Volume 16 Issue 2 The International Society for Cow Protection 2006
n spring and summer the land awakens from a long winter sleep. The earth that was once Srimad Bhagavatam. 1.4.9 Purport frozen and dormant softens and be- comes alive with warmth. The spring is a time to cultivate the earth and plant it with the hope of a bountiful harvest. The summer is the harvesting of springtime’s labors. The two are in- separable.
Fresh, lush, green grasses grow in spring and are a delight to the cows after eating hay all winter. The prayer is for enough rain to keep the hillsides green through the summer.
This is also the time of year conducive for people to travel outside to visit places and friends. Not only does our farm become alive with the new growth of grasses, vegetables, flowers, and fruit, but also with visitors.
Above: Krishna Inside This Issue Below: Visiting with Balaram while taking a tour of the ISCOWP farm.
Letters: Vegetarian Food, 2 - 3, Cosmetics & Body Care Prod- 13 - 15 ucts Alert, World Grain Stocks Fall to 57 Days of Consump- tion:
ISCOWP Update 4 - 5 ISCOWP Outreach 6 - 7, 12
Life With the Cows 8, 12 and Land
Simple Life at New 9 Vraja-dhama Working Villages, Inc. 10
Facts 11
-madcowboy.com Page 2 THE ISCOWP NEWS
ISCOWP Profile can mean almost anything. Meat ISCOWP was incorporated in the state must be mentioned on a food label if of Pennsylvania, USA, March 1990, as it is a stand-alone ingredient (as tuna a non-profit educational organization. fish or chicken or beef stocks). Com- Vegetarian Food, Cosmetics & panies cite "proprietary reasons" to William and Irene Dove (Balabhadra Body Care Products Alert News- das and Chayadevi dasi) are its avoid disclosing whether their natu- letter Issue I managing directors. They are disciples ral flavors contain meat. Many com- From: John Howley of His Divine Grace A.C. panies do not put the word "animal" To: [email protected] Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the on the ingredient label in order to not Sent: 5/29/2006 10:46:04 PM Founder Acharya of the International lose customers. Subject: Vegetarian Ingredients Society for Krsna Consciousness Warning Newsletter Hare Krsna (ISKCON). Through their spiritual Health Food Companies Being master's teachings, they have imbibed Vegetarian-Restaurants.net Bought Up the practices and benefits, both spiritu- The sale of organic food has been in- al and material, of lifetime cow pro- Vegetarian Food, Cosmetics & Body creasing by 20 percent per year for tection. The tenets of cow protection Care Products Alert Newsletter the past 10 years and sold over $11 and ox-power are universal and Issue I billion worth of organic products in nonsectarian, available to all regardless 2004. It is the fastest growing seg- of race, creed, or nationality. By the Vegetarian Research Organi- ment of the food industry. ISCOWP Mailing Address zation ISCOWP Because of this many of the organic
RD 1 Box 322 A and vegetarian health food manufac- This is our first Newsletter and I Moundsville, WV, USA, 26041 turers are being bought up by major hope you will consider it to be ISCOWP Phone food companies, many of which deal useful. I am sure many readers of this Phone:1-304-843-1658 in genetically modified foods, meat newsletter have done their own ISCOWP Internet processing and supplying cigarettes. [email protected] research on what foods contain meat http://www.iscowp.org products. Often the label of these acquired http://iscowp.blogspot.com health food companies do not say To Contribute or Get Info Your input is extremely valuable in who actually owns the company. On Write check to ISCOWP, if by by credit making this newsletter useful. Terra Chips package in very small or paypal please check the pertinient Please send what you have discov- print it states that Terra is a division internet address. Use any contact info ered to [email protected] so that of Hain Celestial (whose brands also for inquiry. I can add your letter to our web site. include Westbrae and Health Valley), To Give a Donation Then thousands of others can benefit which is partially owned by Heinz. The USA tax deductible number is 23- from what you have learned. Please Cascadian Farm and Muir Glen prod- 2604082. http://www.iscowp.org/ feel free to print this newsletter and ucts are distributed by Small Planet Donate.htm show it to your friends. Also if you Foods and Small Planet is owned by Subscribe ISCOWP 3x yr Newsletter want to put anything from this General Mills. 1) http://www.iscowp.org/ Newsletter on your web site please In 2000, Kraft Foods who is owned Membership/Membership.htm feel free to use anything. In return we by tobacco giant Philip Morris pur- 2) Within USA: $21 check, Foreign: $25 just ask that you give a link to Vege- chased the vegetarian Boca Burger bank draft or money order tarian-Restaurants.net (http:// line. Kraft also sells Oscar Meyer hot ISCOWP T-shirts, videos, www.vegetarian-restaurants.net) dogs. 1) http://www.iscowp.org/T-shirts/T Natural Nirvana (http:// www.naturalnirvana.com) is our -Shirts.htm Responsible Shopper contains a list Adopt A Cow new sales web site selling vegan, of companies and whether they are http://www.iscowp.org/AAC/ vegetarian and spiritual products. responsible companies and if not Adopt%20A%20Cow%20Today.htm what they have done that is irrespon- ISCOWP Editors note Natural Flavorings sible (http:// Details in non-editorial articles and There are no laws requiring the dis- www.responsibleshopper.org). quoted comments by those other than closure of meat as an ingredient on food labels. Companies often use the editors do not necessarily represent Some of the purchased health food the viewpoint of the editors. the term natural flavors, which THE ISCOWP NEWS Page 3
