The L and Report A publication of The Land Institute / Number 81 / Spring 2005 Contents

Three Simple Questions Jerry Glover ...... 3

Working Wilderness: A Call for a Land Health Movement Courtney White ...... 6

Warning: This Diet is Not for Everyone Marty Bender and Stan Cox ...... 10

The Fountain of Experience ...... 13

Toward an Ignorance-based Worldview Wes Jackson ...... 14

At the Land ...... 18 Our Mission Statement All-American, All-Organic Deborah Rich When people, land and community are as one, all ...... 20 three members prosper; when they relate not as members but as competing interests, all three are Thanks to Our Contributors ...... 21 exploited. By consulting nature as the source and measure of that membership, The Land Institute Prairie Festival Audio Tapes ...... 24 seeks to develop an agriculture that will save soil from being lost or poisoned while promoting a The Writers and Photographers ...... 26 community life at once prosperous and enduring.

Cover: Judd Patterson. Peregrine falcon. The Land Report is published three times a year. Above: Judd Patterson. Editor: Scott Bontz Snowy plover eggs. Associate editor and production: Darlene Wolf Graphic design: Arrow Printing Arts associate: Terry Evans Printed by Arrow Printing Co. 2440 E. Water Well Rd. Staff: Ron Armstrong, Salina, KS 67401 Marty Bender, Scott Bontz, Cindy Cox, Stan Cox, (785) 823-5376, phone Lee DeHaan, Jerry Glover, (785) 823-8728, fax Stephanie Hutchinson, Joan Jackson, Wes Jackson, [email protected] Patricia Johnson, Steven Lancaster, www.landinstitute.org Grant Mallett, Patty Melander, Bob Pinkall, Harris Rayl, ISSN 1093-1171 Steve Renich, John Schmidt, Tiffany Stucky, David Van Tassel, Ken Warren, Darlene Wolf

Board of Directors: Strachan Donnelley, Terry Evans, Pete Ferrell, Jan Flora, Dan Glickman, Wes Jackson, Eulah Laucks (emeritus), Mary Laucks, Conn Nugent, Victoria Ranney, John Simpson, Donald Worster, Angus Wright

The Land Report 2 Three Simple Questions

Jerry Glover

It’s an awful thing to lose a river. It’s worse to lose hill overlooking the Arkansas River. Most of the catalpa several. trees growing in Holly are offspring of those planted in In 1897, my great-great grandfather, Thomas the early 1900s by Uncle Roy and his father at the Jordan, retired from farming and bought the Champion Champion Mill. Flour Mill, powered by the waters of Frenchman Creek The mill’s stone foundation and wooden structure, in Champion, Chase County, Nebraska. The mill’s foun - with its many cranks, pulleys and sieves, remain sound. dation was laid in 1886 with stone salvaged from an But the mill, now a state historical site, runs only for abandoned cattle corral. That foundation nicely symbol - brief times each year, to grind souvenir-size bags of izes the region’s transition from a sustainable economy flour for tourists—I’ve bought several myself. The rest based on native grass to a doomed one based on extrac - of the year Frenchman Creek lacks enough water to tion. A few rainy years in the early 1880s, which settlers power the mill. mistook as the norm, plus the nutrient riches of freshly Frequent drought and the temptation of federal, pro - plowed prairie, yielded bumper crops that sparked fur - duction-based subsidies drove many of the area’s farm - ther sod busting. Ranches were displaced, corrals aban - ers away from dryland production to irrigation. That irri - doned and flour mills built to accommodate wheat. gation water is pumped from the High Plains aquifer, The Willises, a farm family, were neighbors to the upon which Frenchman Creek flowed for millennia. The Jordans. Maude Jordan, my great-grandmother, married aquifer’s level largely sets the creek’s, and when the her brother’s best friend, John Willis. My great-grand - aquifer falls below a certain point, the creek goes dry. parents and Maude’s brother, Roy, eventually ended up So within a few generations of the first plowing of in Holly, Colorado, near the Kansas border, where I the prairie, local residents find themselves in possession grew up in their midst. All three are buried in Holly on a of a fine looking but largely inoperable flour mill.

The Champion Flour Mill’s foundation came from a corral, symbolic of the shift from a sus - tainable economy based on native grass to a doomed one based on extraction.

The Land Report 3 Meanwhile they provide grist for the current economy, reduce the growing of annual crops to gambling in a also built on a seemingly rock solid foundation, but also rigged game. ultimately inoperable. From family conversations, photos and journals, it is On the day my great-great-grandfather bought that clear that Thomas Jordan loved the region, its communi - flour mill, the High Plains aquifer supported not only ties and its people, and expected a long stay for his Frenchman Creek but also the Arkansas and Smoky Hill descendants. But today, only a few generations after the rivers in western Kansas. Little more than a century “great plow-up,” few of them remain, and none, as far as later, the Arkansas and Smoky Hill rivers no longer flow I know, are farmers or millers. Like millions of others, there for much of the year. Ecologists reported in the they largely fled the increasingly industrial landscape March 2004 issue of BioScience that the sewage effluent and left their communities to fade. from Great Bend, Kansas, 180 miles from the Colorado When not occupied by milling, Thomas Jordan border, now serves as the headwaters of the Arkansas. served as the first secretary of the Chase County Irrigation wells, each often pumping 1,000 gallons Telephone Co. Were it possible, I would ring up my per minute, account for more than 90 percent of takings great-great-grandfather and, after reporting that “No, from the aquifer. More than 80 percent of western electric trains never made it to Chase County,” ask that Kansas homes depend on the rest removed. But there he and his neighbors consider three questions in seeking and in parts of Nebraska and eastern Colorado, the a long-term strategy for living on the High Plains: What aquifer has fallen 50 to 100 feet, faster than the natural was here? What is required of us here? And what will recharge rate of a few inches per year can fill it. The Nature help us do here? Kansas Geological Survey estimates that pumping These three seemingly simple questions drive our would have to decrease by more than 80 percent to be work at The Land Institute. Nature’s ecosystems, nearly sustainable. This would allow water for homes and live - everywhere we look, feature perennial vegetation grow - stock but for little else. We now know that the rainy ing in mixtures—the prairie of Chase County, Nebraska, years of the early 1880s were the exception, and that, is but one example. With that answer serving always as without irrigation, the long dry spells of the High Plains our reference point, we can take corrective action when

The Jordan family about 1890, from left: Fannie, Maude, Thomas, Roy and Emma. Thomas expected his descen - dants to stay on the High Plains, but, like others, most have fled the increasingly industrialized landscape.

The Land Report 4 we get the second question wrong. When dryland farm - The Champion Flour Mill dam ing of short-rooted, short-lived annual crops repeatedly as it appeared in 1900. failed the High Plains, we should have looked back to the prairie for solutions rather than digging ourselves deeper into the extractive economy. The prairie would have instructed that from the region’s dry, hot winds we protect most of its wealth below ground, as perennial roots. Deep and long-lived, the roots can support the aboveground harvest on which we rely, even during most dry years, whether the harvest is beef, bison or, eventually, grains harvested from the perennial crops being developed by Land Institute plant breeders. We aren’t entirely sure what will be required of future Jordans of the High Plains: Will they primarily be ranchers, farmers of perennial grains or a combination of both? We do know, though, that without a High Plains aquifer and without rivers, Nature won’t help them do much. To save that aquifer and those rivers and to devel - op a strategy for living anywhere, it is critical that the current Jordans—whether on the High Plains or else - where—begin asking and answering those three seem - ingly simple questions.

The Land Report 5 Working Wilderness A Call for a Land Health Movement

Courtney White

During a tour of a well-managed ranch in New Mexico, Ethics vs. Knowledge we were taking a break under a large pinon tree when I This thought received a boost a few weeks later around was asked to say a few words about a new map. I rose a a campfire at the CS Ranch. bit reluctantly—the shade being deep—to explain that I believed, as many conservationists still do, that to the map was important for how it showed rangeland end overgrazing would take getting ranchers to adopt health. something like Aldo Leopold’s “Land Ethic,” in which The map had been commissioned by an alliance of he argued that we are obligated to be good stewards of ranchers concerned about urban sprawl into the nature. The question for this lofty goal was how. 500,000-acre Altar Valley south of Tucson, Arizona. It I decided to ask my host, Julia Davis-Stafford. Years expressed the intersection of three variables: soil stabili - ago, Julia and her sister talked their family into switch - ty, biotic integrity and hydrological function—soil, grass ing to progressive ranch management on the magnifi - and water. It displayed them in three conditions: stable, cent 100,000-acre CS, in northeastern New Mexico. It at risk and unstable. Deep red meant an unstable, or was a decision that brought the ranch to flourish eco - unhealthy, condition for soil, grass and water, while nomically and ecologically. In fact, the idea for my deep green meant stable for all three. Other colors query came when Julia expressed strong support for a showed conditions between. new beaver dam on the ranch. The Davis family seemed In the map’s middle was a privately owned ranch to have embraced Leopold’s land ethic big time. So, over called the Palo Alto. I told of visiting the place recently the crackle of the campfire, I said, “How do we get and being shocked. As writer Ed Abbey would say, it other ranchers to change their ethics, too?” had been overgrazed to being nearly totally “cowburnt.” “We didn’t change our ethics,” Julia replied. “We’re The blood-red splotch on the map continued well the same people we were fifteen years ago. What below Palo Alto’s southern boundary. But this was not a changed was our knowledge. We went back to school, in ranch. This was the Buenos Aires National Wildlife a sense, and we came back to the ranch with new ideas.” Refuge, land that had been cattle-free for nearly 16 Her point, I now see, is incredibly important. years . . . Knowledge, not ethics, is the key to good land steward - That was as far as I got. Offended at suggestion that ship. the refuge might be ecologically unfit, a young Tucson In my years as an activist, I have visited many well- environmentalist cut me off. She said she knew the managed ranches, and some poor ones, in a wide variety refuge, having worked hard to heal it from decades of of terrain. I’ve met a variety of ranchers as well. And abuse by cows. they do have an environmental ethic. Often it is power - I countered that the map did not blame anyone for ful. But many lack new knowledge. current conditions, nor did it offer remedies. All it did The same is true of many conservationists. After all, was answer a simple question: Is the land functioning it has been a long time since many of us were in school, properly at the fundamental level of soil, grass and and land management knowledge, like most knowledge, water? For part of the refuge the answer was no. For does not sit still for long. parts of adjacent privately owned ranches, deep green on If conservationists could go “back to school,” what the map, the answer was yes. Why was that a problem? would we learn? Leopold had an idea: the fundamentals I knew why. I had strayed too near a core belief of of land health, which he described as “the capacity of my fellow conservationists: that the ecology of “protect - the land for self-renewal.” He described conservation as ed areas,” such as national parks, wilderness and “our effort to understand and preserve this capacity.” wildlife refuges, could not compare poorly with “work - By studying the elements of land health, conserva - ing” landscapes. And when the tour resumed, on a ranch tionists could learn that grazing is a natural process. The that would undoubtedly rate deep green, I saw in the consumption of grass by ungulates has been going on in young activist a need to rethink the conservation move - North America for at least 66 million years. Not by cat - ment in the American West. From the ground up. tle, of course, but as domesticates they can be managed to mimic bison, re-creating a relationship between grass and grazer that can be ecologically sustainable.

The Land Report 6 We could also learn that many landscapes need them through numerous pastures every seven to 10 days occasional pulses, by what we see as disturbance, to or so. Ideally, no single piece of ground gets grazed keep things vibrant. Many of us know that fires can ben - more than once a year. This ensures recovery time. efit an ecosystem, because they reduce tree density, burn The keys are control, which can be done with fenc - up old grass and aid soil nutrient cycling. But many ing or a herder, and timing, in which the moves are care - don’t know that small floods can help, as can drought, fully planned. In fact, overgrazing is more a function of windstorms and even insect infestation. And nearly all timing than numbers of cattle. of us fail to understand that grazing can as well. The Davis family had expanded their knowledge to Traditionally, Western ranchers employ the maintain their ethic and stay in business. As the camp - “Columbus school”: Turn the cows out in May and go fire embers burned softly into the night, I wondered if discover them in October. Left alone, cattle will loiter in conservations could do the same. and degrade riparian zones before grazing upland grass. This unmanaged grazing has been a chief cause of the Land Health Standard region’s damage. My friend and fellow activist Dan Dagget tells a story The CS and other progressive ranches bunch their about an environmental studies professor who took stu - cattle together and keep them on the move, rotating dents for a walk in the woods near Flagstaff, Arizona.

