There are a multitude of reasons why ammonium sulphamate is not used as an alternative to glyphostate in lage scale agriculture, but generally its a fairly mundane product that was bettered by other non selective herbicide, Its common for the words mono culture , big business, conspiracy etc to be banded about, in the same breath however much tends to spawn from the same billionaire funded groups that will also be anti vaxers.I believe its recertification costs. Obviously Monsanto can afford to do that for Glyphosate, given their business model of selling glyphosate resistant seed and creating a monoculture with just their seed surviving depends upon it. However looks like its day's are numbered. Nobody seems to want to stump up the cost for certification of Ammonum Sulphamate as a weedkiller https://www.allotment-garden.org/garden-diary/1989/ammonium-sulphamate-weed-killer-banned/
maybe they will when Glyphosate is banned?
I wasn't that clear but I wasn't suggesting that glyphosate could be replaced by Ammonium Sulphamate for farming use, there wouldn't be much of a crop left if they did that More for general weedkilling where selectivity is unimportant. But I get your drift about dodgy science. What do like about is that it effectively breaks down in the soil to simple fertiliser quite quickly, even the soil association approves of it, but only as a last resort.There are a multitude of reasons why ammonium sulphamate is not used as an alternative to glyphostate in lage scale agriculture, but generally its a fairly mundane product that was bettered by other non selective herbicide, Its common for the words mono culture , big business, conspiracy etc to be banded about, in the same breath however much tends to spawn from the same billionaire funded groups that will also be anti vaxers.
Over the last decade there has been a multitude of products lost and removed to sketchy science based around theroys that would make Andrew wakefield blush, the problem is that when these are taken notice of its commercial growers that are often left in despair over what to do next.
I believe its recertification costs. Obviously Monsanto can afford to do that for Glyphosate, given their business model of selling glyphosate resistant seed and creating a monoculture with just their seed surviving depends upon it.
I think 90% would proberbly say there relince on agrochemicals is far less, for a multitude of reasons by resistance being high on the agenda along with cost.I wasn't that clear but I wasn't suggesting that glyphosate could be replaced by Ammonium Sulphamate for farming use, there wouldn't be much of a crop left if they did that More for general weedkilling where selectivity is unimportant. But I get your drift about dodgy science. What do like about is that it effectively breaks down in the soil to simple fertiliser quite quickly, even the soil association approves of it, but only as a last resort.
Interestingly, some farmers are moving away from reliance on agrochemicals, mainly on economic grounds, the cost of the input compared to the output is diminishing. My wife goes to farming conferences and has met a few farmers who are moving to less intensive means and making more money per acre. I'm sure there's two sides to the story and it will depend on individual farmer's circumstances.
I forget who mentioned it in the media recently, not somebody who you would normally associate with tree hugging, but they highlighted that they don't get the same amount of bug splats on their windscreen as times gone by, i.e. the number of insects are reduced. Can't be a good thing for nature, however I bet the little tinkers find me when camping later this week
The best program iv seen in decades showing modern farming is Clarkson farm, It was refreshingly lacking in agenda and apart from some parts to camera of him being a prat (which wasn't needed) showed the job as it is, shame the BBC cant manage to do the same instead of the PC tripe that is country file.
The problem is theres been too many groups with too much power money and often very hidden agendas that have done very well at painting a picture that all the ills in the world fall down to "modern farming practices".
The interesting thing is insecticide use has massively reduced over the last decade with little more than pyrothoid based products still used, Neo-nics were actively campaigned against and friends of the earth implanted via the main stream media that they were killing all the bees....... YET once they were banned no surveys were commissioned to show if populations increased, friends of the earth fell silent and half a decade on populations are still falling...... The science was always considered sketchy at best by many leading entomologists and few would be seen within a 1000snd yards of the media when the campaign for there removal was in full force.
The best program iv seen in decades showing modern farming is Clarkson farm, It was refreshingly lacking in agenda and apart from some parts to camera of him being a prat (which wasn't needed) showed the job as it is, shame the BBC cant manage to do the same instead of the PC tripe that is country file.
I read that and noticed the same thing with my cars. But when I go out in the 1974 Citroen DS, the screen is much more vertical and gets covered with dead bugs. Maybe aerodynamics come into play.I forget who mentioned it in the media recently, not somebody who you would normally associate with tree hugging, but they highlighted that they don't get the same amount of bug splats on their windscreen as times gone by, i.e. the number of insects are reduced. Can't be a good thing for nature, however I bet the little tinkers find me when camping later this week
Second season has been confirmed... https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/entertainment/clarksons-farm-season-2-release-date/I would wholeheartedly agree with that. I am extremely suspicious of the reasons being put forward as to why there will not be a second season. My thinking is it was all far too close to the truth.
Second season has been confirmed... https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/entertainment/clarksons-farm-season-2-release-date/
I never used to get windscreen splatter on my Insignias - nothing at all. I thought all the insects had died out.I read that and noticed the same thing with my cars. But when I go out in the 1974 Citroen DS, the screen is much more vertical and gets covered with dead bugs. Maybe aerodynamics come into play.
Anybody who takes on big business need money to compete with lobbying by chemical companies. Of course there will always be the over zealous tree hugger that steps beyond the science but there will always be companies that manipulate the facts rather than lose profits. Social media has made it less about the science though, so many "experts" seem to crawl out of the woodwork.
Here's an interesting article from New Scientist on Neonic studies sponsored by two Neonic manufacturers where the scientists conclude that its pretty obvious that they kill bees and other pollinating insects while the manufacturers state the studies were inconclusive. Hardly Andrew Wakefield territory. That was back in 2017 and all the studies I've seen since seem to back Neonics causing the casualties either directly or allowing other pathogens to kill bees. Also seem to be more impactful to bees if used together with a popular fungicide. The studies also state that the Neonics are hanging around in the soil, so subsequent non-neonic crops are getting a dose and being systemic, the bees still get it. So not sure 5 years is enough time before checking on bee numbers. I have a BSc and I run a research lab in my day job, albeit IT not chemistry/biology but the principles of proof are similar and I am very sceptical until I see numbers. I would not proclaim to be an expert on pesticides but flicking through a few papers its obviously not just some tree huggers wet dream.
I don't like Clarkson, despite coming from the same town, but I did enjoy the series, apart from the manufactured pratting about I thought it was quite realistic. I grew up on farms and live in a rural community now, I've just come back from helping my neighbouring farmer with some electrical problem on his farm machinery. Didn't get far as it peed it down. He has a new pedigree Limousin bull, he says its quiet as a mouse but I'll take his word on that, its massive!
More likely Threshold traps, if the numbers are not reached the fields dont need to be sprayed, nothing to do with research.Research is happening...
In the lockdowns - I started taking the dogs for walks - "out of the way of everybody". I looked on some OS maps online (Bing OS mapping is free online) to find some routes from my house - where I did not have to take the car.
I noticed areas of farming fields - cordened off - with insect catchers. I assume they? I am not sure on the facts. Leave these sticky insect catchers about - to do scientific studies to see what insects are about?