Photo by: Ruth Hartnup
By Teresa Joaquim
It is a common misconception that when we see the label "organic" on fresh produce that it is free of chemical pesticides. However, the term "organic" does not necessarily mean "pesticide-free". Organic produce can have pesticide residue from organic pesticides used in their cultivation.
Continue reading
Image by Bonnie Gestring/Earthworks showing the Smoky Canyon Mine in southeast Idaho, also owned by Simplot and mainly mined for phosphate ore
(By Christina Stucker-Gassi & Sidney Fellows, NCAP Program Staff)
Recently, the hard work of many paid off when a federal judge blocked a permit that had previously been granted by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for the Caldwell Canyon Mine outside of Soda Springs in Southeast Idaho.1 This permit was submitted by the multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology company and common household name Bayer. In 2018, Bayer acquired Monsanto and the mine near Soda Springs is reported to be a major piece of the supply chain for global glyphosate manufacturing.2 Glyphosate = Roundup, the herbicide stirring up so much controversy, not to mention super weeds that, according to field reports, are becoming a bigger issue in the region. In related news a settlement was reached between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Simplot Corporation related to another phosphate refining facility in Southeast Idaho.2
Continue reading
