Papers by John Paull, PhD
Biodynamic Federation Demeter International (BFDI), 2024
Stanisław Karłowski (1879-1939) was an unlikely pioneer of biodynamic agriculture. He was a banke... more Stanisław Karłowski (1879-1939) was an unlikely pioneer of biodynamic agriculture. He was a banker and a politician. He was a Pole. He was not an Anthroposophist. He did not attend the Agriculture Course presented by Rudolf Steiner at Koberwitz in the summer of 1924. He never met Rudolf Steiner; and he did not read Steiner. Yet Stanisław Karłowski was an enthusiast for biodynamics (BD). He managed, what was at the time (the 1930s), almost certainly, the world’s largest biodynamic farm (of 1724 hectares). He was a vocal public advocate for BD. He presented his estate as a showcase for BD practices. He ran BD courses at his Szelejewo Estate, and he translated and published BD pamphlets in Polish. He joined the Experimental Circle of Anthroposophical Farmers and Gardeners in 1936. Stanisław Karłowski spoke fluent German, he had worked as a banker in Germany, and he was described a ‘Germanophile’. Germany invaded Poland, on 1 September, 1939. There was no declaration of war, and Germany was out to brutally plunder ‘living space’, at the expense of its neighbour. Nazi policy was: decapitate the Polish intelligentsia. In the public square of Gostyn (a town nearby to Szelejewo Estate), on 21 October, 1939, 30 civilians, prominent citizens of the area, including Stanisław Karłowski, were executed by firing squad by a Nazi SS Death Squad. The BD legacy of Stanisław Karłowski lives on in Juchowo Farm and Demeter-Poland.
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Biodynamic Federation Demeter International (BFDI) Members Assembly, Krzyżowa, Poland, 2024
“Celebrating 100 years of Biodynamics”
“To mark the opening of our 100 years anniversary assembly... more “Celebrating 100 years of Biodynamics”
“To mark the opening of our 100 years anniversary assembly,
Dr. John Paull, environmental scientist of the University of
Tasmania and distinguished expert on the history of biodynamic
and organic agriculture at global level, will take us on a journey
back to the original Koberwitz moment. We will get a taste of
what it was like to be part of Rudolf Steiner's Agriculture Course
back in 1924”.
Biodynamic Federation Demeter International (BFDI), June 2024
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Biodynamics 100: Transforming Land, Transforming Lives, 2024
The 2nd edition (1929) was arguably the most influential edition of Rudolf Steiner’s ‘Agricultur... more The 2nd edition (1929) was arguably the most influential edition of Rudolf Steiner’s ‘Agriculture Course’. It was issued to members of the Experimental Circle of Anthroposophical Farmers and Gardeners under a non disclosure agreement (NDA). It appears that the original print run of the 2nd edition was not exhausted until c. 1948. This presentation is a preliminary report and the first public disclosure of a singular document. These notes of Guenther Wachsmuth (1893-1963), the editor of the Agriculture Course’, have recently been discovered. Bound into a single volume are the editor’s copyedits (c.310; including insertions, deletions & substitutions) of the 1st edition, fresh material for the 2nd edition including handwritten front matter (n=8 pp, ss), handwritten end matter (n=20 pp, ss), original drawings in colour (n=8 pp, ss), and typed index for the 2nd edition (n=20 pp, ds). This bespoke 1.5 edition of the ‘Agriculture Course’ (between the first undated edition, circa 1926, and the 2nd edition, dated 1929) reveals Wachsmuth’s intentions for the second edition of the ‘Agriculture Course’. Some of his intentions for the 2nd edition were realised and others were not. Sections on Astronomy, BD preparations, and a BD calendar failed to appear in the 2nd edition. Wachsmuth was well credentialed to edit the ‘Agriculture Course’; he had attended the agriculture course delivered at Koberwitz in 1924 and he had access to the shorthand notes of Lilly Kolisko, another attendee.
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European Journal of Agriculture and Food Sciences, 2024
Historically, Europe has been the locus of key developments in the founding and growth of organic... more Historically, Europe has been the locus of key developments in the founding and growth of organic agriculture. A century ago, in 1924, the Austrian New Age philosopher Dr. Rudolf Steiner called for an agriculture differentiated from the prevailing direction of agriculture and one reliant on natural biological processes rather than synthetic chemicals. The European Union (EU) has set the goal to be of 25% organic by 2030. Organic agriculture presently accounts for 9.6% of EU agriculture (cf. the world figure is 1.6%). For the past two decades, the tally of EU organic agriculture hectares has grown at 6.7% pa to reach 15,639,063 ha (cf. the world total of 76,403,777 ha). At this historic rate of growth (of 6.7% pa), organics will account for 17.5% by 2030 (c. 28.2 m ha), which is well short of the goal. To reach 25% by 2030, the growth rate needs to be ramped up to 10.7% pa growth (and reach a total of 40.6 m ha). About half (n = 15) of the 31 countries committed to the 25% goal, comprising the EU, EEA, and EFTA, have more than 10% organic agriculture. That offers a good foundation on which to build to the goal. The other half (n = 16) each have less than 10% organic agriculture; they offer opportunities for substantial uptake of organics. The EU has a 'Farm to Fork' strategy (F2F) with an 'Action Plan' comprising three 'Axes' and 54 'Actions' to achieve the 25% organic goal by 2030; however, milestones and waypoints are lacking. The EU goal is bold, but not as bold as the 100% organic goals of Sikkim, which has achieved its 100% goal, and Bhutan, which has not, and is stalled at 1% organic.
