Sprays Used On Food Crops.

[Ron19]

Very disturbed by something I saw this morning when on my morning walk about.I had noticed over the last 2 or3 days that a patch of soy bean plants starting to turn yellow and this morning the whole 20 odd rai had turned brown.The whole patch had obviously been sprayed with weed killer,a very dangerous practise for a food crop.Weed killers are a known carcinogen.I think they did it to dry off the leaves uniformly because this crop is going to be havested by machine but that does not help the people who will die from cancer and no one will how they contacted it.Very unimpressed.

[Ron19]

Two photo's of the crop in question.

[F1fanatic]

If you're worried, use the veg washes available.

I've no idea whether they're effective, but certainly worth trying as its obvious that horrendous weed and pest killers are used.

[tig28]

Hi Ron19

It is almost certain that the product used was Glyphosate (Roundup, Zero Etc.) which is regarded as a relatively "safe" herbicide and should not be confused with the organochloride group.

Most of the critics of Glyphosate focus more on the small percentage of added wetting agent (detergent) as the most damaging feature of the product.

The agriculture industry of the US alone uses in excess of 80,000 tons of Glyphosate per annum.

Most would prefer chemical free food production I am certain -- but................

[Ron19]

If you're worried, use the veg washes available.

I've no idea whether they're effective, but certainly worth trying as its obvious that horrendous weed and pest killers are used.

I'd be more worried about products like soy milk or anything containing soy products.

[Ron19]

Hi Ron19

It is almost certain that the product used was Glyphosate (Roundup, Zero Etc.) which is regarded as a relatively "safe" herbicide and should not be confused with the organochloride group.

Most of the critics of Glyphosate focus more on the small percentage of added wetting agent (detergent) as the most damaging feature of the product.

The agriculture industry of the US alone uses in excess of 80,000 tons of Glyphosate per annum.

Most would prefer chemical free food production I am certain -- but................

I hope you are right but I don't know what was used.

[F1fanatic]

Far better to accept that all food is full of pollutants one way or another.

It is probably worse here than in the West, but neither is free of pesticides/weed-killers/hormones etc.

The only way to escape it is to go organic - but it is expensive and, let's face it, who'd believe its genuinely organic anyway?

[soidog2]

The practice described is standard, used with other crops too.

That said, chemical use in Thailand is buyer beware, wash the h**l out of anything you buy to eat.

Be specially weary of string beans & peanuts, never eat a cucumber without peeling. Don't eat most fruit without peeling, use common sense.

Edited August 5, 2012 by soidog2

[IsaanAussie]

Far better to accept that all food is full of pollutants one way or another.

It is probably worse here than in the West, but neither is free of pesticides/weed-killers/hormones etc.

The only way to escape it is to go organic - but it is expensive and, let's face it, who'd believe its genuinely organic anyway?

Going organic is not more expensive. Most of the sprays and fertilisers can be made on farm. I am now commercialising a range of stuff I have been developing based on the probiotics we brew. Anyone interested in some samples just sent me a PM and if I have an answer to what you want, I send you some. The cost penalty that niche volume organic products has is logisitics at the moment.

To me the test of any organic product is the source of the inputs. If they are farm produced, how can they be anything else? For bought in items, these are hard to prove origin, so I judge on the potential follow on effects. Roundup ready corn is a great example I have quoted before, being linked to aborting calves it is definitely not on my ingredient list.

But a nitrogen rich foliar spray made by fermenting fresh grass clippings and fast growing weeds poses no risk. Weed killer made with vinegar, same thing to me.

Microbic predigestion of nutrient components during fermentation makes them more plant available, same in feeds, where proteins are broken down and more value is gained by the animal. Fertiliser made from 100% organic matter may not have the NPK values of chemicals but it is slow release and does not leech below the root mass as readily.

Containing healthy microbe populations in fertilisers and feeds is a natural way to restore the balance. By the way, they will also help to break down residual salt based chemicals built up in the soil.

Anyway, our stuff is on the way and I would welcome anyone to give it a try. I am chasing input and field test results.

[linno2]

two examples from my extended family make me worry: uncle has a back back spray unit that leakes and wets his shirt. An hour later he is in huge trouble with fever, breathing difficulties and vomiting +++ - next example was when we bought 5 rabbits for daughter - aunty gives the healthy happy rabbits some of the leaves from plants in her veggie garden. 30 minutes later they were all dead! I discovered some local practices - not reading the instructions - thinking that to double or triple the strength will double or triple the effectiveness of the product - buying pesticides from 'home remedy' or 'snakeoil' vendors with no information regarding the ingredients.

