Monarch caterpillars are vulnerable to neonicotinoid toxicity at concentrations as low as 1 part per billion, writes Jonathan Latham, and that makes them vulnerable to residues from commercial crops - and even more so from horticultural use in plant nurseries!
… in the EU. And an even greater hazard in horticulture Now a new paper in Plos ONE shows … are achieved in the plant nursery and horticulture industry, where plants are …
Could London, New York and other cities be self-sufficient in fruit and vegetables? Yes, writes Rachel Dring, by converting wasted roof space into gardens and greenhouses. Benefits include reducing waste; raising energy efficiency, sustainability and food security; and healthier, more connected citizens.
… there, they need training. We want to embed horticulture into the community to foster a …
Many contemporary farmers - despite a hostile economic environment - are finding new ways to make ecological farming viable. Colin Tudge and Graham Harvey have tracked down some inspiring examples ...
… beef, lamb and Gloucester Old Spot pork. Horticulture lends itself most immediately to … alleys are devoted in rotations to arable and horticulture alternating with leys rich in a …
Antibiotics have saved countless millions of lives since the 1930s, but their power is failing due to their massive use in factory farming, horticulture, aquaculture and industry, says a new report from the All Party Parliamentary Group on Antibiotics. We must stop all inessential uses of antibiotics, or face a future where we risk death from minor injuries and routine surgery.
… due to their massive use in factory farming, horticulture, aquaculture and industry, says a … better hygiene and fish vaccination. Use in horticulture Although not used as widely as in …
Amateur gardeners striving to live the 'Good Life' should ensure they check the contents of store-bought compost. For peat's sake - we need to think beyond our backyards and choose compost carefully
A year ago today, Europe-wide protests defeated an EU regulation that would have outlawed many seed saving activities, writes Ben Raskin. Now growers are taking matters into their own hands, saving and developing open-pollinated seeds - and campaigning for a seed regulation that supports them, not the monopolist seed corporations.
… around the UK. Ben Raskin is the head of horticulture at the Soil Association . Ben has over 20 years experience in horticulture and his current role involves … of Commercial Manager at the Welsh College of Horticulture, 3 years spent at Daylesford …
You don't need a garden to grow your own fruit and veg. If you're a budding horticulturalist with no space to swing a trowel, here are some creative - and sometimes bizarre - ideas from around the world
… in strange places both bizarre and romantic. Horticulture can be so creative. It can …
The Apricot Centre in Essex is a unique project that uses organic horticulture and animal husbandry to heal, inspire and educate children from diverse backgrounds, and kindle love for the natural world, writes Martin Large. Now it's expanding to Devon, to establish a second, much larger biodynamic smallholding near Totnes and Dartington.
… Essex is a unique project that uses organic horticulture and animal husbandry to heal, …
Advanced molecular genetic techniques are allowing scientists to breed disease resistance from wild grape varieties into susceptible domestic cultivars used for making wine, writes Andrew Walker. And it's all being done by conventional plant breeding accelerated by the use of DNA markers - with not a GMO in sight!
… winegrapes may be the most backward form of horticulture that exists. The vast majority of …
Scientists, environmental and consumer groups have decried USDA's approval of two 'Arctic' apple varieties, while major food companies and apple growers have no plans to source or grow them - despite their potential to 'generate consumer excitement in the apple category.'
USDA approves world's first GMO apples The Ecologist | 16th February 2015 News Farming USA GMOs Regulation Food apples-cut.jpg Scientists, environmental and consumer groups have decried USDA's …
Bee-killing insecticides will face a near total ban in Europe following a vote by member states in favour of proposals by the European Commission. The UK government supported the ban, which it says it will maintain after Brexit. CATHERINE EARLY reports
Campaigners rejoice European Union neonicotinoid ban Catherine Early | 30th April 2018 News Bees Pesticides EU Farming Food And Farming bee_on_blossomcgreenpeace.jpg Bee-killing insecticides will …
Is it worse than Mc Donalds? The BLT sandwich is an icon, the ultimate symbol of convenience culture. Tesco alone sells 5 million a year. This is what the £1.80 you pay for your BLT buys...
