The New Dark Age

Almost half of the world’s farmers are poisoned by pesticides every single year, a study has found. Using publicly available data from 2006-2023, the study, which was commissioned by Pesticide Action Network, found there to be an estimated 402-433m cases of unintentional acute pesticide poisoning of farmers and farm workers every year. Based on a worldwide farming population of 934 million, this means approximately 46% of farmers are being poisoned every year. The greatest estimated number of poisonings was in southern Asia, followed by south-east Asia and east Africa. The highest national incidence of poisoning was in Burkina Faso in west Africa, where nearly 84% of farmers and farm workers were reported to have experienced poisoning. The Guardian

USDA ARS researchers have developed a conventionally bred jasmine rice variety with strong resistance to two major diseases in the United States that reduce rice crops: rice blast disease and sheath blight. USDA ARS

Iowa is about to elect a governor who faults industrial agriculture for the state’s high cancer rates. “Many people in the primary said, ‘You can’t win an election in the Republican primary talking about the big agricultural conglomerates that are extorting our farmers, talking about clean water, and how we need to lower our cancer rates,’” Zach Lahn said at the Iowa State Fair, where the farm industry’s influence loomed large, in the form of corporate sponsorships, expansive exhibits and free swag. “We did talk about it, and we won.” Tricia Busch, a 36-year-old mom, two-time cancer survivor, and registered Republican, said, “People are not happy with Trump. Even though Iowa was Trump country, people have woken up.” She added, “Whoever gets elected, their feet are going to be held to the fire. Because it’s a lot of people’s No. 1 thing. We need to have access to clean water.” Democratic candidate Rob Sand has also made water pollution a central part of his campaign. Politico

Pakistan is at a turning point for agriculture as a renewed push by certain elements to allow GMO maize cultivation could change farming forever — and likely for the worse, said a spokesperson of the Pakistan Hi-Tech Hybrid Seed Association. He said its members support real science and innovation: “But innovation should strengthen Pakistani institutions, not replace them.” He urged the government to “protect farmer choice, invest in local breeders, and reject GMO maize commercialisation before contamination makes the choice for us”. The Nation

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