Yearly Archives: 2011

SEC investigating Monsanto’s Roundup tactics

Somebody oughta.

Tom Philpott wrote for Mother Jones 19 July 2011, SEC Investigates Monsanto’s Roundup Biz

The SEC is investigating Monsanto’s tactics for defending the market for its herbicide, Roundup. The news emerged just before the July 4 holiday weekend, during Monsanto’s press conference about its quarterly financial earnings. Company execs boasted of a 77 percent increase in profit before dropping a mini-bombshell, The Wall Street Journal reported:
Monsanto said it was cooperating with a previously undisclosed US Securities and Exchange Commission probe into its customer incentive programs for herbicides in fiscal years 2009 and 2010, and had received a subpoena to provide related documents.
A subpoena sounds like a start. If they do a real investigation I wouldn’t be surprised if they find enough evidence to pull some licenses.

-jsq

Elsie Quarterman’s Tennessee Coneflower taken off endangered species list

WSMV in Nashville reports that the Tennessee purple coneflower, which grows only in cedar glades, and only in three counties in the world, is being taken off the endangered species list:

Less than one percent of endangered species ever get taken off the list. The Tennessean reports:

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service plans to officially remove the wildflower by Sept. 2, from its list of plants that are near extinction.

“The Tennessee coneflower’s recovery is an example of what can be achieved through the combined efforts of dedicated partners,” said Cindy Dohner, the Service’s Southeast Regional Director, in an emailed announcement.

Echinacea tennesseensis was thought extinct until Dr. Elsie Quarterman rediscovered it in 1969 in the cedar glades which are her academic specialty. She was 59 then.

Now she is 100, and still being honored by her students and by her state.

Aunt Elsie was born in Valdosta and played basketball for Hahira High School, before she started her very long career in botany and plant ecology.

As aye, Elsie!

-jsq

PS: This post owed to Patrick Quarterman.

Skeeterhawk guarding the okra patch

Who keeps an eye on the okra patch while Gretchen’s selling okra at Downton Valdosta Farm Days?


Picture by John S. Quarterman at Okra Paradise Farms,
Lowndes County, Georgia, 28 July 2011.

Skeeterhawk, that’s who! Eat them skeeters, skeeterhawk!

-jsq

Don’t tell Terry! (Sweet potatoes are ready)

“Look at that!” We planted them back in March.

Here’s Part 1 of 3:


Sweet potato eruption! Part 1 of 3:
Digging Potatoes, Okra Paradise Farms (OPF),
Lowndes County, Georgia, 24 July 2011.
Videos by John S. Quarterman for Okra Paradise Farms (OPF).

“Like an earthquake!” When they get ready, they crack the ground.

Here’s Part 2 of 3: Continue reading →