U.S. Seeks to Increase Ocean Fish Farming
Written by Mario Ritter
I’m Gwen Outen with the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.
Most fish farming involves freshwater fish. Eighty-five percent of aquaculture in the United States is done in rivers and lakes. Production at sea mostly involves shellfish harvested close to shore.
But a proposed American law could greatly increase ocean aquaculture. It would permit fish farming up to three hundred twenty kilometers from shore. The bill is called the National Offshore Aquaculture Act of two thousand five. The administration of President Bush sent the measure to Congress on June seventh.
Fishing laws limit the size and time of year of harvests. The proposed changes would define aquaculture harvesting as something other than fishing.
The secretary of commerce would gain the power to sell ten-year permits to operate ocean farms. Production would take place within waters called the Exclusive Economic Zone. Foreign companies could buy the permits if they have an American business agent. The secretary could also establish environmental requirements if existing ones are not enough.
Some experts say more fish farming could help wild populations recover from over-fishing. But critics say strong rules are needed so fish farms do not threaten the environment or wild fish populations. Fishermen's groups worry about possible effects on traditional fisheries.
Pollution is a concern. Also, farmed fish can escape into wild populations. And farmed fish are fed wild-caught fish.
Conrad Lautenbacher heads the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in the Commerce Department. He says the goal is to balance the needs of fishermen, coastal areas, seafood consumers, the environment and the aquaculture industry.
Demand for seafood is increasing. There are strong economic reasons for the United States to increase its aquaculture operations. The nation imports about seventy percent of its seafood, much of it farm-raised. The National Marine Fisheries Service says the seafood trade deficit is eight thousand million dollars.
Internationally, the ocean aquaculture industry is growing. Fish such as cod, flounder and even tuna are being raised. These fish bring higher prices than more commonly farmed seafood.
The most commonly farmed fish is the carp. And the world's biggest aquaculture producer is China.
This VOA Special English Agriculture Report was written by Mario Ritter. Our reports are online at voaspecialenglish.com. I'm Gwen Outen.
From Horses to Tractors, Changes in U.S. Agriculture
From Horses to Tractors, Changes in U.S. Agriculture
Written by Mario Ritter
I’m Gwen Outen with the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.
Over the years, new technologies have changed farming. Change in a general direction is a trend. Yet people often recognize trends only when they consider the past.
Today, we look back at some trends in American agriculture. We begin with the change from animal power to mechanical power. Our information comes from the National Agricultural Statistics Service, part of the Agriculture Department.
In nineteen twenty, America had more than twenty-five million horses and mules. Most were used for farm work. Around the same time, a competitor began to appear in large numbers. Tractors could turn soil, pull loads and speed harvests -- and they could do it better.
More tractors meant fewer horses and mules. By the nineteen sixties, the numbers of these work animals settled to where they remain today. That is about one-tenth the levels in nineteen twenty.
Yet even the demand for tractors had its limits. Tractors reached their highest numbers around nineteen eighty-two. Their numbers have been slowly decreasing. Experts say farmers can do more with less now because of new technologies.
So, tractors replaced horses and mules. As a result, farmers no longer needed to raise crops to feed work animals.
Oats have long been food for horses and mules. In nineteen fifty-four, American farmers planted over sixteen million hectares of oats. By two thousand, that was down to less than one million hectares.
So what did the farmers do with the extra land?
More and more farmers began to plant a new crop around the same time that the tractor became popular. It was the soybean. The soybean is one of the oldest plants harvested. Yet it was not planted widely in the United States until the nineteen twenties.
By the year two thousand, close to thirty million hectares were planted with soybeans. It is the nation's most important crop for high-protein animal feed and for vegetable oil. In fact, soybeans are the second most valuable crop grown by American farmers after corn. Much of the soybean production goes to exports.
Next week, learn about other trends that have affected productivity on American farms. And we will discuss future directions for change.
This VOA Special English Agriculture Report was written by Mario Ritter. Our reports are online at voaspecialenglish.com. I'm Gwen Outen.
Written by Mario Ritter
I’m Gwen Outen with the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.
Over the years, new technologies have changed farming. Change in a general direction is a trend. Yet people often recognize trends only when they consider the past.
