Herbicide spread needs to be controlled
Researchers with Purdue University are trying to figure out how to reduce potential problems from herbicide spray inadvertently spreading to properties surrounding farms.
"It's important to review application practices because more and more people are moving from cities to rural areas, and a farmer's new neighbors might not appreciate spray drifting to their yards and gardens," weed scientist Glenn Nice said.
Researchers said part of the problem can be solved by increased communications between farmers and their non-agricultural neighbors so as to let them know when pesticides are applied so they can take preventative measures.
"Communication is a wonderful thing and can solve a lot of problems before they occur," Nice said, noting one instance where a new homeowner left all the windows of the house open, resulting in the spray drifting into the home.
Farmers also need to take measures to reduce drift. Those include decreasing the amount of time it takes for the chemical to travel from the boom to the plant and avoiding factors that could make the chemical travel where it should not.
Farmers should also avoid trying to spray their crops when it is windy. Nice noted many herbicides now include maximum wind speed on their labels to help farmers decide the best time for their use.
Weed scientist Bill Johnson said farmers should keep track of humidity and temperature, since some chemicals are more volatile and can evaporate into the air when temperatures become too hot.
High temperatures and low humidity also can result in water evaporation, which decreases droplet size.
Lowering boom height can help, since a boom closer to the plants will result in droplets reaching them more quickly -- reducing the likelihood of the chemical floating away.
"The public is more aware of pesticide concerns," Johnson said. "That means that farmers need to be conscientious about spraying and keeping records to protect themselves."
U.N. wants relief protection in Liberia
A United Nations program wants Liberia to provide security guarantees before resuming the distribution of food to refugees and other displaced people.
The World Food Program said it has found a direct link between food distribution near the capital Monrovia and attacks by armed men on refugee and transit camps.
Those men would often attack to steal the recently distributed food.
The food program said it has lost access to 70 percent of the African country due to long-running conflicts between the government and insurgents. U.N. officials and other relief organizations met recently with government officials to try to negotiate protection for their staffers.
Feds want more use of meat irradiation
Agriculture Department officials said that the high cost of installing irradiation equipment at meat plants is preventing more widespread use of the treatment to reduce food poisoning.
Food safety Undersecretary Elsa Murano said at the World Congress on Food Irradiation many plants have central locations they send their products to for the treatments, which are meant to kill any pathogens in the meat.
Officials with the meat industry say that less than 5 percent of meat sold in the United States receives irradiation treatments. The World Health Organization supports such treatment as safe.
Organic infant formula gets fed approval
Federal agencies have given their approval to a new baby formula that provides complete nutrition for infants while being produced without the use of antibiotics, growth hormones and pesticides.
Horizon Organic Holding Corp. said it has produced a formula that is the next best thing to breast milk. Sales are to begin during autumn on the west coast.
The Agriculture Department has certified the formula as qualifying for the organic label, and the Food and Drug Administration has said it fulfills nutritional requirements for infants.
Crawfish lawsuit goes to trial in '04
A Louisiana judge scheduled March 2004 for a trial over a class action suit filed by crawfish farmers who say pesticides used on nearby rice fields hurt their product.
St. Landry Parish Judge James Genovese scheduled the trial, giving attorneys nearly one year to finish preparations. The initial lawsuit was filed in 2000.
Officials who raise the crawfish say their production dropped from 41 million pounds in 1999 to 16 million pounds in 2000 after the pesticide ICON was introduced in rice seed. The pesticide is supposed to prevent water weevils from hurting the rice but officials say it also is killing crawfish.
Grains mixed on CBOT
Grain futures were mixed at the close Tuesday on the Chicago Board of Trade.
Soybeans were mixed, hurt by rumors China was planning to cancel purchases from the United States and Brazil.
Corn was mixed as a result of by seeding delays and the notion price gains earlier this week were overdone.
Wheat rose dry conditions in the Southwest.
Oats declined on influence from other commodities.
The prices:
Soybeans: May 6.25 up 1 1/4, Jul 6.29 1/2 up 1 3/4, Aug 6.21 off 1 3/4, Sep 5.88 off 3/4.
Corn: May 2.40 1/2 up 1 1/2, Jul 2.37 1/2 up 1/4, Sep 2.37 unch, Dec 2.39 off 1/4.
Wheat: May 2.87 up 4 3/4, Jul 2.93 up 4 1/4, Sep 2.98 1/2 up 4 1/4, Dec 3.07 1/4 up 2 3/4.
Oats: May 1.70 off 5, Jul 1.49 3/4 off 1/2, Sep 1.40 off 1, Dec 1.40 1/4 off 1 3/4.
