Barren Earth? We're working on it.

[ladyapple27]

Dr. Bill Hanlin, our local agricultural extension agent, wrote an article in this week's local paper about a growing problem: herbicide residue in manure used as fertlizer. Broad leaf herbicides are widely used on pastures and silage crops. Because these chemicals don't break down quickly in the environment, residue collects in the systems of animals fed food from treated fields. The residue is deposited in manure, where it continues to act on plants. Some farmers and gardeners are reporting damaged crops due to the residue in manure. Hanlin suggests testing manure in a small area, or checking the provenance of manure before using it. Some crops are more susceptible than others. I'll see if Mr. Hanlin has a file of the article that he'd like to share.

If we keep on carelessly using chemicals that remain in the environment years after use, we're going to make the Earth barren. Anybody remember DDT and the food chain? Will we ever learn?

BTW, the residue isn't removed by composting the manure. 

Comments

[foxdogfarm.livejournal.com]

Bleh. It's really depressing how easy it is to get affected by herbicides and pesticides even when actively avoiding them. Luckily we've noticed no herbicide problems in our home grown goat manure. They are fed alfalfa (which we don't grow) but they also get a healthy amount of our own pasture and browsings. And there's no herbicides on those!