Today, we look back at some trends in American agriculture. We begin with the change from animal power to mechanical power. Our information comes from the National Agricultural Statistics Service, part of the Agriculture Department.
In nineteen twenty, America had more than twenty-five million horses and mules. Most were used for farm work. Around the same time, a competitor began to appear in large numbers. Tractors could turn soil, pull loads and speed harvests -- and they could do it better.
More tractors meant fewer horses and mules. By the nineteen sixties, the numbers of these work animals settled to where they remain today. That is about one-tenth the levels in nineteen twenty.
Yet even the demand for tractors had its limits. Tractors reached their highest numbers around nineteen eighty-two. Their numbers have been slowly decreasing. Experts say farmers can do more with less now because of new technologies.
So, tractors replaced horses and mules. As a result, farmers no longer needed to raise crops to feed work animals.
Oats have long been food for horses and mules. In nineteen fifty-four, American farmers planted over sixteen million hectares of oats. By two thousand, that was down to less than one million hectares.
So what did the farmers do with the extra land?
More and more farmers began to plant a new crop around the same time that the tractor became popular. It was the soybean. The soybean is one of the oldest plants harvested. Yet it was not planted widely in the United States until the nineteen twenties.
By the year two thousand, close to thirty million hectares were planted with soybeans. It is the nation's most important crop for high-protein animal feed and for vegetable oil. In fact, soybeans are the second most valuable crop grown by American farmers after corn. Much of the soybean production goes to exports.
Next week, learn about other trends that have affected productivity on American farms. And we will discuss future directions for change.
This VOA Special English Agriculture Report was written by Mario Ritter. Our reports are online at voaspecialenglish.com. I'm Gwen Outen.
More From Less: America’s Highly Productive Farms
More From Less: America’s Highly Productive Farms
Written by Mario Ritter
I’m Gwen Outen with the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.
At one time, the United States was a nation of farmers. In nineteen hundred, about thirty-nine percent of Americans or thirty million people lived on farms. A similar percentage of the labor force earned a living by working on farms.
By nineteen ninety, fewer than two percent of the population lived or worked on farms. There were also fewer farms. In nineteen forty, there were more than six million farms in America. Today there are fewer than two million.
While the number of farms decreased, the size of the remaining farms increased. The average farm today is about two hundred hectares. In nineteen hundred, it was sixty.
As the United States became an industrial nation, its farms changed not only in size, but in their business plans.
In the past, farmers raised many different crops or animals. For example, in nineteen hundred, almost all farms raised chickens. More than seventy-five percent of farms raised pigs and milk cows. In nineteen ninety-seven, however, only about six percent of farms raised these animals.
The trend in American farming has been to specialize. Farmers put their efforts into intensively raising only a few things.
New technology has helped create specialized systems that produce more using less labor. Two examples of this are milk and corn.
Since nineteen twenty-four, American milk production has grown almost one hundred percent. But the number of milk cows has decreased by half. Cows today produce more than four times more milk than their ancestors eighty years ago.
The same is true for corn. Improved kinds of corn produce about four point seven times more corn per hectare than one hundred years ago.
Economists call producing more with less an increase in productivity. The Department of Agriculture uses a measure called an index to show how productivity changes. It says America’s agricultural productivity increased by more than one hundred percent between nineteen fifty and nineteen ninety-six.
Over the same period, prices of agricultural goods fell by more than fifty percent. So, the trend toward increased productivity has meant lower prices. Many farmers have answered by increasing the size of their specialized operations. Information in this report comes from the National Agricultural Statistics Service.
This VOA Special English Agriculture Report was written by Mario Ritter. I'm Gwen Outen.
Written by Mario Ritter
I’m Gwen Outen with the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.
At one time, the United States was a nation of farmers. In nineteen hundred, about thirty-nine percent of Americans or thirty million people lived on farms. A similar percentage of the labor force earned a living by working on farms.
By nineteen ninety, fewer than two percent of the population lived or worked on farms. There were also fewer farms. In nineteen forty, there were more than six million farms in America. Today there are fewer than two million.
While the number of farms decreased, the size of the remaining farms increased. The average farm today is about two hundred hectares. In nineteen hundred, it was sixty.