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European Journal of Agriculture and Food Sciences, 2024
Tunisia reports 279,389 hectares of certified organic agriculture, accounting for 2.87% of the co... more Tunisia reports 279,389 hectares of certified organic agriculture, accounting for 2.87% of the country's farmland. Most of Tunisia's organic production is exported. Organic olive oil accounts for 74% of organic exports, and organic dates for 22%. In 2021, Tunisia bid and won the right to host the Organic World Congress (OWC) 2024. After almost half a century of OWCs, the prospective OWS Tunis 2024 was to be the first such event to be held in Africa. It would be an opportunity to showcase Tunisian and African organics, and to provide a welcome impetus to grow the organics sectors of the country and the continent. In 2023, OWS Tunis 2024 was cancelled in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, the loss-making OWC Rennes 2021, and changed economic, political and social circumstances. The African continent is an under-performer in organics; 15 countries report no organics, 28 countries report less than 1% organics and only a single country reports greater than 5% (viz. São Tomé and Principe, 21.2%). Tunisia is an organics leader in Africa. The present paper tracks the stop-start growth of the organics sector of Tunisia over the past two decades.
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European Journal of Development Studies, 2024
Fifty Nordic pioneers of biodynamic (BD) agriculture, and hence of organic agriculture, are ident... more Fifty Nordic pioneers of biodynamic (BD) agriculture, and hence of organic agriculture, are identified. These individuals, from Norway (n = 23), Sweden (n = 12), Denmark (n = 10), and Finland (n = 5), joined the Experimental Circle of Anthroposophical Farmers and Gardeners in the years 1924-1946. These pioneers comprised both men (n = 35) and women (n = 14), with one member of undetermined gender. The Experimental Circle was headquartered at the Goetheanum, Dornach, Switzerland. One of these pioneers (Anna Wager-Gunnarson) attended the foundational course of biodynamic and organic agriculture, presented by Dr Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925), in eight lectures at Koberwitz (now Kobierzyce, Poland) in June 1924. The core element of the course was that agriculture was properly a biological rather than a chemical pursuit. The 'Agriculture Course' was subsequently issued (in German from 1926) as a subscriber-only published book to members (of the Anthroposophical Society) who joined the Experimental Circle. Each Circle member signed a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) and committed to testing the ideas of the course. A milestone was the 1938 book by Ehrenfried Pfeiffer, 'Bio-Dynamic Farming and Gardening,' which arguably released Experimental Circle members from their NDA. Nordic members joined progressively over the two decades following the Koberwitz course, with new memberships peaking in 1932 (n = 7), and continuing through the years of World War II (WWII). Biodynamic agriculture is still practiced in the Nordic countries of these pioneers, with Denmark presently accounting for 2,998 hectares, Sweden 873 ha, Norway 548 ha, and Finland 384 ha. The Nordic countries have developed strong organic sectors, with Sweden accounting for 610,543 ha of certified organic agriculture (which is 20.2% of its agricultural land), Finland 315,112 ha (14.4%), Denmark 299,998 (11.4%), and Norway 45,181 ha (4.6%). Iceland has no identified BD pioneers, presently no BD hectares, and 6,440 ha of organic agriculture (0.4% of total agriculture land). The identification of the 50 Nordic pioneers of the present paper provides recognition as early-adopters and invites further research on their life, legacy, and role in founding BD and organic agriculture in the region.