companies and who acquired them is tus plants in Peru, the Canary Islands www.isitveggie.com. This site tells listed below. and other places. These bugs eat the whether many of the products found red cactus berries and the red color in the UK are vegan or vegetarian. Company True Owner accumulates in them. Carmine is a Brown Cow Hershey more concentrated coloring made Some Products You May Be Inter- Earth Best Baby Food Heinz from cochineal. The insects are ested In Arrowhead Mills Heinz ground up and are used in red, pink In their questions and answer section Hain Pure Food Heinz and purple processed foods. Heinz states that there are no meat products in their catsup and that any Terra Chips Heinz Cochineal is used to give color to natural favoring in any of their cat- Garden of Eatin Heinz candy, ice cream, fruit bars, yogurt, sup come from a vegetarian source. Westsoy Heinz bright red maraschino cherries, jams, Millstone Organic Coffee pills, lipstick, fruit fillings, blushes, Wrigley's gum contains a vegetarian Proctor and Gamble eye shadows, vitamins and juice source of glycerin, but some of the Nature¹s Farm Chicken Tyson drinks. I would be extremely careful other gums contain animal-derived Cascadian Farms General Mills of any strawberry product that is col- glycerin. Muir Glen General Mills ored by natural colorings. They may Knudsen Juices Phillip Morris be declared on labels as "natural col- Caesar salad dressing often contains Odwalla Coca-Cola oring" or "color added." anchovy and raw eggs, and Caesar dressing usually means containing Orange Juice Because the red artificial dyes 2 and anchovies and eggs to thicken it. Minute Maid orange juice contains D3 40 are both believed to be carcino- derived from lanolin (usually an ani- genic, cochineal is often used as a When I contacted Kraft about animal mal source). The vitamin D3 found in safe food dye in natural products. In rennet in their cheese, they told me Tropicana is a synthetic powder and is the past several years, doctors from that the only cheeses that do not con- the same form that is added to milk. around the world have proven that tain animal rennet are: Their source of vitamin D is not de- these artificial red food colorings can Kraft Swiss Cheese and Philadelphia rived from an animal and the product cause allergic reactions, including Brand Cream Cheeses. is kosher certified. sneezing, asthma, and who knows what. Prego does not make a single vege- Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that tarian pasta sauce, Campbell's, the Some products that get their red aids in the absorption of calcium and parent company of Prego, makes color from cochineal (carmines) are: phosphorus from food. Vitamin D only two vegetarian soups, out of its raises the blood levels of calcium and • Dannon Strawberry Yogurts numerous lines of soup. Meat in- phosphorus and is part of a large • Ocean Spray Pink-Grapefruit Juice gredients are often listed as “natural group of bone-making and bone- Drink flavors.” maintaining nutrients and other com- Tropicana Pure Premium Orange- pounds. Some vitamin D is made in Strawberry Juice Cane (Sucrose) the body when skin is exposed to Tropicana Season's Ruby Red Animal bones are often used as a fil- sunlight. Grapefruit Juice. ter while processing sugar. Florida Crystal Sugar and Jack Frost Sugar Burger King Veggie Lecithin are not processed with animal bones. Burgers now contain egg whites. Previously eggs were the main Previously the veggie burger paddy source of lecithin used in processed In the UK, Tate and Lyle and Billing- was vegan. Also this burger is often foods. Now more often than not soy- ton's sugars are free of animal sub- cooked on the same grill as meat bur- bean is used to produce lecithin. Be- stances. British Sugar, trading as Sil- gers. cause of its high lecithin content, egg ver Spoon state that their white sugar yolk is still used today to produce is vegan but they don t guarantee the Cochineal or Carmine mayonnaise and other products. brown sugars they receive was not Cochineal (also called carmine or car- processed with some bone charcoal minic acid) is a red dye that is made Vegetarian Products by Brand Name by their suppliers. from the crushed female and un- in England Maple Syrup hatched larva of the cochineal beetle. A good England site to check is: Is It Most maple syrups do not usually These insects live on prickly pear cac- Veggie.com (http:/ (Continued on page 13) Page 4 THE ISCOWP NEWS
arden The garden is happening. We are harvesting kale, Rainbow chard, two types of bush beans, Romaine lettuce, beets, Yukon Gold potatoes, spinach, peppers, and Lemon cucumbers. Next week should be the start of ripe tomatoes. This year we have four types of tomatoes. Brandywine is a first for us this year as is Double Rich. Both are medium size slicing tomatoes with good flavor. We have an early tomato called Moskovich originating from Siberia. So far there are many green tomatoes with some movement towards red but the weather has been fickle and so goes the ripening of the tomatoes. Our fourth variety is a roma called San Marzano which we like allot and use primarily for canning and drying. This year we have about 300 tomatoes plants in the garden.
Last summer we took orders and deliv- ered vegetables from the garden to 14 families in a five mile radius. This Top: Yellow zucchini, summer we have 20 families who we bush beans, flowers, are delivering vegetables to once a Jerusalem artichokes, week. and to the right toma- toes. It is so nice to be able to supply friends with first class organic produce with Middle: Orders waiting which to nourish their families. to be delivered.