Courtney White . Which side of the fence is healthier? Which side held cattle? The answer for both: the right side. Cuba, New Mexico.

The Land Report 7 t all comes down to soil. If it’s stable, there’s hope for the ‘Ifuture. But if it’s moving, then all bets are off for the ecosystem.’

Stopping in a meadow, the professor pointed at the Rangeland Health was the touchstone for a new ground and asked, not so rhetorically, “Can anyone tell consensus among scientists and ranchers. In 2000 came me if this land is healthy or not?” One student finally a federal publication called Interpreting Indicators of spoke up: “Tell us first if it’s grazed by cows or not.” Rangeland Health , for assessing uplands on 17 points, A kayaking lawyer told me that a workshop between including gullies, soil compaction and plant diversity. a ranch and a wildlife refuge rearranged his thinking. The interagency National Riparian Team developed a “I’ve done a lot of hiking and thought I knew what land similar approach for stream banks and wetlands. And health was,” he said, “but when we did those transects recently scientists at the U.S. Agriculture Department’s on the ground on both sides of the fence, I saw that my Jornada Experimental Range in New Mexico published ideas were all wrong.” protocol for measuring rangeland health to support “a These two instances illustrate a recurring theme in range of societal values rather than to support any par - my experience as a conservationist. To paraphrase a ticular value.” famous quote by a Supreme Court justice, environmen - This was what I tried to communicate to the young talists can’t define what healthy land is, but know it activist under the tree that hot summer day—that a when they see it. rangeland health paradigm as represented by the map That inability to define is changing. In 1994 the could let us heed Leopold’s advice that anything which National Academy of Sciences published a book called degrades an area’s “land mechanism” should be cur - Rangeland Health: New Methods to Classify, Inventory tailed or changed, while any activity that maintains, and Monitor Rangelands . It defines health “as the restores or expands it should be supported. It should not degree to which the integrity of the soil and ecological matter if that activity is ranching or recreation. processes of rangeland ecosystems are sustained.” It goes on to say, “The capacity of rangelands to produce Land of Contrast commodities and to satisfy values on a sustained basis To understand land health better, I visited a fence sepa - depends on internal, self-sustaining ecological processes rating the Navajo Nation, and its cows, from Chaco such as soil development, nutrient cycling, energy flow, Culture National Historical Park, an archaeological pre - and the structure and dynamics of plant and animal serve in northwest New Mexico. Cattle-free for more communities.” than 50 years, Chaco’s condition became a teaching tool Before land can support a value, such as livestock when a biologist used the boundary to illustrate the dan - grazing or hunting, its basic ecology must be working gers of too much rest from disturbance such as grazing properly. Before we talk about designating critical habi - and fire. tat for endangered species or expanded recreation, we I invited along Kirk Gadzia, educator and range spe - need to know the answer to a simple question: Is the cialist, to help me see the contrast. We walked slowly up land healthy at the level of soil, grass and water? If the and back along the fence. On the Chaco side we saw answer is “no,” then all our values might be at risk. many forbs, shrubs and other woody material, some of it Or, as book co-author Kirk Gadzia likes to put it, “It dead. We saw few young plants, few perennial or bunch all comes down to soil. If it’s stable, there’s hope for the grasses, lots of wide spaces between plants, lots of oxi - future. But if it’s moving, then all bets are off for the dized, gray plant matter and a great deal of poor plant ecosystem.” vigor. We saw both undisturbed, capped soil—bad for New Mexico rancher Roger Bowe says, “Bare soil is seed germination—and lots of evidence of soil move - the rancher’s No. 1 enemy.” I think it should also ment such as gullies. We saw a greater diversity of plant become the No. 1 enemy of conservationists. species than on the Navajo side, more birds, more seed

The Land Report 8 production, and no sign of manure or overgrazing. herd all of their cattle as one pool in a long arc through On the Navajo side we saw lots of plant cover and the mountains. litter, lots of perennial grasses, tight spaces between Pool riders guide the thousand head with border col - plants, few woody species, a wide age range among the lies and the occasional temporary electric fence. They plants, little evidence of oxidization and lots of bunch move the herd every 10 days or so, which gives the land grasses. We saw little evidence of soil movement and no plenty of time to recover. With no need for it anymore, gullies. We also saw less species diversity, a lot of poor the ranchers removed hundreds of miles of barbed wire plant vigor, much compacted soil, fewer birds, less seed fence, a boon to wildlife and backpackers alike. Steve production, a great deal of manure and many signs of also employs livestock handling of a gentleness that overgrazing. would make John Wayne roll his eyes. “So, which side is healthier?” I asked. Forest Service conservationist Dave Bradford also “Neither one is healthy, really,” said Kirk. “Not from went back to school, and was determined to measure a watershed perspective, anyway.” He noted that the this new thinking’s effects. He monitors the range fre - grazing effect on the Navajo side was heavy; plants were quently, and publishes the results often. Through quite a not being given enough time to recover before being bit - bit of research he also uncovered “before” photographs ten again. They lacked the vigor that would show under of the range’s condition. well managed grazing. Steve and Dave were my hosts for the day, and I was However, Kirk thought the Chaco side was worse, as eager to see the evidence of their labors as they were primarily because of its gullies, capped soil and lack of to show it off. plant litter. “The major contributing factor to this condi - What I saw was initially shocking. The herd’s pas - tion is the lack of tightly spaced perennial plants,” he sage days before left the trail looking tornado-struck: said, “which exposes the soil to the erosive effects of shattered brush, trampled grass, muddy pulp and ubiqui - wind and rain. When soil loss is increased, options for tous cow poop. It was not a Sierra Club calendar wilder - the future are reduced.” ness. “But isn’t Chaco supposed to be healthier because “This look great!” Dave said while we climbed a it’s protected from grazing?” I said. steep hill. “Look at all this disturbance. Come back here “In my experience in arid environments around the in a month and you would never know the cattle went world, total rest from grazing has predictable results,” through here, it’ll be so lush.” Kirk said. “In the first few years, there is an intense The new director of a local conservation organiza - response in the system as the pressure of overgrazing is tion, whom I had invited along for cultural bridge-build - lifted. Plant vigor, diversity and abundance often return ing, said, “People call me all the time and complain. at once, and all appears to be functioning normally. They’re hikers. They don’t think there should be cows in Over the years, however, if the system does not receive the wilderness.” periodic natural disturbance, by fire or grazing, for “What do you tell them?” I asked. example, then the overall health of the land deteriorates. “I tell them it’s a working wilderness.” And that’s what we are seeing on the Chaco side.” Steve led us to a high meadow where we found a Then Kirk placed a caveat. “Maybe land health isn’t small pack of cattle that had broken off from the herd. the issue here,” he said. “It may be more about values. Is After lunch we drove them down the mountain in a rush rest producing what the park wants? Ecologically, the of snapping branches, adrenaline and hard work. It was answer is probably ‘no.’ But from a cultural perspective, Steve’s sly way—I realized when we reached the bottom, the answer might be ‘yes.’ From the public perspective exhausted and exhilarated—of teaching us about values. too. People may not want to see fire or grazing in their But before that, we lunched among the meadow’s park.” blooming wildflowers and admired the view. Each of us—rancher, federal manager and activist—shared the Working Wilderness same thought: What a treasure this land is! Sitting there Not long ago I rode a horse into the West Elks reminded me why I became a conservationist: to explore Wilderness, high above Paonia, Colorado. I wanted to the solace of open spaces; to look and learn, and teach see an award-winning cattle operation in action, and to in turn; to celebrate cultural diversity alongside biologi - learn more about the compatibility of ranching and cal diversity; and to revel in nature’s model of good wilderness values. I also wanted to see pretty country. health. So did Steve Allen, who took his family to Paonia in And to try to understand, as John Muir did, that the early 1970s as part of that era’s back-to-the-land every part of the universe is hitched to everything else. movement. Switching from farming to ranching in the late 1980s, he went “back to school” for progressive management. Then he persuaded five other ranchers to

The Land Report 9 Warning: This Diet is Not for Everyone

Marty Bender and Stan Cox

“Lose That Extra Weight ... While Eating the Foods You gence by indulging even more lustily in foods that the Love!” majority of the world’s people can afford to eat only For decades, such headlines were fixtures of super - sparingly if at all. And we agricultural scientists can try market checkout lanes, to be taken no more seriously to predict the environmental consequences. than claims of alien abduction. But times have changed. Let’s start with Worldwatch’s estimate that 1 billion Whatever its benefits or drawbacks, the Atkins diet has of Earth’s inhabitants are overweight, and assume that become wildly popular for one reason: It offers the they each eat 56 grams of animal protein a day. That is prospect of a big, juicy T-bone to frustrated dieters the average in Western countries, and most overweight weary of gnawing on rice cakes. people eat Western diets. To follow the Atkins It seems too good to be true, and some critics say it Nutritional Approach—as it’s officially known—their is. The debate is chock-full of meat and potatoes, bellies daily animal protein consumption would rise to about and thighs, arteries and kidneys. But increased protein 100 grams. consumption is also likely to threaten the health of a To let 1 billion dieters claim an even bigger share of planet whose ecosphere our species is already exploiting the world’s current animal protein would be neither fair well beyond its capacity. nor feasible. They already eat, on average, more than Is the Atkins diet ecologically sustainable? We’ll twice the animal protein as do non-Westerners. So to answer by asking this: What if it were adopted by every - supply them with more, we’d have to boost production. one who needs to lose weight? That increase would be steep. The current popula - Now, to label as unsustainable any individual action tion of about 6.5 billion people consumes approximately that could not be participated in universally is highly 182 billion grams of animal protein per day. Adding 44 conservative. There could be sustainable societies where billion grams would require that the world’s meat, dairy, some engage in activities that would not be possible for poultry and seafood industries increase output by 25 all, while perhaps compensating with restraint in other percent. areas. But when we are faced with a strong trend, ask - The dieters would no longer get much of their pro - ing, “What if everyone did it?” achieves two important tein from plant sources—grains being too heavily “pol - objectives: The result is more likely to be globally sus - luted” with carbohydrates—so somewhat less land tainable than are less conservative approaches that would be required for producing food crops. Still, the depend on just the right balance being struck. And it is net result of the big switch to animal protein would fair, in that no one may do what could not be done by require almost 250 million more acres for corn, soy - everyone. beans and other feed grains. That’s because feeding grain to animals and then eating the resultant meat, If Labels Told All milk, eggs or farm-raised fish is much less efficient than Throughout history and for most people today, meat has eating plant products directly. been a luxury, because its production requires more Finding a quarter-billion acres for adequate feed- resources than does the growing of food crops. The grain harvests would mean at least a 7 percent increase Worldwatch Institute reports that it takes 68 times as in cropland worldwide, at a time when farmers are much water to produce a pound of beef as it does to pro - already using most of the better land. Much of the newly duce a pound of bread flour, and that animal protein is plowed acreage would likely be marginal, prone to eight times costlier than plant protein in terms of fossil- greater erosion and in need of extra-generous applica - fuel energy. The industrialized West has managed to put tions of fertilizers and pesticides. meat and dairy products within reach of even its poor - A livestock population explosion would worsen the est, but only by drawing on vast reserves of soil, water air- and water-pollution by feedlots, slaughterhouses, and energy. and poultry and hog confinement operations. Trying to To the extent that the Atkins diet helps shed excess spare the land and squeeze more protein from the weight, it benefits individuals and, arguably, society as a already overfished oceans would likely be even more whole. But a physician might ponder the long-term cost damaging. to health care systems if everyone overweight ate And that’s not all. Cattle and other ruminants get enough protein and fat to damage the heart, kidneys and much of their food from pasture and rangeland. Were other organs. An ethicist might ask whether people in their numbers to increase by 25 percent, current grass - the West should address, en masse, their own overindul - lands probably could not bear the entire burden. Most of