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European Journal of Sustainable Development Research, 2024
A century ago the New Age philosopher Dr Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925) called for the development of... more A century ago the New Age philosopher Dr Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925) called for the development of a differentiated. agriculture, one focussed on biology rather than chemistry. At his Agriculture Course at Koberwitz (now Kobierzyce), in the summer of 1924, Steiner founded the Experimental Circle of Anthroposophical Farmers and Gardeners. The Experimental Circle members each signed a non-disclosure agreement (NDA). Their task was to test Steiner's ideas, establish what worked, and to publish the results. That injunction was arguably satisfied by the publication of Ehrenfried Pfeiffer's book 'Bio-Dynamic Farming and Gardening' in 1938. The results reported in the present paper are Experimental Circle results that were subject to the secrecy provisions of the NDA at that time (1936), and are now finally revealed. Immanuel Voegele (1897-1959) recorded yields for five crops under Biodynamic (BD) management in the years 1931-1933, comparing these results to yields in the pre-BD years 1920-1926. He reported yield increases for potatoes to 55%, rye up to 48%, oats to 31%, wheat to 14%, and barley to 9%. Voegele was well credentialed and grounded to report on Biodynamics. He had studied agriculture at Stuttgart, he attended the Agricultural Course of Rudolf Steiner at Koberwitz, and he was an inaugural member of the Experimental Circle. Voegele had served as a farm manager at the Koberwitz estate of Count Carl Keyserlingk (1869-1928) (until 1925). He subsequently worked at the Biodynamic farm of Ernst Stegemann (1882-1943) at Marienstein. The present paper reports longitudinal yield results for five crops at Voegele's farm at Pilgramshain, Silesia, Germany, before and after the conversion to BD. These early BD yield data were shared amongst 'the faithful' at the time, and only now publicly. From the high point of his reported successes with BD, life and prospects for Voegele would rapidly deteriorate. The Nazi regime was hostile to Rudolf Steiner, Anthroposophy, and Anthroposophic ventures (of which Biodynamics was one). All books by Rudolf Steiner were banned by the Nazis in 1935 (including the Agriculture Course). Germany invaded Poland in 1939 and slaughtered millions of Polish civilians, before eventually in 1945 the Russian Army routed the Nazi army. The Russians marched on 'Fortress Breslau' and on to Berlin, sparking a mass westward exodus of Germans, including Immanuel Voegele. Territory, including Pilgramshain, was relinquished to Poland at the Potsdam Conference of 1945. Immanuel Voegele's legacy of reported successes with Biodynamics at a time when secrecy prevailed is now shared.
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Star & Furrow, 2023
The earliest editions of the Agriculture Course of Rudolf Steiner in English were hand typed and ... more The earliest editions of the Agriculture Course of Rudolf Steiner in English were hand typed and bound and shipped around the world by Marna Pease (1867-1947) (Fig.1). As the Centenary (in June 2024) of Koberwitz approaches, we ask: have any survived in the UK?
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Studies in Art and Architecture, 2023
When the New Age philosopher Dr Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925) arrived at the Dornach hill, a short t... more When the New Age philosopher Dr Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925) arrived at the Dornach hill, a short tram ride from Basel, Switzerland, it offered virtually a tabula rasa for his creative genius. Over the next little more than a decade (beginning 1913), Steiner populated this landscape with a multitude of new buildings in his unique organic architecture style. Having settled on Dornach as the site for his Anthroposophy headquarters with its centrepiece structure, the Goetheanum (the name came later), a colony of adherents, devotees, seekers, disciples, artists and artisans were drawn to Dornach. The integrity of the precinct has been maintained for a century and a visitor treading the hill will be in the footsteps of Rudolf Steiner and seeing his Anthropop colony much as he witnessed it in his own time. The buildings of the precinct range from the grand (the Goetheanum), the bold (Haus Duldeck), the curvaceous (the Glass House), the quaint (Haus Vreede), the ugly (Haus de Jaager), the utilitarian (the Schreinerei), the basic (the Atelier), the fanciful (Transformatorenhaus), the phallic (Heizhaus), and the monastic (Eurythmiehaus). Many tastes (and budgets) were catered for as Rudolf Steiner explored and invented his organic architectural style. Nearly a century after his death there are now more than 180 Anthropop buildings within the greater Goetheanum precinct, including the nearby villages of Dornach and Arlesheim. The present paper presents 21 views of the greater Goetheanum precinct. The building start dates are specified. Many of the buildings were designed by Rudolf Steiner (those are asterisked).
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Anthroposophical Society in America AGM, 2023
The Goetheanum is one of the great buildings of the world, and right next door is the Schreinerei... more The Goetheanum is one of the great buildings of the world, and right next door is the Schreinerei. In 1913, the Schreinerei was the first build of Dr Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925) on the hill at Dornach, Switzerland. The offer of the Dornach hill came in the wake of the failure to get building approval for the Goetheanum (then named the ‘Johannesbau’) in Munich, the expulsion from the Theosophy Society, and the founding of the Anthroposophy Society. Rudolf Steiner promptly set to work creating a precinct for Anthroposophy. The earliest buildings were of timber - the Glass House and the Goetheanum. The Schreinerei (carpentry workshop) was intended as a temporary structure, but it is a survivor, and has fulfilled important roles. As the shed of the Anthropop precinct, the Schreinerei has served the community variously as workshop, storage space, lecture hall, performance space for plays and Eurythmy, gathering place, retreat space, and the rudimentary studio was the final abode of choice of Rudolf Steiner for the six months of his bed-bound illness and finally of his death. Goetheanum I was short lived; it opened (uncompleted) on 26 September, 1920, and burned to the ground on 31 December, 1922. Goetheanum II was opened (uncompleted) on 29 September, 1928. In Rudolf Steiner’s time, most lectures and performances in Dornach were held in the Schreinerei. This shed has been a witness to the history of Anthroposophy since the founding of the Society.