The berries are in abundance this year Bottom: Harvested po- and at least every other day Chaya tatoes, beans, squash devi, my wife, or myself pick for a cou- ple of hours. These are all wild berry bushes and we have 3 or 4 different ar- eas that are good to visit on a rotation basis. I like to pick in the morning when it is still somewhat cool and ting for the wedding fresh and the wake up concert from the ceremony and recep- bird population is in full symphony. tion to expose the wed- Many varieties of birds with so many ding guests to farm life different songs. Fresh berries for Lord based on cow protec- Krsna's breakfast. tion. A good number of the invited guests had Farm Wedding never been to the farm On July 2, our daughter Lakshmi and and were unlikely to Janaka Mahajan were married at the the visit the farm if not ISCOWP farm. We chose the farm set- for the wedding. In to- THE ISCOWP NEWS Page 5
for life. Bhakti Visrambhar Madhava means to reproduce another cow or Swami read scriptural passages ox. The temple cow department real- about cows from the Vedic scrip- izes that they can not produce more tures. cows than they have the personnel, land, and funds to care for properly. Lakshmi and Janaka will be living at At one point New Vrindavan had the farm making it their home. Not hundreds of cows and found that only have we spent time making all they did not have the resources to the preparations for the wedding but care for them well. we have also been helping with addi- tional construction on the basement Gita follows Surabhi about the house that Lakshmi was living in to pasture and is very happy to have accommodate their life here on the another girlfriend. It is always an farm. We are happy that Lakshmi adjustment for all the herd when a will be able to continue to help on the new cow or ox arrives since cows in farm and that Janaka Mahajan has a herd have a "pecking order" joined us. established.
Top: Surabhi is a temporary new mem- tal we had from 60 ber of the herd. to 70 guests.
Middle: Balabhadra We had hoped by fitted a yoke on both July 2 much of the Janaka Mahajan and garden produce daughter Lakshmi. would be avail- He explained it was able for the wed- to symbolize them ding feast, but the working together as a weather since team through life. spring was cold and wet hindering Bottom: Wild black- the normal growth berries grow abun- of the garden. For- dantly on the farm. tunately, our pota- toes were ready and we used them for preparing roasted potatoes. Due to Cows last year’s food preparation, we were Summer is here and the cows are on able to use canned tomatoes, beans, pasture. Everyone is doing well and dried tomatoes and Bitter Melon. including the older cows. This is a The feast was delicious and enjoyed by pleasant time for them. Even the all with many guests taking seconds. older cows seem to get new strength to enjoy another season of grazing. As it is the Vedic custom to give a cow in charity at such an event, we had Surabhi, viewed in top picture, is framed pictures of cows for everyone visiting the ISCOWP farm from the to take home. A cow bride and groom ISKCON New Vrindavan temple. She topped the vegan cake and an addi- is to be observed and the time for her tional unique feature was the bride to be bred determined while here. and groom being yoked with an ox The temple needs to have a milking yoke to symbolize the bride and cow to supply milk for the Deities. groom learning how to work together As you may know, to breed a cow Page 6 THE ISCOWP NEWS
One guest from the Kulimela festival was Ananda Baldzhyan. In 1991, we brought Vraja and Gita to LA California to participate in the Rathayatra parade. There we met Ananda, who as a young girl took a great liking to Vraja and Gita. In the slideshow there is a picture of her as a young girl hugging Vraja.
Ananda came to the slideshow pres- entation at the Kulimela and we were all glad to make her acquaintance again. We never expected to see her again. She visited with Vraja and Gita at the ISCOWP farm and re- mains a strong cow lover.
Another guest from the Kulimela was Priyavarta das (Paul Rodney Turner), the director of Food for Life Global. The mission of Food for Life is "To bring about peace and prosperity in the world through the liberal distribution of karma-free vegetarian meals”. He visited with his wife and daughter and all enjoyed spending
Children enjoying looking at the cow photo albums at the ISCOWP booth.
Stock had visited in the past. It was There were two festivals held at New Vrindavan in which ISCOWP an enjoyable bonding experience for all. participated by giving a slideshow presentation, maintaining a cow There were also several other groups protection booth, and giving tours of of visitors who were given the official the ISCOWP cows, garden, and ISCOWP guided tour. The tour, property. weather permitting, consists of visiting the cows whether they are on The Inspiration Festival has grown each year to more and more numbers pasture or in the barns, viewing the barns and hearing the history of their of attendees. It is a social as well as development, walking in the garden, educational gathering of persons desir- and depending on what is ready for ing to be inspired to engage in devo- harvest, having a taste of some tional service. It is held on May 12, 13, and 14. At this festival, Krishna, Vraja, delicious fresh garden produce. and Radharani were adopted. In such a The other festival was Kulimela held Aksheetha and Anirudh Sridhar pet their situation, adopters have the opportu- adopted ox Krishna during a visit to the in June. This event was a social and nity to visit their adopted cows. ISCOWP farm. educational gathering for the younger generation of the Hare Krishna's adopters, Aksheeta and time with the cows and oxen. Please Anirudha Sridhar, visited as well as Krishna Movement. We interacted in the same way as we did with the see picture on page 12. Radhe Shyam's adopters, Deanna and Inspiration Festival. Shrutadev Kaufman. Radharani's In July, Jana Rozalka, Janaka adopters, Jagai-Nitai and Amanda THE ISCOWP NEWS Page 7
Mahajan's sister, came to visit for the wedding. It was her first time on a plane and her first visit to the USA. She helped Balabhadra herd the cows and water the garden. Jana was particularly attracted to the cows, specifically Krishna. When she met Krishna she said, "Oh! I love Krishna!" After understanding what wonderful personalities the cows have, she has become a vegetarian. Jana recently wrote Balabhadra; "Krishna the ox, a cow with the name of God, became my friend and said; 'Don't Eat Me!'