The Land Report 10 those lands are already fully stocked, and putting more diet for much of their lives. Half of U.S. grain goes to animals on them would increase overgrazing and degra - animals. Sixty percent of that goes to beef and dairy cat - dation. New pasture for, say, half of the additional ani - tle, with most of the rest to hogs and poultry. mals would require 1 billion acres. Most of this addi - With a more rational production system, moderate tional grassland probably would come by deforestation, beef consumption could actually improve the environ - which could mean that 10 percent of Earth’s remaining ment. Cattle, unlike chickens and hogs, can subsist forests would have to go. entirely on range, pasture and hay. Extensive research Overconsumption in the United States and other shows that rangeland and pasture, which consist almost affluent nations doesn’t exactly qualify as breaking entirely of perennial plants with large, long-lived root news, but the Atkins diet puts a new twist in the old systems, do not wreak the soil erosion and water con - story. Its advocates have convinced millions of people tamination seen with annual grain crops. This conti - that one of the most highly visible symptoms of excess nent’s lands and rivers could dramatically improve by consumption—an accelerating epidemic of obesity—can taking the 60 percent of grain acreage that feeds cattle best be cured by following a regimen that gobbles up and converting it to pasture. Our calculations show that global resources even faster. production of beef and dairy products might be main - tained. Weighing That Pound of Flesh But without massive deforestation, grass-fed beef We realize that the world’s entire overweight population still couldn’t satisfy 1 billion people on the Atkins diet. is not going to eat this way. Many people lack the desire Back here in the real world, increases in beef or the means, or both, to make animal products their pri - demand are met largely by stuffing corn and soybean mary food, and debates over the diet’s soundness remain meal into feedlot cattle, and the Corn Belt is not about unresolved. Sales of low-carb products, which had shot to become a more ecologically friendly Pasture Belt. In up to $1.3 billion by 2003, appear to be leveling off. But an economy groaning under grain surpluses, cattle are the kinds of ecological damage we have described are especially prized for their ability to convert 10 pounds likely to occur in direct proportion to the number of of unneeded corn into only one pound of meat, the people who do adopt such diets, and when making deci - remainder becoming things like carbon dioxide, sions, that information should be placed on the scales. methane, manure and bones. It will take changes far In saying that ecological damage is likely with beyond shifts in personal diet to make the U.S. meat expansion of high-protein diets, we assume that addi - industry more ecologically sound . tional animals will be raised as current ones are. The With all factors considered, diets emphasizing plant vast majority of American beef cattle eat a grain-based products are more likely to be ecologically sound for the

Where’s the beef: Eating up land for carb-fed, calorie-wasting cattle to give us protein.

The Land Report 11 world than are ones based on animal protein. And it is Today’s global economy owes its existence to possible, with considerable ingenuity and effort, to growth in consumption, a need that is served well by the achieve Atkins protein, fat, carbohydrate and fiber levels Atkins diet. Such nutritional plans emphasize not food, on a vegetarian diet. But few if any plants in their native but the individual compounds into which food can be state can satisfy those requirements, so vegetarian low- broken—sugars, starches, proteins, fats, fiber, vitamins, carb diets are heavy in isolated, processed vegetable pro - antioxidants—and so open up new vistas for capital teins. And the Atkins diet owes its widespread populari - accumulation. ty to the absence of just such foods. Only if you’re a The atomization of food is the latest in a series of deeply committed vegetarian could you eat “the foods “metabolic rifts,” to use Marx’s term, that have torn you love” a la Atkins. through agriculture in recent centuries. The first came Eco-conscious low-carb dieters who expend time, with the Industrial Revolution, as essential soil compo - energy and money in seeking out soy sausage or grass- nents like nitrogen, phosphorus and organic matter were fed beef are to be applauded. But to follow any highly exported from the land in food for city dwellers, whose selective diet is to exercise a privilege typically reserved nutrient-rich excreta became waste lost to rivers and for the few. Graham Greene put it best in his novel The oceans. In the early 20th century, using fossil fuel to Comedians , in which Mr. Brown, the narrator, consoles make nitrogen fertilizer provided a short-term fix. the altruistic Mr. Smith regarding Smith’s failed propos - A second rift came with the rapid growth of feedlots al for a “vegetarian center” in Haiti: “I don’t think they and indoor animal confinement operations. Animal hus - are quite ripe here for vegetarianism. Perhaps you must bandry and crop production, formerly woof and warp of have enough cash to be carnivorous first.” the same agricultural fabric, were ripped from each other, creating further crises of pollution, soil degrada - Chopped Liver and Metabolic Rifts tion and poor human nutrition. Walk the aisles of any supermarket, and you will see Now the very concept of food is fading away, as that Atkins has not only increased resource consumption what we eat increasingly is regarded as a simple but also provided countless marketing opportunities. agglomeration of nutrients in various proportions. For comparison, let’s pursue a second thought exper - Current low-carb oddities like bunless submarine sand - iment. This time, the world’s overweight population fol - wiches, crustless pizzas and pies, “mashed potatoes” lows a well-known, tried-and-true route to better health: made of isolated soy protein, breadless Thanksgiving I Eat less. stuffing, and, of course, pork rinds, are leading us down I Eat out rarely. a slippery slope, at the bottom of which we may find the I Cook using food in its least-processed form: whole- Jetsons’ meal-in-a-pill. grain flour, eggs, moderate amounts of healthful oils, With each successive rift in the networks of soil, dry beans, home-grown vegetables, rolled oats, etc. water, microbial communities, insects, wild plants, I Limit consumption of animal products. crops, livestock and human beings, we have tried to I Drink mainly water. impose the factory model on living systems, with I Avoid between-meal snacks. ruinous consequences for the ecosphere. As a way to I Whenever possible, walk, run or bicycle instead of protect and improve the human body, the Atkins diet drive. joins a long parade of profitable but ecologically harm - ful products that displaced something more benign. In Following this prosaic advice may or may not result in recent decades, we’ve substituted workouts in fitness weight loss, and it may or may not be ecologically sus - clubs for a few hours of hauling hay bales, shunned tainable. That depends on the many assumptions and once-safe tap water for pricey bottled stuff, fought aller - variables within it. But we can be confident that it gies with air conditioning, and allowed the Atkins diet to would cause less environmental damage than current triumph over simple restraint. Design a product that Western eating habits. combines luxury consumption with notions of health Furthermore, it would not generate friction between and vitality, and you can bet—sorry, Dr. Atkins—that it the rights of humans and those of other species. It would will sell like hotcakes. call attention to the ultimate dependence of humans on natural systems. It would be more affordable for rich The first, short version of this essay was for The Land and poor alike. Institute’s Prairie Writers Circle and sent to newspapers And it would probably trigger an economic collapse. around the country. This is the preliminary for an Were hundreds of millions of people to stick to this expanded revision to appear in a collection of various highly effective weight-loss program, they would dam writers’ essays, The Atkins Diet and Philosophy , to be up the vast rivers of capital that currently go into published by Open Court. agribusiness and the food industry.

The Land Report 12 The Fountain of Experience

The Formica counter and stainless steel syrup pumps Resting travelers might remark about the patterned came to Hunter Drug Store’s fountain in the 1950s. So metal ceiling of the drug store. It was built in 1917, and did Richard Huckriede. For 52 years he’s served up has always been a drug store. Maybe they visited anoth - malts, shakes and floats at the Greensburg, Kansas, er attraction in Greensburg, the world’s largest hand-dug business. well at 32 feet wide and 109 feet deep. They might ask He pumps the syrups, in flavors like cherry, lemon Huckriede to sign a copy of the book Soda Fountain and vanilla, to mix with soda water and fine ice for soft Wisdom , in which he and the Hunter appear. If they use drinks. Adults tell children, “You’re not getting this out a cane or walker, the 75-year-old will help them with the of a can.” door. Counter regulars need not say what they want. Huckriede stretches his lunch breaks now. But you Huckriede knows them well. But they talk: “Oh, yes … can still find him working the fountain and clerking six quite a bit of that.” days a week. He has no plan to retire.

Aaron Paden

The Land Report 13 Toward an Ignorance-based Worldview

Wes Jackson

At The Land Institute several of us get a great deal of This is part of what led to a conference we held in joy from looking for the relatedness of the seemingly 2004 called “Toward an Ignorance-based Worldview.” unrelated. Here is an example: In 1859 Charles Darwin’s The inspiration started with a letter Wendell Berry wrote Origin of Species was published. The same year Colonel to me in 1982. Here are parts of it: Drake drilled the first oil well in Pennsylvania. And John Brown was hanged at Harper’s Ferry. Now let’s I want to try to complete the thought about “ran - connect the dots. domness” that I was working on when we talked the Darwin’s idea of evolution through natural selection other day. The Hans Jenny paragraph that started me was sponsored by coal. If it hadn’t been for coal and the off is the last on page 21 of The Soil Resource : infrastructure that gave slack to this country gentleman, “Raindrops that pass in random fashion through the idea would have had to wait. Its refinement was spon - an imaginary plain above the forest canopy are sored further by coal, and by oil and natural gas. The intercepted by leaves and twigs and channeled into important ideas in ecology really took off after 1859. distinctive burnt space patterns of through-drip, What about John Brown? Coal again. The industrial crown-drip and stem flow. The soil surface, as North could afford to be pretty self-righteous about receiver, transmits the “rain message” downward, opposing slavery in the much more sun-powered planta - but as the subsoils lack a power source to mold a tion South. Before the fossil carbon era, slavery of some flow design, the water tends to leave the ecosystem form or another was widespread. as it entered it, in randomized fashion.” The slack from energy-rich carbon pools is what has My question is: Does “random” in this (or any) made civilization possible. First it was agriculture and context describe a verifiable condition or a limit of soil carbon, later the cutting of forests. The king of Tyre perception? struck a deal with Solomon for the cedars of Lebanon to My answer is: It describes a limit of perception. build the temple. The Greeks had already done in thou - This is, of course, not a scientist’s answer, but it may sands of acres of their trees. By the time of be that anybody’s answer would be unscientific. My Charlemagne the onslaught against Europe’s forests was answer is based on the belief that pattern is verifi - well under way. Carbon pools exploited. So it went, and able by limited information, whereas the informa - so it goes today. Our fossil fuel epoch—some 250 years tion required to verify randomness is unlimited. As I old—is dependent on highly dense and vast pools of think you said when we talked, what is perceived as coal, oil and natural gas. random within a given limit may be seen as a part of We tend to think that the ideas of humanity arise a pattern within a wider limit. rather intrinsically. We seldom pay attention to their If this is so, then Dr. Jenny, for accuracy’s sake, sponsorship, to the slack made available by our species should have said that rainwater moves from mystery skating from one energy-rich carbon pool to another. through pattern back into mystery. Why is this a prologue to what I have to say about To call the unknown “random” is to plant the ignorance? Simply this: Before agriculture, long before flag by which to colonize and exploit the known. (A the industrial revolution, we could afford to be very result that our friend Dr. Jenny, of course, did not ignorant about what supported us. We didn’t need to propose and would not condone.) know about nutrient cycling and energy flow within the To call the unknown by its right name, “mys - ecosystems of the ecosphere. We didn’t need to know tery,” is to suggest that we had better respect the that the earth goes around the sun—and still don’t. possibility of a larger, unseen pattern that can be Do we really need to know Einstein’s equations? damaged or destroyed and, with it, the smaller pat - How much do we really need Newton’s calculus? A terns. harder question. As creatures of the upper Paleolithic we This respecting of mystery obviously has some - certainly didn’t need Newton’s calculus back then. We thing or other to do with religion, and we moderns don’t need to know about plate tectonics now, though have defended ourselves against it by turning it over I’m glad to know about plate tectonics. In fact, I’m glad to religion specialists, who take advantage of our to know what’s come in from the Hubble telescope. indifference by claiming to know a lot about it. But as a consequence of scientific and technological What impresses me about it, however, is the tampering, we have created ignorance of things we now insistent practicality implicit in it. If we are up do need to know. against mystery, then we dare act only on the most

