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The Cotton King has lost his crown - why Mississippi Delta farmers are planting corn and beans instead of the iconic staple

Danny Hargett planted corn and, for the first time, no cotton on his land in Mississippi.
Photo credit: James Patterson for The New York Times

A version of this article appeared in print on May 6, 2009, on page B1 of the New York edition.

By CLIFFORD KRAUSS
Published: May 5, 2009

GREENWOOD, Miss. — Cotton is no longer king of the Mississippi Delta.

Farmers working land that has bloomed a dazzling snowy white every September since before the Civil War are switching to corn and soybeans. As gleaming silver corn silos go up on farm after farm, cotton gins are laying off workers or shutting down.

“We’re closer than we’ve ever been to looking like Iowa,” said Danny Hargett, a veteran farmer who has decided for the first time not to grow any cotton this year on his 3,000 acres of fertile, well-irrigated land. “It was extremely hard for me to make this decision, but the economics have made it almost impossible to make cotton a profitable crop.”

The most immediate cause of King Cotton’s decline is that people around the world are buying less clothing and home furnishings. Global cotton production and consumption are dropping, and the Agriculture Department expects the nation’s exports to fall by $1.2 billion this year.

Cotton growers have seen hard times before, of course. As with other commodities, prices and acreage have gone up and down on economic cycles. But cotton farmers and farm economists say they have never seen a downturn quite like this, one that started during the global boom and has quickened in the recession.

The Agriculture Department estimates that 8.8 million acres of cotton will be planted in the United States this year, down 7 percent from 2008 and 42 percent from 2006.
It will be the lowest cotton acreage since 1983, an anomalous year when farmers cut acreage after a string of bountiful harvests that created a surplus.

Nowhere has the slump been greater than in Mississippi, where farmers decreased their cotton planting to 365,000 acres in 2008, from 1.2 million acres in 2006. A survey suggested that could fall to 268,000 acres this year.

Meanwhile, the number of gins in the state has dropped to 71, from 89 in 2006, said Darrin Dodds, an extension service agronomist at Mississippi State University, who predicts this year, “we may lose a few more.”

Cotton acreage has been declining in Mississippi for decades, but it remained the crop of choice for many farmers in the Delta, the fertile region in the northwestern part of the state, where the Mississippi and Yazoo Rivers share a flood plain.

Not everyone is likely to feel nostalgia for a crop long associated with abject work conditions and low wages. Though a source of wealth, cotton was also a source of back-breaking work for slaves and sharecroppers, and later for poor farm laborers.
Early in the 20th century, the travail of picking cotton in the blazing Delta sun was a touchstone theme for the blues musicians of the region. Later, mechanization in the cotton fields contributed to several waves of black migration from the South to industrial cities of the North, and to high rates of unemployment for those left behind. These days, cotton is rarely picked by hand — machines do the work.

Cotton’s cultural roots are still on display around Greenwood, where visitors are welcomed by a sign proclaiming it “Cotton capital of the world.” Some people plead with farmers to keep planting cotton beside the roads, considering it prettier than other crops, and fearing that corn stalks will obstruct drivers’ vision on curved roads.
“It’s a funny sense, a different sense, not seeing the cotton crop,” said Mike Sturdivant Jr., a farmer who has cut his cotton crop to 2,400 acres this year, from 4,900 in 2007. “I don’t like it.”

The rapid slump of cotton in the United States has been influenced by numerous factors, including weather and the plummeting fortunes of the American textile industry. But lately, the most important factor has been the declining profitability of cotton farming, in contrast to the rising profitability of corn and soybean farming.
Poor canola harvests in Europe and dietary changes in several countries produced a world shortage of vegetable oil, pushing up the price of soybeans, which are crushed for their oil. Meanwhile, as middle classes grew in China, India and other developing countries, demand for feed grains grew, and world corn prices rose.

“Globalization has dethroned King Cotton without question, not only in Mississippi, but throughout the South and the United States,” said O. A. Cleveland, professor emeritus of agricultural economics at Mississippi State.

Expanding federal mandates for ethanol prompted farmers to plant more corn to keep up with its growing role as an energy feedstock. Also, new corn strains have made the crop more practical in Mississippi’s hot climate.

Since 2003, cotton prices have declined nearly 23 percent, while prices for soybeans are up more than 38 percent and corn nearly 65 percent. Cotton surpluses have been stacking up around the globe in part because of rising yields from genetically modified cotton seeds and other technological improvements.

Those trends are leaving farmers and cotton gin owners feeling pessimistic.
With the textile mills that make clothes “leaving the country to where the labor is cheaper, it’s not very smart to think we can grow the commodity here so they can make a shirt in China,” said Walter Reese Pillow IV. He followed in the footsteps of his father, grandfather and great-grandfather in growing cotton — until 2006, when he and his family converted their cotton fields to corn and soybeans.