The book Cow Protection, Book 1 is in print again with the help of Top: Deanna and ISCOWP member Shelda Shrutadev Kaufman Bloomingdale. We had copies avail- visiting their adopted able for both festivals here at New cow Radhe -Shyam. Vrindavan. Shelda became acquainted with ISCOWP through Middle: Ananda last year's Harvest Workshop. She Baldzhyan visiting has since adopted Dwadasi and Vraja again after 14 volunteered her time many times in years. As a little girl, the garden and with the cows. She she first met Vraja at has been a tremendous help to the LA Rathayatra. ISCOWP. Below: Jana meeting Balabhadra’s mother sent Balabhadra Krishna who inspired and Chayadevi two tickets to visit her to become a vege- her in Hawaii for our combined tarian. birthdays: her 90th birthday and our 60th birthday. Balabhadra's birthday is April 22, 1946 and Chayadevi's birthday is April 25, 1946. Balabhadra is a twin so it was also his sister’s birthday and she lives in Hawaii.
While we were there, we consulted with Tejoprakash das, the temple president of ISKCON Hawaii, who desires to start a cow protection farm on the island of Oahu and possibly the island of Hawaii. The climate is ideal for cow protection and the cows could graze all year long. We looked at possible land purchases on the big island of Hawaii where we also met with other devotees who were inter- ested in establishing a farm. On sev- eral areas of Hawaii there were cows (Continued on page 12) Page 8 THE ISCOWP NEWS
the new pasture, I call each by name, count them, and take a close look to see that they are all alright.
Changing Pastures and Fence Check It’s pure nectar to see everyone par- A Posting From the NEW ISCOWP blog: www.iscowp.blogspot.com taking of the fresh grasses and herbs in the new pasture.
hanging the cows from pasture The third thing I do is go to where to pasture occurs approxi- the cows are and call them first with Comments on blog: mately every 30 days. I have a sound like a conch shell. Madhava Gosh said... (you can read the farm divided in half. On one half his blog at) : Whoooooooooooooooooooooo there is about 40 acres of pasture and Walkingthefenceline.blogspot.com on the other half there is about 40 They immediately respond with acres of pasture plus the cows have access to about 40 acres of forest which gives some grazing and lots of shade during the heat of the dog days of summer.
Before changing pastures, the first thing that needs done is to check the fences to see if any are broken. If there are broken fence lines then they are repaired. If a tree has fallen across the fence, it needs cut up for fire- wood. If the tree happens to be a wild cherry then it is imperative to make sure that all of the wilted leaves are removed from the pasture so the cows cannot eat them. Wild cherry leaves in a fresh condition straight from the tree will not harm the cows. The problem arises when the wild cherry leaves are in a wilted condition. In a wilted condition, if eaten by the cows, there is a high likelihood that the cow will come down with a condition called BLOAT. BLOAT is the build moooooooooooooos as their heads up of gas in the body of the cow, turn towards me and they start walk- which happens quickly with ing to me. As they come along, I call wilted wild cherry leaves, and can kill out some of their names like Vraja, a cow in a matter of hours. The actual Gita, Bhumi, Bhima. Come on Asha, cause of death in a bloat death is suf- come on Radharani, Ujvalla come on focation as the build up of gas in the girl lets go and then more conch shell cow’s body hinders the lungs from sounds doing their job of bringing oxygen .whoooooooooooooooooo...... into the body...... whoooooooooooooooo Top: Asha in the lead, Vishaka second, The second thing that needs done is It is now possible to move the 22 Balarama and Krishna next ,and the rest to make sure that all of the gates to cows/oxen with just one person who of the herd. the new pasture are closed. No mat- speaks the language of these cows. ter if the gate is 1/2 mile away or fur- Bottom: Fence line ther, if it needs to be closed it gets As they come through the gate into closed, no guessing or speculating. (Continued on page 12) THE ISCOWP NEWS Page 9
t present, there are 150 devotees living at the Vraja-dhama farm in Hungary. Some of them are celibates but the majority are house- holders.
The day begins early in the morning because early hours are very favorable for spiritual practices. At 4:30 AM everybody gathers together in the tem- ple room for the early morning wor- ship. The community chanting, the mantra meditation and the philosophi- cal class last until 8:30 AM.
The devotees then take breakfast to- gether after which they begin their work. Some of them work in the fields or tend to the livestock, others do their jobs in the art Studio, the bakery, the kitchen or the apiary. Still others do of- fice work or receive and guide guests visiting Vraja-dhama. In midday they Top: Threshing the wheat with oxen which breaks the seeds from the husks. again take lunch together, and at the Bottom: Grinding the wheat seeds into flour during Harvest Festival. end of the day they meet again in the the first wheat is harvested. The temple room for the evening worship. devotees go out to the fields and They try to spend every day so that it together harvest, collect, thrash, is centered around Krishna (another winnow and grind the wheat. name for God). Devotees make chapatis and cook a ten-course feast from local vegeta- Some excerpts from their site "Simple bles on a small stove, and offer Life" http://manorama.1108.cc/?p=40 everything to Krishna.
As followers of the Indian Vedic scrip- Self-sufficiency in farm communities tures, we practice the principle of non- was one of Srila Prabhupada’s de- violence. Among other things this sires he wanted his followers to ful- means we do not eat food obtained by fill. Self-sufficiency begins with eat- inflicting pain and violence on others. ing what you grow. In New What and how we eat is not only an Vraja-dhama, for five months of the expression of our views on life, but it year, our standard of worship is that also has an impact on our future and we offer Radhe-Syama (worshipable our spiritual advancement. This is why forms of Krishna) only what we we eat only vegetarian food. The produce (except for a few items like Bhagavad-gita says the following sugar, ghee, spices, etc.). Also, in our about vegetarian food: "Foods in the food from vegetables, grains, fruits devotee kitchen, we cook for 100 mode of goodness increase the dura- and milk grown and produced on the devotees daily from local ingredi- tion of life, give strength, health, hap- farm.. Grain is one of the most impor- ents. In the summer, we reserve piness and satisfaction." tant things a community needs. We vegetables and grain, and we use celebrate the festival of the "new them during the rest of the year, so Here at Vraja-dhama we prepare our grain“, the Harvest Festival, when that we won’t have to buy them from shops. Page 10 THE ISCOWP NEWS
Rather, the villagers got it and used it
and are using it to pay school fees and employ each other to plow fields, thatch their own roofs, and herd their cows and goats. Furthermore, the tall grass that was cut is now short and providing excellent grazing for their cows. Because of the new pastures, the villagers informed us that the cows are now producing 5 liters a day instead of 1.
