RELEASE: Sludge Pushers Attack Organic Food Advocates
April 11, 2011
SAN DIEGO–Leading organic gardening and food safety advocates who oppose growing food in sewage sludge are attending the national BioCycle magazine conference Tuesday, April 12, 2011 in San Diego to demand an apology and retraction from Sally Brown, a columnist and editorial board member of BioCycle magazine, and from Nora Goldstein, the executive editor of BioCycle.
Sally Brown, who is also a research associate professor at the University of Washington, is delivering a keynote address at the BioCycle conference; she promotes growing food in sewage sludge “fertilizer.” John Stauber, senior adviser to the Food Rights Network and co-author of the bestselling book Toxic Sludge Is Good for You!, plans to personally deliver letters to Brown and Goldstein demanding an apology and retraction.
Last month, Brown wrote and Goldstein published that “six ecoterrorists have the City of San Francisco quaking in its boots, leading officials to stop a compost giveaway program that was making hundreds happy.”
As John Stauber of the Food Rights Network and Ronnie Cummins of the Organic Consumers Association note in their letter to the two:
“Dr. Brown’s column in the March 2011 edition of BioCycle magazine makes a false and defamatory charge calling us ‘ecoterrorists.’ The Organic Consumers Association and the Food Rights Network are proud to have led the coalition that successfully put this sewage waste disposal scam on apparently permanent hold in San Francisco. Indeed, we are expanding our efforts to warn the public at large that so-called “biosolids” and “biosolids compost” are actually sewage sludge and thus contaminated with toxic and hazardous substances. ”
Your smear of us as ‘ecoterrorists’ recklessly disregards the truth. We are the proponents of genuine organic food and farming practices and federal law forbids putting sewage sludge on organic farms and gardens. It is a fraud upon the public to promote sewage sludge products containing hazardous substances—such as pathogens, pesticides, dioxins, PCBs, flame-retardants, endocrine disruptors, metals, and thousands of other contaminants—as ‘organic compost.’ The success of our coalition in exposing and stopping this fraudulent practice bears absolutely no resemblance to the felony crime of ‘ecoterrorism.’ ”
“Such vilification is particularly pernicious in the post-9/11 environment, with the expanded powers of the federal government to investigate charges of ecoterrorism. . . . That BioCycle magazine would call us ‘ecoterrorists’ is also quite possibly malicious, given your financial interests in promoting sewage sludge-derived products. We expect a written apology from both of you for your libel against us . . . . Additionally, we demand that . . . this retraction and apology be publicly announced from the podium at the national BioCycle conference April 12th in San Diego.”
The BioCycle conference begins April 12, and the keynote address at which Brown is slated to speak is scheduled for 9 AM PST.
The Food Rights Network is a project of the Center for Media and Democracy, based in Madison, Wisconsin:
www.FoodRightsNetwork.org
The Organic Consumers Association is based in Finland, Minnesota:
www.OrganicConsumers.org
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32 Comments Leave a Comment
1.
Reverend Manny | April 12, 2011 at 2:05 pm
Love you guys, think you do GREAT work… wish your blog was a little more share-friendly (like mb add a twitter or share/add button)… but its all good, will def be tweeting this entry…..
2.
joan | April 12, 2011 at 2:11 pm
This reminds me of an old movie…. Soylent Green.
We should all be careful about what we eat.
The corporations and government will stop at nothing
to make money on killing us. If this sludge doesn’t kill
us then the health networks will make millions.
I feel most sad about the effects this has on our farm
animals that are well taken care of…. it has done so
much harm already.
Don’t forget, we have a voice in our vote.
3.
vicki walker | April 12, 2011 at 2:17 pm
If advocating for clean and healthy food and the ways that food is grown is ‘eco terrorism’ then what is Monsanto doing? Terrorism of monumental proportions! When backyard gardens and community supported agriculture become the punching bag of conservatives – they’ve totally lost their minds. No one – no one can argue against clean healthy food. If you try – you will lose.
4.
Nicholas Wilson | April 12, 2011 at 2:28 pm
The very word “ecoterrorist” is PR spin defaming environmental activists. It was coined by the jerk heading the “Center for the Defense of Free Enterprise,” whose name I have forgot, but it’s in Sourcewatch in an entry I contributed.
The fact that it is a federal crime is a marker for the success of the long right-wing PR campaign by ALEC to make it so.
Good luck and keep up the fine work.
5.
Jim Bynum | April 12, 2011 at 2:39 pm
Sally Brown should have read the article
“Pathogen Destruction and Biosolids Composting” in Biocycle of June of 1996, which states, “There is some evidence that coliforms and Salmonella sp. can survive prolonged exposure to temperatures of 55 C.” Droffner and Brinton found that it took 56 days and 90 days for the densities of Salmonella sp.
and E. Coli, respectively, to decline below the detection limit…These investigators also “cite
evidence of mutant strains of E. coli and Salmonella sp. resistant to thermal environments in composting.” (p. 68)
6.