“The prospects for cotton coming back here are about as good as the mills coming back to South Carolina,” Mr. Pillow said.

Jason Colquett, owner of the Crossroads Gin, said his plant ginned 33,000 bales of cotton in 2006, 24,000 in 2007 and 15,000 in 2008. He does not expect to reach 10,000 this year. That has meant a loss of jobs, as it has at other gins across the state. Mr. Colquett’s repair crew has dropped to four full-time workers, from nine, and his ginning season has been reduced to 30 days, from 90.

“I can imagine Mississippi without cotton gins,” Mr. Colquett said. “It’s not a pretty picture.”

Let's Go Walkin, Oxford!

University of Mississippi students and Oxford residents were encouraged to celebrate May by taking a morning walk with Chancellor Robert Khayat beginning at 8 a.m. Monday (May 4) on the front steps of the Lyceum. I wasn't able to participate in this event, and I wonder how it turned out, considering we have been having SO MUCH RAIN!!!

The School of Applied Sciences and HealthWorks sponsored "Walk with the Chancellor" to raise awareness of National Physical Fitness and Sports Month. May was proclaimed for this emphasis by President Ronald Reagan in 1983 to encourage physical activity.

Kathleen Smith, senior exercise science major and HealthWorks intern, hopes individuals recognize the important health benefits of exercise."We want people to realize that just 30 minutes of walking can make a huge impact on physical health." Smith said. "Small steps in exercise fitness can increase cardiovascular health and decrease diseases associated with physical inactivity and obesity."

Despite what folks around the nation might think, Mississippi is very aware of the problems with obesity in our state. I'm so glad that the University of Mississippi is making an effort to promote cardiovascular health, considering that it is cardiovascular disease that is the No. 1 killer in America. Not smoking in restaurants, not texting while driving - heart disease. And so much of our media does not address the issues of heart disease.

And here's the scary part:

Population based studies in youth show that the precursors of heart disease start in adolescence. The process of atherosclerosis evolves over decades, and begins as early as childhood. The Pathobiological Determinants of Atherosclerosis in Youth Study demonstrated that intimal lesions appear in all the aortas and more than half of the right coronary arteries of youths aged 7-9 years. However, most adolescents are more concerned about other risks such as HIV, accidents, and cancer than cardiovascular disease. This is extremely important considering that 1 in 3 people will die from complications attributable to atherosclerosis. In order to stem the tide of cardiovascular disease, primary prevention is needed. Primary prevention starts with education and awareness that cardiovascular disease poses the greatest threat and measures to prevent or reverse this disease must be taken.

Most countries face high and increasing rates of cardiovascular disease. Each year, heart disease kills more Americans than cancer.[2].
It is the number one cause of death and disability in the United States and most European countries (data available through 2005). A large histological study (PDAY) showed vascular injury accumulates from adolescence, making primary prevention efforts necessary from childhood.[3][4]
By the time that heart problems are detected, the underlying cause (atherosclerosis) is usually quite advanced, having progressed for decades. There is therefore increased emphasis on preventing atherosclerosis by modifying risk factors, such as healthy eating, exercise and avoidance of smoking.

(Italicized portions of this piece from the University of Mississippi News and Wikipedia.com)
Check out Let's Go Walkin' Mississippi to find great places to walk in your county, and to see what local schools are up to: http://www.letsgowalkinmississippi.com/

Double Decker Arts Festival 2009 in Oxford, Mississippi features Earth-friendly vendor: Art By The Case

The Double Decker Arts Festival in Oxford, Mississippi is first and foremost a street party. No doubt, over 100 vendors were involved, selling everything from wall art to cupcakes, from cheese serving pieces to neon glowy necklaces, from kudzu baskets to fried pickles.

The amount of garbage strewn in the streets after this festival is horrendous. By evening, the square resembles a Mardis Gras side street, in much need of a hose-off. The city of Oxford, however, does an incredible job of cleaning up after this festival. It is quite amazing, to leave the festival late at night, cups and napkins blowing around like tumbleweeds in the streets, and then to drive through a completely clean Oxford square the next day. My applause goes to the city of Oxford on this - it is SO important to get all of that trash properly disposed of, before it winds up in our ravines and little waste water streams in the hilly terrain of our town.


The festival also offers rides on the authentic double decker buses of Oxford, for which the festival was named.The highlight of this year's festival, for me, was Art By The Case.

There were certainly other vendors selling recycled or repurposed items, but this booth immediately drew me in, and I bought a piece.

To get your Art By The Case, contact:

Alisha Case

2674 Streetman Circle

Birmingham, Alabama 35235

205.999.4423

Email: alisha@artbythecase.com

www.artbythecase.com

Busy times in little Oxfordtown - a special thanks to all who made Green Week possible

Green Week 2009 in Oxford, Mississippi provided an incredible lineup of programs and events for everyone, most taking place on the campus of Ole Miss. I so wish that I could have attended every single event!

