1 Glyphosate, They said I could drink it!

Today I would like to discuss one of the reason’s why we choose to use organic feed in our production here on the farm. 
Glyphosate was first patented and introduced by Monsanto in 1974. Then it was first introduced in 1992 as a weed control and “ripening agent”  killing plants, including wheat, to accelerate drying and speed the ripening of their fruit immediately before harvest. Glyphosate once touted as (harmless to animals) is now the most widely used herbicide in the world. 
Farmers turned to round up when it was first introduced because of the ease of use, and it look like a safe way to control weeds instead of cultivating, which required many hours of tedious work tractor seat.It also could be sprayed on wheat for fast dry down and a more timely harvest.

Did you know that Ag chemicals account for roughly 2/3 of all dead zones? 
Dead Zones are water areas that lack oxygen due to chemical contamination, which causes sea life to suffocate. Dead zones have been doubling in size every 10 years since 1960. Glyphosate kills plants and and animals that are exposed to it, including critical pollinator-species, (The chemical appears to disrupt the microbial community in the bees' digestive system, making them more vulnerable to infection.) interrupting the entire food web.It also kills micro organisms in the soil, depleting soil of  life and structure. Currently, twice as many pounds of glyphosate are used worldwide than any other weed killer on the market.
On humans research also reveals glyphosate damages the epithelial tight junction tissue on contact, weakening those barriers which protect us on the inside from the barrage of other environmental toxins we are exposed to, among other things. Injury to the tight junction membrane in the gut can lead to intestinal permeability. With the collapse of the tight junction firewalls, all organ systems go under duress. Just behind that microscopically thin layer of protection of the endothelial cells that separate you from the outside world is the gastrointestinal lymphatic tissue (GALT). The GALT is a layer of immune cells that are vigilantly standing guard to address any breach in your firewall. It is estimated that 60-70% of the immune system, and more than 80% of the antibodies that the immune system produces, originate in the GALT.

In 2014 MAM article touched on a round of tests commissioned by the Environmental Working Group found the active ingredient in Monsanto’s Roundup weed killer in every sample of popular oat-based cereal and other oat-based food marketed for children. These test results fly directly in the face of claims by the companies, Quaker and General Mills, who have said there is no reason for concern because they meet the legal requirements.Yet almost all of the samples tested by EWG had residues of glyphosate at levels higher than what EWG scientists consider safe for children’s health with an adequate safety margin .
. They had 28 samples tested and found glyphosate in all 28 samples.All but two of the 28 samples had levels of glyphosate above EWG’s health benchmark of 160 parts per billion, or ppb. The highest level of glyphosate found by the lab was 2,837 ppb in Quaker Oatmeal Squares breakfast cereal, nearly 18 times higher than EWG’s children’s health benchmark. Glyphosate also raises the risk of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma to those exposed to the substance by 41 percent.

70% of American households drinking water is positive for above detectable levels 
In the first ever testing on glyphosate herbicide in the breast milk of American women, Moms Across America and Sustainable Pulse have found ‘high’ levels in 3 out of the 10 samples tested. The levels found in the breast milk testing of 76 ug/l to 166 ug/l are 760 to 1600 times higher than the European Drinking Water Directive allows for individual pesticides. 

Today we have a wonderful opportunity and I feel also I God given responsibility to create a food system that supports the health of all the creatures, great and small, that create the web of life that has supported the origin and arc of human life. 

Through regenerative agriculture and fundamental changes in our approach to soil and food system management, we can revitalize our lives and those around us  beginning at the foundation of healthy soil and water systems.

For me I that is to grow food in a way that nurtures life and health to the land, animals, and ultimately our lives. For those of you who don’t grow food you have a wonderful opportunity to support your local farmers. We couldn’t do this without you.

Sincerely Your Farmer, Lamar Horst