Summary of Symposium

Abstract

Environment and quality of life are terms that may be keynote words for the decade of the seventies and perhaps will apt ly describe much of the sociological and scientific activities for the years immediately ahead. Quality is not a new word to the dairy industry. The industry has always been quality conscious and improvement of product quality has been evident as one of the pr imary goals. Pesticides and chemicals are also not new terms to the animal industries. Our industry is aware of the seriousness of organochlorine chemical contamination in milk products because of events of the past decade. must continue to keep pace with technological developments and use modern approaches to the solution of modern problems. The problem of maintaining a safe food supply is undeniably very important. There exists a risk when pesticides are used, regardless of the type but the need for continued use is certain. Our regulatory agencies must continue to evaluate all chemicals for risk and benefit. Discontinued use of DDT and other persistent chemicals in most of this count ry can be justified. But DDT is still needed in areas highly infested with malaria and other insect-borne diseases that endanger human life. This need is especially evident in certain tropical areas. Feedstuffs and animal food products are major targets of regulatory agencies in their pursuit of safe human food supplies. At first glance, this approach appears hard for the dairy industry. However, this is a jus t approach since one-fourth of the human diet is derived from animal products. The relatively high fat content in animal products sequesters organochlorine chemicals. Animal food sources provide one-half of the intake of these pesticides. Therefore, the dairy industry must maintain practices that will ensure acceptable amounts of chemicals in the marketed products. The producer must be continually reminded that the responsibility is with him. Cases continue to arise in which chemicals have gotten into the food supply. An example is the recent plight of a Wisconsin dairyman, owner of an 80 cow herd, who had to pay $84,511 for cheese which had been contaminated with aldrin carried in milk from his herd. He lost an additional $24,000 of milk while the cows were expelling the pesticide from their body tissue. Aldrin, a soil insecticide, was mixed with fertilizer which got into the dairyman's concentrate mixture. Wisconsin Department of Agricul ture officials believe that the hired man mistakenly mixed the fertilizer-insecticide with feed, thinking that it was a feed additive. Dairymen can lose a lifetime of work and savings through carelessness with chemicals, so it behooves them to care. As educators, we must do our par t to make them aware that chemicals must be used properly. Presently, there is much public and political discussion concerning the possible effects of pesticides on human health and a balanced environment. Although there is considerable act ivity for pollution control and solutions to environmental problems, this is a very complicated task and can be handled only in par t by well planned crash programs. Long-term plans have to be developed and offer the most rational solutions. An integrated approach among the various Federal agencies and the several discipline areas related to chemical pollution should form a nucleus for a sound long range solution. More effective communication between the Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Department of Agriculture, the chemical industry, and the entire agricultural industry are needed. Research integrated across disciplines to include chemists, entomologists, cellular biologists, soil, crop, wildlife, and animal scientists would likely hasten solution of the problem. Presently, interest is high, but proposed solutions are diverse. Cross fostering of ideas may create the environment to bring diverse approaches together. As pointed out recently by an editorial to Science (1) We should continue to give top pr ior i ty to the presently unfashionable human problems. Fight ing hunger, malnutrition, and rats should be given pr ior i ty over saving wildlife . Proper use of chemicals should help accomplish these goals. I am impressed by the many pronged approach to insect control by the Entomology Research Division, USDA. I f the general public could only be made aware and appreciative of