Something commonly done in Conventional Ag that fuels worries about the spread of toxic waste

[Tumbulu]

Back in the mid 90's this was a big scandal in the agricultural world. It was widely reported in the farm presses and the result was that organic certifiers remain seriously strict about the use of conventional fertilizers that supply trace elements (metals such as iron, zinc, etc) . In fact it is one reason I avoid all conventionally grown food when possible.

What happened and for all I know may still be happening is that the toxic waste dumps began contracting with fertilizer manufacturers to add the heavy metal toxic wastes in very small amounts to the trace element fertilizers. The idea was that the best way to dispose of these metals is to disperse them over great expanses of land. By putting them into fertilizers used sparingly that is what could be done.

When this became public a lot of conventional farmers began trying organic out. The idea that they were going to be "used" to spread toxic waste on their land without knowledge or consent made people really angry. And it is not as though these fertilizers where free or anything.

In the early 00's a similar thing happened with horse, cow and cattle feeds. Again, another big hoopla in the ag presses and more people shifted to organic.

So, the worry that toxic waste gets spread around to dilute it is not ridiculous. It has been a standard business practice in US agriculture for some time and it continues to inspire farmers to go organic.

[Howler]

1. They are just not going to be happy till they kill the land,

The animals, and all of the people1!!

[Tumbulu]

2. I actually think that these people who come up with these schemes

consider them harmless and a clever way to reduce costs and solve a problem.

It is like the vet/engineers who came up with the idea of putting chickens into tiny cages so that they do not waste valuable input calories on moving and living- they want all that grain that gets fed to them to turn into meat or eggs and they are simply units, not living feeling beings.

[Howler]

3. Yeah thats the animals.

and They don't think other people or the land are living feeling beings if it gets in the way of thier bottom line either Tumbulu.
There is plenty of propoganda out on the airwaves and in print sayin just that.