Earth Day was celebrated as World Fest on campus in front of the Student Union and with bands playing in the grove. The morning and afternoon events were more of a Kidfest than a Worldfest, but a blast was had by all! Check out this play area with dozens of Earth-inspired balls!

It was also a Momfest, with a mass exodus from Avent Park, nearly all the moms in Oxford brought their kids to the grove for some carnival style fun. Many folks brought their pets!

The students and vendors had multiple stations set up in front of the Union. Trashcans for recycling were obvious and plentiful. There was even this little one specifically for plastic bags.

It was the first truly hot day of Spring. I think the temperature nearly reached 90 degrees that afternoon. It was a good thing that the University provided transportation from the Ford Center parking lot up to the Union.

All kinds of vendors were on campus pushing their wares. I loved these little, "Anamalz" they were cute, and they've got a great website!

Lots of handouts and candy to fill your goody bag.

This was by far the best installation. These large feet represent, of course, an example of each country's carbon footprint. I believe that the "t pp" means tons per person.

Roots and Shoots is one of my favorite organizations. This young student was on hand to tell us about her trip to Africa with the Roots and Shoots group at Ole Miss.

Thanks to everyone who contributed to the huge effort on campus and beyond that was Green Week 2009! The week was a huge success, I've heard nothing but great things from everyone who participated.

So much! First things first - Liberty Recycling

I had the incredible experience to visit Liberty Recycling a month ago. Here are a few photos from my adventure.

Every little kid's dream: Operating a huge claw machine.
No, but seriously, this is a very careful job, and according to my tour guide, the guy driving this machine is the best. He can very carefully lift scraps out of the back of a truck without damaging the truck. This takes years of practice, with little or no margin of error.

At the weigh station, you pick up a hardhat if you intend to get out of your car.

Liberty employees.

Pile o' metal. (Before the U.S.A. economy hit bottom, this pile was 5 to 10 times as big.)

Metal stuck inside concrete is torched out.

This trailer is completely full of crushed aluminum cans.

Pricing for metals to be recycled. (PS: Recyling pennies is illegal! So don't go bring Liberty your piggy bank!)

It was absolutely amazing to tour the Liberty Recycling Center. Liberty is a family owned, family run business. It is so important to support businesses like Liberty, and to recycle your scrap! If you have scrap metal things of any kind, take it to Tuscaloosa and see how much you can get for it!

Liberty Recycling

2664 24th Street
Tuscaloosa, AL 35401
(205)345-0094
(205)345-0095 (fax)

http://libertyrecyclingcenter.com/

Save the chicks!

A chicken coup: Group seeks to protect rare breeds
By TRACIE CONE

FRESNO, Calif. (AP) — At about the time Foghorn Leghorn appeared on the Looney Toons drawing board in 1946, he began disappearing from America's dinner tables.
Now the bird on which the rooster cartoon character was modeled is among 66 types of old-fashioned chickens the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy is trying to save from extinction as factory-raised cross varieties command 90 percent of the market.

"When we can identify something in danger, we need to protect it," says Barbara Bowman of Sonoma County, an original board member of Slow Food USA who has a dozen of the last 510 Delaware breeding stock chickens in existence. "The old breeds provide really sturdy genetics that we have to guard."

Since the arrival of industrialized agriculture, more than 95 percent of vegetables that had been grown in the world have disappeared, according to the Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture.

America's purebred chickens began a similar decline after World War II, when poultry producers, seeking to hold onto the market gained during wartime beef shortages, participated in the national "Chicken of Tomorrow" contest. The goal: a broad-breasted variety that could be mass produced quickly on minimal feed. A Cornish-Plymouth Rock cross dominates today.
Now the North Carolina-based Conservancy hopes to do with chickens what seed banks have done for heirloom vegetables.

"All of the other breeds lost their jobs because they couldn't grow as fast," said Marjorie Bender, the Conservancy's technical program director. "The marketplace only cared about how fast it grew and how big it got."

Unlike chicken bought by the bucketful, certified heritage chickens like the Leghorn must breed naturally, be able to live and forage outdoors, meet certain breed standards and not be genetically modified to grow with abnormally large breasts. If a human baby grew as quickly as a five-week factory fryer, he would weigh 349 pounds by age 2, a University of Arkansas study found.

The group hopes that its "heritage" seal of approval will alert consumers that the chicken or eggs come from birds with unique flavors and characteristics, the way organic labels indicate an absence of pesticides.
"To save them, we have to eat them," says Bender. "We are losing genetic diversity in our country's livestock."

At least 19 heritage breeds, such as the white Delaware with the mottled neck, the white-egg laying Holland and black mottled Houdan, have been designated as critically threatened, which means there are fewer than 500 left. Dozens of others are in danger of disappearing without a market to sustain them.

