[fzeroracer]

Unfortunately I think this will only arise if/when we have a major crisis that results in a large amount of Americans being poisoned. We're really, really bad at preventative measures instead opting for short term profit over long term stability and health.

The amount that farms end up poisoning local rivers, streams etc I thought would be enough of a wake up call but I guess I was too optimistic. Organic foods aren't the answer either sadly, since a lot of the time that's the result from unfounded fears.

[cmrdporcupine]

The poisoning is happening. It's just not yet happening to humans, it's happening to our rivers and streams and oceans that are receiving all the phosphorous runoff, and to the wild herbaceous plants that are caught in the drift of dicamba, glyphosate or 2-4,d.

(p.s. I live rural, have a hobby orchard/vineyard, and live next to two cash crop farms)

[artificialLimbs]

> It's just not yet happening to humans.

It isn't?

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.jafc.5b05852

[bsbsbsbs]

Not according to the abstract in your link.

"In none of the investigated samples were glyphosate residues above the limit of detection found."

[BurningFrog]

One cynical/cute view is that farming subsidies will start disappearing when Iowa is no longer the first primary state.

[briandear]

However that theory was challenged when Ted Cruz opposes ethanol subsidies and still won the state. The problem is that most politicians aren’t as courageous to fight for what is right (in their view) as opposed to what they think Iowa voters want.

But you are correct: Iowa’s status as the first caucus state has a lot to do with the state of farm policy.

[brd]

I'm hoping for a single solid study establishing either A) alternative farming practices that are reasonably efficient and profitable to highlight a way for smaller scale farmers to thrive. B) the negative health effects of some of these choices in our food supply that causes people to actually get up in arms about it and force some regulation with real teeth.

I can only hope you're wrong and that we don't hit a point of mass poisonings before we do anything but I can very easily see that coming to fruition.

[artificialLimbs]

Regarding A:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GMXqgQIU9c

[stefs]

the question is, though, whether the slow mass poisoning isn't already happening since a couple of years and the symptoms are just misattributed to other factors?

[wnoise]

The rapid rise of self-diagnosed "gluten intolerance" for instance.

[nradov]

I don't know what you would consider a "large amount", but 32 people were recently poisoned by what authorities suspect was contaminated lettuce.

https://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/2018/o157h7-11-18/index.html