Healthy Soil Microbes, Healthy People

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Published on Friday, 28 June 2013 19:24

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The microbial community in the ground is as important as the one in our guts.

We have been hearing a lot recently about a revolution in the way we think about human health -- how it is inextricably linked to the health of microbes in our gut, mouth, nasal passages, and other "habitats" in and on us. With the release last summer of the results of the five-year National Institutes of Health's Human Microbiome Project, we are told we should think of ourselves as a "superorganism," a residence for microbes with whom we have coevolved, who perform critical functions and provide services to us, and who outnumber our own human cells ten to one. For the first time, thanks to our ability to conduct highly efficient and low cost genetic sequencing, we now have a map of the normal microbial make-up of a healthy human, a collection of bacteria, fungi, one-celled archaea, and viruses. Collectively they weigh about three pounds -- the same as our brain.Now that we have this map of what microorganisms are vital to our health, many believe that the future of healthcare will focus less on traditional illnesses and more on treating disorders of the human microbiome by introducing targeted microbial species (a "probiotic") and therapeutic foods (a "prebiotic" -- food for microbes) into the gut "community." Scientists in the Human Microbiome Project set as a core outcome the development of "a twenty-first century pharmacopoeia that includes members of the human microbiota and the chemical messengers they produce." In short, the drugs of the future that we ingest will be full of friendly germs and the food they like to eat.

The single greatest leverage point for a sustainable and healthy future for the seven billion people on the planet is arguably immediately underfoot: the living soil, where we grow our food.

But there is another major revolution in human health also just beginning based on an understanding of tiny organisms. It is driven by the same technological advances and allows us to understand and restore our collaborative relationship with microbiota not in the human gut but in another dark place: the soil.Just as we have unwittingly destroyed vital microbes in the human gut through overuse of antibiotics and highly processed foods, we have recklessly devastated soil microbiota essential to plant health through overuse of certain chemical fertilizers, fungicides, herbicides, pesticides, failure to add sufficient organic matter (upon which they feed), and heavy tillage. These soil microorganisms -- particularly bacteria and fungi -- cycle nutrients and water to plants, to our crops, the source of our food, and ultimately our health. Soil bacteria and fungi serve as the "stomachs" of plants. They form symbiotic relationships with plant roots and "digest" nutrients, providing nitrogen, phosphorus, and many other nutrients in a form that plant cells can assimilate. Reintroducing the right bacteria and fungi to facilitate the dark fermentation process in depleted and sterile soils is analogous to eating yogurt (or taking those targeted probiotic "drugs of the future") to restore the right microbiota deep in your digestive tract.The good news is that the same technological advances that allow us to map the human microbiome now enable us to understand, isolate, and reintroduce microbial species into the soil to repair the damage and restore healthy microbial communities that sustain our crops and provide nutritious food. It is now much easier for us to map genetic sequences of soil microorganisms, understand what they actually do and how to grow them, and reintroduce them back to the soil.

Since the 1970s, there have been soil microbes for sale in garden shops, but most products were hit-or-miss in terms of actual effectiveness, were expensive, and were largely limited to horticulture and hydroponics. Due to new genetic sequencing and production technologies, we have now come to a point where we can effectively and at low cost identify and grow key bacteria and the right species of fungi and apply them in large-scale agriculture. We can produce these "bio fertilizers" and add them to soybean, corn, vegetables, or other crop seeds to grow with and nourish the plant. We can sow the "seeds" of microorganisms with our crop seeds and, as hundreds of independent studies confirm, increase our crop yields and reduce the need for irrigation and chemical fertilizers.

A mycorrhiza or fungus root in cross section. The stained-blue tissue is fungal.

These soil microorganisms do much more than nourish plants. Just as the microbes in the human body both aid digestion and maintain our immune system, soil microorganisms both digest nutrients and protect plants against pathogens and other threats. For over four hundred million years, plants have been forming a symbiotic association with fungi that colonize their roots, creating mycorrhizae (my-cor-rhi-zee), literally "fungus roots," which extend the reach of plant roots a hundred-fold. These fungal filaments not only channel nutrients and water back to the plant cells, they connect plants and actually enable them to communicate with one another and set up defense systems. A recent experiment in the U.K. showed that mycorrhizal filaments act as a conduit for signaling between plants, strengthening their natural defenses against pests. When attacked by aphids, a broad bean plant transmitted a signal through the mycorrhizal filaments to other bean plants nearby, acting as an early warning system, enabling those plants to begin to produce their defensive chemical that repels aphids and attracts wasps, a natural aphid predator. Another study showed that diseased tomato plants also use the underground network of mycorrhizal filaments to warn healthy tomato plants, which then activate their defenses before being attacked themselves.