Maintaining genetic diversity in the food supply is the goal. Members already have a record of protecting asses, turkeys and some threatened breeds of cattle and horses, such as South Carolina's sturdy Marsh Tacky.

"The factory chickens we have now are all closely related," Bender said. "If we had millions of chicken houses decimated (by disease), we'd have to figure out how to resist that disease. Part of the answer is genetically based."

The move to preserve old-fashioned breeds of chickens might not have the backyard appeal of the Brandywine tomato or the Kentucky Wonder bean. But to gourmets, the idea is growing.
On his 42-acre Azalea Springs Farm in Napa County, Douglas Hayes doesn't have a single grape vine but he does have 40 endangered Buckeyes that have free range to pick grubs amid his heirloom fruit trees and vegetables — and another 80 fertilized eggs on the way.
"Good quality, high-flavor food has always been a part of my life," Hayes said.

American Livestock Breeds Conservancy: http://www.albc-usa.org/

Earth Day 2009 in Oxford, Mississippi

Happy Earth Day from Oxford!

Green Week at Ole Miss!!!

Day-by-Day Events

Green Week Plaza
Monday-Friday, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., Student Union Plaza & Oxford City Hall
Each day, the Student Union Plaza and the City Hall will feature special exhibits and displays. Visit the Student Union Plaza and learn about the university's efforts to green its practices. Local and national organizations will also showcase environmental products and services throughout the week. Visit City Hall and learn about the city's green efforts.

Monday, April 20th, 2009
Water Conservation Day

Special Events:

Capturing Storm Water: Bioswale/Rain Garden Exhibit – Presented by Jeff McManus, Director, University Landscaping Services; Bob Mercier, Landscape Architect; and Hilarie Shughart, Chapter President, Native Plant Society
10:30 a.m. Crosby Hall
Isom Green Series presents "Border Crossing: How Travel, Migration, and Agriculture Shape Landscapes"
Monday, April 20, 2009, Noon, Tupelo Room, Barnard Observatory
Presented by Brooke White, Art, in recognition of the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. -- Sponsored by the Sarah Isom Center for Women and Gender Studies
Green Week Plaza Special Exhibits:

Water Trivia/Water Bottle Giveaway
UM Field Station and U.S. Sedimentation Lab Exhibit
5-Minute Power Shower Awareness Campaign - Sponsored by South Bank
Free shower timers also available at South Bank while supplies last.
Clean Water University Exhibit
Oxford Public Works Department

Tuesday, April 21st, 2009
Energy Conservation Day

Special Events

Keynote Speaker – Kevin Butt, General Manager/Chief Environmental Officer, Toyota Motor Manufacturing North America Inc., 2:00 p.m. Johnson Commons Ballroom
Energy Conservation 101 – Angela Carroll, TVA Marketing Manager, 10:30 a.m. Student Union Ballroom – Sponsored by Physical Plant
Green Week Plaza Special Exhibits:

Bike to Lunch - Meet at the Union Plaza at noon and bike to the Square.
Show your helmet for 25% off lunch at Proud Larry’s, Two Stick or Old Venice
‘Power Down for the Planet’ Initiative Results
Energy Trivia/ Home Energy Conservation Kit Sign up Drive
Smart Synch Presents: Smart Kids Program (Oxford-Lafayette Schools)
How to Green Your Desktop Computer, presented by the Office of Information Technology
Live Music - Union Unplugged music series
Solar Power Demonstration - City Hall, sponsored by TVA
Green Roof Display

Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009
Global Perspective Day
Earth Day and WorldFest Joint Celebration
Student Union Plaza & Lobby and Grove Stage
9:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Global Perspectives on Sustainability – Compare your carbon footprint to that of citizens of India, China and several other countries. Students representing more than 70 countries will be on hand throughout the day.
Carbon Footprint Station – Learn how to reduce your monthly bills and your carbon footprint.
WorldGames - International sports and games all day, from cricket to soccer (11:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.)
KidZone - Games, activities, bouncy castle, popcorn, cotton candy and other carnival festivities for children beginning at 11:00 a.m.
International Food Festival including foods from China, India, South Africa, Latin America and the Middle East (4:00-6:00 p.m.)
Learn how to crochet grocery bags into a beautiful purse. A guided demonstration will be offered 4:00-6:00 p.m.
Live music and entertainment on the Grove Stage presented by U.S. and international students, featuring the University of Mississippi Steel Drum Band, Memphis Bantaba Drum and Dance Group, Silas Reed 'N Da Books, The Aaron Hall Band and Hi-Grade (Reggae) (4:00-10:00 p.m.)
United States Green Building Council – What is LEED?
“Water Pollution & Plant Life” 4th Grade Regional Science Fair Winner (4:00-6:00 p.m.)
WorldFest Opening Ceremonies including Parade of Flags carried by international students through Walk of Champions to the Grove Stage. (6:00 p.m.)
Educational Program for Kids

Multiple educational centers for K-12 students presented by the School of Education.
For questions or reservations, contact Debby Chessin: 915-5878.

