Renewable Farming

Why farmers are front-line defenders against viral epidemics

Your personal immune system is the safest defense against contagious diseases. Nutritional vitality of the crops you raise — and the chemicals you apply — wield a huge influence on the immune defenses of people everywhere. 

March 11, 2020   Commentary by Jerry Carlson — People’s natural immune defenses are eroding under constant attacks from environmental toxins and stresses. Public health officials argue about the degree of immune-system degradation from long-term trends imposed by:

— Worldwide growth in glyphosate residue in food and water, alongside more than 200 other ag chemicals. 

— Huge global increases in electromagnetic fields, including cell phone frequencies and now 5G frequencies, which are suspected of impacting blood cells’ ability to carry oxygen.

— Controversial impacts of near-universal vaccine requirements. Infants and young kids get about 26 inoculations, and more as they grow up. Visit the National Vaccine Information Center for data on this issue.

— Severe decline in mineral nutrition values of most fruit, vegetables and grains grown with “modern” NPK and chemical technology, in mineral-depleted soils. “Buying organic” relieves the chemical load in fresh food, but doesn’t guarantee greater nutritional value. Highly processed food is primarily mineral-deficient calories.  Time Magazine featured a story, “Why we need to rethink our food system to prevent the next pandemic” which points to reasons why industrialized, concentrated ag enterprises gradually degrade our soils, atmosphere and ultimately our immune systems.

— Respiratory burdens imposed by nearly continuous air pollution and cigarette smoking. Both of those handicaps are pronounced in central and northern China. Ag consultant Bob Streit returned from a conference in Beijing with the comment: “My lungs burned like I was downwind from a tire fire.” (See satellite image of Chinese air pollution, bottom of page.)

Schematic of coronavirus

On March 11, the World Health Organization labeled the invasion of Covid-19 as an official “pandemic.” One vivid fact: Its infection rate and death rate are highest among people with weak immune systems. In such patients, the Covid-19 virus often further weakens immunity against secondary attacks such as bacterial pneumonia. 

At a media briefing March 11, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the WHO, said there are now more than 118,000 cases of COVID-19 in 114 countries, with 4,291 deaths. That’s a fraction of U.S. deaths from annual variants of the influenza virus.

From 2010 through the 2018-19 flu season, 337,157 U.S. residents have died from influenza and secondary illnesses. The average annual U.S. death rate attributed to flu those nine years: 37,462. That’s despite near-universal promotion of “get your flu shot” — which is reputed to be about 40% effective in an average season.

Another American health trend could rationally be called an epidemic: Rising rates of chronic diseases, which correlate to a high degree with increases in global application of glyphosate herbicides.  We’ve reported on this trend several times; see these links:

Video of Dr. Zach Bush, who documents why “modern” ag’s toxic technology undermines our immune systems. We published this in February 2019.

Video interview with British physician Dr. Aseem Malhotra: “We can transform our viral resistance.” This points out that a dietary change can dramatically improve your metabolic health and immune system, with noticeable results in three weeks. 

Early reports on links between GMO/glyphosate and human health, from Dr. Don Huber and Dr. Arden Andersen

Correlations between glyphosate use and chronic disease rates in the U.S., through 2014 (Downloadable PDF)

Initial research on glyphosate and disease, by Drs. Anthony Samsel and Stephanie Seneff, 2016

Additional research by Drs. Anthony Samsel and Stephanie Seneff

Was the “Zika virus” worse because immune systems were compromised in heavily glyphosate-sprayed areas?

The table below, extracted from a tally on Wikipedia, lists major epidemics from 1800 forward.  Since then, most major outbreaks have been viral attacks, starting with the worldwide pandemic of “Spanish flu” which killed as many as 100 million people. Estimates of this epidemic’s death rate vary widely, from less than 20 million to over 100 million. It was worsened because it occurred during World War 1, when millions of soldiers were crammed into trenches across Europe and many Europeans faced famine. 

Virus organisms readily mutate, making it hard for vaccine researchers to counter each new strain. The coronavirus looks like many other strains under an electron microscope, but it’s unique in its infectious capability. Is it an “engineered bioweapon?”  We asked one of the world’s most knowledgeable scientists that question. Dr. Don Huber replied that  “the evidence doesn’t support that view.”  He also quipped to the effect that “You can probably generate a coronavirus mutation in your kitchen sink,” an expression of how difficult it is to predict or inoculate against corona-type virus strains. 

The most effective prevention against viral attack is a robust personal immune system, so your natural internal antibodies can counter invading virus pathogens of all kinds. Here’s a link to an analysis of immune-system response to Covid-19, published March 14 in the South China Morning Post.

In the current Covid-19 siege, few cases have occurred in children aged 9 and younger. The highest fatality rate is among 80+ people, especially those with a history of smoking. Northern Italy, a Coronavirus cluster, has an older population profile. 

The most deadly epidemic since the 1918-20 influenza siege is HIV/AIDS, appropriately labeled an “Acquired Immune Deficiency.” A person can harbor the HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) for years unless his or her intrinsic immune system is somehow weakened. Also, HIV/AIDS is spread mainly through close sexual encounters or shared drug needles, rather than casual social visits. (Update March 14: Fox News carries a summary of global pandemics including those in our list below.) The outbreak of SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) in 2002-2003 was focused in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and Canada. It caused 774 deaths — not a major pandemic. A retrospective analysis of China’s initial reaction and its consequences, described in an article at this link, shows that the Chinese government did not respond quickly — the same type of response that Chinese officials showed in the Covid-19 outbreak.  

