Healthy soil and sustainable growing

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Agronomist warns farmers of fighting Mother Nature
By VALERIE TUCKER, Correspondent Morning Sentinel
http://www.gefreemaine.org/article.php?story=20061009144149928


FARMINGTON -- Farmers are today's medicine men and women, with the power to
heal and nourish their customers. Unfortunately, instead of serving that
purpose, most farmers are at war with Mother Nature and they don't have a
chance of winning.

That was the conclusion of Dr. Arden Andersen, an agronomist and medical
doctor from Indiana, who, on Saturday, was the keynote speaker at a
conference held at the University of Maine at Farmington.

Andersen got everyone's attention when he warned his audience of farmers,
educators and nutritionists about the dire consequences of ignoring the
health of children. "Cancer is the third leading cause of death in our
children, right after accidents and violence," Andersen said.

His impassioned presentation about the links between agriculture and human
health was sponsored by the Western Mountains Alliance, with funding from
the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, and in partnership with the Maine Alternative
Agriculture Association.



Andersen speaks regularly to audiences worldwide about advanced soil and
crop management. He has written several books about biological agriculture,
soil microbiology and the best ways to support plants, livestock and the
humans who eat both.

Throughout the daylong presentation, Andersen relentlessly challenged
perceptions of consumers.

"Women know antibiotics wipe out their ability to fight off yeast
infections," he said. "Disease in the field is exactly the same way. We
have taken away a plant's natural ability to fight insects and disease with
all of the medicine we have given them."

Pharmaceutical products make money for investors, so reducing the use of
medications and fertilizers won't produce the returns for baby boomers'
retirement portfolios, Andersen said. Still, everyone should take
responsibility for the future and build on personal experience, he added.

Even the best-intentioned organic farmers can fail if they still believe
they need to kill nature to protect their crops.

"Name one weed, disease, or insect problem we have solved," Andersen
challenged. "By the way, folks, Wal-mart has announced it's going to go
organic, and they're going to buy their products from China."

The conference was part of a two-year initiative to promote local foods and
stimulate farm production in Franklin and Somerset counties. The goals,
according to the Alliance's executive director, Tanya Swain, are to build
demand for local produce that encourages farmers to increase production and
to provide those farmers with technical assistance and outreach to help
them to grow and store more foods and extend the harvest.

Paula Day is the coordinator of the Eat Smart Eat Local project, and
executive director of the Maine Alternative Agriculture Association.

"We are especially concerned with putting the freshest, highest quality
foods in our school lunch programs for the consumers who benefit the most
from the best nutrition possible -- our children," Day said.

"We know that if we want to increase the economic bottom line for our farms
with local sales, we have to produce what consumers want, extend our
marketing season and make our products easily available for as much of the
year as possible," she added.

The alliance staff offered a lunch of locally raised meats, vegetables and
fruits to participants.

"Students need to know the farmers in their communities and understand that
eating healthy is 'cool' because it tastes good and it is socially
responsible, environmentally friendly, and fun," said Kathleen Beauregard,
Projects and Grants Coordinator for the Alliance.

"Let's use whole potatoes instead of processed, (and also) salad bars of
hearty, locally grown winter greens, soups of local meats and root
vegetables, and milk, cheese and yogurt from local dairies."

Ultimately, the Western Mountains Alliance envisions Eat Smart Eat Local
developing a vital local food system where a combination of fresh and
preserved local produce and locally raised pasture-fed meat and dairy
products are served in school lunch programs all year.