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European Journal of Development Studies, 2023
Bhutan is a poor country with 51% of the population employed in agriculture, and little manufactu... more Bhutan is a poor country with 51% of the population employed in agriculture, and little manufacturing. Forests accounts for 71% of Bhutan, and agriculture 8%. The average landholding is 1.4 hectares per household. Many farmers practice 'traditional' farming using forest litter and farm yard manure. The inputs for chemical agriculture (synthetic fertilisers and pesticides) are generally imported and expensive. Bhutan announced a goal of 100% organic agriculture in 2006. Looking after the environment and animal welfare, and not poisoning insects and other living things are precepts congruent with Buddhism, the national religion of Bhutan. So, organic agriculture appears to be a 'good fit' for Bhutan. Yet, nearly two decades after declaring the 100% goal, there appears to have been near zero progress based on the parameter of certified organic agriculture. Longitudinal data of organic agriculture hectares for the past two decades reveal that the goal of 100% appears to be wishful thinking, with the reality of 1.09% organic agriculture. In the meantime, a neighbouring Indian state of India, Sikkim, with many geographic, climatic and demographic comparables, has achieved its goal of 100% organic. Sikkim is a blueprint of how to achieve 100% organic, while Bhutan is a blueprint for how not to (so far).
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Proceedings of the 1st International Scientific and Practical Internet Conference, 2023
If the price of Tasmanian Atlantic Salmon is extinction for the Maugean Skate, is the price too h... more If the price of Tasmanian Atlantic Salmon is extinction for the Maugean Skate, is the price too high? Macquarie Harbour is a tourist destination, a wilderness experience for off-the-beaten-track tourists. This harbour is protected by its remoteness-on the west coast of Tasmania, Australia's island state. Tasmania's protected UNESCO Wilderness World Heritage Area (WHAA) comprises 15,800 sq km, about a quarter of the state [1], and Macquarie Harbour is an aqua-jewel set on its Indian Ocean frontier. The harbour is protected not only by its isolation, but also by Hell's Gate, the narrow (120 m) and shallow entrance; treacherous for shipping and impassable for cruise ships. Sydney Harbour has been described as "the world's largest … natural harbour" [2] and it is indeed a massive and magnificent harbour (it is 55 square km), but it is dwarfed by Macquarie Harbour which is six times the size (315 square km). Invasive and non-native species are known to cause economic loss, ecosystem degradation, and drive extinctions. The time has come to shut down the industrial fish farms of Macquarie Harbour, for the survival of the Maugean Skate and for the health of the ecosystem of the Harbour.
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European Journal of Agriculture and Food Sciences, 2023
Ernst Stegemann (1882-1943) was the first biodynamic farmer. He was an Anthroposophist with a 375... more Ernst Stegemann (1882-1943) was the first biodynamic farmer. He was an Anthroposophist with a 375 acre (150 hectares) mixed farm at Marienstein, midway between Frankfurt and Hamburg, Germany. Stegemann attended the Agriculture Course at Koberwitz (now Kobierzyce, Poland) in June 1924 at which the New Age philosopher, Dr Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925), laid the historical foundations for biodynamic and organic farming. Stegemann was a founding member of the Experimental Circle of Anthroposophical Farmers and Gardeners which was founded by Steiner during the Koberwitz course. Prior to the Course, Steiner gave Stegemann some preliminary insights on agricultural practice. Steiner's injunction to the farmers and gardeners of the Experimental Circle was to test his "hints" for a new and then un-named agriculture, to establish what works, and then to publish the results, and thereby bring the 'era of secrecy' to a close. Until that point, members of the Circle were to maintain confidentiality of the Course and experiments. The present paper reveals some of the earliest results of putting Steiner's indications to the test. For Stegemann, over eight years, the annual yield for sugar beet show increases using Biodynamics of up to 26% (compared to the base year of 1923). The annual yield for "cereals" show increases using Biodynamics of up to 42% (compared to the base year of 1923). Stegemann's longitudinal yield data were presented in June 1931 to Experimental Circle members, under constraints of confidentiality, at his farm at Marienstein (in the then Province of Hanover; now in the German state of Lower Saxony), and now appear unbridled from those constraints of confidentiality.