Thus the microbial community in the soil, like in the human biome, provides "invasion resistance" services to its symbiotic partner. We disturb this association at our peril. As Michael Pollan recently noted, "Some researchers believe that the alarming increase in autoimmune diseases in the West may owe to a disruption in the ancient relationship between our bodies and their 'old friends' -- the microbial symbionts with whom we coevolved."

Not only do soil microorganisms nourish and protect plants, they play a crucial role in providing many "ecosystem services" that are absolutely critical to human survival. By many calculations, the living soil is the Earth's most valuable ecosystem, providing ecological services such as climate regulation, mitigation of drought and floods, soil erosion prevention, and water filtration, worth trillions of dollars each year. Those who study the human microbiome have now begun to borrow the term "ecosystem services" to describe critical functions played by microorganisms in human health.

Important species of microorganisms may have already gone extinct, some which might play a key role in our health.

With regard to stabilizing our increasingly unruly climate, soil microorganisms have been sequestering carbon for hundreds of millions of years through the mycorrizal filaments, which are coated in a sticky protein called "glomalin." Microbiologists are now working to gain a fuller understanding of its chemical nature and mapping its gene sequence. As much as 30 to 40 percent of the glomalin molecule is carbon. Glomalin may account for as much as one-third of the world's soil carbon -- and the soil contains more carbon than all plants and the atmosphere combined.

We are now at a point where microbes that thrive in healthy soil have been largely rendered inactive or eliminated in most commercial agricultural lands; they are unable to do what they have done for hundreds of millions of years, to access, conserve, and cycle nutrients and water for plants and regulate the climate. Half of the earth's habitable lands are farmed and we are losing soil and organic matter at an alarming rate. Studies show steady global soil depletion over time, and a serious stagnation in crop yields.

So, not only have we hindered natural processes that nourish crops and sequester carbon in cultivated land, but modern agriculture has become one of the biggest causes of climate instability. Our current global food system, from clearing forests to growing food, to fertilizer manufacturing, to food storage and packaging, is responsible for up to one-third of all human-caused greenhouse-gas emissions. This is more than all the cars and trucks in the transportation sector, which accounts for about one-fifth of all green house gases globally.

The single greatest leverage point for a sustainable and healthy future for the seven billion people on the planet is thus arguably immediately underfoot: the living soil, where we grow our food. Overall soil ecology still holds many mysteries. What Leonardo Da Vinci said five hundred years ago is probably still true today: "We know more about the movement of celestial bodies than about the soil underfoot." Though you never see them, ninety percent of all organisms on the seven continents live underground. In addition to bacteria and fungi, the soil is also filled with protozoa, nematodes, mites, and microarthropods. There can be 10,000 to 50,000 species in less than a teaspoon of soil. In that same teaspoon of soil, there are more microbes than there are people on the earth. In a handful of healthy soil, there is more biodiversity in just the bacterial community than you will find in all the animals of the Amazon basin.

An electron micrograph of a mycorrhiza with radiating mycorrhizal fungal filaments

We hear about many endangered animals in the Amazon and now all around the world. We all know about the chainsaw-wielding workers cutting trees in the rainforest. But we hear relatively little about the destruction of the habitat of kingdoms of life beyond plant and animal -- that of bacteria and fungi. Some microbiologists are now warning us that we must stop the destruction of the human microbiome, and that important species of microorganisms may have already gone extinct, some which might possibly play a key role in our health.

We are making good progress in mapping the soil microbiome, hopefully in time to identify those species vital to soil and plant health, so they can be reintroduced as necessary. There is now an Earth Microbiome Project dedicated to analyzing and mapping microbial communities in soils and waters across the globe. We do not want to find ourselves in the position we have been with regard to many animal species that have gone extinct. We have already decimated or eliminated known vital soil microorganisms in certain soils and now need to reintroduce them. But it is very different from an effort, let us say, to reintroduce the once massive herds of buffalo to the American plains. We need these tiny partners to help build a sustainable agricultural system, to stabilize our climate in an era of increasing drought and severe weather, and to maintain our very health and well-being.

The mass destruction of soil microorganisms began with technological advances in the early twentieth century. The number of tractors in the U.S. went from zero to three million by 1950. Farmers increased the size of their fields and made cropping more specialized. Advances in the manufacture of nitrogen fertilizers made them abundant and affordable. Ammonium nitrate produced in WWII for munitions was then used for agriculture (we recently saw the explosive power contained in one such fertilizer factory in the town of West Texas). The "Green Revolution" was driven by a fear of how to feed massive population growth. It did produce more food, but it was at the cost of the long-term health of the soil. And many would argue that the food it did produce was progressively less nutritious as the soil became depleted of organic matter, minerals, and microorganisms. Arden Andersen, a soil scientist and agricultural consultant turned physician, has long argued that human health is directly correlated to soil health.

