Herbicides & Pesticides
Australians have long lived under the false premise that our governing regulatory bodies leave us unaffected by the rumours we hear of herbicides and pesticides. So often we attribute what we hear to a far-off land, never to our own produce. Australia’s use of herbicides and pesticides is in fact quite liberal, and historically lags in action when we do discover a plethora of consequences associated with them.
What are Herbicides?
A substance that is toxic to plants, used to destroy unwanted vegetation. Herbicides act as endocrine disrupting chemicals.
Endocrine disruptors function by:
Mimicking the action of a naturally-produced hormone, such as estrogen or testosterone, thereby setting off similar chemical reactions in the body.
Blocking hormone receptors in cells, thereby preventing the action of normal hormones. Or;
Affecting the synthesis, transport, metabolism and excretion of hormones, thus altering the concentrations of natural hormones.
Endocrine disruptors have been linked to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases, metabolic disorders diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, early puberty, infertility and other reproductive disorders, childhood and adult cancers, and other metabolic disorders.
Herbicides have been correlated with Inflammation in the human body, which lays the foundation of many non communicable diseases.
The most infamous example of a herbicide is the active ingredient in Mosanto’s Roundup; Glyphosate. It is now estimated that we spray more than 2 billion kilograms of glyphosate into the soils, plants, and water systems of our planet. This water soluble toxin subsequently works its way into the water within the grains, fruits, and vegetables, as well as infiltrating the groundwater, slowly making its way into rivers, oceans, our air, and ultimately our rainfall. Not surprisingly, the diseases in our domesticated animals – from pets to livestock – have followed a similar trajectory.
Also known as insecticides, a substance used for destroying insects or other organisms harmful to cultivated plants or to animals. Most pesticides work by affecting the nervous system of the insect. The pesticide interrupts the information being sent by neurotransmitters in the synapses.
What are Pesticides?
An example of a Pesticide would be the Organochlorine Family. The Organochlorine family is a group of chlorinated hydrocarbon derivatives, which have vast application in agriculture. These compounds are known for their high toxicity, slow degradation and bioaccumulation.
This family includes DDT (Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) which was banned in Australia in 1987. The organochlorine family was stated to ‘not be proven to be adverse in effect’ shortly before its discontinuation of use.
Chlorpyrifos is an organophosphate pesticide used on crops to kill several pests, including insects and worms. It acts on the nervous systems of insects, thus is widely known to be a neurotoxin. Studies have documented that exposure to low levels of chlorpyrifos during pregnancy can impair learning, change brain function, and alter thyroid levels of offspring into adulthood, especially in females.
Dimethoate is an Organophosphorus insecticide, it is used to control insects and mites in horticulture and broadacre cropping. As with all other Organochlorine Family pesticides, dimethoate is a known neurotoxin. Tomatoes were being dipped into this chemical post-harvest up until 2011, years after most countries knew of its harmful effects.
Fungicides are biocidal chemical compounds or biological organisms used to kill parasitic fungi or their spores. A fungistatic inhibits their growth. Fungicides work in a variety of ways, but most of them damage fungal cell membranes or interfere with energy production within fungal cells.
What are Fungicides?
Fungi are incredible organisms that ‘tax’ energy and nutrients from plants in return for communication. Thats right, Fungi link plants with each other to allow communication, and are therefore are vital in a plants life and therefore farmers lives.
Because of Fungi’s role as a connector the application of Fungicides can reek havoc in the environment. Fungicides can reach aquatic ecosystems and occur in surface water bodies in agricultural catchments throughout the entire growing season due to their frequent, prophylactic application. Fungicides can be highly toxic to a broad range of organisms and can pose a risk to aquatic biota.
Fungicides are very often an overlooked pesticide class, yet still pose threats to all living organisms within an environment.
Exposure to fungicides can manifest various adverse health effects, including reproductive dysfunction, birth/developmental effects, kidney/liver damage, and cancer. Furthermore, some researchers suggest excessive use of fungicides can promote more drug-resistant fungal infections in humans as these fungicides are structurally similar to medical antifungal medications.
So is our food safe when associated with these man made chemicals?
Regulatory bodies state that low controlled level use of these chemicals harbor no harmful effects. But we have some questions:
Why are chemicals that have been scientifically proven to be harmful, heavily subsidized in agriculture?
Why is do our Agricultural Farming Bodies lack proactivity in removing harmful chemicals from our food supply?
Why are our Agricultural Farming Bodies largely funded by the companies it is regulating?
What really is a ‘safe’ level of chemical residue?
Environmental and safe food consumer lobby groups advise that there is no safe level of chemical residue in fresh food, and that it is harming us already.
The answers to our questions are not the solution; Regenerative Agriculture based in community is. To learn more press the button below.