… 1,070 - The number of dams used to irrigate horticulture in southern Spain Ten per cent of … is not enough water to naturally sustain horticulture, Spain is one of the most …
Ecological farming has taken root in the UK, writes Phil Moore: drawing inspiration from the past while employing the latest ideas and techniques from organic, no-dig, permaculture, agroecology and agroforestry methods. But with agricultural fields selling for up to £10,000 an acre, there's a big difficultly for many would-be eco-farmers: access to land. Now, with public support, that's a problem the Ecological Land Cooperative is determined to solve.
… - but not a patch to farm! Farming and horticulture are incredibly hard to get into …
Todmorden in Yorkshire's Calder Valley has been transformed by free food growing on its streets, parks and even its rooftops. Julian Dobson tells the inspiring story of Incredible Edible and how the transformational project is going global ....
… created gardens to teach children about horticulture. Social landlord Pennine Housing … of all groceries in the UK. By learning horticulture and food preparation skills, …
Pesticides remain the 'elephant in the room' for Michael Gove, the environment secretary, and DEFRA. But until the issue is properly addressed the environmental crisis and fears for human health will only continue, argues GEORGINA DOWNS
Is the new UK Agriculture Bill a triumph or a travesty? Georgina Downs | 14th September 2018 Comment Pesticides Agriculture Bill DEFRA Thought Leaders gove_snowy_3271751b.jpg Pesticides remain the …
MEPs have voted against a proposed EU sed regulation that would further concentrate the seed market and discriminate against genetically diverse traditional seeds.
MEPs vote against EU seed Regulation Oliver Tickell | 31st January 2014 News Food Farming Seeds EU Regulation heritage-seed-library.png MEPs have voted against a proposed EU sed regulation that would …
A temporary ban on neonicotinoid insecticides comes into effect across the EU this weekend. Dave Goulson argues that far deeper, structural changes are needed to create a countryside fit for bees and other wildlife.
… also still be sprayed in private gardens and horticulture, because the moratorium only …
Our bees and wider farmland ecosystems have been seriously harmed by neonicotinoids, writes Dave Goulson. But that's just the start of the damage that modern farming is doing to wildlife in a countryside stripped of wild flowers and drenched by cocktails of pesticides. The problem is not just neonics, but the entire model of industrial agriculture.
If modern farming can't sustain bees, how much longer can it sustain us? Dave Goulson | 11th May 2015 News Farming Ecology UK Toxics bumblebee-clover-cut.jpg Our bees and wider farmland ecosystems …
The UN Committee on World Food Security in Rome has today launched a new report examining the impact of chemical intensive, industrial food system on human health. GEORGINA DOWNS responds.
Expert panel identifies unacceptable toll of food and farming systems on human health Georgina Downs | 17th October 2017 News Un Pesticides Food Health Cancer 405530.jpg The UN Committee on World …
Cuba is a global exemplar of organic, agroecological farming, taking place on broad swathes of land in and around its cities, write Julia Wright & Emily Morris. These farms cover 14% of the country's agricultural land, employ 350,000 people, and produce half the country's fruit and vegetables. But can they survive exposure to US agribusiness?
Cuba's warming relations with the US may undermine its agroecological city farms Julia Wright Emily Morris | 27th June 2015 News Cuba Food Farming Organic Cities USA Politics Trade …
Recent reports of catastrophic declines in bee populations have had scientists buzzing around looking for a plausible explanation. Is it mites? Is it GM crops? Is it mobile phones or habitat loss? It's all of these things, says Pat Thomas, but it's also so much more than that.
Give Bees a chance Pat Thomas | 11th February 2008 News Bees Crops Diversity Colony Collapse Disorder Intensive Farming Gm Pesticides Electromagnetic Fields Parasites Varroa Diversity Farming Food …