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Food Resources: Chapters 16

EVSC 404Reading Assignment: Environmental

Science

Miller

Chapter 16: Pages 377

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Food Production

30,000 PLANT SPECIES

ONLY 15 PLANT AND 8 TEREESTIAL

ANIMAL SPECIES SUPPLY 90% OFOUR FOOD

Four main crops grown make up most of

world food supply These are wheat, rice, potato, and corn

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Food Production

MAIN GRIAN CROP: WHEAT, RICE

AND CORN (PROVIDE ABOUT HALF

OF ALL CALORIES) THREE MAIN SYSTEMS

ROWCROP

RANGELANDS FISHERIES

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Major Types of Food Production

1. Industralized Agriculture

Uses large amount of Energy

Uses commercial fertilizers

Pesticides usage high

Mostly monoculture Plantation agriculture a type of industralized

agriculture

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Major Types of Food Production

Traditional Agriculture

Produces 20% of world food

75% of cultivated land

Two main types, subsistence and

traditional intensive agriculture

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Major Types of Food Production

Green Revolution

High yield varieties

Pesticides and Fertilizers

Intensity in cropping

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Major Types of Food Production

Traditional Agriculture

Polyvarietal Cultivation

Intercropping

Agroforestry

Polyculture

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World Food Challenges

1. Overnutrition:

An excessive intake of food

15% of people in developed countries

2. Undernutrition:

Basic energy needs not met

Seriously undernourished: < 80% of

minimum calorie intake.

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World Food Challenges

3. Malnutrition: Deficiency of proteins andkey elements

Generally found in high grain diets

Two most common are

Maramas: wasting away due to lowcalorie intake

Kwashiorkor: Severe proteindeficiency

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Environmental Effects of

Producing Food

Loss of biodiversity

Soil degradation

Air pollution

Water pollution and Depletion

Health problems

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Pesticides

Insecticides

Herbicides

Fungicides

Fumigants

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Pesticides

Classification:

Broad Spectrum

Selective

Classes: Table 1

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Pesticides

Case for pesticides

Save lives

Increase food supplies and lower cost Increase profit for farmers

Work faster than alternatives

health risk insignificant compared to benefits

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Pesticides

Case Against

Genetic resistence

Broad spectrum

Causes health problems

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Sustainable Agriculture

Combines high input and high yield polyculture

Grows perennial crops

Minimize erosion Reduces water use

Empasizes biological control

Reduces use and waste of fossil fuel Reduces overfishing

Pesticides

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Pesticide and Food Laws

1.FFDCA

Federal Agency with jurisdiction: Food and Drug

Administration (FDA) of the Department of

Health and Human Services (HHS).

Main provisions of the Law:

1. Establishes standards of chemical content for

various products. Forbids adulteration andmisbranding.

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FFDCA

2. Requires the approval of new drugs,coloring agents, and food additives toassure safety before use.

3. Species the levels of pesticides ,chemicals and naturally occurringpoisonous substances that may be in

food products. 4. Regulates safety of cosmetic products.

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FFDCA

Delaney Clause

Found in section 490(c) 3 of Act.

Prohibits any additive which may bedeemed by FDA to produce cancer in

animals under standard toxicological

testing. EPA sets tolerances

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FFDCA

Pesticides Residues:

Raw agricultural Residues which containresidues violate FFDCA

Raw agricultural products includeunprocessed fruits, vegetables, grains

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FFDCA

Processes foods containing pesticide

residues are considered adulterated and

illegal., unless residue is due to permitteduse on raw agric. commodity

FDA sets tolerances

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FIFRA

Agency with Jurisdiction :EPA

Provisions of Law:

1. To evaluate the risks posed by pesticidesusing a system of registration withEPA (section 3)

2. To classify and certify pesticides forspecific uses and thus control exposure(section 3)

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FIFRA

3. To suspend, cancel, or restrict

pesticides that pose a risk to the

environment (section 6) 4. To enforce these requirements through

inspections, labeling notices, and

regulation by state authorities (sections12, 14, and 16)