The Land Report 14 modest assumptions. The modern scientific program modeler ecologist, wrote, “Structured ignorance is a pre - has held that we must act on the basis of knowledge, requisite for knowledge.” Also, “Ignorance is not pas - which, because its effects are so manifestly large, sive. It requires energy to sustain it.” we have assumed to be ample. But if we are up By embracing an ignorance-based worldview, at against mystery, then knowledge is relatively small, least we go with our long suit. Knowledge and insight and the ancient program is the right one: Act on the accumulate fastest in the minds of those who hold an basis of ignorance. Acting on the basis of ignorance, ignorance-based worldview. Having studied the exits, paradoxically, requires one to know things, remem - their imaginations are less narrow. Darting eyes have the ber things—for instance, that failure is possible, that potential to see more. error is possible, that second chances are desirable At the conference, Wendell said, “Our purpose here (so don’t risk everything on the first chance), and so is to worry about the predominance of the supposition in on. a time of great technological power that humans either What I think you and I and a few others are know enough already or can learn enough soon enough working on is a definition of agriculture as up to foresee and forestall any bad consequences.” He said against mystery and ignorance-based. I think we this supposition is typified by Selfish Gene author think that this is its necessary definition, just as I Richard Dawkins’ assertion in an open letter to Prince think we think that several kinds of ruin are the nec - Charles: “Our brains are big enough to see into the essary result of an agriculture defined as knowl - future and plot long-term consequences.” edge-based and up against randomness. Such an Wendell said, “When we consider how often and agriculture conforms exactly to what the ancient how recently our most advanced experts have been program, or programs, understood as evil or hubris. wrong about the future and how often the future has Both the Greeks and the Hebrews told us to watch shown up sooner than expected with bad news about our out for humans who assume that they make all the past, Mr. Dawkins’ assessment of our ability to know is patterns. revealed as a superstition of the most primitive sort.” Several people brought to the conference something How’d you like to receive a letter like that? It took Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said at a news 22 years to digest it and to finally put together a confer - briefing: “There are known knowns. There are things we ence. know we know. We also know there are known As you can imagine, when we announced “Toward unknowns. That is to say we know there are some things an Ignorance-based Worldview,” it was a source of great we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns, mirth. the ones we don’t know we don’t know.” To get ready for this conference, I sent out sort of an Believe it or not, some thought Mr. Rumsfeld was invitation. Here’s what it said: “Imagine an ignorance- really right on. Mario Rizzo, an author of The based science and technology in which practitioners Economics of Time and Ignorance , said Rumsfeld’s dis - would be ever conscious that we are billions of times tinctions are important: “I know that I do not know more ignorant than knowledgeable and always will be.” Rumsfeld’s home telephone number. On the other hand, Now, if you know that knowledge is not adequate to I may arrive in a foreign country and be completely run the world, what do you do? What do you do if you unaware that there are books or directories available that recognize that you are up against ignorance? will tell me where to find other English speakers.” So as You ask before launching a scientific or technologi - a result of this uncertainty the poor tourist doesn’t know cal venture: How many people will be involved? At what where to search for those English speakers or how long level of culture? Will we be able to back out? Scientists, it’s worthwhile to keep searching. You can see that soon technologists and policy-makers would be assiduous stu - he’ll be wondering how to find the restroom—and dents of exits. studying exits. I have spent a fair amount of my life studying exits, The conference then took up a Harvard Business starting with classrooms. How are we going to get out of Review piece called “Wanted: A Chief Ignorance here in case something goes wrong? Such students of Officer.” It said that ignorance management is arguably exits would want to know not only how to exit, but also a more important skill than knowledge management. how to not leave irrevocable damage. What interests me the most about ignorance is the Knowledge seeking would not stop, but would, as kind that The Land Institute is willing to embrace as we Wendell Berry has said, “force us to remember things, think about building an agriculture based on the way a cause us to hope for second chances and provide an natural ecosystem works. incentive to keep the scale small.” Acknowledging igno - I think I can help you understand by reading from rance might be the secular mind’s only way to humility. an Aldo Leopold essay called “The Last Stand.” It Harvard’s Dick Levins, a sort of a mathematical describes a forest in the Alps that had produced quality

The Land Report 15 timber since the 1600s by selective harvesting. A con - I have an example. Several years ago in the New tiguous forest of the same kind of timber was clear-cut York Review of Books, Harvard zoologist Dick Lewinton in the 1600s and never recovered, despite intensive care. told about how he and Carl Sagan visited a church-relat - Here’s what Leopold says: ed college to take the evolutionist view in debate with a creationist. The creationist had a doctorate in zoology Despite this rigid protection, the old slashing now from the University of Texas—not a creationist depart - produces only mediocre pine, while the unslashed ment, but he was teaching in the church school. portion grows the finest cabinet oak in the world; Afterward they asked for a show of hands, and found one of those oaks fetches a higher price than a that the creationist won overwhelmingly. Lewinton whole acre of the old slashings. On the old slashings wrote that in the cab going back to the airport, Sagan the litter accumulates without rotting, stumps and said this was obviously a problem of education. limbs disappear slowly, natural reproduction is slow. Lewinton said it was about cultural and regional history. On the unslashed portion litter disappears as it falls, Then he told how Sagan spent his life trying to change stumps and limbs rot at once, natural reproduction is things through education. automatic. Foresters attribute the inferior perform - I’ve been around a fair number of universities, and ance of the old slashing to its depleted microflora, I’ve witnessed friends and the children of friends from meaning that underground community of bacteria, creationist homes go to college and graduate, some of molds, fungi, insects and burrowing mammals them cum laude, and they’re still creationists. Cultural which constitute half the environment of a tree. and regional history overrode education. The existence of the term microflora implies, to I give this example because here is a question that the layman, that science knows all the citizens of the goes beyond the available answers: Why? If cultural and underground community, and is able to push them regional history overrides educational power, what do around at will. As a matter of fact, science knows we do? If education isn’t good enough, what do educa - little more than that the community exists, and that tors do? it is important. In a few simple communities like Well, maybe it’s time to start with a certain amount alfalfa, science knows how to add certain bacteria to of humility and say we’re fundamentally ignorant about make the plants grow. In a complex forest, science the way minds change. Acknowledging that we are fun - knows only that it is best to let well enough alone. damentally ignorant, we now can ask a question that goes beyond the available answers, and that’s going to What we are acknowledging here is the integration force knowledge out of its categories. of nature’s life forms over a long evolutionary history, We would be fundamentally respectful of our origi - and that the entropy law has forced the efficiencies nal relationship with the universe. There might even be a inherent to those natural integrities. We can’t keep track more joyful participation in our engagement with the of this. We have not even named most of the fungi or world. bacteria. To plow this information-rich world and sim - plify it and then treat it as though there’s only phospho - Adapted from a talk at The Land Institute’s 2004 Prairie rus, potassium, manganese, iron, calcium and so on, and Festival. then presume you can just keep on, is acting as though knowledge is adequate to run that world. We live in a very exciting time, but we need a dif - ferent way of thinking. That means we need a kind of house arrest on the destructively dominating thoughts from the architects of the Enlightenment and beyond, to the Greek and Hebrew dualists. For example, in the early 17th century Rene Descartes’ Meditations on the First Philosophy said that we can remake the world in the interests of humanity with no discussion of negative consequences. Imagine if in the 21st century we could see the end of the idea that knowledge is adequate to run the world. This would cause us to feature questions that go beyond the available answers. We would learn patience, and we would enjoy a kind of yeastiness for thought. I think this also would do the absolutely neces - sary job of driving knowledge out of its categories.

The Land Report 16 Judd Patterson . Canada geese.

The Land Report 17 At the Land

Perennial Grain Breeding Staff We’ve begun developing a research station near John Schmidt saw our ad “Hiring for a Big Idea” and Corrientes, Argentina. This will allow fall-harvest seed joined us in December as development director and from Kansas to be sown in the Southern Hemisphere’s added to our fund-raising staff. Before, he directed spring, doubling the generations grown in a year and so development and alumni relations at the College of speed our work. A new staff member from Argentina Forestry and Conservation for the University of will spend the growing season at The Land Institute, Montana Foundation. And before that he worked at then return home in November to carry out our work Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and Ducks Unlimited. there. He earned a doctorate in wildlife biology from Colorado In winter, many of the plants that we are breeding State University, where he taught and was associate dean rested dormant. The fields were wet or frozen. But in of the College of Natural Resources. Schmidt was born the greenhouse were hundreds of bright green crop and raised in Kansas. plants and their wild, perennial relatives. We transferred Cindy Cox joined us early this year as a research pollen between maturing plants to combine the best scientist. She was one of our graduate student fellows, traits of each. We tried new hybrids and, with our earlier and recently earned a doctorate in plant pathology from success, pursued further improvement. There was less Kansas State University. Her research for development test-tube nurturing of embryos than early in this process. of our mixed perennial grains is in disease management More of our plants are setting seeds, and more of these and chromosome biology. Cox’s history with us began seeds are vigorous. with research of disease resistance of perennial wheat Threshing and cleaning seed from thousands of for a master’s degree in plant pathology at Washington plants busied research assistants. State University. Before that she taught math for the Now yields that they measured go to a new comput - Peace Corps in Central African Republic. er program for tracking traits and genetic pedigrees. We have also converted old data and developed standard Graduate Fellows Workshop procedures. We have many generations of plants—and We’ll hold the annual workshop for our Natural Systems people—to think about. Agriculture graduate school fellows June 23-29. Land Institute staff and visiting scholars give students intense Agroecology and diverse lectures, with breaks for talk and presenta - Our long-term agroecology research trial is two years tion of the students’ experiments. old. This 20-year test will help us understand the bene - Each year The Land Institute gives stipends of fits of perennial cropping and how to manage it for $3,000 to $9,000 each for 15 to 20 graduate students at expansion across the agricultural landscape. Seed yield, universities around the continent based on what we see soil properties, water use and root development are stud - as their potential to shift farming toward our aim of ied in 45 plots over 15 acres of annuals and perennials. mixed cropping of perennials. Their studies include We use prototype plants for perennial grain crops, and ecology, botany, agronomy, soil science, plant pathology, will add new perennials until they are fully developed, environmental science and plant breeding. high-yielding crop species. For more, see www.landinstitute.org or write to We began complementary research on nearby bot - Jerry Glover at [email protected]. tomland prairie meadow. This will help tell how mix - tures of native perennials can yield abundantly for years without added chemicals. We’re converting part of the meadow to annual crops for a six-year comparative study of soil, productivity, and water and nutrient use. Cropland and prairie have been compared before, but not studied during conversion. These studies are on farmer Jim Duggan’s large bot - tomland north of The Land Institute. Such native areas are rare and valuable to our research.