At first, it was hard for even some of our staff to feel resolute about our plan to install a thatched roof, espe- cially once we began to feel pressure from the local committee and villag- ers. Yet, in the end everyone came round to understanding why we wanted a grass roof, why we wanted our toilets and shower building build out of matteti and grass instead of bricks and concrete, why we wanted Establishing gardens of fruits and vegetables at the Luvungi headquarters composting toilets instead of just Now, 4 years later there is a project holes in the ground, why we wanted n ISCOWP newsletter Volume 12 developing in the hometown area of local wooden doors instead of metal Issue 3 (2002) we published an ar- Adrian Baguma (now initiated Bala ones, and why we wanted screens ticle entitled "ISKCON Farm Nitai). He is the project manager and with local grass awnings instead of Uganda" submitted by Adrian Alexander (Asto) Petroff is president glass windows. Baguma. He wrote: of Working Villages International On April 27, we began our current I view the ISCOWP example as an ac- which is the western sponsor. Asto state of employment with the 20 tive approach for propagation of had an interest in developing a self- workers. The roof is finished, the Krishna Consciousness and Cow Pro- sufficient community in the Congo as holes in the building are patched, the tection in Africa, Central Africa, in East a result of a school project. After toilets and showers are up and run- DRC, Rwanda, and Burundi, where reading Bala Nitai's article in the ning. The building is mosquito proof, cows are worshipable and are given ISCOWP newsletter Asto made and is repaired. There are now 35 the same respect as our material moth- contact with Bala Nitai. mango trees planted on the north and ers as the cow is considered the mother east sides of the building. of the family. Actually there are many At http://workingvillages.org/ opportunities to propagate the mission luvungi_report.shtml you can be in- Fiston also supervised the creation of of ISCOWP and ISKCON Ministry of formed of the latest developments several big gardens for dozens of Agriculture, for bringing salvation with this project. Some excerpts from types of fruits, vegetables and flow- through action. Many are ready to give the web page follow. ers, all arranged very skillfully in some land for the mission. My family raised bed formation on the south has disposed already 8 hectares for The money did not go to carpenters and west sides of the HQ. In a few ISCOWP agricultural project for the fu- from Bukavu or a metal roof factory months, these fruits, vegetables and ture in Goma, Bukavu. It is said by an in Burundi . Rather the labor was lo- herbs will provide food for our staff old man that here in Mungu, cal, local carpenters, local matteti and workers, reducing the cost of Nyamuzinda, Krishna names were switchers, and local grass thatchers. feeding them, and at the same time used to send cows through Kivu lake The materials were local, and the providing them with a substantially for the traditional king to have more money didn't leave the village with more nutritious diet than they are ac- milk for the population. the payment for materials and wages. customed to. THE ISCOWP NEWS Page 11
cost," San Francisco Chronicle, Apr "American feed (for livestock) takes so much energy to grow that it 27, 1999; See also Brower, Michael, might as well be a petroleum by- and Leon, Warren, The Consumers' product." (Worldwatch Institute) Guide to Effective Environmental While researching facts for the revised Choices: Practical advice from the pamphlet "What is Cow Protection"?, ("The Price of Beef," WorldWatch, July/Aug 1994, pg 39) [02.07.27:11] Union of Concerned Scientists, Three We came across these facts on the mad- Rivers Press/Crown Publishers, New cowboy.com site. We found them very "Calories of fossil fuel expended to York, 1999) [02.07.27:15] interesting and thought you would produce 1 calorie of protein from too. soybeans: 2" ( Pimentel, David and "Amount of greenhouse-warming Marcia, Food, Energy and Society, carbon gas released by driving a "Area of tropical rainforest destroyed 1979, pg 59; And Pimentel, et. al., typical American car, in one day: 3 for the production of each fast-food kilograms." ("The Price of Beef," hamburger made from rainforest "Energy and Land Constraints in Food Protein Production,î Science, WorldWatch, July/Aug 1994, pg 39) beef: 55 square feet." (Denslow, Julie, [02.07.27:16] and Padoch, Christine, People of the Nov 21, 1975; cited in Lappe', Frances Moore, Diet For A Small Planet, 20th Tropical Rainforest, University of Cali- "Amount released by clearing and anniversary edition, Ballantine fornia Press, 1988, pg 169) [02.08.08.01] burning enough Costa Rican rain- books, New York, 1991, pg 74-75) forest to produce beef for one ham- [02.07.27:12] "Rainforest beef is typically