Cloud identification & weather prediction
Land cover identification using the modified UNESCO chart
Nature scavenger hunts
Leaf classification & identification
Leaf rubbings & designs in nature
Clinometer constructions for environmental measurements
Smart Synch Presents: Smart Kids Program on Energy Conservation
For questions or reservations, contact Anne McCauley: 662-915-6621.
Mississippi Public Broadcasting will hold Recycling Relay games and have educational materials available for kids and parents.

Thursday, April 23rd, 2009
Sustainable Transportation Day

Commuter Challenge: Cyclists, transit riders, and drivers compete to see who has the shortest commute time and the smallest carbon footprint.

UM Green Parking Lot/Carpool Challenge: Faculty, staff and students are challenged to participate in the first Green Parking Lot/Carpool Challenge by commuting with at least 2 passengers to campus. Sponsored by the Associated Student Body.

Special Event: Consequences of Climate Change: Policy, Law and Community
3:30 p.m. Law School, Moot Court 1, Sponsored by the Environmental Law Society
Tim Mulvaney, Research Counsel, Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Legal Program: Climate Change and Land Use Law
Wei-Yin Chen, Professor, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Mississippi: Implementation of the Kyoto Protocol: Obstacles and Challenges
Rita Harris, Regional Environmental Justice Community Organizer, Sierra Club: The Burden of Climate Change on Vulnerable Populations
Moderator: David Case, Associate Professor, School of Law


Green Week Plaza Special Exhibits:

Oxford Pathways Initiative & Oxford-University Transit (O.U.T) System
Take a ride on the O.U.T. bus and enter the raffle to win a new bike! Bike raffle will be conducted at 2:00 p.m.
Bike Enhancement Initiative/Sustainable Transportation Showcase (bikes, scooters, etc.)
Hybrid vehicles and solar-powered shuttle carts
Bike gear and advice provided by Oxford Bike Company (UM) and Active Oxford (City Hall)
Solar Power Project
Biofuel & the University
Live Music - Union Unplugged music series

Friday, April 24th, 2009
Low Carbon Diet Day

Special Events:

The Low Carb Diet – The Truth Behind Cherries, Chocolate & Paper – Wayne Dennis, Corporate Director-Sustainability, MAC Papers (Time, Location TBD)
Groundbreaking for the Oxford Community Garden, 9:00 a.m., Parking available at the Old Armory
Arbor Day Ceremony, 10:00-11:00 a.m. Lyceum Circle
How to Compost and Kitchen/Green Gardening workshops, Old Armory 10:00 a.m. - Noon
Movie and Panel Discussion, Green Bag lunch served while supplies last, Noon – 2:00 p.m. Barnard Observatory
"Feeding the Soul at Jones Valley Urban Farm" and discussion with producer Matthew Graves
Food and Sustainability Practices from the Farm to the Table panel discussion
Panelists: Linda Boyd, Grower and vendor of Mid-town Farmers' Market
Michelle McAnnaly, Grower and Director of Taylor Farmers Market
Liz Stagg, Owner, Farmers Market Store
Shannon Adams, Owner, Honey Bee Bakery
Moderator: Melissa Hall, Communications Director, Southern Foodways Alliance
Green Week Plaza Special Exhibits:

Low Carbon Diet $5 Green Bag Lunch – City Hall only
Hardwood seedlings – free while supplies last - Sponsored by International Paper
Master Gardeners Compost Display

Germany gives MON 810 the boot!

If you're not following the trail of genetically modified foods or you do not live near much agricultural activity, you may not care about this news. But everyone should at least be aware of this discussion:

Should we allow genetically modified organisms and seeds to take over? Some argue that we will lose genetic diversity if we do not maintain our heirloom seeds, and promote the growth of multiple varieties of seeds. Others are worried that we do not know the effect that consumption of genetically modified organisms will have on the human race over time. Many others say that GMOs have been around long enough and that we need them to survive. They even go so far as to suggest that GMOs, and vitamin-fortified crops like Golden Rice can save entire countries from famine.

Germany deals blow to GM crops
Agriculture minister Ilse Aigner joins European mutiny over genetically modified crops by banning corn variety MON 810

by Kate Connolly in Berlin
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 14 April 2009 17.19 BST

Germany has thrown its weight behind a growing European mutiny over genetically modified crops by banning the planting of a widely grown pest-resistant corn variety.

Agriculture minister Ilse Aigner said there was enough evidence to support arguments that MON 810, which is the only GM crop widely grown in Europe, posed a danger.

