VOA慢速英语2014 AS IT IS 2014-04-26 Dry Weather and 'Dirty' Farming Affect Food Supplies 干旱天气和“不干净”的农业操作影响了食物供应

 

AS IT IS 2014-04-26 Dry Weather and 'Dirty' Farming Affect Food Supplies 干旱天气和“不干净”的农业操作影响了食物供应

From VOA Learning English, this is As It Is!  I’m Anna Matteo.

Today’s “As It Is” is all about farming and food – something we can’t live without.  A report shows that industrial farmers may be making growing condition more difficult for themselves. 

But first, we talk about the weather.  There’s an old joke.  When you don’t know what to talk about, you talk about the weather!  But, when the weather affects how much you spend on food or if you even have food … then people actually want to talk about the weather.  

And people in the U.S. are talking about California’s lack of rainfall – or drought.  Record-low rainfall in that state could affect food prices in America.  And like a rock thrown into a pond -- it could have a “ripple effect” on food prices all around the world.

Here’s Caty Weaver¹ with more on that story.

California Drought Will Lead to Higher Food Prices 

In the Central Valley of California, farmers are reducing crop size because they do not have enough water. Last year, California had the least amount of rain since officials began keeping records. And it may be just as bad this year.

 

Reservoirs are areas where water is stored. In California, some reservoirs are empty. The amount of snow in the Sierra Mountains is 75 percent below normal. This mountain snow melts in the spring and fills rivers. The water is used by farmers.

But now, farmers are warning of the possibility of another “Dust Bowl,” like the one of the 1930s. Severe droughts and dust storms covered American farmlands and few crops grew.

Farmers in California produce almost half of U.S. fruits and vegetables. Much of it comes from the Central Valley. 

Dan Errotabere is a third generation California farmer. He grows tomatoes, walnuts², garlic and other crops in Fresno County. He says the federal agency that controls the amount of water released from dams and rivers has stopped giving him water. He and other farmers say officials are not correctly administering the water system.

“The last couple of years -- dry years, including, coupled with severe environmental restrictions³ -- has now presented us with a zero allocation year.”

Farmers may not be able to plant crops on more than 200,000 hectares of farmland in the Central Valley this spring. Mr. Errotabere will plant crops on just 80 percent of his farmland. He has enough work for only 15 of his 25 workers.

Federal and state officials sometimes reduce the amount of water to farmers even in years with normal rainfall levels. The officials must supply water to the Sacramento River Delta⁴ which is home to several endangered species. 

Long-term solutions include conservation, recycling waste water and, building “desalinization centers.” These centers remove salt from seawater so it can be used on farms. Farmers say better administration of the state’s water system could also help solve the crisis. 

I’m Caty Weaver.

And I’m Anna Matteo.  You are listening to As It Is.

Dirty Farming Will Lead to Climate Change

Agriculture is, by its nature – dirty.  But it is also dirty.  Industrial agriculture produces a lot of the greenhouse gasses that scientists link to rising temperatures and climate change.  And climate change can hurt growing seasons.  And that hurts food supplies.  So, if industrial agriculture wants more production, it had better clean up its act.

Karen Leggett has more on a report that looks at farming practices and their effect on growing crops.

The Worldwatch Institute in Washington says high temperatures and unpredictable weather are disrupting agriculture in many parts of the world. It suggests ways that the agriculture industry could reduce its own effects on the environment.

The report is called "Innovations in Sustainable Agriculture: Supporting Climate-Friendly Food Production." Danielle Nierenberg from the research group Food Tank was one of its authors.

“Because industrial agriculture tends to be very resource-intensive, it uses a lot of fossil fuels, it’s a huge contributor to climate change. Anywhere from 25 to 30 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions⁵ come from the agriculture sector⁶. If you look at all the ingredients that really go into making food -- fertilizers, pesticides⁷, antibiotic⁸ use, transportation, processing facilities -- all those things are very dependent on fossil fuels."

Ms. Nierenberg says animal production has an especially big effect on the environment. She notes that the amount of meat being eaten in countries like Brazil, China and India is growing. As a result, more industrial animal facilities or factory farms are being built in the developing world. Those big farms need fossil fuel inputs⁹ to operate, and they require long-distance transportation, she says, "so all those things can contribute to climate change."

The report recommends six land and water use practices that it says are sustainable. These include growing trees on farmland to reduce soil erosion and planting cover crops to make soil less vulnerable to drought, heat and pests. Ms. Nierenberg says urban farming can help, as well.

“Growing more food in cities can reduce transportation costs. So, urban residents can buy very locally from rooftops or backyards in their communities. So you’re reducing transportation. You’re making a city more green and helping¹⁰ sequester¹¹ carbon so that it’s not just a concrete jungle, but a place that really supports food production.”

Other recommended practices include recycling wastewater in cities, drip irrigation, and catching¹² and storing rainwater. Another recommendation is to replace chemical fertilizer with animal waste. 

I’m Karen Leggett.

And I’m Anna Matteo.  And that’s As It Is for today!  Has the weather affected¹³ food prices where you live?  Have your food bills gone up recently?  What about the farming industry in your part of the world?  Tell us about it all in our comment section.

1 weaver   

n.织布工；编织者

参考例句：

• She was a fast weaver and the cloth was very good.她织布织得很快，而且布的质量很好。
• The eager weaver did not notice my confusion.热心的纺织工人没有注意到我的狼狈相。

2 walnuts   

胡桃（树）( walnut的名词复数 )； 胡桃木

参考例句：

• Are there walnuts in this sauce? 这沙司里面有核桃吗？
• We ate eggs and bacon, pickled walnuts and cheese. 我们吃鸡蛋，火腿，腌胡桃仁和干酪。

3 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

4 delta   

n.（流的）角洲

参考例句：

• He has been to the delta of the Nile.他曾去过尼罗河三角洲。
• The Nile divides at its mouth and forms a delta.尼罗河在河口分岔，形成了一个三角洲。

5 emissions   

排放物( emission的名词复数 )； 散发物（尤指气体）

参考例句：

• Most scientists accept that climate change is linked to carbon emissions. 大多数科学家都相信气候变化与排放的含碳气体有关。
• Dangerous emissions radiate from plutonium. 危险的辐射物从钚放散出来。

6 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

7 pesticides   

n.杀虫剂( pesticide的名词复数 )；除害药物

参考例句：

• vegetables grown without the use of pesticides 未用杀虫剂种植的蔬菜
• There is a lot of concern over the amount of herbicides and pesticides used in farming. 人们对农业上灭草剂和杀虫剂的用量非常担忧。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 antibiotic   

adj.抗菌的；n.抗生素

参考例句：

• The doctor said that I should take some antibiotic.医生说我应该服些用抗生素。
• Antibiotic can be used against infection.抗菌素可以用来防止感染。

9 inputs   

n.输入( input的名词复数 )；投入；输入端；输入的数据v.把…输入电脑( input的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Uncheck the inputs checked for optimization in the previous stage. 不测试那些已经测试过的优化了的以前步骤的inputs.（变量参数）。 来自互联网
• Just in case, save in a file the inputs obtained at the previous stage. 以防万一，保存以前步骤获得的inputs（变量参数值）到一个文件中去。 来自互联网

10 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

11 sequester   

vt.使退隐，使隔绝

参考例句：

• Everything he owned was sequestered.他的所有财产都被扣押了。
• This jury is expected to be sequestered for at least two months.预计这个陪审团将至少被隔离两个月。

12 catching   

adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住

参考例句：

• There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。
• Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。

13 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。