A U.S. farm policy shift to joint production of commodities and ecological services will advance sustainable agriculture.

This study quantified the uptake of five antibiotics (chlortetracycline, monensin, sulfamethazine, tylosin, and virginiamycin) by 11 vegetable crops in two different soils that were fertilized with raw versus composted turkey and hog manures or inorganic fertilizer. Almost all vegetables showed some uptake of antibiotics from manure treatments. However, statistical testing showed that except for a few isolated treatments the concentrations of all antibiotics in vegetable tissues were generally less than the limits of quantification. Further testing of the significant treatments showed that antibiotic concentrations in vegetables from many of these treatments were not significantly different than the corresponding concentrations from the fertilizer treatment (matrix effect). All five antibiotic concentrations in the studied vegetables were <10 μg kg(-1). On the basis of the standards for maximum residue levels in animal tissues and suggested maximum daily intake based on body weight, this concentration would not pose any health risk unless one is allergic to that particular antibiotic.

BACKGROUND: A preliminary study was undertaken to compare the prevalence of antibiotic resistance bacteria (ARB) on turkey farms using either antibiotics sub-therapeutically (AU) or no antibiotics (NAU). Samples of manure, soil, and dog feces were collected from seven AU and six NAU farms.

As urbanization increases, the potential for conflict between urban and agricultural interests grows. In Salem, OR, a 1989 Audubon Society report expressed concerns about pesticide use on agricultural lands that were part of Minto-Brown Island Park. The report recommended that the city of Salem ban the use of pesticides known to cause health or environmental damage. R.G. Andersen-Wyckoff, president of the Salem Parks Advisory Board, felt the issue could turn into a divisive conflict between farming and nonfarming interests in the Salem community. This case presents Andersen-Wyckoff's dilemma as he decided what action to take to alleviate tensions between environmental and agricultural concerns. By working through this case, students consider and discuss varying perceptions about pesticide use by farmers while evaluating data concerning pesticides. In addition to enhanced awareness of pesticides and controversy surrounding their use, students also gain appreciation of the need for improved communication between agricultural and nonagricultural interests.

No abstract