The Land Report 18 Short Course Presentations Coming Our weekend Natural Systems Agriculture course for June 4, Matfield Green, Kansas. undergraduate students will be May 27-28 in Salina. July 22-23, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Call, write or see www.landinstitute.org for attendance September 8, Springfield, Missouri. qualifications and application. September 20-27, Adelaide, Australia. September 23-25, Prairie Festival, Salina, Kansas. Green Lands, Blue Waters For details, see the calendar at www.landinstitute.org. We signed on with a large and ambitious effort called Green Lands, Blue Waters. This connects universities Publications and non-governmental organizations to move farming in Land Institute President Wes Jackson is one of eight the Mississippi River basin toward more perennial people that writer Carl N. McDaniel profiles in a book plants and continuous living ground cover, even as The called Wisdom for a Livable Planet . Land Institute develops mixed perennial grains for use years from now. The cover will include trees, shrubs, Prairie Writers Circle grasses, hay crops and annual plants grown in combina - We expanded our market. About 250 newspapers now tion, as well as cover crops between rows. Cropping of receive essays by our contributing writers on ecology, annuals now exposes much of the U.S. breadbasket’s soil farming, culture and related topics. to erosion and water degradation for much of the year. The latest themes: organic vs. local food, ecology Green Lands, Blue Waters aims for better land and dairy farming, the theoretical tradeoff between off - health to benefit wildlife, human health, farming options spring and energy consumption, farming by numbers vs. and profitability, and rural community. by story, food origin labeling, river restoration, how Our partners include the University of Illinois, Iowa anti-GMO laws miss (see page 20), destructive stream State University, North Dakota State University, the cleaning, the institutionalization of hunger, the short - University of Minnesota, the University of Wisconsin, sightedness of an aeronautical innovation, and changing the Audubon Society, The Nature Conservancy and The policy to help land and farm. Practical Farmers of Iowa. This effort is too complex for All essays are at www.landinstitute.org and free for any one group or government, and pulls together diverse use with credit to the Prairie Writers Circle and The partners. Land Institute. For more, see www.greenlandsbluewaters.org. Electronic Newsletter Presentations Made Scoop is a brief newsletter e-mailed every six weeks to In Seattle we presented our work in a full-day sympo - tell about Land Institute activities . You may subscribe by sium for the joint annual meeting of 4,000 agronomy, e-mailing [email protected]. crop and soil scientists. Wendell Berry spoke at our symposium, and gave the keynote address for the week - long conference. Also speaking was Steven Jones, who is developing perennial wheat at Washington State University. Land Institute President Wes Jackson spoke at the San Francisco Modern Museum of Art for the opening of a photography exhibit by John Szarkowski, longtime curator of photography at New York’s Museum of Modern Art. Jackson addressed the influence on Szarkowski of agroecologist Liberty Hyde Bailey. Two staff members attended the semi-annual Mountain Sky Conference in Big Sky, Montana, which brings together the natural sciences and medicine, and one participated in the National Sorghum Genome Workshop in St. Louis. We made presentations at Cornell University, Rutgers University, the University of Manitoba, Burlington County College in New Jersey, the Texas Conference on Organic Production Systems and a Mennonite meeting in Kansas.

The Land Report 19 All-American, All-Organic

Deborah Rich

We’re working hard chasing down signa - point of critical knowledge about how to tures out here in California, but in sup - grow our food organically. We could vote, port of the wrong ballot measures. today, to require all agriculture to be Instead of backing initiatives to ban organic within 10 years and know that not genetically modified crops, we should be we, our children or our poor will go hun - forcing a vote on whether to require all gry due to insufficient crop production. agriculture to be organic—not only in For 24 years the Rodale Institute in balmy, crop-diverse California, but in Pennsylvania has conducted the Farming every state. Systems Trial comparing organic farming I agree that genetically modified side by side with chemical-based farming. crops likely jeopardize the intricate web Corn and soybeans are the staple crops of that has evolved between plants, soil the trial, just as they are of the United microorganisms and animals in ways little understood States. The study has shown that organic yields consis - and difficult to anticipate before being made painfully tently match conventional yields. apparent. Substituting human judgment for the sieve of Organic has fared well in other tests. Bill Liebhardt, evolution as the determinant of whether the DNA of dif - director of the University of California’s Sustainable ferent kingdoms of life should mix ought to give us Agriculture Research and Education Program from 1987 pause. to 1998, reviewed studies at seven universities and found But genetically modified crops are merely symp - organic yields matched or almost matched conventional toms of the underlying problem of industrialized agri - yields. culture and its reliance on chemical pesticides and fertil - Decidedly unbalmy North Dakota grows nearly as izers. many certified organic acres as California—145,500 Plants altered to produce their own insecticides, or compared with nearly 150,000, respectively, in 2001. to withstand herbicide applications, are crop chemicals The National Organic Program, which has regulated in a new and more convenient form. Like their liquid, use of the word “organic” on food labels since October granule, dust and gas predecessors, genetically modified 2002, provides a good starting point for identifying what crops extend the illusion that we can indefinitely feed, practices would and would not be allowed under an clothe, house and transport our populous species with organic mandate. A national network of organic certifi - little regard for the basic tenet of biodiversity and the cation agencies already exists and, with certified organic natural systems of nutrient and energy recycling upon cropland in nearly every state, we have a contingent of which all life depends. Outlaw GM plants without a fun - experienced organic farmers at the ready. damental change in our approach to agriculture, and our I’d like to think that a president would carry the laboratories will soon spew out different and equally torch to draft and pass legislation requiring U.S. agricul - disturbing innovations. ture to adopt organic practices: “All-American, All- We don’t have the time, personally or environmen - Organic.” But few presidents can dare be so bold given tally, to fan out gathering signatures to counter the the lobbying strength of conventional agriculture and its release of each new generation of agricultural chemical. chemical suppliers. Instead, the vote will have to begin We need, instead, to vote once for a system of food pro - with us, and gather strength state by state. duction that promotes the health of the land. We need state referendums requiring all agriculture to switch to With the Prairie Writers Circle, The Land Institute organic within a reasonable time. By definition, this invites and distributes essays to some 250 newspapers would outlaw GM crops, and nearly all other forms of and web services. All essays are at synthetic chemicals. www.landinstitute.org. The past 10 years have made a mockery of the origi - nal rationales offered for radically altering the DNA of plants: Much of the world is still hungry, we’re still bail - ing out our farmers with a national farm bill that will cost us well in excess of $100 billion, and pesticide use on the major GM crops is increasing, not decreasing. But during this same decade, we have reached a

The Land Report 20 Thanks to our contributors November 2004 through January 2005

Thousands of tax-deductible gifts, from a few to thou - as we work together toward greater ecological sustain - sands of dollars, are received each year from individuals ability. Thank you to you, our perennial friends. and private organizations to make our work possible. The first section of contributors below lists Friends Our other source of revenue is earned income from of The Land who have pledged periodic gifts. Most have interest and event fees, recently about 6 percent of total. arranged for us to deduct their gifts monthly from their Large and small gifts in aggregate make a difference. bank account or credit card. They increase our financial They also represent a constituency and help spread ideas stability, a trait valuable to any organization.

Pledges John K. Franson Mildred N. McClellan Valerie M. and Roger R. Vetter G R. Michael and Debra L. Medley W A Jane A. Gauss Sara Michl John and Bette Sue Wachholz Clifford P. and Rebecca K.R. Jared N. and Cindi M. Gellert Howard Walter Mielke Kenneth G. and Dorothy L. Weaber Ambers Nils R. Gore and Shannon R. Criss Bart P. Miller and Lisa Seaman Robert B. and Judith S. Weeden Angela A. Anderson Daniel G. and Norma A. Green Robin E. Mittenthal Ann E. Wegner Christopher E. Anderson and Suzan H Suzanne Meyer Mittenthal Darrell G. and Lois I. Wells Fitzsimmons David Haskell Bonny A. Moellenbrock and Michael Katie White Alan G. Arnold James F. Henson I. Lowry Jo M. and Stephen R. Whited Jennifer R. Atlee Craig A. Hepworth John H. Morrill Dan and Dayna L. Williams-Capone Patricia A. and Tim C. Ault-Duell Bette J. Hileman N Charles Windham B Frederick T. Hill III Charles Nabors Keith V. and Kathleen M. Wold William C. and Terry B. Baldwin David L. Hodges and Elizabeth Karen Owsley Nease Donald E. and Beverley J. Worster William Beard II Knight William D. and Dorothy M. Nelligan David Wristen Cheri Black John J. and Gloria J. Hood Richard B. and Elizabeth B. Norton Y Charles R. Boardman III and Dianne Mark L. and Linda K. Howard O Debra Brown Young E. Boardman John W. Howell Dennis A. O’Toole Family Z Lloyd D. Brace Jr. Gary R. and Michele Howland Foundation David H. Zimmermann and Emily Dr. Dennis M. and Jean C. Bramble Andrew Hyde Hryniewicz The Osborne & Scekic Family Marriott Sheryl D. Breen Marie E. Huffman Foundation D. Gordon Brown and Charlene K. I Richard and Christine Ouren Individual Gifts Irvin-Brown Dana J. Inloes P Professor E. Charles Brummer J Harold D. and Dorothy M. Parman A C Nancy and Scott Jackson Steven Paulding Constance M. Achterberg Janeine Cardin and David Ritter Mrs. Nancy A. Jackson C. Diane Percival Marilyn S. Adam and Ralph Tauke Jim and Carressa Carlstedt Wes and Joan Jackson Joan Peterkin Nancy L. Adams Merry P. Carlstedt Dorcie McKniff Jasperse Robert L. and Karen N. Pinkall Elisa Adler and Alejandro Jayo James P. and Marianne G. Cassidy Max D. and Helen F. Johnston Q Marian Aikman Suzanne Casson Jimmy R. Jones Jerry L. Quance and Marcia A. Hall Gregory S. and Jill Allen Lorna W. and D. Douglas Caulkins Todd Juengling R Dr. Michael F. and Edith B. Allen Richard E. and Anne E. Courter K Charles P. and Marcia Lautanen William W. and Joyce H. Allen Dianne M. and Gerard Cox Robert G. and Judith Kelly Raleigh Robert E. and Sally J. Ambrose Kenneth L. Cramer Bruce Kendall Thomas L. Rauch and Joyce A. Bernard Anderson Edith A. Cresmer Constance E. Kimos Borgerding Bruce A. Anderson and Anne C. David S. and Kim Criswell Leslie Kitchens David C. and Jane S. Richardson Larson D Raymond C. and Marianne D. David Rosenthal Frank J. and Jeanette Anderson Shawn and Jamie Dehner Kluever Wolfgang D. Rougle Laura Elizabeth Anderson Al DeSena, Ph.D., and Mary H. Keith W. Krieger S Professor Richard E. Andrus DeSena L Claire Lynn Schosser Calvert J. and Edward C. Armbrecht Dennis R. Dimick David R. Leitch Peter C. and Helen A. Schulze Edwin L. and Marilyn A. Armstrong Fred and Arlene Dolgon Robert M. Lindholm Suzanne Jean Shafer John M. Armstrong Barbara T. Dregallo Jonne A. Long William R. and Cynthia D. Sheldon Karl H. Arne Nathanael P. and Marnie Dresser Kenneth C. Louis and Sherri A. James R. and Katherine V. Smith Thomas J. Arneson Blythe Dyson and Hannah F. Arps Resetar Lea Smith Stefanie G. Aschmann E M Robert and Clara Steffen Frank R. and Linda B. Atkinson Jean A. Emmons Michelle C. Mack and Edward Ted George C. and M. Rosannah Stone Paul Atkinson James P. Erickson Schuur Bianca Storlazzi Denise Attwood and James R. Arlen and Lana S. Etling Grant W. Mallett and Nancy Tilson- L. F. Swords Conner Terry and Sam Evans Mallett Toby Symington B F James R. and Nanette M. Manhart T DeWayne Backhus Eric Farnsworth Andrew F. Marks and Tamara Gene Steven and Patricia A. Thomas Sydney W. and Raymond B. Douglass T. Fell Zagorec-Marks Margaret Thomas and Tom Brown Backstrom Rebecca V. Ferrell and Michael J. David E. Martin David P. Thompson and Meg Richard H. and Denise Backus Golec Helen O. Martin Eastman Walter T. and Virginia A. Bagley Andy and Betsy Finfrock Peter Mason and Paula Wenzl Ruth Anna Thurston Victor Bailey Dana K. Foster Thomas R. and Nina L. Mastick David Toner Gail Baker William A. and Julia Fabris McBride V Sarah Joan Baker