found in burger: 75 kilograms." (Munoz, K, et fast food hamburgers or processed "Calories of fossil fuel expended to al, "Food Intakes of U.S. Children and beef products. In both 1993 and 1994 Adolescents Compared with Recom- the United States imported over produce 1 calorie of protein from mendations," Pediatrics, Sept 1997, 200,000,000 pounds of fresh and fro- beef: 78" (Pimentel, David and Mar- pg 323-29. See also, "Few Young Peo- zen beef from Central American cia, Food, Energy and Society, 1979, ple Eat Wisely, Study Shows," Asso- countries. Two-thirds of these coun- pg 59; And Pimentel, et. al., "Energy ciated Press, New York Times, Sept 3, tries rainforests have been cleared, and Land Constraints in Food Pro- 1997, A-12) [02.07.27:17] primarily to raise cattle whose tein Production," Science, Nov 21, 1975; cited in Lappe', Frances Moore, stringy, cheap meat is exported to "The evidence of global warming Diet For A Small Planet, 20th anni- profit the U.S. food industry. When it has been inconclusive at best... versary edition, Ballantine books, enters the United States, the beef is whether (there exists) a warming not labeled with its country of origin, New York, 1991, pg 74-75) trend is unclear." (National Cattle- so there is no way to trace it to its [02.07.27:13] men's Beef Association)" ("Myths sources." (Rainforest Action Net- and Facts About Beef Production: work) ("Seven Things You Can Do to "Results (of extensive research at the Methane Production," National Cat- Save the Rainforest," Rainforest Action Fort Krogh Livestock and Range Re- tlemen's Beef Association) Network Factsheet, http:// serve Laboratory at Miles City, [02.07.27:18] www.ran.org/ran/info_center/ Montana) pointedly reveal the high level of dependency of the U.S. beef factsheets/) [02.08.08.02] "What a hamburger produced by cattle industry on fossil fuels. clearing forest in India would cost if (Journal of Animal Science, 1996) "Livestock account for 15% to 20% of the real costs were included in the (Heitschmidt, R. K., et. al., (overall) global methane emissions. price rather than subsi- "Ecosystems, sustainability, and ani- (Worldwatch Institute) (Durning, dized: $200" ("The Price of mal agriculture," Journal of Animal Alan, and Brough, Holly, "Taking Beef," WorldWatch, July/Aug 1994, Science 1996:74:1395-1405) Stock: animal Farming and the Envi- pg 39) [02.08.08.07] ronment," Worldwatch Paper 103, July [02.07.27:14] 1991) [02.07.27:09] "The two worst things people do to "The overall energy efficiency of beef the planet in their daily lives often is comparable, or even superior, (according to the Union of Con- to the energy efficiency of plant- cerned Scientists): Drive vehicles source foods." (National Cattlemen's that get poor gas mileage and eat Beef Association) ("Myths and Facts beef." ("Groupís Surprising Beef with About Beef Production: Energy Use," Meat Industry: Study ranks produc- National Cattlemen's Beef Association) tion of beef, poultry and pork as sec- [02.07.27:10] ond to automobiles in ecological Page 12 THE ISCOWP NEWS
(Continued from page 8) "What is Cow Protection"? are now information about cow protection Life With the Cows and Land available along with several other and simple living on the land. Our materials like the Cow Protection Book web page is the educational resource "Healthy cherry leaves contain 1. Just go to the Educational Materials center. It contains almost all the prunasin, a cyanide precursor that button on the left side of the web page. ISCOWP newsletters, amongst other in itself is non-toxic. When the leaves are damaged, the prunasin molecule is split and free cyanide (also called prussic acid or hydrocyanic acid) is liberated. Many plants, especially those in the rose family, have the potential to produce toxic levels of cyanide under certain conditions. Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) is also toxic. There are reports of peach sprouts, leaves, and pits poisoning sows. Apricot pits and apple seeds are toxic as well." http://www.vet.purdue.edu/ depts/addl/toxic/plant46.htm
(Continued from page 7) ISCOWP Outreach
grazing. They looked very healthy. Top: Some members of Dayal Chandra's herd on the island of Hawaii. Bottom: Priyavarta, director of Food for Life Global, visiting with Gita. We visited with Dayal Chandra das who has 52 cows on the island of Hawaii. He sells his milk to local people who realize the value of fresh whole milk from lifetime protected cows. Therefore, there is a market for fresh cows' milk. We will remain in touch in an advisory capacity with those interested in establishing a ho- listic, cow protection farm project in Hawaii.
We did a slideshow presentation, Holistic Cow Care: Not Just Milk, both on the island of Hawaii and the ISKCON temple in Oahu to show the benefits of a cow protection farm. We showed this same slideshow at the festivals at New Vrindavan.