During this same period, we saw the rise of the "biological agriculture" movement, largely in reaction to these technological developments and the mechanization of agriculture. In the first part of the twentieth century, the British botanist Sir Albert Howard and his wife Gabrielle documented traditional Indian farming practices, the beginning of the biological farming movement in the West. Austrian writer, educator, and activist Rudolf Steiner advanced a concept of "biodynamic" agriculture. In 1930, the Soil Society was established in London. Shortly thereafter, Masanobu Fukuoka, a Japanese microbiologist working in soil science and plant pathology, developed a radical no-till organic method for growing grain and other crops that has been practiced effectively on a small scale.

By Mike Amaranthus & Bruce Allyn

Published in The Atlantic, June 11, 2013

Farmland crusaders set to party

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Published on Friday, 28 June 2013 19:15

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NDACT celebrates with mini Foodstock

While the North Dufferin Agricultural and Community Taskforce (NDACT) is widely known as defenders of farmland, they also throw one heck of a party.

On Sunday, Aug. 18, the group returns to party-mode to celebrate Food & Water First at the Honeywood arena.

“It’s not about raising lots and lots of funds. It’s about bringing attention to the importance of food and water,” said Shirley Boxam, who is organizing the party.

NDACT was created with the mandate to stop The Highland Companies quarry plans in Melancthon, as well as influence change in the province's Aggregate Resources Act (ARA).

The group organized Foodstock in 2011 and Soupstock last year to aid in raising awareness and funds for their quarry battle.

With the Highland application withdrawn, the group is now focusing on ensuring legislation exists to protect Ontario’s edible assets.

“We tried to come up with something for an event that would retain the recognition points on the mega quarry fight, but also bring recognition to this second phase,” Boxam said.

While Foodstock and Soupstock each drew tens of thousands of people, Boxam said the Food & Water First celebration mixes chefs and music on a smaller scale.

“It’s not quite as big as Foodstock and Soupstock, but hopefully something that will interest people from outside Dufferin County,” Boxam said.  

“We wanted to hold an event that would extend the reach, outside of our own neighbourhood.”

Harlan Pepper will headline the musical side of the event, with other artists being announced later in the summer.

On the food side of the celebration, chefs from Men With Knives, Terra Nova Public House, Matthew Flett and One99 Restaurant have signed on for the event.

As well, an art show and sale, farmers’ market and kids' activities join the festivities.  

With 50,000 hectares of prime farmland disappearing annually in Ontario, Boxam said the Food & Water First message is more important than defeating any single quarry plan.

“It’s actually a far more compelling issue, but it doesn’t feel that way. It’s not as immediate,” she said. “It doesn’t feel like David and Goliath the way the mega quarry was.”

NDACT chair Carl Cosack said the timing is right for the celebration as the review of the ARA continues throughout the summer.  

“We need to remind those who write it that we’re not going away until this is done the right way,” Cosack said. “We just have to take care of our farmland better than we’re doing. There’s only so much left.”

Admission to the celebration costs $5 with hot food items priced between $2 and $5. It is free for youth younger than five-years-old. The ticket price covers the cost of operating the event.

“The only funds being raised at this event will pay for the event,” Boxam said. “It’s just supposed to hold its own.”

For tickets, visit ndact.com or foodandwaterfirst.com.

By Bill Tremblay

Published in the Orangeville Banner, June 28, 2013

Schreiner pledges to put Food and Water First

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Published on Wednesday, 15 May 2013 18:17

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Green Party leader Mike Schreiner is the first leader of a provincial political party to sign the Food and Water First pledge.

On Thursday (May 9), Schreiner joined local Green Party candidate Paula Conning and Carl Cosack, chair of the North Dufferin Agricultural Taskforce (NDACT), in Mono to put his name on the list of those promising to protect Ontario’s prime farmland and water resources.

Schreiner didn’t just sign on the dotted line.

He also challenged Premier Kathleen Wynne, Progressive Conservative leader Tim Hudak and NDP leader Andrea Horwath to put food and water first.

“Farmers and farmland will become endangered species in Ontario if we don’t protect the land that sustains us,” Schreiner said in a news release. “We’re losing farmland each year equivalent to an area larger than Toronto. This is unsustainable.”

The Food and Water First campaign is a citizen-led effort inspired by NDACT’s successful fight to stop The Highland Companies from gaining a licence to mine limestone in Melancthon.

The goal is to see provincial laws changed so Class 1 farmland is protected in Ontario. Only five per cent of Ontario’s land mass is suitable for growing food and just 0.5 per cent is considered prime farmland.

“Our successful campaign to stop the mega-quarry highlighted that we need changes in legislation so that prime farmland is preserved and source water regions are protected,” Cosack said in a news release.