"I have come to the conclusion that genetically-modified corn from the MON 810 strain constitutes a danger to the environment," Aigner told reporters in Berlin.
Germany's move, which has immediate effect, goes against the European Commission's decision to support the lifting of bans on planting MON 810 which have been imposed by governments in France, Austria, Hungary, Greece and Luxembourg.

In the UK, the Welsh Assembly has declared the country GM-free. Supported by Britain, Finland, the Netherlands and Sweden, the Commission argued last month that moves to outlaw the corn on the grounds that it is dangerous were unjust because it has been deemed safe by scientists at the European Food Safety Authority.
MON 810 was first approved for commercial use in the EU in 1998 and has been permitted as a commercial crop in Germany since 2005. More than 70 per cent of German consumers support a ban on GM crops for food.

The US biotechnology firm Monsanto which markets the maize did not return calls but industry observers said the ban by Europe's largest country with a strong agricultural lobby, was a blow to the company.

MON 810 was developed to resist a moth larva which bores into the stem of the corn and against which there is only one approved insecticide.
Monsanto has repeatedly argued that MON 810 crops are safe and has tried to encourage their use as a cheap and plentiful food. They are widely grown in the US, Latin America and China.

But opponents insist that too little is known about GM crops and their long-term genetic impact on wildlife and the food-chain.
The German ban will now be analysed by the Commission, amid fears it could trigger trade tensions with the US. Under World Trade Organisation rules, the US administration has the right to retaliate.

Nathalie Charbonneau a spokeswoman for the Commission said it would scrutinise the German decision and "decide on the most appropriate follow-up".
Lobbyists for the biotechnology industry in Germany described the decision as a setback for science and for the economy. They warned that it would prompt biotechnology companies to relocate to other parts of the world.

I [heart] Sneed's Ace Hardware - yet another place that makes Oxford, Oxford. Buy your CFLs at Sneed's!

The next time you need a new light bulb, air filter or key copied, look no further than Sneed's Ace Hardware in Oxford, Mississippi. Now you may be thinking, "I can just pick up all of those things along with my groceries at Walmart." And, you may be right. But take a moment now to consider this timeline:

You take the turn into Walmart, you find a place to park your car and walk inside Walmart, you find the light bulb section (which is stacked so high you need a ladder if the bulb you want is at the top), you find the bulb you need, you find the air filter section (which is not, by the way, in the same area as the light bulb section, and if you don't know where it is, you will have to take the time to find a Walmart employee to help you find it) and you find the air filter with the correct dimensions you need, and then you may have to stand in a line in the auto-motive department to get a key copied, or you may have to stand at the counter alone while you wait for someone who works there to appear. After all that, you get to go fight the masses to find your groceries.

Did you really save time by getting these three items during your trip to Walmart? Perhaps you did, but I have to say, I have never experienced a quick trip to Walmart. Ever.

The next time you visit Sneed's Ace Hardware, count how many employees are standing at the front door who offer to help you find something. I guarantee there will be no less than 3 men who will simultaneously ask to help you. You could shop at Sneed's blindfolded and find everything you need in less than 5 minutes, and get your key copied while you shop. There is always ample parking in their lot, the place is never swamped and the employees are beyond helpful and friendly. It's the kind of small business that makes Oxford, Oxford. And it's establishments like Walmart that are fast erasing small, personable businesses like Sneed's.

This from the Sneed's Ace Hardware website:

A Commitment to Our Valued Customer.....This Store's mission is to provide the best possible service and satisfaction to you, its customer, by offering a wide selection of quality products at good value, adhering to the highest retail standards, supporting this community and our country, and encouraging sound environmental practices.

Sneed's Hardware has long been a part of the city of Oxford. In June 1951, Payne Sneed and Parham Shaw became partners and opened Shaw and Sneed Hardware on the town's main Square. The store joined the Ace community in 1963. Payne's son Harry became active at the store as a boy, selling popcorn on the corner and doing what he could in the store. He graduated from the local University of Mississippi, "Ole Miss," in 1974 and started full time at the store after that. Parham's grandson David started in the hardware store during high school. He briefly took a break from working to get an accounting degree from Ole Miss, which he promptly put to use when he returned to the store in 1982. After the decision was made to move off the Square, Payne took the lead by building shelves and setting displays in the new and current location on University Avenue, which opened on March 2, 1987. Harry and David are current partners in the business and hope to continue the tradition of Payne and Parham.

So the next time you need to pick up your *CFLs, visit Sneed's and don't be fooled by thinking you will actually save time OR money by doing all of your shopping in one fell swoop at Walmart. We will all "Live Better" if support our neighbors, the diversity of our shops and businesses and the individuality of our vendors.