As the United States became an industrial nation, its farms changed not only in size, but in their business plans.
In the past, farmers raised many different crops or animals. For example, in nineteen hundred, almost all farms raised chickens. More than seventy-five percent of farms raised pigs and milk cows. In nineteen ninety-seven, however, only about six percent of farms raised these animals.
The trend in American farming has been to specialize. Farmers put their efforts into intensively raising only a few things.
New technology has helped create specialized systems that produce more using less labor. Two examples of this are milk and corn.
Since nineteen twenty-four, American milk production has grown almost one hundred percent. But the number of milk cows has decreased by half. Cows today produce more than four times more milk than their ancestors eighty years ago.
The same is true for corn. Improved kinds of corn produce about four point seven times more corn per hectare than one hundred years ago.
Economists call producing more with less an increase in productivity. The Department of Agriculture uses a measure called an index to show how productivity changes. It says America’s agricultural productivity increased by more than one hundred percent between nineteen fifty and nineteen ninety-six.
Over the same period, prices of agricultural goods fell by more than fifty percent. So, the trend toward increased productivity has meant lower prices. Many farmers have answered by increasing the size of their specialized operations. Information in this report comes from the National Agricultural Statistics Service.
This VOA Special English Agriculture Report was written by Mario Ritter. I'm Gwen Outen.
The Buzz About Bees
The Buzz About Bees
Written by Mario Ritter
I’m Gwen Outen with the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.
More than ninety kinds of fruits, vegetables, nuts and seed crops depend on bees for reproduction. Bees pollinate thousands of millions of dollars worth of crops.
The insects gather nectar liquid from flowers. As they do this, pollen sticks to the bees. Pollen is the reproductive material of flowers. As a bee travels from plant to plant, so does the pollen.
Beekeepers transport their colonies by truck to farms where crops need pollination. Pennsylvania State University estimates that the United States has about one hundred fifty thousand beekeepers.
Bees are good pollinators. But most people know them as producers of honey and wax.
In the United States, the Agriculture Department says more than two and one-half million colonies produced honey last year. Production increased one percent, though the number of colonies decreased two percent from two thousand three.
Honey can be stored, so producers can wait to sell when prices are up. But then prices fall as producers flood the market. That happened last year. Prices fell twenty-two percent after a good production year in two thousand three.
Between two and four colonies are needed to pollinate one hectare of most crops. Bees pollinate almost all almond and apple trees. Vegetables like broccoli, carrots, celery and onions require bee pollination.
Experts say even crops that do not require bee pollination can be increased with the help of bees. The quality of many crops depends on the amount of pollination they receive. Crops like apples can grow unevenly if bees do not provide enough pollen for good reproduction.
Honeybees can be killed by chemical poisons. But they also have a lot of natural enemies. In North and South America, Asia and Europe, mites can destroy hives. These tiny creatures suck the blood of bees. Varroa mites are a serious threat to honeybees. Tracheal mites are also a big problem; they live in the breathing tubes of bees.
Wax moths are insects that eat wax in the hive. Bacterial diseases also affect colonies. The bacteria that cause European and American foulbrood attack and destroy young bees.
Raising bees can be difficult. But many people like to keep bees as a business or simply for pleasure.
This VOA Special English Agriculture Report was written by Mario Ritter. Our reports are online at voaspecialenglish.com. I'm Gwen Outen.
Written by Mario Ritter
I’m Gwen Outen with the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.
More than ninety kinds of fruits, vegetables, nuts and seed crops depend on bees for reproduction. Bees pollinate thousands of millions of dollars worth of crops.
The insects gather nectar liquid from flowers. As they do this, pollen sticks to the bees. Pollen is the reproductive material of flowers. As a bee travels from plant to plant, so does the pollen.
Beekeepers transport their colonies by truck to farms where crops need pollination. Pennsylvania State University estimates that the United States has about one hundred fifty thousand beekeepers.
Bees are good pollinators. But most people know them as producers of honey and wax.
In the United States, the Agriculture Department says more than two and one-half million colonies produced honey last year. Production increased one percent, though the number of colonies decreased two percent from two thousand three.