Vincent John Vincent | April 12, 2011 at 2:40 pm
raising babies on sewage sludge grown food? no thanks…….
7.
Dianne Knowles | April 12, 2011 at 2:40 pm
I’m a nurse, and it is my understanding that unused narcotics and other drugs flushed down the toilet by hospitals, nursing homes, and individuals are now in our drinking water. This is standard practice for legally “wasting” unused narcs. A partially used bubble package of drugs is nonreturnable to a pharmacy. The waste water filtration process is not designed to remove them. Could they also be in the sludge? If so, gardners would be growing crops in a cocktail of vicodin, ativan, methadone, etc.
8.
Sharon | April 12, 2011 at 2:41 pm
Not only does she put your organization at risk when she slings the word “terrorist” at you she puts all of your supporters at risk of being dangerously labeled too. This kind of statement is much like yelling Hi Jack on a plane in today’s world. I’ll be writing my own letter to this person to try and help her understand exactly what she’s doing when she slings this type of sludge.
9.
Mary Roam | April 12, 2011 at 2:54 pm
I signed because I have great respect for the Center’s work, but I have no idea what constitutes good compost and what is hazardous waste. Can you explain?
10. Toxic sewage sludge compo… | April 12, 2011 at 3:08 pm
[...] via RELEASE: ??Sally Brown and BioCycle Magazine, Supporters of Growing Food in Sewage Slu…. [...]
11.
Claire S Perricelli | April 12, 2011 at 3:45 pm
We are NOT ecoterrorists!
12.
Mishelle Shepard | April 12, 2011 at 3:46 pm
I’m so pleased you have taken on this momentous work. I also write on food/farming topics and this issue is seriously disturbing. Governments and corporations are playing on the public’s lack of knowledge and the difficulty of mobilizing enough folks to stand up against them. They won’t win!
13.
Sister Bernie Galvin | April 12, 2011 at 3:47 pm
I was absolutely shocked by the promotion of sewage sludge by Biocycle.
Thanks to Food Rights Network for revealing the truth, thereby protecting the general public and educating the many millions of us who want to do the right thing ecologically!
14.
Ernest Medeiros | April 12, 2011 at 3:57 pm
These sorts of practices (deceptive, fraudulent attacks by pseudo-academicians) are the worst sort of “terrorism.” The attempt to silence through intimidation is a despicable course of action. This so-called professor should be hauled before an academic ethics board and investigated for her obvious ties to an industry that is poisoning us all.
15.
Lynne | April 12, 2011 at 4:09 pm
Promotion of sewage sludge is the REAL “eco-terrorism”. Using this stuff is insane! It’s a way to dispose of the detritis of Big Pharma without them having to pay for it. On the contrary, USERS of this garbage, because that’s what it is, will pay. With their health.
16.
Isabella | April 12, 2011 at 4:37 pm
If Sally Brown wants to eat food grown in sewage, more power to her. I do not want food grown under such conditions.
17.
Morgan | April 12, 2011 at 5:00 pm
Thank you for representing a conscience and commitment to our safety and the moral and ethical grounds for the treatment of people. The terrorist and treasonous conduct by rogue industries who endanger us and treat our health and safety with wanton negligence is appalling.The fact that they have usurped the government who is complicit with this conduct and no longer insuring the health and welfare of it’s citizen’s is even more appalling. And is equivalent to multiple “911″ attacks on it’s people which is also treasonous by our government at our expense.
18.
Marianne | April 12, 2011 at 5:06 pm
The word terrorist loses it’s punch when it’s used on investigative researchers and advocates. These tactics from PR firms need to be exposed. War is NOT peace. It may be easy to look the other way because it’s so insane and we know better, but it not only deserves a retraction but a possible suit on defamation of character. It’s a serious word that should not be thrown around willy nilly.
19.
Roxanne Brothers | April 12, 2011 at 5:17 pm
Oh my gosh, I have been using Glacier Gold in my garden! It nothing but crapp. I hope to let this be known. Thank you for the heads up.
20.
Lin Mohler | April 12, 2011 at 5:57 pm
When did presenting a viewpoint based on science become terrorism? That must be when those not scientifically informed realized they had not a leg to stand on, and felt victimized by their ignorance and greed. Or it must be when they began using the new definition of terrorism – that is, “when others disagree with us and ask us not to hurt them or make them ill.”
21.
M. Dale Swiggett | April 12, 2011 at 5:58 pm
I’m a NC developer who ran into real estate Ponzi schemes, development corruption connected to big biz and politicians, and landed right in the middle of toxic water and other environmental injustices. My state has more sludge spread than probably all other states due to fact that Labcorp (2nd largest testing lab in world) is HQ’ed in my hometown Burlington, NC. The contract ‘bio solids’ transporter is Synagro. NC is known as the ‘cancer state’ due to our great medical facilities, cancer research, clinics, universities when ironically there are numerous cancer clusters everywhere that is now finally getting our politicians’ attn.