Sneed's Ace Hardware

1400 University Ave.

Oxford, MS 38655

(662) 234-3232

*If you have not all ready switched to Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs in your home, consider doing so. When I moved to Oxford I replaced half of our light bulbs with CFLs and not a single CFL has burned out like our conventional incandescent light bulbs did, within a few months. We have a lot of lamps that take 3-way bulbs, and it seems they were the first to blow out. CFLs are also available in 3-ways.

Just remember this when you shop for CFLs (it's also written on the package): 27-watt compact flourescent bulbs replace 75-watt incandescent bulbs; 18-watt flourescent bulbs replace 60-watt incandescent bulbs. For each 27-watt CFL you will save 140 pounds of carbon emissions per year and $12. For each 18-watt CFL you will save 110 pounds of carbon emissions and $9.50 per year. Are you trying to save money and have you ever counted how many light bulbs are in your house!? Sneed's knows all about CFLs. If you wander in there and just ask them which kind you need, they will pick the right one and hand it to you. They know their inventory. At Walmart on the other hand - you are on your own. And if you do end up in the cavernous aisle of Walmart light bulbs, searching for CFLs - remember this:

The level of brightness in the CFL is based on the Kelvin (K) scale. The majority of CFLs for sale are 2700K-3000K. These are the warm light CFLs, which bring out yellows, reds and oranges found in the home. They're usually in green to yellow packaging. Unless you like Sci-fi lighting, be sure NOT to purchase the CFLs with a 3500K-6500K rating. These are usually in a blue package, probably because they produce an eerie, operating room-style bluish-white light. The package says, "Daylight" or "Cool Natural Light" but they are anything but natural.

You may also find it usefull to save the sturdy packaging that accompany these bulbs. I have saved a few of my packages in the event that I need to dispose of these bulbs and don't want them to break before I can recycle them. The bulbs contain a small amount of Mercury, and so they are supposed to be disposed of properly. The amount of mercury per bulb is less than enough to cover the point of a ballpoint pen, however, we should all be aware, considering how many bulbs we use, that recycling of mercury in any quantity is a priority. Although poor disposal of CFLs is not to blame for the vast majority of mercury pollution, it's still better to recycle than to be lazy. Every little bit of pollution adds up.

Across the United States, mercury pollution is known to have contaminated 12 million acres of lakes, estuaries, and wetlands (30 percent of the total), and 473,000 miles of streams, rivers, and coasts. And many waterways have not even been tested. In 2003, 44 states issued fish consumption advisories, warning citizens to limit how often they eat certain types of fish caught in the state's waters because they are contaminated with mercury.

Visit http://www.lamprecycle.org/ for more info on recycling your CFLs, and visit your official city website for recycling programs in your area. In April, 2008, Ace Hardware struck a deal with the Department of Environmental Services and began offering free recycling of CFLs nationwide. In June, 2008, the Home Depot Corp. followed Ace in launching a national in-store, consumer CFL recycling program at all 1,973 Home Depot locations. The service is free and applies to all brands of CFLs.

Ravine - April 2009 Wine Pairings

Spring has sprung and we are ready to celebrate here at ravine! The theme this month will be "picnic" wines, to reflect the warmer climate and the joy of al fresco dining. The food will also fit into the picnic picture, I am thinking of some delicious hickory smoked salmon and some barbecued pork, with a few gourmet twists. The wines Dr Juergens is hinting at are prosecco, semillon, riesling, pinot grigio, etcetera. Sounds delicious, no?

The date of this event will be Thursday, April 30th, starting at 6 p.m., and the cost will be $25 per person.

Please reserve early and keep in mind our cancellation policy- no cancellations allowed within 48 hours prior to the event-- otherwise, we have to charge your credit card. We do this to ensure there is enough room for those to attend our pairing.

Finally, we are getting in some amazing seafood right now as well here at the restaurant, including raw oysters, halibut, clams, and striped bass. As well, Sunday Supper continues to be lively and affordable (3 courses for $23), and please join us for Easter Brunch as well if you have not made such plans already!

Thanks,

Joel

Joel Miller ravine 53 cr 321 oxford, ms 38655 oxfordravine.com 662.234.4555

A few words from the Catfish King

From The Enterprise-Tocsin of Indianola, Mississippi, Thursday, March 26, 2009

Volume CXXIII No. 13

Oglesby named state's catfish farmer of year

- Indianola farmer has been involved in many key areas of the industry

by DAVID RUSHING

When Joe Oglesby of Indianola got into the catfish industry back in 1979, he said he was looking for something to do besides row crop.

Now, Oglesby, who farms 320 acres of catfish ponds just north of Boyer says he has plenty to do.

"Back then I actually used to get a winter off now and then," said Oglesby, who was recently named the 2009 Catfish Farmer of the Year for his many contributions to the industry.

Oglesby was one of four to get their state's top catfish honor at the recent Catfish Farmers of America Annual Convention and Research Symposium, in Natchez. Other recipients included: Townsend Kyser of Greensboro, Ala., as the Alabama Catfish Farmer of the Year, Dennington Moss of Lake Village as the Arkansas Catfish Farmer of the Year and Brandon Haring of Wisner, La. as the Louisiana Catfish Farmer of the Year.