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European Journal of Law and Political Science, 2023
Infant button battery injury and death (IBBID) is a known worldwide risk for preschool age childr... more Infant button battery injury and death (IBBID) is a known worldwide risk for preschool age children. An ingested button battery that lodges in a child's oesophagus will be fatal for the child if the button battery is not promptly removed. Button batteries of 20 mm diameter (e.g. CR2032) present a serious risk of such lodgement if ingested, they are in common usage (for example in many car key-fobs), and are readily available in supermarkets. Where such a button battery is removed (say by medical intervention) the child may be permanently disabled. It is the diameter of such button batteries (≥20 mm) that leads to lodgement and the electrical charge of such batteries that will cause tissue chemical burn, which, will likely be fatal if the burn creates a fistula (tunnel) through to an organ adjacent to the oesophagus (e.g., a tracheoesophageal fistula joins the windpipe and the gullet). Seven legal options for action are considered in the present paper, with ratings of cost, duration, and potential sources of funding (for the UK): Class action; Representative action; Individual action; Prevention of Future Death Report; Household insurance; Judicial review; and medical negligence. At present injured children 'suffer in silence' and some die, but if the harms of IBBID are sufficiently monetised, then it can be anticipated that the dangerous button batteries will price themselves out of the market and manufacturers and suppliers will seek alternatives (e.g. different size, different chemistry, different design).
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Global Society in Formation of New Security System and World Order: Proceedings of the 2nd International Scientific and Practical Internet Conference, 2023
Japan has a radioactive waste problem - more than 1.3 billion litres of radioactive water that ha... more Japan has a radioactive waste problem - more than 1.3 billion litres of radioactive water that has been used to cool the wreck of the Fukushima nuclear reactors. This Fukushima water (Fuku-water) is now stored on-site in tanks.The Fuku-water has been accumulated by Japan over the past 12 years - since three nuclear reactors of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant “went into meltdown” in 2011; there are now more than 1.3 million tonnes of contaminated water. There is a proposal that Japan will ‘dispose’ of its Fuku-water problem by pumping it into the Pacific Ocean over forthcoming decades. There is pushback to this plan from Japan’s fishing communities, and neighbours, including China, South Korea, North Korea, and island nations of the Pacific. It is incumbent on Japan to nationalise, not globalise, its Fuku-water problem. Japan needs to solve its nuclear waste problem at its own expense, on its own territory, and now - and not at the expense of the world and for generations to come. For Japan to use the world’s oceans as a dumping ground for its radioactive waste stockpile creates a dreadful precedent. We need to protect the oceans - not to use them as a convenient and free radioactive waste dump.
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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 2023
Marna Pease (1866-1947) was the founder of Biodynamic farming in Britain. The 'Anthroposophical A... more Marna Pease (1866-1947) was the founder of Biodynamic farming in Britain. The 'Anthroposophical Agricultural Foundation' (AAF) was inaugurated at the 'World Conference on Spiritual Science and its Practical Applications' (WCSS), London, July 1928, with Marna as the Honorary Secretary. Under the auspices of the AAF, Marna shepherded the fledgling Anglo Biodynamic (BD) movement through the turbulent times of the Great Depression (1929-1939), the Great Anthroposophy Purge (1935), and World War II (1939-1945). Marna stepped down in 1946. By that time there were reportedly over 400 members of the AAF. With Dr Carl Alexander Mirbt, she produced the first BD preparations in Britain at her home, Otterburn Tower, Northumberland. She took up the role of Honorary Secretary of both the AAF and the 'Experimental Circle of Anthroposophical Farmers and Gardeners'. The AAF initially operated out of Otterburn (315 miles north of London, 74 miles south of Edinburgh). Marna was a member of the Executive Council of the Anthroposophical Society in Great Britain. She relocated to the Old Mill House at Bray-on-Thames (30 miles west of London) in 1930. Marna typed, bound, and despatched copies around the world, of the English translation of Rudolf Steiner's 'Agriculture Course', to those who joined the Experimental Circle. She edited the first Biodynamics journal in English: 'Anthroposophical Agricultural Foundation Notes and Correspondence'. Marna provided members with the BD preparations and she published BD pamphlets. She established a showcase Biodynamic Garden and apiary at Bray-on-Thames. She recruited members, hosted visitors, and maintained an international correspondence with enquirers and members. Marna hosted Carl Mirbt (aka Mier) and his family, first at Otterburn and then at Bray. She hosted Dr Eugen Kolisko, Lilly Kolisko, and their daughter at Bray. Lilly's 'Biologisches Institut am Goetheanum' (Biological Institute at the Goetheanum) relocated from Stuttgart to Bray in 1935. Marna was fluent in German and she translated Steiner's 'Nine Lectures on Bees' (published 1933) and Lilly's 'The Moon and the Growth of Plants' (published 1938). Marna's legacy continues with the Biodynamic Agricultural Association (BDAA) in Britain, and with BD agriculture in the Anglo-sphere presently accounting for 30% of global BD agriculture.