Honey can be stored, so producers can wait to sell when prices are up. But then prices fall as producers flood the market. That happened last year. Prices fell twenty-two percent after a good production year in two thousand three.
Between two and four colonies are needed to pollinate one hectare of most crops. Bees pollinate almost all almond and apple trees. Vegetables like broccoli, carrots, celery and onions require bee pollination.
Experts say even crops that do not require bee pollination can be increased with the help of bees. The quality of many crops depends on the amount of pollination they receive. Crops like apples can grow unevenly if bees do not provide enough pollen for good reproduction.
Honeybees can be killed by chemical poisons. But they also have a lot of natural enemies. In North and South America, Asia and Europe, mites can destroy hives. These tiny creatures suck the blood of bees. Varroa mites are a serious threat to honeybees. Tracheal mites are also a big problem; they live in the breathing tubes of bees.
Wax moths are insects that eat wax in the hive. Bacterial diseases also affect colonies. The bacteria that cause European and American foulbrood attack and destroy young bees.
Raising bees can be difficult. But many people like to keep bees as a business or simply for pleasure.
This VOA Special English Agriculture Report was written by Mario Ritter. Our reports are online at voaspecialenglish.com. I'm Gwen Outen.
Officials Suspect Exotic Newcastle Disease Killed Chickens in Brazil
Officials Suspect Exotic Newcastle Disease Killed Chickens in Brazil
Written by Mario Ritter
I’m Gwen Outen with the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.
Exotic Newcastle disease is a viral infection that spreads easily among birds. The disease causes breathing problems in birds and often leads to death. Other effects could include loss of muscle control, digestive problems or a drop in egg production. The disease is not known to harm people.
Experts say the only way to fight exotic Newcastle disease is to destroy infected birds. Infected birds must also be kept away from any other birds. Quarantine measures are needed around affected areas in an effort to contain the spread of the virus.
In two thousand three, parts of California, New Mexico and Texas faced quarantines for exotic Newcastle disease. Currently no such quarantines are in place in the United States.
In late May, in Brazil, about five thousand chickens died from a disease on a farm in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul. The Associated Press reported that officials in Brazil did not make the news public for several days. The news agency said Brazilian health officials ordered the destruction of seventeen thousand chickens. They also ordered roadblocks around the farm, which is near the town of Jaraguari.
Officials were concerned about the possibility of bird influenza. The h-five-n-one form of bird flu has killed more than fifty people in Asia, including thirty-eight in Vietnam. East Asian countries have had to destroy large numbers of chickens and other farm birds.
On June first, however, a Brazilian official told the Associated Press that the virus is not bird flu. He said testing continued but officials suspect that it may be exotic Newcastle disease.
That disease can come from tropical birds like Amazon parrots. Infected Amazon parrots can carry the virus for up to four hundred days without showing signs of sickness.
The possibility of the spread of disease means it is important to keep farm birds separated from wild birds and pet birds. But, at the same time, officials also say that wild birds should not be destroyed in an effort to protect farm birds.
On May twenty-first, China informed the World Organization for Animal Health about the deaths of five hundred wild birds in Qinghai Province. Chinese officials said the h-five-n-one virus was responsible.
This VOA Special English Agriculture Report was written by Mario Ritter. Our reports are on the Web at voaspecialenglish.com. I'm Gwen Outen.
Written by Mario Ritter
I’m Gwen Outen with the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.
Exotic Newcastle disease is a viral infection that spreads easily among birds. The disease causes breathing problems in birds and often leads to death. Other effects could include loss of muscle control, digestive problems or a drop in egg production. The disease is not known to harm people.
Experts say the only way to fight exotic Newcastle disease is to destroy infected birds. Infected birds must also be kept away from any other birds. Quarantine measures are needed around affected areas in an effort to contain the spread of the virus.
In two thousand three, parts of California, New Mexico and Texas faced quarantines for exotic Newcastle disease. Currently no such quarantines are in place in the United States.
In late May, in Brazil, about five thousand chickens died from a disease on a farm in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul. The Associated Press reported that officials in Brazil did not make the news public for several days. The news agency said Brazilian health officials ordered the destruction of seventeen thousand chickens. They also ordered roadblocks around the farm, which is near the town of Jaraguari.