“The Food and Water First campaign makes sure these changes happen.”

Published in the Orangeville Banner, May 16, 2013

Bill C 383 - Protecting our Water from Bulk Export

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Published on Tuesday, 14 May 2013 22:22

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Miller's Bill Passes Through Senate

(Regional) - MP Larry Miller's new "bulk water bill" is ready to receive Royal Assent and become law.

Bill C-383 passed third reading in the Senate this week.

Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound MP Larry Miller presented the private members bill in December of 2012.

The Transboundary Waters Protection Act, has now been passed by both the House of Commons and the Senate.

It will ensure that all waters under federal jurisdiction are protected from bulk water removal while complementing provincial protections that are already in place.

The bill also contains punitive measures for those who violate the measures that are set out in the act.

Miller says Protecting our water from bulk export is something that constituents in his riding and indeed all Canadians are very concerned about.

Bill C-383 is unique in that the bill was carried through the House of Commons and the Senate without ever having a vote recorded against it.

And even when reviewed at committee meetings, only minor housekeeping changes were made.

The Conservative MP says it is incredible to see the amount of support that his bill has received from both sides of the House.

The bill was supported by Senator Doug Finley, who guided the bill’s passage through the Senate.

Furthermore, Bill C-383 received a great deal of support and input from the Walter and Duncan Gordon Foundation as well as the Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto.

No word on when Bill C-383 will actually get Royal Assent and become law.

By Kevin Bernard, May 10, 2013

Posted on http://www.bayshorebroadcasting.ca/news_item.php?NewsID=56859

"Once it goes 3 readings in both Houses, Royal Assent is automatic. This is now law. Regulations may need to be made, but Bill C383 is a done deal." David Tilson MP Dufferin Caledon.

Click here to read more about the Bill.

Food and Water First back from the brink

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Published on Monday, 13 May 2013 17:13

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The Aggregate Resources Act (ARA) review is back from political purgatory.

The province’s Standing Committee on General Government recently decided to pick up where its ARA review left off when former Liberal premier Dalton McGuinty announced his resignation and prorogued parliament back in October.

“They’re truly moving the ball forward,” said Carl Cosack, chair of the North Dufferin Agricultural Community Taskforce (NDACT). “I’m hopeful and optimistic that the ARA review will yield some tangible results and not just be a say-nothing document.”

With The Highland Companies’ proposed mega quarry application caught under the microscope of scrutiny, the standing committee began examining how operations and rehabilitation are handled in the ARA, as well as new industry developments, resource development and fees and royalties.

The committee embarked on a tour of the province, including a stop in Orangeville, to gather input on the aggregate extraction process.

All that research died with the prorogation of Queen’s Park.

As Dufferin-Caledon MPP Sylvia Jones explained, however, the ARA review is back on the standing committee’s desk and has been given life again.

“All we have done, thank you Liberals, is delayed it by four months,” Jones said, noting the standing committee has set aside four days to begin writing its report on the ARA review starting in late May.

Fortunately, the standing committee doesn’t have to start from scratch.

It will be able to use the information gathered from the nine days of ARA hearings held across the province last year.

“All of that gets compiled by the researcher and we start to see what kind of messages were consistently heard,” Jones said. “The report will become public hopefully in June.”

Then again, Jones cautioned the public from thinking recent news means the ARA will automatically be subject to revision or change.

The standing committee will merely submit its ARA review report to Queen’s Park — it will be up to MPPs to take any action.

“It’s a report to the legislative assembly. There is no obligation to debate it,” Jones warned. “I don’t want to mislead people into believing that is going to change the legislation.”

For her own part, Jones does believe the ARA is in need of an overhaul.

It also doesn’t come as any surprise that Cosack and NDACT have a few ideas of their own.

Above all else, Cosack urged the provincial edict be changed to protect source water regions and irreplaceable farmland from aggregate applications or operations.

“That is, without a doubt, the number one cause,” Cosack said, pointing to NDACT’s experience in Melancthon.

“There is no doubt that under the water table extraction should automatically be covered by an environmental assessment,” he said.

Cosack stressed a number of other ARA loose ends, some of which include setting out a different levy structure, addressing the issues of “dormant” aggregate licences, outlawing pumping water in perpetuity, among many other issues, should be tied off as well.

From Cosack’s perspective, the current ARA is working well in some areas, while it is non-existent in safeguarding others.

Several protocols and regulations are simply in need of further strengthening, he said.

“For some types of applications, the current ARA is working fine,” Cosack said. “You don’t have to make it more stringent on everybody, but you certainly have to control application processes like the (mega quarry) one.”

By Chris Halliday

Published in the Orangeville Banner, Apr. 13, 2103