Additionally, John Dillard of Leland was recognized with the CFA Lifetime Achievement Award for his many contributions to the industry.

Oglesby wears many hats in connection with catfish production. Besides his pond interest, he is a founder and current president of Fishbelt Feeds and chairman of the Catfish Farmers of Mississippi and also a member of the board of directors of the Catfish Farmers of America and The Catfish Institute. Her also has served as chairman of the Delta Council Aquaculture Committee and as a member of the Delta Pride Board of Directors.

Oglesby said that times are tough for the industry as a whole due to a variety of reasons, including fluctuating fuel and feed pprices. The lastest twist has been increasing competition by Asian grown catfish, particularly from China.

"We have sort of beat back the problem with the Vietnamese fish," said Oglesby. "Now we are competing with the Chinese."

Unlike the Vietnamese who were passing off another species as catfish, the Chinese are another matter.

"They are selling the exact same product we are using. Stock they got from us." He said. This makes recently passed legislation requiring that food establishments label the origin of their fish important.

But such measures alone are not the answer, which he said must come from the producers themselves to have to be at the ponds themselves.

"We know that in the long term the price of feed is going to remain high, so we are just going to have to be more efficient," Oglesby said.

He said that because of the tough times facing the industry as a whole, farmers are going to find it harder to rely on their past ability to allow the good years to balance out the bad years.

"The good has carried us over the bad and the bad markets were generally short," Oglesby said. "But this is the longest bad I have ever seen."

Oxford and Ole Miss Green Week 2009 is on the way! April 20-24th!

The University of Mississippi and city of Oxford are partnering for a week of activities later this month to raise environmental awareness throughout the community.

Green Week 2009, set for April 20-24, includes a series of free lectures, forums, interactive activities and displays to educate participants about environmental sustainability and conservation efforts. Everyone will be challenged to get involved in local recycling, energy conservation and other sustainability efforts, said Jim Morrison, UM director of strategic planning and campus sustainability coordinator.

"Our hope is that the Ole Miss and Oxford community will collectively embrace the notion that we can make a big difference by doing the little things in our daily lives that will have a lasting impact on the triple bottom line: people, planet, and profit," Morrison said.

"The purpose of Green Week is to educate and to engage the community on not just the global environmental issues that we face but also the local opportunities that we have to live more efficiently."

Each day focuses on one aspect of environmental preservation, with activities designed to support the day's theme, he said. The theme for Monday is water conservation; Tuesday, energy conservation; Wednesday, Earth Day/Worldfest; Thursday, transportation; and Friday, low-carbon diet.

The week's activities include workshops on home energy conservation, capturing storm runoff, using solar energy, composting and "green" gardening; displays on saving energy in classrooms and offices, water use awareness and global perspectives on sustainability; and a keynote speech by Kevin Butt, general manager and chief environmental officer for Toyota Motor Manufacturing North America Inc.

Several local and national vendors also plan to showcase environmentally friendly products and services. Most of the events are set for the Student Union Plaza and Grove, but several displays are planned for the Oxford Square near City Hall. The composting and gardening demonstrations also will be at the site of a proposed community garden near the old National Guard Armory. The city is committed to sustainability efforts and is working with UM officials to maximize the impact of its initiatives, said Katrina Hourin, assistant city planner.

"Our hope is to raise community awareness regarding our impact on the environment and initiate change to ensure stability to future generations," Hourin said.

This article from the University of Mississippi Newsdesk, written by Mitchell Diggs.

A Day in the Park - Help raise funds for the Oxford-Lafayette Humane Society

Mark your calendars for Sunday, April 5th at 2 p.m. for a family and pet friendly day in the park benefiting the animals of the Oxford-Lafayette Humane Society. In these hard economic times, people aren’t the only ones hurting. Please come out and bring your pets, kids, frisbees and footballs for a cookout and some relaxing time in the park!!

When: April 5th at 2 p.m.

Where: Lake Patsy/Lamar Park (We will try to get the pavilion area at the top of the parking lot/hill.)

Sponsors: Delta Theta Phi & Law Association for Women

Price: We will be grilling out hotdogs and will have chips, drinks and desserts as well. We just ask that you bring either a monetary donation (anything helps!) or something off of the Humane Society’s Wish List, which you can find posted on the large bulletin boards in the mall area.

Directions from Grove Loop in front of the Law School: Turn right onto Sorority Row; at Stop Light turn Left on to Jackson Ave W; at first Stop Light turn Right onto College Hill Road; take Third Left onto Country Club Road and the park will be on your Right

Questions: Please feel free to email Jennifer Herring at jmherri2@olemiss.edu with any questions or concerns you have!