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ISDRS Newsletter, 2023
Consumers purchase organic food to avoid pesticides. Data from the UK Department for Environment,... more Consumers purchase organic food to avoid pesticides. Data from the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs confirm the wisdom of this strategy. The study tested 373 samples of twelve different fruit and vegetables (UK grown and imported) for the presence of 398 different pesticides. Most (85%) of the non-organic fruit and vegetables tested contained pesticides, while most (86%) of the organic fruit
and vegetables tested did not contain pesticides.
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Proceedings of Russia-Ukraine War: Consequences for the World, 3rd International Scientific and Practical Internet Conference, March 2-3, 2023. WayScience, Dnipro, Ukraine, 2023
When Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February 2022, Russia was in breach of its assurances under the... more When Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February 2022, Russia was in breach of its assurances under the Budapest Memorandum, signed by Boris Yeltsin, on 5 December 1994 in Budapest. By the metric of nuclear warheads, three decades ago, Ukraine was a nuclear power, number three in the world, after Russia and USA. In consideration of Ukraine relinquishing its nuclear arsenal (n=c.2300), Russia, UK, and USA committed to:-respect the independence and sovereignty and the existing borders of Ukraine;-refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of Ukraine;-not to use nuclear weapons against any non-nuclear-weapon state party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. The proposition was straightforward - Ukraine relinquished its nuclear weapons for assurances of territorial integrity. The invasions by Russia, of Crimea in 2014 and on northern and western fronts of Ukraine in 2024 testify to the treachery of Russia vis-à-vis the Budapest Memorandum. At the time of writing, the Ukraine-Russia war has been raging for a year. The end is not in sight, the final outcome is uncertain. Volodymyr Zelenskyy has surprised many with his resoluteness, Vladimir Putin with his recklessness, the Ukrainian people and soldiers with their bravery under fire, the Russian military with their ineptness.
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Ch.1 in J. N. Bhakta & S. Rana (Eds.), Research Advancements in Organic Farming (pp. 1-17). New York: Nova Science Publishers., 2023
The de facto organic agriculture of millennia was disrupted by the arrival of synthetic fertilise... more The de facto organic agriculture of millennia was disrupted by the arrival of synthetic fertilisers and pesticides. The industrial-scale chemical explosives and poison gas production of World War 1 was, post war, promptly re-purposed as farm chemicals, synthetic fertilisers and pesticides. In 1924, the New Age philosopher, Dr Rudolf Steiner, called for a differentiated agriculture which eschewed synthetic chemicals, and relied on nature and biology rather than chemistry. By 1938, his Experimental Circle of devotees had tested and evolved his ideas into 'biodynamic farming'. Influenced by Rudolf Steiner's concept that 'the farm is an organism', Lord Northbourne coined the term 'organic farming', and, in 1940, he published 'Look to the Land', a manifesto of organic agriculture. He posited a contest of chemical agriculture versus organic farming, a contest that he foresaw may rage for decades or centuries. In the decades that followed, advocacy groups for biodynamics and organics proliferated. Five such entities (from France, Sweden, United Kingdom, South Africa and USA) came together in 1972 to form the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM). Organic agriculture is now practised in 187 countries, accounts for 72.3 million hectares of agriculture land, and is valued at US$123 billion per annum. Organic agriculture production has evolved to presently exclude: (i) synthetic fertilisers; (ii) synthetic pesticides; (iii) antibiotics and synthetic medications; (iv) irradiation; (v) genetically
modified organisms (GMOs); and (vi) nanotechnology. Consumers
report that they purchase organic food because it is better for them, better
for their children, better for the environment, and better for animals.
Certification has enabled the wide geographic distribution of organic
produce. Organic agriculture is growing at 11.5% per annum, and has
been growing at this rate over the past two decades. Organic agriculture
is thriving as a niche agriculture, accounting for 1.5% of global
agriculture. Can it achieve the vision of the early advocates of organic
agriculture to become the mainstream agriculture? The Indian state of
Sikkim is now 100% organic. A longitudinal graph of the growth
trajectory, and a world map of the distribution of organic agriculture, are
presented.
