the "slow food" movement in the US. The international parent organization even presents a global award to producers most protective of native biodiversity. Now that's an idea you could sink your teeth into.

According to a new study released by Purdue University scientists William Muirand and Richard Howard, the danger of extinctions of wild species caused by genetically modified organism (GMO's) contamination is much worse than realized. Using computer modeling the two identified three new scenarios in which GMO's could result in the extinction of a natural population in as few as 20 generations. The results of the research were published in the most recent issue of the scientific journal Transgene Research. The research was funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Biotechnology Risk Assessment Program. 

The Purdue research is part of an ongoing effort by Purdue and the USDA to determine the risks of biotechnology, particularly transferring genetic material from one species to another, known as transgenic technology. "Consumer confidence in the use of transgenic technology will only happen if there is a thorough, unbiased examination of the risks," said Muir. The article is currently not available on line.

With the 4th of July picnics and Bar-B-Ques behind us this factoid from the census bureau is timely. The 2000 census revealed that 66 million Americans participated in a barbeque in 1999, and 32 million had participated in a picnic. With many of these happening on the Fourth, the census can help you guess where the contents of your Independence Day meal originated. 

If you're grilled hamburgers, chances are good the beef cattle originated in Texas or Missouri, which together account for about one-fifth of US beef production. If hot dogs or pork ribs were more your style, dinner is most likely to have come from Iowa -- although North Carolina nearly doubled its hog production from 1992 to 1997. If chicken is what's for dinner, you can look to Georgia or Alabama, which together produce nearly one-third of the country's broilers. 

The leading producers of the toppings and traditional fruits and vegetables: California; lettuce and tomatoes, potatoes, Idaho; sweet corn, Minnesota; and watermelons, Texas. And what Independence Day picnic would be complete without a red, white and blue dessert of strawberries (California), ice cream (California and Wisconsin) and blueberries (Michigan)? 

Ranking tables from the U.S. Census of Agriculture are available at: www.nass.usda.gov/census/census97/rankings/ac97s-3r.pdf.

If you would like to subscribe or unsubscribe to this list, visit our
Rural Updates Subscriber Center