The Land Report 21 John P. and Agnes M. Baldetti Sharon A. Clancy Lawrence C. and Mary J. Baldwin Dr. Andrew G. Clark and Barbara M. Robert and Kathy Bangerter Where Is He Now? Andersen Harry L. and Louise M. Bannister Elizabeth C. Clark Andrew S. Barker and Ana Ruesink Regina Clark Bradley H. and Mary K. Barrett David M. and Debra J. Cloutier Michael D. and Pamela S. Barrett Staff members at our day-long November seminar The Rev. Frank Coady Robert C. Barrett and Linda E. in Seattle for the annual meeting of three science Dr. Jack H. Cochran Atkinson Suzanne D. and Peter Z. Cohen Steven Barry societies met Patrick Bohlen. We were reminded Dale K. and Beverly J. Cole Douglas E. Bartlett and Claire Twose how much fun he is. Sally Cole Jerry M. and Carol Baskin Bruce Colman Connie Battaile Bohlen was a Land Institute intern in 1986. He Marshal J. and Mary Ida Compton Thomas and Kimeri Swanson Beck came from the University of Michigan, then earned George E. Comstock and Anne C. Dustin Becker degrees at Miami University and Ohio State, and Hillman Robert E. Beers Kerri Conan George Beggs was a postdoc at the Institute of Ecosystem Studies Dr. Yvonne C. Condell John L. Bengfort, M.D. in New York. Wallace L. and Nancy L. Condon Charles Benscheidt Bohlen now directs research at the MacArthur Dr. Francis H. Conroy and Linda B. Mayrene E. Bentley Hayes Edward E. Berg Agro-ecology Research Center in Lake Placid, Dr. J. Lea Converse and Dr. Paul The Rev. Garner J. and Harriet F. Florida, where he and his wife, Julie, have put Lessard Berg down roots. They have a little boy and girl—and Paul L. and Lois Conway Judith Bergquist and James Trewitt Dr. Karen Severud Cook Don and Helen Berheim photos at the ready. He has a courtesy faculty Michelle M. and Gary N. Cook Wendell and Tanya Berry appointment at University of Florida, and supervis - Nancy Cook Edward and Varsenik Betzig es a graduate student and a long list of research William Coolidge John K. Bevan Christopher W. Coon and Christina David F. and P. F. Bezdicek interns—with the experience to be an intern men - A. Snyder Orville W. and Avis A. Bidwell tor. They produce a stream of published papers. Paula Jean Cooper Estate of Martha A. Bieri Bohlen’s scientific interests include biological regu - Dr. Doris E. Coppock George W. and Marie Anne Bird J. Marc Cottrell and Patty Sheehan Paul G. Birdsall lation of nutrient cycling; influence of agriculture Barbara A. Coughlin and John Kevin Keith E. and Mary E. Blackmore on ecosystems; how plants, soils and microbes Fallon Aaron E. and June E. Blair Adrienne A. Cox-Trammell Steven N. and Jane P. Blair interact; influence of earthworms on nutrient Paula C. and Terry A. Crabbs William R. and Dianne Blankenship cycling; and how grazers, productivity and ecosys - Henry Crew Robert M. and Margaret E. Boatz tems relate. Elisabeth Crosby and Paul Becker Mark W., Ellen, Lily and Nick Harriett M. Crosby Bohlke He has served on editorial boards, and as Long Claire Hope Cummings Emily C. Boone Term Ecological Research Network program William C. Cutler and Elisabeth Terry and Patricia B. Booth reviewer for the National Science Foundation, sec - Suter Bruno Borsari and Julie Chiasson D Patrick D. and Ann Bosold retary of the Soil Ecology Society, reviewer for The Seth M. Dabney and Deborah A. Bill and Ruth Botzow State of the Nation’s Ecosystems for The Heinz Chessin Dr. Roger L. and Jan L. Boyd Center, and for many books, and co-chair of the Larry A. Daggett Nina L. Bradley Vernon L. Dahlheimer Marjorie E. Bradrick Sixth International Symposium on Earthworm Kenneth J. and Eloise Dale George H. and Elizabeth B. Bramhall Ecology in Vigo, Spain. Tom Daly and Jude Blitz Mary Alice and John E. Bramming For you who have supported The Land Institute Mary Carolyn Damm Raymond H. and Shirley Brand Joan and Richard G. Darrow James D. and Tina M. Bratt in one way or another over the years, maybe take a Professor Cliff I. Davidson Russell and Patricia Brehm modest amount of credit for “raising” Bohlen. He Helen M. Davis Mabel C. Brelje Peter R. Day John A. Brennan, M.D., and Regina promises to bring his family to visit The Land Mark and Georgia R. De Araujo Voss Brennan Institute some day. C. Owen de Ris David M. Brenner and Anne Kimber Anthony T. and Lawrie C. Dean Joyce Brink Rodney T. and Jeannette M. Debs David A. and Carolyn S. Brittenham Sandy K. and Darrell R. Dedrick Jack Brondum and Patricia Roger and Dorothy DeHaan McGowan Jim and Wileta Burch Campbell Susan B. Delattre David Brook and Susan Campbell Erik P. and Jessyca C. Burke Roald and Lois E. Cann Kenneth Van Dellen Bradford L. and Lorna C. Brookins Laura Burnett and Martin Poirier James E. and Martha Deford Carnes Suzanne P. DeMuth Martin E. Brotherton Sheldon E. Burr Robert Carnevale and Denise DeLeo Garet W. Denise Owen S. Brown David Burris and Meredith McGrath, Diana and Robert Carter KiKo Denzer and Hannah Field Harlan B. Brumsted D.V.M. Jack L. and Martha A. Carter Mari Sorenson and Ed Detrixhe Charles A. and Joanne B. Bryan Jerry D. Busch Marcheta Cartmill Calvin B. and Ruth Ann DeWitt Paul T. and Genevieve D. Bryant J. Walker Butin Professor Edward S. Casey, Ph.D. Roman Dial Dr. Paul C. and Joni C. Bube Nancy Byrne James A. and Margaret M. Cashen Will Dibrell and Beverly Bajema Rex C. and Susan Schuette Buchanan Patrick F. Byrne and Linda R. Addison S. and Jean G. Cate Martha Dickinson Betty Jo Buckingham Brown-Byrne Lucia L. Cate Sandra A. DiSante C David L. and Sandra L. Buckner George and Marilynn Chlebak John M. and Deborah P. Divine Professor Matthew J. Buechner The Rev. John F. Cain Judith F. Christy Jan E. and Deborah Robin Dizard Everett L. and Dorothy A. Bullock Dr. J. Baird Callicott Marshall Chrostowski Brian Donahue and Faith B. Rand Janet D. Bunbury Matthias C. and Barbara H.

The Land Report 22 Joan Donaldson John J. and Kathryn L. Glovack T. Pruiksma Raffensperger Strachan Donnelley, Ph.D., and James B. Godshalk Jr. and Marjorie Craig and Henrike Holdrege Kenneth T. and Marlena D. Kirton Vivian Donnelley W. Lundy John M. and Catrinka Holland Thomas Klak Laura Donnelley-Morton Mary Helen M. and Timothy H. Jenny E. Holmes Jay C. Klemme and Anne S. Wilson Patrick J. Donovan Goldsmith Robert D. and Lynne W. Holt David Andrew Knapp and Robert C. J. Charles and Evelyn G. Doudna James T. and Margaret E. Good Donald M. Homan Freese Gordon K. and Jane Dempsey James P. and Rebecca A. Goodman James C. Hormel Clayton A. Knepley Douglass Mark and Jennie Gordon William J. and Marguerite Desotelle Rob Knowles and Meryl Stern Cathryn M. Dowd Kenneth E. and Shirley A. Gowdy Hornung Donald and Marianne Koke Mark Doyle Jeanne B. Gramstorff Shae Hoschek Walter J. and Barbara J. Koop Merlin D. and Sandra K. Dresher Lewis O. and Patricia J. Grant Keim T. and Sylvia R. Houser Gayle Joy Kosh and H. Redekopp Ross E. and Carolyn H. Duffy John Emmet and Margery A. Graves Bruce F. and Debra K. Howard Mark E. Kossler Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd C. Dumenil Catherine J. Gray June P. Howard Cleo D. Kottwitz Myrl L. Duncan Jack Gray and Mary Jo Wade Janna B. Howley Elizabeth Krase Gail Ellen Dunlap Wallace and Ina Turner Gray Helene Huber Connie S. Kreider Phyllis M. Dunn Laurie C. and G. Garner Green Darrell K. and Bunny E. Huddleston David J. and Heidi R. Kreider Joseph Rene DuPont John K. and Jean McBride Greene Wellington B. and Marcy Huffaker David E. and Roberta J. Kromm David Durand Robin and John McClure Greenler DeEtte Huffman Douglas D. and Janet G. Krueger James N. and Teresa H. Dusic George W. Grider Jr. Jean E. Hulbert L E T. McLean and Hope Wiswall Jon C. and Audrey F. Hunstock Kimberly Labno Mr. and Mrs. Thomas H. Egolf Griffin Joyce G. Hunt H. Lawrence Lack and Lee Ann Professors David and Joan Ehrenfeld Charles G. and Patricia A. Daniel P. Hunz Ward Paul R. and Anne H. Ehrlich Grimwood Linda S. and Terry A. Hurst Peter J. Lammers Chris and Carol Eisenbeis Emily Griswold Logan L. Hurst Robert K. and Mary G. Lancefield Julie B. Elfving Marian D. Griswold James A. and Sara Lou Hutchison Paul W. and Pamela P. Lander Myron L. and Deborah L. Elliott Ms. Marion B. Griswold I M. Daniel and Judi S. Lane Douglas D. and Catherine C. Robert Groeneveld Hunter Ingalls and Mary Emeny Tom Lankenau Engstrom Phyllis L. Gunn Gerald J. and Kristin L. Irissarri Lloyd H. Larsen Richard Todd and Kimberly Kelling Peter Gustafson Charles W. Isenhart Sally W. Lasater Engstrom H J Eulah C. Laucks Kristi Ennis Chad Hadsell Harley T. and Linnea Jackson Louis J. and Ann K. Laux Kamyar Enshayan and Laura L. Philip M. and Patricia A. D. Hahn Martin A. Jacobs Edward J. Lawrence Jackson Fred C. Haigh M. Allen Jacobson Peter W. Leach Melvin D. Epp, Ph.D., and Sylvia K. Paula R. and Van B. Hall Jacobson Family Jerry F. and Eleanor M. Leeper Epp Lloyd B. Hansen Paul G. and Elaine D. Jantzen Professor Carl Leopold Elizabeth Miller and Carl D. Evans Art and Natalie Hanson Charles B. and Melanie R. Jenney Laura A. Lesniewski Margaret S. and S. A. Ewing Benjamin and Lucy Bardo Harms Dr. Charles D. and Gerry Jennings Anne Lesser and Thom Lipiczky F Stephen D. Harris and Michele Robert W. Jensen Joan Letendre Darrell D. and Dorthy A. Fanestil Mukatis Harry J. and Ann L. Jett Jeffrey S. and Lea Steele Levin Dr. Daphne G. Fautin and Robert W. Julie P. and Philip A. Hart Bruce and Judy Johnson Charles A. and Jennifer Lewinsohn Buddemeier Peter G. and Mary Jean Hartel Carl L. and Linda K. Johnson Lawrence B. and Ruth G. Lewis Pauline R. and Norman Miles Jean Hassman Duane E. Johnson Revis C. Lewis Fellows Kathryn J. Hatcher and Robert B. Leigh M. Johnson Louise N. and William Z. Lidicker Ms. Chris Fenninger Ambrose Jr. Dr. Michael G. and Gwyn E. Dr. William C. and Kathleen H. Professor Frederick Ferre Bert and Dawn Haverkate-Ens Johnson Liebhardt Richard A. and Miriam L. Ferrell Andrew M. and Denise E. Hedberg Stephan H. Johnson and Patricia A. Matthew Z. Liebman and Laura C. Emily T. Fisher and Evan Griswold Peter Ridgaway Hegeman and Termini Merrick Jeffrey A. and Mary S. Fleming Patricia Egan Gary and Marilyn Jones Anne Lindberg and Derek Porter Laurence B. Flood Warren J. and Rosemary A. Heidrick Ileana Z. and Kimball Jones Joseph G. and Beatrix U. Lindquist Bernd and Enell Foerster Steffen A. and Janet M. Helgaas William D. and Elaine Jones Paul E. and Carol G. Lingenfelter Jeremy and Angela Foster C. Dale Hendricks Lucy Jordan Lucy R. Lippard Nancy D. Fraley Edgar Hensel Charles R. and Sally B. Jorgensen Carolyn E. R. Litwin Chris E. and Leanna Kirchoff Frasier Frederick G. and Cheryl A. Heppner Marilyn Jorrie Ann R. Loeffler Mr. & Mrs. Edward C. Frederick Dr. Robert A. Herendeen Chad Jubela Gary E. and Pamela D. Lothson The Rev. Jim L. and Annabel K. Peter J. Hetzel Paul E. and Carol A. Junk Barbara and John Lounsberry Fredrickson John M. and Susan S. Heyneman K Marilyn D. Loveless Leif S. Freeman Barbara J. Hibbard Adrian Kaufman Paul M. and Jeanine M. Lovell Harvey J. and SuEllen Fried J. David Hill and Martha Cooper Gordon D. Kaufman Amory B. Lovins Cyril R. and Donna B. Funk Stephen H. and Marcia Hannon Hill Jim and Sue Keating Alice Loyd G Tresa C. Hill Angeliki V. and Charles M.H. Keil Sandra B. Lubarsky and Marcus P. Brenda Gadd Thor Hinckley and Alison Wiley John R. Keller and Cheryl Ann Ford Wendy Garrison Clinton R. and Nancy C. Hinman Hickey Anne E. Lubbers Eugene Gauger Thomas Alan Hirsch and Audrie Paula C. Kellogg and Gordon W. Drs. Michael and Sue Lubbers Mavis M. and George M. Gehant Laurie Ann Brown Sailors Robert E. Lucore and Nora Carroll Joseph V. and Janette A. Gelroth Dr. Allen Gene Hirsh and Rhonda J. E. Dale Kennedy and Douglas W. John F. and Anne Ludeman Carolyn Cox George Weiss White John P. and Lee Luebbe Kendall A. and Karen M. Gerdes Douglas L. and Shirley U. Hitt Stuart and Robyn Kermes Sandra D. Lynn Charles E. Gessert, M.D., and Jon Hoefler Edwin Kessler III M Barbara Stark Kurt Hoelting and Sally Goodwin, Gailmarie Kimmel and Bill Timpson Lynn MacDougall-Fleming William E. and Julia K. Gibson M.D. Geoff King Kenneth R. Mahaffey Mark M. Giese Kathryn L. Hoffman Rankin and Ken F. Kirkpatrick and Deborah L. Thomas Mahoney Susan E. Gillies Mark L. Rankin Davis Lydia Major Eric and Emma Gimon Joyce M. Hofman Glennace Kirn Amelia Mallett Bradley M. and Barbara B. Glass Brian and Kathy Holck F. Kirschenmann and C. Charles F. Manlove Michael A. and Karma E. Glos Margaret Ann Holcomb and Richard