As a result of NC DENR bad policies that have adversely affected my projects on several different levels (including sludge being spread), I’m being sued for libel/slander. I’m handling my federal case Pro Se due to fact so many attorneys are conflicted somehow and/or want huge retainers. I’ve named Labcorp, Synagro, and NC DENR as 3rd party defendants in my case. And I have public documents and approved permits supporting my claims. Am looking for addt’l organizational support and legal expertise/attorney(s).
Dale Swiggett
Waterfront Sportsman
& the Environmental Investigation Coalition
22.
May | April 12, 2011 at 6:29 pm
It’s become so routine to read the misinformation which the minions of corporate America serve up, no matter what the issue. And somehow, those working for the greater good always end up on the defense. I’m sick of it. If this eco-terrorist ‘crap’ wasn’t so evil, it would be laughable. However, it’s a serious charge and must be answered. Hopefully anyone with half a brain will be able to see these lies for what the are.
23.
freefall | April 13, 2011 at 12:15 am
How does Sally Brown have the authority to call any person or organization an “ecoterrorist”. That is tantamount to calling them a criminal or the enemy! Just who does she think she is to make an assertion of such magnitude without providing details to substantiate such an outrageous claim? I think she ought to be called on the carpet for publishing such poisonous sludge and for thinking some how she has any right to declare some one else the enemy when what seems obvious is that she needs to be evaluated for her values and loyalties. Make this a national issue with as much exposure as possible so that the truth behind this spin and the real culprits and true ecoterrorists like Monsanto are revealed to the public. People are not just uninformed, they are mis-informed and intentionally dumbed down otherwise the public would be outraged, like they should be. Make Sally Brown eat her words as well as food that has been grown in her version of “compost”.
24.
Victoria Parks | April 13, 2011 at 1:37 am
Parasites, that disgusting subject nobody wants to talk about and modern science has few answers for. But we must talk about it now! When we dump human feces on our gardens we risk infesting ourselves with any number of the over 1500 different human parasites that plague humanity. Compost from human waste is disgusting and I don’t want it on my food! Does that make me a terrorist? Get off it!
25.
Lauren Hill | April 13, 2011 at 2:16 am
Dale, Please contact Joyce Riley at The Power Hour 1.800.259.9231 or 877.817.9829 or 573.378.6049. I’m sure she would like to interview you on her very popular international radio show. or e-mail to [email protected]
26.
Russell Novkov | April 13, 2011 at 3:35 am
Shame on Sally Brown!!!
27.
kent mollohan | April 13, 2011 at 4:01 am
when the sludge promoters eat their slime on television (new reality show idea), and show old news clips of President Nixon refusing to drink the water in Chicago at the recycling plant, then maybe, just maybe, I’ll pay as much attention to these folks as I give to say, oh, Faux News, Glenn Beck-and-call-in-noise. bother.
28.
Thomas Keenan | April 13, 2011 at 4:59 am
As a horticulturist and landscaper who has an organic bent in business practices, and as a consumer with access to my own source of sewage sludge, and as one who has studied, researched and experimented with said product, I can tell you that the accumulation of heavy metals and other contaminants combined with the very hot nature of the product and the impossibility of integration with existing media, it’s a completely worthless product!
29.
Kobutsu Malone | April 13, 2011 at 5:34 am
Are there chemical analysis documents available documenting the hazardous material found in sewage sludge?
30.
Jenna Viscaya | April 13, 2011 at 5:49 am
I am wondering how to get the word out to the innocent (and under-educated) consumer who is just (literally) “buying” this “cr-p” (that is with an ‘a’, not an ‘o’). I am astonished and over whelmed by the enormity of the slander, the mislabelling, misnaming, and outright lying that is putting all of us at risk.I can barely believe that the true eco-terrorists (agribusinesses like monsanto and their political apologists) continue too get away with this, let alone perpetrate these hoaxes in otherwise progressive cities like San francisco. If it can (almost) happen there, just think what is happening elsewhere! thank you for informing, for fighting, and vor mobilizing people of conscience.
31.
Marcos | April 13, 2011 at 2:27 pm
This is certainly a little something I have to find more information about, thank you for the blog post.
32.
Sandy Barringer | April 13, 2011 at 4:41 pm
Eco-terrorists? What an insult and orwellian use of words.
I bought a bag of so-called “organic” soil a couple of years ago, and it had no indication that it was sewage sludge. I found out that it must be since every last thing I planted in it died! There was nothing organic about that, and I’ve been doing organic gardening for over 50 years. When I dumped it out on the lawn, it even killed the grass. I’d call that toxic! What I learned from that is to make your own organic compost. You can’t trust retailers.
Also, I have no idea why sewage sludge is still being promoted as anything you’d grow food in. When I lived in El Paso, they tried using sewage sludge on the local farms and everything died. After that, they put the sludge in the landfill. Yet, this poison brew is still being promoted? Unbelievable.
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