Poisons in our food

[Acebird]

Think about it...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/carey-gillam/fda-finds-monsantos-weed_b_12008680.html

[texanbelchers]

Yes, many chemicals are in our food at some level.  They may or may not damage our bodies.  However, if they were not used you wouldn't have food to eat.  Pick your poison, so to speak.

[tjc1]

However, if they were not used you wouldn't have food to eat.  Pick your poison, so to speak.

That's a pretty broad statement. Organic farmers manage to produce food without poisons. Given our state of scientific development, it seems to me that we should actually be able to find  a way that doesn't end with us required to pick a poison. It's pretty depressing to think that's our only choice - what kind of world are we leaving for our kids?

[texanbelchers]

Yes, it is.  First, most people can't afford "organic" food on an ongoing basis.  Second, there isn't enough volume of it to feed the masses.  Third, https://www.geneticliteracyproject.org/2016/02/14/organic-produce-has-pesticide-residues-too/.

Let's get back to bees-ness.

[tjc1]

I meant that organics show that it is doable, and we certainly have the smarts to scale up production. We don't have to settle for poisoning ourselves.

[flyboy]

Yes, it is.  First, most people can't afford "organic" food on an ongoing basis.  Second, there isn't enough volume of it to feed the masses.  Third, https://www.geneticliteracyproject.org/2016/02/14/organic-produce-has-pesticide-residues-too/.

Let's get back to bees-ness.

That article looks like marketting from the pesticide manufacturers. They have sprayed the internet with these kinds of stories.

Saying that organic is expensive is nonsense. If someone wants to eat organic they will have to cut out crap in their diet and use that money for proper food, and most won't. That's their choice and I say enjoy.

This is very related to bees-ness as the bees are also eating the same stuff.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/06/09/monsanto-roundup-herbicide.aspx

[little john]

Poisons in our food ?  If I were to tell you that just about every spoonful of food you eat contains a trace of cyanide - would you be concerned ?
LJ

[Acebird]

Yes, if the levels keep increasing because of something the human race is doing.  My question is are you concerned if levels of a poison in your hive keeps increasing and my second question is are you at fault?

[little john]

Well - what we're doing is eating - 'cause that's where the cyanide originates ... from our own saliva.  The point I am trying to make is that it is NOT the presence of a chemical per se which makes it a poison, but rather it's the quantity of it which is ingested. 
There are lots of chemicals which enter the food chain quite naturally, including heavy metals such as lead and mercury, but as long as these remain in miniscule amounts, then they pose no significant risk to health - so I think we need to keep a more balanced, non-alarmist view regarding potential poisons in food.

The article referenced states that no acceptable level has been determined for the presence of glyphosate in food (including honey) within the US. I think that is the principle deficiency which needs to be rectified, rather than lobbying for a blanket ban on glyphosate.  It has it's uses.
LJ

[Acebird]

rather than lobbying for a blanket ban on glyphosate.  It has it's uses.
LJ

As a property manager I use it quite frequently but I would support a ban on its use for vegetables just like I would support a ban on all chemical pesticides used for food.

[tjc1]

I read 'poisons in food' as referring to non-naturally occurring (ie. added by human activity) and approaching or exceeding levels that can adversely affect health. What we can prevent or avoid, we should, for our own sake as well as that of other organisms that sustain a balanced ecosystem.

[PhilK]

I read 'poisons in food' as referring to non-naturally occurring (ie. added by human activity) and approaching or exceeding levels that can adversely affect health. What we can prevent or avoid, we should, for our own sake as well as that of other organisms that sustain a balanced ecosystem.

Interesting point, but the food we eat doesn't contain 'levels that can adversely affect health'. Pesticide residues in food are allowed only at levels that don't affect health (at least in most countries!)

[tjc1]

At least in theory - but the acceptable safe levels are not the same in all countries - so which are right? Based on a lower tolerance in one country, there is the possibility that the citizens of other countries are being affected negatively - poisoned, in another word. How often have supposedly safe levels from one era been found to be way off years later? We have to be willing to revisit, or better, to look more closely the first time around.

[Acebird]

Pesticide residues in food are allowed only at levels that don't affect health

That is the propaganda you are led to believe.  A certain percentage of the population will always be affected by pesticide residues in their food.  Just like a life saving prescription will be approved even though some casualties may come about as a result of their use.
Yes, there are natural pesticides in all our vegetables.  It bothers some and not others.  Adding more or different pesticides in higher quantities will affect more people and this is my objection.  Pesticides are not used to make food healthier.  They are used to make food look better and create more yield ($) the side effect is less people can tolerate the food and they may not know it.

[bwallace23350]

I will be the first to admit that I am no scientist. It is the pesticide issue that causes me to go organic with my own food. By organic I mean deep organic. I spray nothing on anything unless it is 100% necessary for prevent a total crop loss. Even then I put on the safest things I can find.

[GSF]

Seems like I remember reading that all plants have some level of poison in them naturally. We can tolerate a certain amount of these poisons daily.

My thoughts on organic are probably incorrect, but I'm thinking it costs more than it ought, to pay an organization to get permission to label it organic.

At this point in time there's no way you can expect a harvest if you don't poison. I do agree that we have the ability to control these pests but there's no gov't money in anything if it don't have a problem. An example; Cancer. There's no way with what we've done in the last 50 years that we "can't" cure cancer. There's just too much money in treating it.

[bwallace23350]

Seems like I remember reading that all plants have some level of poison in them naturally. We can tolerate a certain amount of these poisons daily.

My thoughts on organic are probably incorrect, but I'm thinking it costs more than it ought, to pay an organization to get permission to label it organic.

At this point in time there's no way you can expect a harvest if you don't poison. I do agree that we have the ability to control these pests but there's no gov't money in anything if it don't have a problem. An example; Cancer. There's no way with what we've done in the last 50 years that we "can't" cure cancer. There's just too much money in treating it.

I agree with you on the large scale but in a home garden I can assure that you can get a good harvest without any spray what so ever

[Acebird]

I agree with you on the large scale but in a home garden I can assure that you can get a good harvest without any spray what so ever

I don't believe it is the scale (size) that makes the difference.  The difference is monoculture.  If you get a fungus, blite, bug that attacks a certain vegetable you could lose the whole crop.  But when you mix in all different kinds of vegetables you will still have a good yield on some of them that are not affected by the fungus, blite, or bug.  The variation in vegetation is what makes healthy hives, heck it is what makes healthy people.

[Jim134]

MaryAnn Fraser (sp) of Pennsylvania state is still finding DDT and lead of arsenic in brood comb. She also works for the USDA beekeeping lab in Pennsylvania. On average she finds 5 to 6 chemicals . In a bee hive that should not be there. She has found about 300 different kind of chemicals across the United States in bee wax..

http://ento.psu.edu/directory/mxt15

           BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)

[Michael Bush]

>Yes, many chemicals are in our food at some level.  They may or may not damage our bodies.  However, if they were not used you wouldn't have food to eat.

Bullcrap