Officials were concerned about the possibility of bird influenza. The h-five-n-one form of bird flu has killed more than fifty people in Asia, including thirty-eight in Vietnam. East Asian countries have had to destroy large numbers of chickens and other farm birds.
On June first, however, a Brazilian official told the Associated Press that the virus is not bird flu. He said testing continued but officials suspect that it may be exotic Newcastle disease.
That disease can come from tropical birds like Amazon parrots. Infected Amazon parrots can carry the virus for up to four hundred days without showing signs of sickness.
The possibility of the spread of disease means it is important to keep farm birds separated from wild birds and pet birds. But, at the same time, officials also say that wild birds should not be destroyed in an effort to protect farm birds.
On May twenty-first, China informed the World Organization for Animal Health about the deaths of five hundred wild birds in Qinghai Province. Chinese officials said the h-five-n-one virus was responsible.
This VOA Special English Agriculture Report was written by Mario Ritter. Our reports are on the Web at voaspecialenglish.com. I'm Gwen Outen.
Study Says Genetically Engineered Rice Cuts Use of Insecticides
Study Says Genetically Engineered Rice Cuts Use of Insecticides
Written by Mario Ritter
I’m Gwen Outen with the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.
Insect-resistant rice plants show promise in the field, but have yet to be approved for food.
A study in China suggests that two kinds of genetically engineered rice can reduce the costs, and dangers, of poison chemicals.
One kind of rice includes a gene found in the bacterium known as Bt. Bt lives in soil and on plants; it is a natural insecticide. It is poisonous to some kinds of insects. Bt maize is commonly planted in the United States. The other kind of rice was engineered to resist insects with a gene from the cowpea plant.
The two-year study involved tests of Bt rice in Hubei province and cowpea rice in Fujian. Scientists collected information from small farms already testing insect-resistant rice without technical aid. Some farmers are growing both insect-resistant and traditional rice.
The scientists found that the Bt rice produced six to nine percent more grain than other kinds of rice. The cowpea rice, based on fewer observations, did not appear to increase productivity.
Still, the findings show that resistance to insects improved for both kinds of rice. The study says farmers used eighty percent less insecticide than usual.
Science magazine published the findings. Jikun Huang led the study. He is director of the Center for Chinese Agricultural Policy, in the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
The study notes that no country has yet released a major food grain crop that has been genetically changed. Engineered crops are now used mostly for animal feed and products like cotton.
The Chinese farmers in the study made their own decisions about when to use insecticides. Those with traditional rice crops used chemicals almost four times per growing season on average. But farmers with the insect-resistant rice used insecticides an average of less than once per season.
Less insecticide meant fewer sick farmers. The study says the farmers growing insect-resistant rice did not report any health problems from the use of poisons.
China has not approved genetically engineered rice for market. But a report from Hubei last month said insect-resistant rice appears to have been sold illegally for the last two years. That report came from the environmental group Greenpeace, which oppose genetic engineering. China says it is investigating the Greenpeace report.
Some countries will not import genetically engineered foods. Not everyone is sure that such products are safe for people or the environment.
This VOA Special English Agriculture Report was written by Mario Ritter. I'm Gwen Outen.
Written by Mario Ritter
I’m Gwen Outen with the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.
Insect-resistant rice plants show promise in the field, but have yet to be approved for food.
A study in China suggests that two kinds of genetically engineered rice can reduce the costs, and dangers, of poison chemicals.
One kind of rice includes a gene found in the bacterium known as Bt. Bt lives in soil and on plants; it is a natural insecticide. It is poisonous to some kinds of insects. Bt maize is commonly planted in the United States. The other kind of rice was engineered to resist insects with a gene from the cowpea plant.
The two-year study involved tests of Bt rice in Hubei province and cowpea rice in Fujian. Scientists collected information from small farms already testing insect-resistant rice without technical aid. Some farmers are growing both insect-resistant and traditional rice.
The scientists found that the Bt rice produced six to nine percent more grain than other kinds of rice. The cowpea rice, based on fewer observations, did not appear to increase productivity.
Still, the findings show that resistance to insects improved for both kinds of rice. The study says farmers used eighty percent less insecticide than usual.