The Land Report 23 Philip S. Margolis Elizabeth McGuinness Barry K. Moir and Laila Goodman Jean G. Nicholas Kevin L. Markey and Candice Miller Cathleen D. and Jim T. McKeen Jeffrey L. Moline and Kristin Groth Wendell K. and Waitstill B. Nickell David A. Marks Deborah K. McKinley Robert T. and Kay L. Moline Rae Ann Nixon Marsha F. and Ric Marshall Sara H. McKoy Thomas W. and Anne H.T. Moore Bruce J. and Amy W. Noble Marcia Fisher and John Bradley Michael and Laurel McNeil Don and Ann Morehead Jorge L. and Patricia O. F. Nobo Marston Susan T. McRory and John W. Quentin Alan and Shari Ann Karen E. Ruff and Michael G. Noll Bill Martin and Kathleen League Middleton Morford Douglas Nopar and JoAnn Thomas Francis G. and Christine B. Martin James C. and Diana N. McWilliams James L. M. Morgan and Teresa A. Kurt N. Nordback David Martinez Curt D. Meine Maurer Charles L. and Patricia J. Novak Nancy Ambers and George S. Margaret G. Mellon Minor L. Morgan Jr. and Sylvia O Massar Cathy and Nathan Melson Alvarez Laura M. O’Brien Ernest L. and Kathy M. Massoth Kirsten Menking A. David Morrow Michael D. and Colleen M. Grant S. and Cynthia C. Mastick Anne D. Meyer Robert V. Mulch O’Connell William J. Matousek Karl H. Meyer Alison G. and Martin L. Murie Thomas S. O’Connor and Daphne William and Robin Birch Matthews Lauree Hersch Meyer Debra Dean and James O. Murphy Werth John C. and Susan K. Maus Ryan Michael Laura Musacchio, Ph.D. Owen N. and Mary Sue O’Leary Jean Maust Patricia Ann Michaelis William Mushkin Marian O’Reilly and Stephen M. Gordon E. and Evelyn M. Maxwell Gerald E. Mikkelson Cornelia F. and Robert L. Mutel Lockwood Marcia S. and Michael W. Mayo T. H. and Kathleen M. Milby Ginny and Larry Mutti M. Oberbillig N Richard S. McAnany II Nancy H. Miles and Frank Miles Jr. Cliff Ochs and Lucille McCook John N. and Virginia K. McCall Elizabeth J. Miller Paul M. Nachtigal and Toni Haas David J. and Jeanne K. Ode Kenneth J. McCarthy John C. Miller and Sandra Bot-Miller Koji and Susan Nakao Michael and Kathleen J. Oldfather Paul E. McClelland Rex D. and Sally M. Miller Harland S. and Corinne L. Nelson Jay Oleson and Jill Cody Robert J. McConnell Ross J. and Nancy L. Miller Robert Nelson Jane F. and Charles R. Olsen Karen I. McCulloh Margot W. and Roger Milliken Paul W. Neukirch Lynn Ortenburger and Dennis J. Kyle McDowell Gail and George Milton Joseph F. Neumann Bottum Alec F. McErlich Charles E. Mitchell Dale and Marla Osborne Robert T. Mohler Richard D. and Shirley A. Newsome

Prairie Festival Tapes October 1-3, 2004, The Land Institute

Orders are by air mail and guaranteed for delivery in 60 I S1 Election Year 2052: A Secretary of Agriculture days. Payment methods: checks and money orders for Runs for President — Wes Jackson U.S. funds, and MasterCard, Visa and Discover. Card I S2 The High Cost of Cheap Food — Michael Pollan purchases can be by fax or phone. Mail orders to: I S3 Corporations vs. Farmers: Whose Plants Are These, Anyway? — Percy Schmeiser I S4 Building an Alternative to Corporate Globalization — Judy Wicks 10332 Lefthand Canyon Drive, Jamestown, CO 80455 Phone: 303-444-3158 Fax: 303-444-7077 I SU1 The Long Arm of the Land — Land Institute graduate research fellows I SU2 Where in the World We Are Going? — William Name ______MacLeish Address ______I SU3 An Ignorance-based Worldview — Wes Jackson State______ZIP code ______Total individual tapes ______x $8 = ______Phone ______Complete set of tapes _____ x $50 = ______I MasterCard I Visa I Discover Subtotal ______Card No. ______For shipping within the U.S., $2 for first tape, Expiration date ______50 cents for each extra, $18 maximum; for Canada and Mexico, double shipping fee; for overseas, triple shipping fee ______Colorado sales tax: add 4.25% ______Signature ______Total ______

The Land Report 24 Jeffrey P. and Maria L. Osborne Karl Seeley David and Ellen Ostheller Keiran Murphy and Michael Lynette S. Seigley James M. Ouray and Karn Anderson Memorials Anderson Carolyn L. Servid and Dorik V. John S. and Lee Sayre Overton Nick Fent Ellis Roane Mechau Glenn Owens Charles A. and Joan Sudmann Rex Buchanan and Susan Nathanael and Marnie Dresser Jim and Katie Owens Martin Cox Shapiro P Schuette Buchanan Jean Murray Mallett Henry W. Wells Stuart L. and Diane Sharp Louise W. and William R. Pape Hugh and Flora Belle Willis Consuelo Diaz Sandra J. Shaw Karl E. and Elizabeth R. Parker Murray Joseph DuPont Anne Sheble Gregory A. Parsons and Dorothy J. Nath Dresser Lynn Corey Sheldon and Daniel H. Gordon Mallett Johnson Hudnut Grant Mallett Dorothy Bullock Joan Bennett and John C. Parsons Frank Roper Charlie Fautin and Susan Easton Richard B. and Audrey M. Sheridan Larry and Vickie Patton Marion T. Sherk Todd Engstrom and Kim Daphne Fautin and Robert Lowell C. Paul Kari Madison Sherman Kelling Buddemeier Lisa and Belden H. Paulson Frank Ruggieri Allene and Bill Grossman Charlotte Shoemaker Susan Shaw and George N. Pavlakis David J. Shufelt Lucille Ruggieri and family Carolyn Cox George Richard H. Peckham and Maureen J. Nancy Scheerer Bernt and Suzie Helgaas Anne Hawthorne Silver Nowlan Ann B. Simpson Sarah H. McKoy Steffan and Janet Helgaas Kenneth V. and Ana M. Pecota Ray Swanson Wes Jackson John M. Simpson and Sondra L. Alicia L. Peden Goodman Mark Crawford and Carol David Wristen Joel L. Pederson and Carol M. Michael Jeremy Jacobs William A. and Janice D. Simpson Tunell Dehler Mimi Zuckert Martin A. Jacobs Professor Charles F. and Janet S. Gregory and Patsy Hanson Penner Martin Kimm Sing J. Marc Cottrell Milford and V. Lee Penner Michael and Sue Lubbers Laura E. Skelton and Thomas A. Dennis and Clint Perrin Margaret MacDougall Buford Joy B. and James W. Perry Lynn and Kevin MacDougall- Martha S. Skillman John T. Pesek Jr. Honorary Gifts Tim Skwiot Peg and Kirk Barrett Fleming Paul J. and Karla V. Peters Charles and Mary Lou Major Benjamin H. and Susan G. Slote Carol Jean and Brian D. Petersen Brad and Mary Barrett Ann Heywood and Gene Stanley Stuart A. and Taryn L. Slote Lisa Bjorn and Marney Blaire Peter L. and Rita E. Peterson Dennis R. and Peggy Smart Lisa Sarenduc Lydia Major Bernard L. Peuto and Anne Bertaud- Melander family Fred Smeds Peuto Loren Swift Alden H. Smith II Shirley and Bob Bodmer Phyllis Dunn and Beverly Leroy C. Philippi Magnuson Dr. Daryl D. and Sue A. Smith Michael D. Phillips Andy and Betsy Finfrock John and Rose Olver Dr. Robert B. and Marianne K. Susan Brook Paolo Piacentini Jane and Dave Richardson Smythe Loretta Pickerell Dave Brook and Susan Father Art Redmond Michael Snow Karen Odessa Piper Campbell P. Allen and Carolyn T. Sollenberger Brian Bullock and Jessica Crane Paul Wurtz Bruce M. Plenk Clare O’Leary Siemer and Dick Robert F. and Judith D. Soule Jetaime Bullock John A. Pollack L. Siemer Stephen F. and Karen J. Spartan Rebecca Dresser and John Hege Frank R. Pommersheim and Anne G. Owen N. O’Leary Eric A. and Mary Louise Stahl Dunham Clayton D. Stalling Frank J. and Deborah E. Popper Ronald A. Stanley and Mary M. Kenneth A. Porter Aldridge Kate J. Porterfield and Marvin Rau Susan Stansbury George D. and Alice M. Potts Thomas F. Riesing and Christie John F. Samson Raymond H. Starrett Donna and Darwin Poulos Berven Donald E. Sanderson Catherine A. Statz and Thomas J. Kathy A. Powell and Stephen L. Peter W. Riggs Joseph D. and Nancy J. Sargent Pamperin Griswold Michael E. and Kathleen F. Riordan Robert C. Sargent David B. and Claudia B. Steckel Alison G. Power and Alexander S. Theresa M. Ripley and John W. Norman E. and Mary Ann Saul Sara G. Steelman Flecker Loughary Janice E. Savidge John W. Steggall Jr. and Martha L. Anne W.B. Prichard Gordon T. and Barbara A. Risk E. Wayne Say Quenon Q James V. and Sandra E. Risser Kathleen Sayce and Frank Wolfe L. Joe Stehlik Peter C. Quinn Carol I. and James R. Ritter Laura Browne Sayre and Michael Robert J. and Lyda L. Steiert Trucia Quistarc John E. and Lorraine C. Rittmann Ross Evans Steve Stodola R Susan Roberts Robert F. Sayre Eli Stogsdill Bradley T. and Nancy Jo Radtke Diane C. and Jack A. Robertson Henry E. and Dianne M. Schaffer Paul D. Stolen and Deborah K. Ruth H. Ragucci, M.D. Dr. E. R. Rodabaugh W. Neill and Karen M. Schaller Amazi Victoria Post and George A. Ranney David A. Rodgers Gregory Scharf Tony J. and Patricia P. Stoneburner Neal S. and Izen I. Ratzlaff Adam W. Rome and Robin G. Richard A. and Dorothy T. Scherer Kimberly A. Stoner L. David and Ann Redmon Schulze Betty Adler and Lloyd G. Schermer Palma Strand Patty and Jerry D. Reece Elizabeth J. Root A. Anne Schmidt Paul A. Strasburg and Terry Saracino Michael and Susan K. Reed Jack E. and Sheri Ropp Judith Schmidt Lauren C. Stringer and Matthew S. Raymond and Gladys Regier Michael R. Rosmann, Ph.D. and Carol C. Schmitt and W. Propst Smith Martha Reid Marilyn S. Rosmann Ben J. Schole Professor Richard C. Strohman Thomas P. and Virginia R. Reid James A. Rousmaniere Jr. and Jon R. and Jane R. Schulz E. Malcolm Strom Darrell and Sara Reinke Sharon Ostow John P. Schuster and Marilyn Joyce and Greg Studen Richard L. and Joyce Reinke Russell Rowland Patricia Kane Brad R. Stuewe, M.D. and Paula A. David A. Rettele and Janice K. Sander Rubin John S. and Ann M. Schuster Fried, Ph.D. Baldwin Rachel E. Rudy A. J. and Jane E. Schwartz Connie and Karl Stutterheim Douglas W. and Cindy S. Rettig Lucille Ruggieri Amy D. Schwartz Michael J. and Susan J. Sudalnik Martha Rhea and Jim Allen Roy Ronald and Marie Ruhnke Cindy and Stephen G. Scott Brian J. and Jonita L. Suderman David G. Rich Janyce M. Ryan Katherine L. Scott Janet L. Suelter Mabel C. Richardson S Michael J. Scully Nancy Sullivan Margaret G. and John P. Richey Niklaus N. Salafsky and Julia A. Mr. & Mrs. Gary F. Seamans Robert A. and Mary F. Super Richard R. and Ronny W. Riegel Segre Robin Rachel Sears Harold R. Supernaw

