Rome, Italy: A COMMITTEE of worldwide experts has taken additional steps leading to the inclusion of two pesticides endosulfan and tributyl tin compounds in the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) procedure under the Rotterdam Convention, an international treaty designed to ensure that hazardous chemicals do not endanger human health and the environment. Rome, Italy: A COMMITTEE of worldwide experts has taken additional steps leading to the inclusion of two pesticides endosulfan and tributyl tin...

Organic fertilizers can come in several forms, such as liquid, soillike material or granular, and come from natural sources, such as manures and composted materials. But walk into any nursery or garden center, and you might be overwhelmed by shelves of boxes, bottles and bags of various fertilizers. Conventional fertilizers are synthetic, man-made products and also can appear in various forms, such as granular or liquid. Twenty-four million gardeners applied both conventional and...

The Agriculture Department says North Dakota farmers plan to seed 2.6 million acres of corn, up 54 percent from last year and the largest crop since record-keeping began in 1929. The price of nitrogen, which promotes plant growth and is necessary for big yields, has risen about 40 percent since late last year. Nitrogen is particularly important for corn, which is in high demand because of the booming ethanol industry. nitrogen consumption rose about 4 times in the same period, according to...

Peter Robson 30 March 2007 Greenpeace has revealed that an independent report into safety testing by genetic engineering giant Monsanto was ignored in the lead-up to a vote on whether the company s new genetically engineered maize would be approved for consumption in the European Union. Peter Robson 30 March 2007 Greenpeace has revealed that an independent report into safety testing by genetic engineering giant Monsanto was ignored in the lead-up to a vote on whether the company s new...

He said the fertilizer keeps lawns lush and green, but he added that more chemicals are required to curb insect infestations. This spring, Florida is poised to become the first state in the nation to restrict the content of fertilizer for lawns, farms, golf courses and landscaping, according to industry officials. With every rainfall, they said, excess nitrogen and phosphorus from fertilizers would wash downstream, spurring harmful algae blooms, fish kills and deadzones in lakes and...