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European Journal of Theology and Philosophy, 2022
The Theosophical Society, founded in New York in 1875, was, at the turn of the Twentieth Century,... more The Theosophical Society, founded in New York in 1875, was, at the turn of the Twentieth Century, a global phenomenon with 100,000 members. New Age philosopher Dr Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925) was appointed as the first Secretary General of the German Section of the Theosophical Society on 19 October 1902. The Theosophical Society offered Rudolf Steiner a platform, a ready-made audience, infrastructure, and the insider experience of the world's leading New Age spiritual society. The success of the Theosophical Society demonstrated that there was a public appetite to hear about reincarnation, karma, maya, kamaloca, and other Eastern and alternative spiritual ideas. The Theosophical Society provided Rudolf Steiner with a capable, multilingual, and determined personal assistant, Marie von Sivers (1867-1948). For Rudolf Steiner, the Theosophical Society offered the ideal training ground for what would be, a decade later, his life's work, the Anthroposophical Society. Rudolf Steiner grew the membership of the German Section of the Theosophical Society from 377 in 1905 to 3,702 in 1913. He earned cash from ticketing of his lectures and his Mystery plays, and from book sales of his personal publishing house, 'Philosophisch-Theosophischer Verlag'. Another enterprise, the 'Johannes-Bau-Verein' (Johannes Building Association) was founded in 1911, independent of the Theosophical Society, to build a theatre in Munich to present Rudolf Steiner's plays. The building application was rejected by the Munich municipal authorities in 1912. The resistance to the proposed building in Munich provided an impetus for the move to build in Dornach, Switzerland. The Anthroposophical Society was founded on 28 December 1912 in Cologne, Germany. Most of the members of the German Section of the Theosophical Society followed Rudolf Steiner into the Anthroposophical Society. The Theosophical Society expelled Rudolf Steiner from the Society on 7 March 1913. The foundation stone for the Goetheanum (then still called the 'Johannesbau') was laid on 20 September 1913. The Theosophical Society had served as the ideal prototype and springboard for founding and growing the Anthroposophical Society.
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Papers by John Paull, PhD
“To mark the opening of our 100 years anniversary assembly,
Dr. John Paull, environmental scientist of the University of
Tasmania and distinguished expert on the history of biodynamic
and organic agriculture at global level, will take us on a journey
back to the original Koberwitz moment. We will get a taste of
what it was like to be part of Rudolf Steiner's Agriculture Course
back in 1924”.
Biodynamic Federation Demeter International (BFDI), June 2024
and vegetables tested did not contain pesticides.
modified organisms (GMOs); and (vi) nanotechnology. Consumers
report that they purchase organic food because it is better for them, better
for their children, better for the environment, and better for animals.
Certification has enabled the wide geographic distribution of organic
produce. Organic agriculture is growing at 11.5% per annum, and has
been growing at this rate over the past two decades. Organic agriculture
is thriving as a niche agriculture, accounting for 1.5% of global
agriculture. Can it achieve the vision of the early advocates of organic
agriculture to become the mainstream agriculture? The Indian state of
Sikkim is now 100% organic. A longitudinal graph of the growth
trajectory, and a world map of the distribution of organic agriculture, are
presented.
“To mark the opening of our 100 years anniversary assembly,
Dr. John Paull, environmental scientist of the University of
Tasmania and distinguished expert on the history of biodynamic
and organic agriculture at global level, will take us on a journey
back to the original Koberwitz moment. We will get a taste of
what it was like to be part of Rudolf Steiner's Agriculture Course
back in 1924”.
Biodynamic Federation Demeter International (BFDI), June 2024
and vegetables tested did not contain pesticides.
modified organisms (GMOs); and (vi) nanotechnology. Consumers
report that they purchase organic food because it is better for them, better
for their children, better for the environment, and better for animals.
Certification has enabled the wide geographic distribution of organic
produce. Organic agriculture is growing at 11.5% per annum, and has
been growing at this rate over the past two decades. Organic agriculture
is thriving as a niche agriculture, accounting for 1.5% of global
agriculture. Can it achieve the vision of the early advocates of organic
agriculture to become the mainstream agriculture? The Indian state of
Sikkim is now 100% organic. A longitudinal graph of the growth
trajectory, and a world map of the distribution of organic agriculture, are
presented.
Tasmania, Australia. The prime catchment area for such a school could
include Sorell, Lewisham, Dodges Ferry, Carlton, Primrose Sands et alia.
The author was invited to discuss the foundation of the first Steiner
school. The original Steiner school was founded jointly by the tobacco
industrialist Emil Molt (1876-1936) and the New Age philosopher Dr
Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925) in Stuttgart, Germany, in 1919. The Freie
Waldorfschule of Stuttgart is located on the Uhlondshöhe hillside
overlooking the city. It is a well appointed school, with interesting
architecture and a biodynamic garden, and it continues to develop.
Steiner schools are now established around the world and offer an
alternative to government schools. They are run independently, are coed,
some are K-12. The largest Steiner school in Tasmania is Tarremah
Steiner School, K-10, with about 300 students, located 20 km south of
the Hobart CBD. A Southern Beaches Steiner School (SBSS) could cater
for students to the east of the Hobart CBD.
In the late 1990s, and before Tasmania’s GM Moratorium was in place, there were Monsanto and Bayer field trial sites (n=57) of herbicide-resistant GM canola across the state. For the two decades since those GM trials finished, and while the GM Moratorium has been in place, the trail sites have been monitored by the state government because of “the likely persistence of GM canola seeds in the soil”.