Educational Materials At the iscowp web site ISCOWP has started a blog: things, which began publication in www.iscowp.org there are some iscowp.blogspot.com. The goal is to of- 1990. You can also adopt a cow on more materials available in PDF file fer a timely (so far we have posted the web page. Take a look at the blog that can be easily downloaded to every 2 days) and personal description and web page! your computer and printed. The of life on the ISCOWP farm along with pamphlet "What is ISCOWP"? and some spiritual and practical THE ISCOWP NEWS Page 13
(Continued from page 3) In our correspondence with Yoplait- others.) View Vegetarian Ingredients Letters Colombo they state that the gelatin in Newsletter Issue 1, Issue 2 Vegetarian Food, Cosmetics & Body their yogurt is from an animal source. Care Products Alert Newsletter Issue I There is gelatin in the Yoplait prod- Check out our detailed list of ingre- use any animal products to process ucts but not usually in their Colombo dients that may contain meat by- them at the present time. Holsum, yogurt products. products: http://www.vegetarian- Spring Tree and Maple Groves do not restaurants.net/OtherInfo/ use animal-derived products to proc- Some products that contain gelatin Chemicals.htm ess their maple syrup. and are therefore not suitable for vegetarians are: I now have hundred of pages of in- formation on vegetarian food ingre- European Numbers Breakfast Cereals dients that I am working on and Most ice creams contain E471 or egg. General Mills Lucky Charms every donation that I receive frees up Igloo, Kimo and Nestle are some Kellogg's Frosted Mini-Wheats time for me to spend time to bring brands which are often vegetarian. Kellogg's Cinnamon Marshmallow this information to being published. Most chocolates contain E322 & Scooby-Doo If every person who reads this news- Lecithin. Some brands clearly specify Kellogg's Magix letter just makes a one-time donation that the soya lecithin in them comes Kellogg's Smorz of $20 this would mean these news- from a vegetarian source, such as Kit Trader Joe's Frosted Mini-Wheats letters will come weekly. All donors Kat. that give $20 or more will receive a Yogurts free copy of our USA Vegetarian Res- Gelatin and Foods That Contain Gela- Dannon taurants & Health Food Stores book tin Yoplait sent to them. Thank you in advance Gelatin is boiled animal skin, tendons, Mountain Dairy for your help. ligaments or bones, Gelatin is used to
make many products. Beside food Margarine All donors for this project will be products gelatin is also used to make Promise listed in future newsletters. photography film, which is a good rea-
son to use a digital camera. Kosher Energy Bars Please give a donation now while it is gelatin can be made with fish bones or Advantage Carb Control Nutrition still fresh on your mind: http:// cow skins, but it can still be considered Bar store.naturalnirvana.com/index.html kosher when it is mixed with dairy Carb Solutions High Protein Bar If you know of information that products. The bones and hides used in Odyssey Triple Layer Protein Bar should be in future newsletters gelatin production are considered please email us at pareve. The general meaning of pareve Baked Goods [email protected] refers to foods that are neither milk nor Sara Lee French Cheesecake meat. Since the gelatin ingredients are Nabisco Devil's Food SnackWells ISCOWP has printed excerpts from derived from hides or bones and are this newsletter. not the flesh of an animal and also be- Candies cause gelatin has been significantly Black Forest Gummy Bears It was sent from: Spiritual Guides, changed, it is considered to be pareve Snak Club Apple and Peach Rings 2006 NW 55th Ave, Apt J2, Kosher, and therefore can be mixed Creme Savers Soft Candy Gainesville, FL 32653. with dairy products. Brach's Fruit Ripples Junior Mints Earth Policy News – World An alternative substance to animal Jell-o Pudding Bars Grain Stocks Fall to 57 Days of gelatin is Agar-Agar, which is Jellie Beans Consumption: sold in noodle-like strands, in pow- Jell-o From: Earth Policy News dered form, or in blocks. It is usually Almost all marshmallows [email protected]> whitish in color. Some products that To:
Eco-Economy Indicator – GRAIN For data see http:// the tank every two weeks over a year HARVEST, June 15, 2006 www.earthpolicy.org/Indicators/ will feed 26 people. Grain/2006_data.htm Eco-Economy Indicators are the Investors are jumping on the highly twelve trends the Earth Policy Institute For an index of Earth Policy Institute profitable biofuel-bandwagon so fast tracks to measure progress in building resources related to Food and that hardly a day goes by without an- an eco-economy. Agriculture see http:// other ethanol distillery or biodiesel www.earthpolicy.org/Indicators/ refinery being announced some- Grain production is the best indicator Grain/index.htm where in the world. The amount of of the adequacy of the food supply. On corn used in U.S. ethanol distilleries average, half the calories we consume And for further reading on food se- has tripled in five years, jumping come directly from grain and a large curity, see Outgrowing the Earth: The from 18 million tons in 2001 to an es- part of the remainder come from the Food Security Challenge in an Age of timated 55 million tons from the 2006 indirect consumption of grain in the Falling Water Tables and Rising Tem- crop. form of meat, milk, eggs, and farmed peratures by Lester R. Brown (New fish. York: W.W. Norton & Company, In some U.S. Corn Belt states, ethanol 2005), posted on-line for free distilleries are taking over the corn WORLD GRAIN STOCKS FALL To 57 downloading or for purchase at supply. In Iowa, a staggering 55 etha- DAYS of CONSUMPTION Grain : nol plants are operating or have Prices Starting to Rise http://www.earthpolicy.org/Books/ been proposed. Iowa State University Out/index.htm Lester R. Brown economist Bob Wisner observes that if all these plants are built, they This year’s world grain harvest is pro- Supermarkets and Services Sta- would use virtually all the corn jected to fall short of consumption by tions Now Competing for Grain grown in Iowa. In South Dakota, a 61 million tons, marking the sixth time From: David Fuller top-ten corn-growing state, ethanol in the last seven years that production To: badrinarayan distilleries are already claiming over has failed to satisfy demand. As a re- dasa;isanah;iscowp;jerry_grotepas;ni half of the corn harvest. sult of these shortfalls, world carryover rantara;pg1944; stocks at the end of this crop year are Sent: Thursday, July 13, 2006 10:06 With so many distilleries being built, projected to drop to 57 days of con- AM livestock and poultry producers sumption, the shortest buffer since the Subject: Earth Policy News-- fear there may not be enough corn to 56-day-low in 1972 that triggered a Supermarkets and Services Stations produce meat, milk, and eggs. And doubling of grain prices. Now Competing for Grain since the United States supplies 70 percent of world corn exports, World carryover stocks of grain, the Eco-Economy Update 2006-5 corn-importing countries are worried amount in the bin when the next har- July 13, 2006 about their supply. vest begins, are the most basic measure