Health-related websites such as Restoration Healthcare are freely offering how-to-avoid-Covid-19 recommendations. But over the long haul, Americans and all of modern global society could benefit from reducing toxicity burdens all around us, plus building immunity with healthy food and water. Especially glyphosate-free food and water. 

Another stress reliever: Have your well water or rural water system tested for glyphosate. If there’s glyphosate residue, put extra momentum toward a Pursanova reverse osmosis system which strips glyphosate from water. One of our non-GMO Nebraska clients has a complete Pursanova whole-farm system and reports it has entirely removed glyphosate residue. Pursanova also has a kitchen undercounter RO system.

As of mid-March, U.S. stock and debt markets in panic mode. Having survived such panics before in my nearly 85 years, I’m patiently waiting for this fear to subside. While German leaders warn that 70% of their population may be infected, the daily count of new Covid-19 cases in China and South Korea has already receded from peaks in late February and early March. This is the classic bell curve of an epidemic outbreak. We’re starting to see verification of Mr. Chen I=wan’s report on Coronavirus in China, which we published Feb. 16.

On March 12, Canadian market analyst Mike Jubinville wrote this perspective to his readers on the MarketsFarm service:

“World investors are in recession fear mode and running to exits across financial markets. Interesting though… USDA’s weekly export sales report out this morning came in surprisingly strong for the latest week and above all trade expectations.

“Despite the very real virus threat to global economic and citizenry health, one has to wonder, will demand for food and ag products really fall apart? Maybe short-term as supply chains are surely disrupted. But with commodities looking so cheap these days, and China starting to re-emerge from the coronavirus setback, boy what a buying opportunity it is for users.”

Hopefully, today’s fears will also motivate a future where farmers worldwide learn to avoid toxic weedkillers, fungicides and other poisons which can afflict people’s immune systems at low but harmful levels. 

You can do your part toward rebuilding immune strength by phasing your farming operation toward that goal. We envision a future where U.S. farmers are strongly motivated to choose safe, non-toxic technologies and crop genetics. A future where farmers focus on what health-conscious consumers want to stay healthy, instead of what we have to sell.

 

Three updates as of Sunday, March 15:

1. A medical expert I’ve learned to greatly respect over the past decade is Dr. Ralph Moss, who has focused his career on objective evaluations of medical approaches to battle the many variations in cancer. Although Covid-19 is far from cancer, the need for a strong immune system is critical in fighting any disease. Today, Dr. Moss posted a brief message on foods and methods you can use to strengthen your immune system, along with other proven ways to reduce your odds of contracting Covid-19. You can see his article at this link

While you’re on that page, also check out a new book authored by Dr. Moss: Cancer, Incorporated: The inside story of the corruption, greed & lies of big pharma.”  A download version of it is free. Keep in mind this is authored by a scientist who has spent a career investigating every aspect of global medical approaches to treating cancer.  While modern Americans look for drugs and vaccines to fight chronic diseases, but Moss is advocating avoiding vulnerability to diseases with a healthy body and strong immunity.

2. One of our longtime agronomic research friends, James Porterfield, today e-mailed us a 36-page special report revealing current data documenting the need for healthy soils to grow healthy crops. Most of the food raised on NPK-fertilized soils is seriously deficient in mineral nutrition. Jim’s huge contribution here is documenting, with lab tests, how several crops raised on what he labels “Ideal Soil” are abundant in vital minerals. And, Jim shows where to look for ways to build that Ideal Soil. You can download that PDF, compliments of Jim Porterfield, at this link.

3. This is a freebie… maybe the most useful stay-healthy prescription of the day:  A missionary friend this afternoon e-mailed me a link to a 10-minute video message from a local pastor, Dan Paxton. Dan’s congregation (Heartland Vineyard Church in Waterloo, IA)  is “meeting” online, rather than assembling in their church, during Covid-19 precautions. He’s revealing encouragement and freedom from fear found in Psalm 91. 

Update March 16: In today’s American Thinker website, Dr. Brian C. Joondeph writes:

Given the mass hysteria, supply hoarding, event cancellations and abject panic in America over the coronavirus, the numbers must be far worse now compared to the swine flu pandemic a decade ago. Let’s see if that’s true.

Swine flu caused 60.8 million illnesses, 273,304 hospitalizations, and 12,469 deaths in the U.S.

“Worldwide, swine flu may have killed up to 203,000 people, more than the number thus far infected with Coronavirus, and the vast majority of those infected recovering uneventfully.

“Why wasn’t virtually every major sporting event in 2009 cancelled given these numbers?”

The main difference, Dr. Joondeph reasons, is the media response — especially in light of who is president now, versus who was president in 2009-10 versus today.

 

Dramatic drop in nitrous oxide and other air pollution in northern China as the economy 
paused during Lunar New Year. The holiday was extended because of coronavirus.

 Update April 19, 2020:  Maryland dairy farmer sees soaring demand for farm-to-consumer sales during pandemic.