The Land Report 25 Gerald R. and Sandra P. Swafford Ms. Cynthia C. Willauer John Hirschi Fund Loren Swift Judith E. Williams I & G Charitable Foundation Walter P. and Jeanie M. Sy Robert D. Williams Interior Fixtures Inc. T. John Szarkowski Smith Williams Jr. Isis Medicine, P.C. T Kristin J. and D. Morgan Wilson J. M. Kaplan Fund Inc. Bron Taylor and Beth Corey-Taylor Nancy Hamill Winter Keith W. Krieger Charitable Fund Constance Taylor Maggie Winter-Sydnor and Rusty Kelley/Knox Family Foundation Professor Edith L. Taylor Sydnor Kirchhoff Farms James E. and Betty L. Taylor Klaus H. and Karin Wisiol Lakeside Corporation Wayne S. Teel and Alta L. Brubaker, Christel J. Wittenstein-Bejenke, Larrimore Family Foundation M.D. M.D. The Lasater Ranch Maurice and Jeannine Telleen Carolyn S. and Roger L. Wood Laucks Foundation Inc. Ruth Terrill Joel and Joan G. Woodhull Lawrence and Dana Linden Family Richard Thieltges George M. and Katharine R. Foundation Elizabeth and Trevor Thompson Woodwell The Marcello Lotti Foundation Helen M. Thompson Catherine A. Worster Malone Mechanical Inc. Janice R. Thompson Angus Wright Mountain Run Farm John W. Thompson Austin C. and Ramona M. Wright The Natural Gardener Inc. Tom and Mary Thompson Harold M. and Patricia J. Wright The Nature Conservancy John A. and Linda L. Thornton Dr. Valerie F. Wright Neiman Environments Inc. R. Klaus and Gail A. Trenary Paul Robert and Mary Joanne Wurtz North Slope Enterprises Sarah Chappell Trulove and James Nancy L. Wygant Oak Lodge Foundation W. Woelfel Y Packaging Systems B. C. Tsiknas Robert J. and Janet C. Yinger Pauline-Morton Foundation Mary Evelyn Tucker and John A. Greg and Donna M. Young Purple Dragon Co-Op Inc. Grim J. Lowell and Ruth Ann Young Robert B. Ragland Foundation Inc. Carol A. Tunell and Mark K. David A. Yudkin and Jeana S. Price R. & Flora A. Reid Foundation Crawford Edelman Richardson Images Ltd A. Chase Turner and Elizabeth A. Joseph R. Yurt Sisters of St. Francis of Tiffin Byrne Z Skyview Laboratory Inc. U M. Louise and James J. Zaffiro South Carolina Coastal Conservation Cork and Ella Umphrey Ruth R. and Mark W. Zalonis League Inc. Walter F. and Joyce L. Utroske Sarette C. Zawadsky, M.D. and Sunflower Sundries V Helmut W. Weist TELEC Consulting Resources Robert Himmerich y Valencia, Kirsten L. Zerger and Sanford N. Termini Associates Ph.D., and Eva Valencia de Nathan U.S. Department of Agriculture Himmerich Randall L. Ziglar Wildflower Fund J. Pat Valentik Ann M. Zimmerman and Dexter Woodstock Foundation Inc. Marjorie and Lynn Van Buren Eggers Nancy Van Dyke Cindy Zimmerman and John Highkin Jim Van Eman Mrs. Anne Zinsser Gary Allen and Donna June Via Uko and Jane Zylstra Elizabeth J. Vollbrecht Thomas von Geldern and Cynthia L. Organization Gifts Skrukrud Ronald J. and Nancy A. Vos Adler Schermer Foundation W Agri-Dynamics Inc. David Wadsworth and Heidi Betz Al’s OverHead Door Service Inc. Paul and Mary Wagoner The Amity Fund The Writers and Patricia J. and Samuel H. Walker Arrow Printing Co. Robert C. Wallis Barnett Electric Inc. Christel and Manfred A. Walter Beta Beta Beta Photographers Richard T. and Barbara R. Ward Blue Heron Foundation Dr. Louise O. Warner and Clyde Brown Brothers Farming Judd Patterson is finishing college work in biology, envi - Gosnell Buckskin Valley Farms Thomas J. Warner C.R.O.P.P. Cooperative Inc. ronmental science and geography at Kansas State Ken and Nina Warren Calvert Social Investment University. His photography is at www.naturalplanet.org. William D. and Iren M. Warren Foundation Jerry Glover is The Land Institute’s soil scientist and Jim Weaver Central Colorado Educational Trust Wallace N. Weber Saul & Amy Scheuer Cohen Family agroecologist, Marty Bender its energy scientist, Stan Jeffrey A. Weih Foundation Cox its head plant breeder, and Wes Jackson its presi - Paul E. and Carol L. Weihe Collins Family Foundation Georgette M. Weir and Jean Claude Franklin Conklin Foundation dent. Fouere Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation Courtney White is co-founder and executive director Trudy F. Welander The Donnelley Foundation of The Quivira Coalition, a Santa Fe, New Mexico, non - Charles H. Welling and Barbara J. Drummond & Associates Thoman EConnections, Inc. profit working for ecological, economic and social health Vickie Wellman and Ian Ecumenical Project for Int’l in the West. MacGreggor Cooperation Inc. Aaron Paden is a photographer for the University of Henry W. Wells Emmert Associates Valerie Wheeler and Peter Esainko Gentle Harvest Kansas. Robert E. and Mary Whelpley Grace Jones Richardson Trust Deborah Rich raises olive trees near Monterey, Paula J. Wiech Grain Place Foods Inc. California, and has written about agriculture for the San Ray Wilber and Cathy Dwigans Great Plains Earth Institute Don Wilkison Haffner Foundation Francisco Chronicle and other publications.

The Land Report 26 You Take Us to Mileposts

We have a greenhouse full of new hybrid grain plants A pledge of monthly donations helps us to plan. and are moving down our 50-year agenda, reaching Some donors prefer automatic bank transfer. Your bank mileposts along the way to prairielike mixtures of deep- can do all the work for you. You decide the amount and rooted crops. As we do, we are shortening the time until day each month to transfer the payment. Your bank state - farmers will have better ways to save soil—erosion is ment shows the transaction. Credit card authorization one of the most difficult problems in the history of also works smoothly. Both save check writing. We do humans since we started growing food—and to reduce not share, lend or sell our supporters’ names or address. our use of agricultural chemicals, water and fossil fuels. You may complete the enclosed form or use our Your help—in all of the ways you support us—is Web site’s secure Donate Now button, which allows you invaluable. When it comes to charitable contributions, to set up a pledge or make a once-a-year gift. If you we hope you will consider switching to a pledge if you need help, please call Patty Melander at 785-823-5376. have not already. A small monthly donation may allow She will enjoy meeting you on the phone. Patty person - an easy way to increase your annual amount. Any ally handles all of our pledges and would like to handle amount you feel comfortable with adds to our ability to yours. reach those mileposts.

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Our research is opening Please print the way to a new agricul - Name ______ture — farming modeled on native prairie. Farmers Address ______using Natural Systems City______State______ZIP code ______Agriculture will produce food with little fertilizer I authorize The Land Institute each month to and pesticide, and build I Transfer from my checking account (enclose check for the first monthly payment) soil instead of lose it. If I Charge my credit or debit card you share this vision and I $5 I $15 I $55 I $75 I $125 I Other $ would like to help, please Deduct my tax-deductible gift on the I 5th of each month I 20th of each month. become a Friend of the Land. To do so and receive I authorize a one-time gift of The Land Report, clip or I $35 I $125 I $250 I $500 I $5,000 I Other $ ______copy this coupon and Payment method: I My check, made payable to The Land Institute, is enclosed. return it with payment to I Charge my I Visa I MasterCard I Discover

The Land Institute Account No.______Expires______/ ______2440 E. Water Well Road Signature ______Salina, KS 67401 Monthly giving: We will transfer your gift on the date you select until you notify us otherwise. You can change or cancel your monthly donation at any time by calling or LR81 writing The Land Institute. We will confirm your instructions in writing.

The Land Report 27 Judd Patterson. Western meadowlark.

Non-Profit Organization 2440 E. Water Well Rd. U.S. Postage Paid Permit #81 Salina, KS 67401 Salina, KS 67401

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