[Ron19]

two examples from my extended family make me worry: uncle has a back back spray unit that leakes and wets his shirt. An hour later he is in huge trouble with fever, breathing difficulties and vomiting +++ - next example was when we bought 5 rabbits for daughter - aunty gives the healthy happy rabbits some of the leaves from plants in her veggie garden. 30 minutes later they were all dead! I discovered some local practices - not reading the instructions - thinking that to double or triple the strength will double or triple the effectiveness of the product - buying pesticides from 'home remedy' or 'snakeoil' vendors with no information regarding the ingredients.

Agree with everything you say and have witnessed the same myself and one was a sisterinlaw who was around six months pregnant.The result of the pregnancy is now a strapping 18 year old boy showing no indication of anything wrong.

[jcw]

Slightly off topic, to avoid large amounts of hormones in meat products, is organic meat available in Thailand?

[linno2]

Glad your sister in law has a strapping son, espacially since 18 years ago there would have been some very dangerous (now withdrawn) sprays on the market. One thing in her favour would have been the stage of her pregnancy - at the end of the 2nd trimester as the greatest risk for the foetus in pregnancy is in the early formative stages of the first trimester. Nice for the good news!

Cheers

[slapout]

Friend of mine who was an ag advisor for many years gave me a receipe for a weed/plant killer and a fertilizer. I/2 to 3/4 gunny sack of buffalo shit, soak in 20 gallon container (weight the sack down so it stays submerged) add water to the level is at half of the container capacity. Soak for a few days, discard the gunny sack contents to work into soil, spay liquid as a weed killer or dilute liquid by a factor of 3 and spray as a fertilizer. I guess that would qualify as organic for either use.????

[IsaanAussie]

two examples from my extended family make me worry: uncle has a back back spray unit that leakes and wets his shirt. An hour later he is in huge trouble with fever, breathing difficulties and vomiting +++ - next example was when we bought 5 rabbits for daughter - aunty gives the healthy happy rabbits some of the leaves from plants in her veggie garden. 30 minutes later they were all dead! I discovered some local practices - not reading the instructions - thinking that to double or triple the strength will double or triple the effectiveness of the product - buying pesticides from 'home remedy' or 'snakeoil' vendors with no information regarding the ingredients.

Hi its one of your snake oil men here. 5555.

Labelling here is very basic and I agree often misleading or misunderstood by the customer. Also often not even read, just listen to the vendor selling from the back of a truck. Container looks real enough but what is in it, who knows? After spraying herbicides prior to planting thr rice crops, most of the guys doing the work walk in circles for a few weeks. There is some really nasty stuff on the market.

I am trying to limit expenses as well as become a more natural farm. I make several different herbicides and pesticides from natural materials and believe they are more preventatives and repellents. They might not be as effective as the active agents in chemical alternatives, but at least none of the ingredients is toxic.

[IsaanAussie]

Slightly off topic, to avoid large amounts of hormones in meat products, is organic meat available in Thailand?

Not exactly a crop question but a good one. Yes you can buy organic meat here. Generally the largest meat risk factor here is the over use of antibiotics and the observation of the wait time before slaughter. I cannot claim my pigs are organic as their consume commercial feed. The rules are a bit rubbery.

[IsaanAussie]

Friend of mine who was an ag advisor for many years gave me a receipe for a weed/plant killer and a fertilizer. I/2 to 3/4 gunny sack of buffalo shit, soak in 20 gallon container (weight the sack down so it stays submerged) add water to the level is at half of the container capacity. Soak for a few days, discard the gunny sack contents to work into soil, spay liquid as a weed killer or dilute liquid by a factor of 3 and spray as a fertilizer. I guess that would qualify as organic for either use.????

I understand the manure tea use as a fertiliser but what else goes in the brew to kill weeds?

Edited August 10, 2012 by IsaanAussie

[Ron19]

Glad your sister in law has a strapping son, espacially since 18 years ago there would have been some very dangerous (now withdrawn) sprays on the market. One thing in her favour would have been the stage of her pregnancy - at the end of the 2nd trimester as the greatest risk for the foetus in pregnancy is in the early formative stages of the first trimester. Nice for the good news!

Cheers

Thankyou very much for your comments.The sad part about it is that her husband passed away two years after with cancer.

[slapout]

Friend of mine who was an ag advisor for many years gave me a receipe for a weed/plant killer and a fertilizer. I/2 to 3/4 gunny sack of buffalo shit, soak in 20 gallon container (weight the sack down so it stays submerged) add water to the level is at half of the container capacity. Soak for a few days, discard the gunny sack contents to work into soil, spay liquid as a weed killer or dilute liquid by a factor of 3 and spray as a fertilizer. I guess that would qualify as organic for either use.????

I understand the manure tea use as a fertiliser but what else goes in the brew to kill weeds?

The undiluted tea is hot enough to burn the plants that it hits., probably requires sunlight, good plant coverage. Otherwise someone has to be aware of what they are doing. This is one reason I have never tried it, plus the buffalo are almost extent in our farm area.