of food security. Whenever stocks drop Since almost everything we eat can below 60 days of consumption, prices Cars, not people, will claim most of be converted into fuel for automo- begin to rise. It thus came as no sur- the increase in world grain consump- biles, including wheat, corn, rice, soy- prise when the U.S. Department of tion this year. The U.S. Department beans, and sugarcane, the line be- Agriculture (USDA) projected in its of Agriculture projects that world tween the food and energy econo- June 9 world crop report that this grain use will grow by 20 million mies is disappearing. Historically, year’s wheat prices will be up by 14 tons in 2006. Of this, 14 million tons food processors and livestock pro- percent and corn prices up by 22 per- will be used to produce fuel for cars ducers that converted these farm cent over last year’s. in the United States, leaving only 6 commodities into products for super- million tons to satisfy the world's market shelves were the only buyers. With carryover stocks of grain at the growing food needs. Now there is another group, those lowest level in 34 years, the world may buying for the ethanol distilleries and soon be facing high grain and oil prices In agricultural terms, the world appe- biodiesel refineries that supply ser- at the same time… tite for automotive fuel is insatiable. vice stations. The grain required to fill a 25-gallon For entire text see http:// SUV gas tank with ethanol will feed As the price of oil climbs, it becomes www.earthpolicy.org/Indicators/ one person for a year. The grain to fill Grain/2006.htm increasingly profitable to convert THE ISCOWP NEWS Page 15
farm commodities into automotive on ethanol from cassava, while world, many of whom spend half or fuel, either ethanol or biodiesel. In Malaysia and Indonesia are investing more of their income on food, rising effect, the price of oil becomes the sup- heavily in additional palm oil grain prices can quickly become life port price for food commodities. plantations and in new biodiesel re- threatening. The broader risk is that Whenever the food value of a com- fineries. Within the last year or so, rising food prices could spread modity drops below its fuel value, the Malaysia has approved 32 biodiesel hunger and generate political insta- market will convert it into fuel. refineries, but recently has sus- bility in low income countries that pended further licensing while it as- import grain, such as Indonesia, Crop-based fuel production is now sesses the adequacy of palm oil sup- Egypt, Nigeria, and Mexico. This in- concentrated in Brazil, the United plies. stability could in turn disrupt global States, and Western Europe. The economic progress. If ethanol distill- United States and Brazil each pro- The profitability of crop-based fuel ery demand for grain continues its duced over 4 billion gallons (16 billion production has created an investment explosive growth, driving grain liters) of ethanol in 2005. While Brazil juggernaut. With a U.S. ethanol sub- prices to dangerous highs, the U.S. uses sugarcane as the feedstock, U.S. sidy of 51¢ per gallon in effect until government may have to intervene in distillers use grain-mostly corn. The 55 2010, and with oil priced at $70 per the unfolding global conflict over million tons of U.S. corn going into barrel, distilling fuel alcohol from food between affluent motorists and ethanol this year represent nearly one corn promises huge profits for years low-income consumers. sixth of the country's grain harvest but to come. will supply only 3 percent of its There are alternatives to using food- automotive fuel. (For additional data, In May 2005, the 100th U.S. ethanol based fuels. For example, the see distillery came on line. Seven of equivalent of the 3 percent gain in www.earthpolicy.org/Updates/2006/ these distilleries are being expanded. automotive fuel supplies from etha- Update55_data.htm.) Another 34 or so are under construc- nol could be achieved several times tion and scores more are in the plan- over-and at a fraction of the cost- Brazil, the world's largest sugar pro- ning stages. The soaring demand for simply by raising auto fuel efficiency ducer and exporter, is now converting crop-based fuel is coming when standards by 20 percent. Investing in half of its sugar harvest into fuel etha- world grain stocks are at the lowest public transport could reduce overall nol. With just 10 percent of the world's level in 34 years and when there are dependence on cars. sugar harvest going into ethanol, the 76 million more people to feed each price of sugar has doubled. Cheap year. There are other fuel options as well.
sugar may now be history. While there are no alternatives to The U.S. investment in biofuel pro- food for people, there is an alterna- In Europe the emphasis is on produc- duction in response to runaway oil tive source of fuel for cars, one that ing biodiesel. Last year the European prices is spiraling out of control, involves shifting to highly efficient Union (EU) produced 1.6 billion gal- threatening to draw grain away from gas-electric hybrid plug-ins. This lons of biofuels. Of this, 858 million the production of beef, pork, poultry, would enable motorists to do short- gallons were biodiesel, produced from milk, and eggs. And, most seriously, distance driving, such as the daily vegetable oil, mostly in Germany and the vast number of distilleries in op- commute, with electricity. If wind- France, and 718 million gallons were eration, under construction, and in rich countries such as the United ethanol, most of it distilled from grain the planning stages threatens to re- States, China, and those in Europe in- in France, Spain, and Germany. Marga- duce grain available for direct human vest heavily in wind farms to feed rine manufacturers, struggling to com- consumption. Simply put, the stage is cheap electricity into the grid, cars pete with subsidized biodiesel refiner- being set for a head-on collision be- could run primarily on wind energy, ies, have asked the European Parlia- tween the world's 800 million afflu- and at the gasoline equivalent of less ment for help. ent automobile owners and food con- than $1 a gallon. sumers. Given the insatiable appetite # # # In Asia, China and India are both of cars for fuel, higher grain prices Additional data and information building ethanol distilleries. In 2005, appear inevitable. The only question sources at www.earthpolicy.org or China converted some 2 million tons of is when food prices will rise and by contact jlarsen (at) earthpolicy.org grain-mostly corn, but also some how much. Indeed, in recent months, For more in-depth information see wheat and rice-into ethanol. In India wheat and corn prices have risen by Chapters 2 and 10 in Plan B 2.0, at ethanol is produced largely from one fifth. http://www.earthpolicy.org/Books/ sugarcane. Thailand is concentrating PB2/Contents.htm For the 2 billion poorest people in the
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