Hi we are currently students in the block education course at Salem State University .Our group is doing a project on food industrialization, which is the mass production of food. Monoculture farms have effected American culture and the environment. From chemicals to poor land use there have been an array of issues that have arisen from these farming practices.
"Right to Farm" is a Massachusetts law passed in 1979 (all states have a similar law). This law states that no one can complain about farmer activities and by-products. ALEC has played a major role in the foundation of these laws.
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA)
- This act requires all pesticides sold or distributed by the US to be registered in the EPA. Along with that it has labeling requirements which control when and under what conditions pesticides can be mixed, stored, used or applied. It also has Worker Protection Standards (WPS) that protects the safety and health of those that handle pesticedes. Along with the protection of the workers it requires all handlers of the pesticides to be trained in the use of them.
Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act (EPCRA)
(1)allow state and local planning for chemical emergencies, (2) provide notification of emergency releases of chemicals, and (3) address communities' right-to-know about toxic and hazardous chemicals.
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) or SUPERFUND
- This act allows the EPA to respond to releases or threatened releases of hazardous substances that can affect the public health, welfare or the enviroment. The CERCLA forces those parties responsible for the hazardous act to clean it up or reimburse the SUPERFUND for the clean up performed by the EPA.
Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)
- This act granted the EPA the authority to create a regulatory framework in order to collect data on substances so they can assess, evaluate, mitigate and control risks that may be presented during the manufacture, processing and use of the substance. The EPA may, if a substance is discovered to be hazardous, ban the manufacture, limit the use, control the distribution and many other things.
More Information on the Acts Discussed Above
- This act requires all pesticides sold or distributed by the US to be registered in the EPA. Along with that it has labeling requirements which control when and under what conditions pesticides can be mixed, stored, used or applied. It also has Worker Protection Standards (WPS) that protects the safety and health of those that handle pesticedes. Along with the protection of the workers it requires all handlers of the pesticides to be trained in the use of them.
Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act (EPCRA)
(1)allow state and local planning for chemical emergencies, (2) provide notification of emergency releases of chemicals, and (3) address communities' right-to-know about toxic and hazardous chemicals.
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) or SUPERFUND
- This act allows the EPA to respond to releases or threatened releases of hazardous substances that can affect the public health, welfare or the enviroment. The CERCLA forces those parties responsible for the hazardous act to clean it up or reimburse the SUPERFUND for the clean up performed by the EPA.
Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)
- This act granted the EPA the authority to create a regulatory framework in order to collect data on substances so they can assess, evaluate, mitigate and control risks that may be presented during the manufacture, processing and use of the substance. The EPA may, if a substance is discovered to be hazardous, ban the manufacture, limit the use, control the distribution and many other things.
More Information on the Acts Discussed Above
This is crazy!
Greg's thoughts: Factory farming and mass productions of food is bad for the health of animals and the land. The cycle of growing more and more crops and buying more technology is bad for farmers. The more they grow the higher inflation rates rise and in doing so they need to harvest even more crops the next season. So factory farming is not even that profitable to farmers. It is profitable to corporations which flourish since this is a capitalist nation I am less of a supporter on local farms and more of a supporter of home gardening and the creation of food forests instead of mini african landscapes in our backyards. I am thankful for the fact that our ancestors where able to figure out ways to feed their family but now with the knowledge we have on agriculture it is about time we change to a new system that meets the needs of this modern world where land is scarce.
Katlin's thoughts: Our blog topic is new to me. I only became aware of the harmful effects of pesticides in 2010 when creating a health project for class. I had no idea the amount of pesticides that farmers use and the negative effects they have on citizens, especially children. Out of all the information that I have learned throughout school, I have never been informed on the humane treatment of animals on farms and where the meat I eat comes from. Hopefully this project will build my knowledge about farm practices and how laws have influenced the industry.
Kristin's thoughts: When going through the list of topics to choose this seemed like the one that affects me the most. I have never taken the time to think about what is done to the food I eat and how the animals are treated. For years I have heard about the problems with pesticides but only to a certain extent. I am excited to dive deeper into the issues and the specific areas that are affected by these bad practices.
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