Science magazine published the findings. Jikun Huang led the study. He is director of the Center for Chinese Agricultural Policy, in the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
The study notes that no country has yet released a major food grain crop that has been genetically changed. Engineered crops are now used mostly for animal feed and products like cotton.
The Chinese farmers in the study made their own decisions about when to use insecticides. Those with traditional rice crops used chemicals almost four times per growing season on average. But farmers with the insect-resistant rice used insecticides an average of less than once per season.
Less insecticide meant fewer sick farmers. The study says the farmers growing insect-resistant rice did not report any health problems from the use of poisons.
China has not approved genetically engineered rice for market. But a report from Hubei last month said insect-resistant rice appears to have been sold illegally for the last two years. That report came from the environmental group Greenpeace, which oppose genetic engineering. China says it is investigating the Greenpeace report.
Some countries will not import genetically engineered foods. Not everyone is sure that such products are safe for people or the environment.
This VOA Special English Agriculture Report was written by Mario Ritter. I'm Gwen Outen.
Identification System Proposed for U.S. Farm Animals
Identification System Proposed for U.S. Farm Animals
Written by Mario Ritter
I’m Gwen Outen with the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.
The United States Department of Agriculture wants to develop a system to follow the movements of cows, chickens and pigs in the country.
Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns announced plans for the National Animal Identification System earlier this month. A detailed program or set of rules has yet to be approved. Mister Johanns said the Bush administration is now proposing ideas for the system. He also said the Agriculture Department is seeking comments from the agricultural community.
The administration would like the meat industry and farmers to start keeping records of animals on their own. Then, in two thousand nine, complete records of each animal’s movement would be required. Mister Johanns said the goal of the system is to identify within two days any animals or places that may be linked to disease.
The system would require that records be kept for three kinds of information. Farms and animal holding areas would need to be identified. Individual animals or groups of animals also would be identified. So would the movements of animals from place to place.
State and federal officials would be able to use this information to help guard against or control animal disease. Mister Johanns says a National Animal Identification System would be a tool to fight threats, even before they happen.
However, some farmers and industry representatives have expressed concern that the information will be made public. The Agriculture Secretary has said the information will remain private. But, it is unclear how freedom of information laws will affect the system.
The Department of Agriculture says the system could cost at least eighty million dollars a year. But that does not include equipment that farmers will need to record and store information.
It is not clear how all animals will be identified in the system because the rules have yet to be written. Reports say each cow will have its own number. Pigs and chickens will probably be identified in groups. Other animals like fish also are being considered.
The proposed system would represent a new way to guard against animal diseases like bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or B.S.E. Japan says concerns about B.S.E. are one of the reasons it continues to ban American beef.
This VOA Special English Agriculture Report was written by Mario Ritter. This is Gwen Outen.
Written by Mario Ritter
I’m Gwen Outen with the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.
The United States Department of Agriculture wants to develop a system to follow the movements of cows, chickens and pigs in the country.
Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns announced plans for the National Animal Identification System earlier this month. A detailed program or set of rules has yet to be approved. Mister Johanns said the Bush administration is now proposing ideas for the system. He also said the Agriculture Department is seeking comments from the agricultural community.
The administration would like the meat industry and farmers to start keeping records of animals on their own. Then, in two thousand nine, complete records of each animal’s movement would be required. Mister Johanns said the goal of the system is to identify within two days any animals or places that may be linked to disease.
The system would require that records be kept for three kinds of information. Farms and animal holding areas would need to be identified. Individual animals or groups of animals also would be identified. So would the movements of animals from place to place.
State and federal officials would be able to use this information to help guard against or control animal disease. Mister Johanns says a National Animal Identification System would be a tool to fight threats, even before they happen.
However, some farmers and industry representatives have expressed concern that the information will be made public. The Agriculture Secretary has said the information will remain private. But, it is unclear how freedom of information laws will affect the system.
The Department of Agriculture says the system could cost at least eighty million dollars a year. But that does not include equipment that farmers will need to record and store information.
It is not clear how all animals will be identified in the system because the rules have yet to be written. Reports say each cow will have its own number. Pigs and chickens will probably be identified in groups. Other animals like fish also are being considered.
