In 1970, Joni Mitchell penned the protest song Big Yellow Taxi after visiting Hawaii and seeing how developers had destroyed the local ecosystems’ natural habitat. It works as an anthem in today’s world, too, with lyrics such as “Hey, farmer, farmer, put away your DDT. I don’t care about spots on my apples; leave me the birds and the bees, please!” Abusive pesticides started poisoning crops 80 years ago. Pollinators – bees, butterflies, bats, birds, and moths – have been disappearing for decades thanks to habitat loss, disease, parasites, and environmental contaminants. These two developments have captured the determined attention of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who wants to enhance “organic, regenerative agriculture” nationwide. It’s MAHA at its best.
A recent study published in the professional journal…