The proposed system would represent a new way to guard against animal diseases like bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or B.S.E. Japan says concerns about B.S.E. are one of the reasons it continues to ban American beef.
This VOA Special English Agriculture Report was written by Mario Ritter. This is Gwen Outen.
Cover Crops Are Good for the Soil (and the Farmer)
Cover Crops Are Good for the Soil (and the Farmer)
Written by Mario Ritter
I'm Gwen Outen with the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.
Cover crops are an ancient way to help farmers improve their soil, increase their harvests and, these days, save money on chemicals.
Scientists like Aref Abdul-Baki search for new and better cover crops. Mister Abdul-Baki is with the Agricultural Research Service of the United States Department of Agriculture. He works at the Sustainable Agricultural Systems Laboratory in Beltsville, Maryland.
Mister Abdul-Baki has found some cover crops to resist groundworms that attack the roots of tomatoes.
Sunn hemp, cowpea and velvet bean are good for warm, humid areas. The soil is plowed to plant the cover crops during the summer months. In the fall, the cover crops are turned over in the soil, then the tomatoes are planted.
In states with moderate climates, like Maryland and Virginia, the cover crops are planted in the fall to grow during early spring. Mister Abdul-Baki tells us that good cover crops are hairy vetch and rye.
To avoid soil loss, the seeds are planted without the use of plowing. In May, the cover crops are cut and the remains are left on the surface. The same method can be used for other summer crops like peppers, sweet corn, green beans and some melons.
After the cover crop is cut, the result is a layer of organic material. This will help the new crop grow and suppress unwanted plants. The cover crop provides extra nutrients to the soil. It also keeps the soil from drying out, and helps prevent the loss of soil.
In hot, dry areas, like in Southern California, cover crops help reduce soil temperatures. They also reduce water loss and erosion. Lana vetch is a good cover crop. It is planted in the fall and breaks down without any assistance. It releases its seeds back into the soil.
Mister Abdul-Baki says farmers who use cover crops no longer need to treat their soil with methyl bromide before they plant tomatoes. Methyl bromide kills many kinds of organisms. But Mister Abdul-Baki notes that the poison also damages the environment and is a health danger. The government restricts the use of methyl bromide. And countries have agreed to a treaty to ban it.
Aref Abdul-Baki says farmers who use cover crops produce as many, or more, tomatoes per hectare as compared to no use of cover crops.
This VOA Special English Agriculture Report was written by Mario Ritter. Our reports are online at voaspecialenglish.com. I'm Gwen Outen.
Written by Mario Ritter
I'm Gwen Outen with the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.
Cover crops are an ancient way to help farmers improve their soil, increase their harvests and, these days, save money on chemicals.
Scientists like Aref Abdul-Baki search for new and better cover crops. Mister Abdul-Baki is with the Agricultural Research Service of the United States Department of Agriculture. He works at the Sustainable Agricultural Systems Laboratory in Beltsville, Maryland.
Mister Abdul-Baki has found some cover crops to resist groundworms that attack the roots of tomatoes.
Sunn hemp, cowpea and velvet bean are good for warm, humid areas. The soil is plowed to plant the cover crops during the summer months. In the fall, the cover crops are turned over in the soil, then the tomatoes are planted.
In states with moderate climates, like Maryland and Virginia, the cover crops are planted in the fall to grow during early spring. Mister Abdul-Baki tells us that good cover crops are hairy vetch and rye.
To avoid soil loss, the seeds are planted without the use of plowing. In May, the cover crops are cut and the remains are left on the surface. The same method can be used for other summer crops like peppers, sweet corn, green beans and some melons.
After the cover crop is cut, the result is a layer of organic material. This will help the new crop grow and suppress unwanted plants. The cover crop provides extra nutrients to the soil. It also keeps the soil from drying out, and helps prevent the loss of soil.
In hot, dry areas, like in Southern California, cover crops help reduce soil temperatures. They also reduce water loss and erosion. Lana vetch is a good cover crop. It is planted in the fall and breaks down without any assistance. It releases its seeds back into the soil.
Mister Abdul-Baki says farmers who use cover crops no longer need to treat their soil with methyl bromide before they plant tomatoes. Methyl bromide kills many kinds of organisms. But Mister Abdul-Baki notes that the poison also damages the environment and is a health danger. The government restricts the use of methyl bromide. And countries have agreed to a treaty to ban it.
Aref Abdul-Baki says farmers who use cover crops produce as many, or more, tomatoes per hectare as compared to no use of cover crops.
This VOA Special English Agriculture Report was written by Mario Ritter. Our reports are online at voaspecialenglish.com. I'm Gwen Outen.
Future of the Central American Free Trade Agreement Unclear in Washington
Future of the Central American Free Trade Agreement Unclear in Washington
Written by Mario Ritter
I’m Gwen Outen with the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.
President Bush is urging Congress to pass the Central American Free Trade Agreement, or CAFTA. Under CAFTA the United States would join the Dominican Republic and five Central American countries. The five are Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and El Salvador.
The agreement deals with agriculture and all other trade. It requires the nations to reduce or end import taxes on most products. It also requires them to enforce their own labor and environmental laws.
Support among lawmakers in Washington is mixed. Democrats mostly oppose the agreement. So do a number of Republicans, who control Congress. But the president says Congress needs to pass the agreement to create jobs and strengthen democracy in the Americas.
The Bush administration says the United States has about thirty-two thousand million dollars a year in trade with CAFTA nations. The Office of the Trade Representative in Washington says United States farmers will gain new markets for their goods. And it says many Central American agricultural products like coffee and tropical fruit do not compete with American products.
In two thousand three, CAFTA nations imported about forty-one percent of their agricultural products from the United States. But that was down from fifty-four percent ten years ago.
CAFTA will immediately remove import taxes on grapefruit, apples, almonds and many other fruits and nuts. Other tariffs will be reduced over five, ten or fifteen years.
But CAFTA will not remove all tariffs. Sugar will remain protected in the United States. The agreement establishes sugar export limits for each country. The Trade Representative’s Office says the new limits represent less than two percent of United States sugar production.
The United States sugar industry opposes CAFTA. Other opponents include textile industry groups that worry about the risk of job losses. Labor groups say the free trade agreement does not protect American jobs or labor rights. And environmental groups say the agreement is weak on protecting the environment.
Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns praises CAFTA as good for American farmers. He says CAFTA nations can now place high tariffs on goods from the United States, yet escape duties on most of their own products.
This VOA Special English Agriculture Report was written by Mario Ritter. I'm Gwen Outen.
Written by Mario Ritter
I’m Gwen Outen with the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.
President Bush is urging Congress to pass the Central American Free Trade Agreement, or CAFTA. Under CAFTA the United States would join the Dominican Republic and five Central American countries. The five are Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and El Salvador.
The agreement deals with agriculture and all other trade. It requires the nations to reduce or end import taxes on most products. It also requires them to enforce their own labor and environmental laws.
Support among lawmakers in Washington is mixed. Democrats mostly oppose the agreement. So do a number of Republicans, who control Congress. But the president says Congress needs to pass the agreement to create jobs and strengthen democracy in the Americas.
The Bush administration says the United States has about thirty-two thousand million dollars a year in trade with CAFTA nations. The Office of the Trade Representative in Washington says United States farmers will gain new markets for their goods. And it says many Central American agricultural products like coffee and tropical fruit do not compete with American products.
In two thousand three, CAFTA nations imported about forty-one percent of their agricultural products from the United States. But that was down from fifty-four percent ten years ago.
CAFTA will immediately remove import taxes on grapefruit, apples, almonds and many other fruits and nuts. Other tariffs will be reduced over five, ten or fifteen years.
But CAFTA will not remove all tariffs. Sugar will remain protected in the United States. The agreement establishes sugar export limits for each country. The Trade Representative’s Office says the new limits represent less than two percent of United States sugar production.
The United States sugar industry opposes CAFTA. Other opponents include textile industry groups that worry about the risk of job losses. Labor groups say the free trade agreement does not protect American jobs or labor rights. And environmental groups say the agreement is weak on protecting the environment.
Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns praises CAFTA as good for American farmers. He says CAFTA nations can now place high tariffs on goods from the United States, yet escape duties on most of their own products.
This VOA Special English Agriculture Report was written by Mario Ritter. I'm Gwen Outen.
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