Audit reports have been conducted annually by the Tasmanian Government. A timeline of the audit outcomes reveals that despite the efforts to exterminate the trial crops, GM canola has persisted in the environment, and, even after the passage of two decades, some trial sites still report the presence of volunteer (rogue) canola plants.
The conclusion is that a jurisdiction considering allowing GM crops, needs to consider GM crops as an invasive species and to put in place appropriate biosecurity mechanisms. Reversal of introduced GMOs can be expected to be difficult, and perhaps even impossible. A strategic plan of how a GMO introduction may be reversed needs to go hand in hand with any GMO approval and subsequent environmental release. To reinstate a GM-free environment, unless a strategic plan with a clearly formulated recall pathway, including a clear endpoint and assurances, is in place, a jurisdiction is left with ongoing auditing and/or extermination challenges.
technophobic High Court?; technophobic media? The place of GMOs in food, fibre and agriculture continues to be highly contested in Australia and globally.
The development of organic agriculture throughout Australia has been somewhat uneven. The map of organic agriculture in Australia, reveals that South Australia and Queensland are the standout leaders based on certified hectares. Western Australia is underperforming on this metric (as are also Victoria and Tasmania). The map of organic producers reveals good prospects for growth in organics hectares for Victoria and Tasmania (and the opportunity for growth in WA).
The prospects for organics are very favourable, with most adults agreeing with the proposition that it is unsafe to eat food grown with pesticides. Globally, substantial numbers of shoppers seek organic foods and avoid genetically modified (GM) foods.
Western Australia has 4.70 million hectares of certified organic land. This compares to 0.96 million hectares of GM crops (canola and cotton). There is a price premium for organic. In contrast, GM canola sells at a discount of about 10% compared to non-GM canola.
Western Australia has a long history of engagement with organics dating from 1928 when members of the Genoni family, including those who farmed near Broomehill and Kojonup, took up Rudolf Steiner’s biodynamic farming ideas.
The state of Sikkim in India has recently achieved the distinction of becoming the world’s first state to be 100% organic, with all farmers and all agricultural land now certified. Other states in India are following Sikkim’s lead. The Dominican Republic has taken an alternative path to growing organics, and it accounts for 55% of the world’s organic bananas.
The prospects for the growth of organics in WA are good. A new dedicated organics advocacy entity with a passion, a mission, a plan and a view to succession could well serve the cause of organics in WA, grow the sector, and enhance the perception of WA as a source of premium food and crops.
*Growth and yield of maize as affected by fertilizer types in the Southern Guinea Savannah, Nigeria, by A.I. Afe, K. Fasakin, D.O. Ogunbosoye & U. Kolade.
*Drivers of growth and sustainability for organic products: The case of
Australia, by Bruno Mascitelli & Duc Phan.
*Maps of Organic Agriculture in Australia, by John Paull & Benjamin Hennig.
* International, Open Access, Peer reviewed, Free
* Impact of the consumer’s environment on the demand for organic food in France, by Élise Maigné, Sylvette Monier-Dilhan & Thomas Poméon.
* A high yielding organic rice variety suited for coastal saline and non-saline fields: ‘Ezhome-2’, by Vanaja, T., Neema, V.P., Mammootty, K.P., Balakrishnan, P.C. & Jayaprakash Naik, B.
* Ileen Macpherson: Life and tragedy of a pioneer of biodynamic farming at Demeter Farm and a benefactor of Anthroposophy in Australia, by John Paull.
Special Issue
*The Anthroposophic Art of Ernesto Genoni by John Paull
*Comparative analysis of the use of organic and inorganic fertilizers by arable crop farmers in Ondo State, Nigeria by Oluwatosin O. Fasina.
*Identification of rice genotypes best suited for the development of organic varieties and identification of current varieties best suited for organic farming by G.A. Manjunatha, T. Vanaja, Jayaprakash Naik, A.S. Anil Kumar, & Namboothiri Raji Vasudevan.
*Atlas of Organics: Four maps of the world of organic agriculture by John Paull & Benjamin Hennig.
* Call for papers
* Dairy cattle management, health and welfare in smallholder farms: An
organic farming perspective by Charles Odhong’, Raphael Wahome, Mette Vaarst, Muhammad Kiggundu, Sylvia, Nalubwama, Niels Halberg & Samuel Githigia
* The first high yielding saline tolerant rice variety suited to the Kaipad tidal farming ecosystem of Kerala, India, suited for flood prone and water scarce environments: ‘Ezhome-1’ by T. Vanaja, V.P. Neema, K.P. Mammootty, P.C. Balakrishnan & B. Jayaprakash Naik
Soil microbial counts and performance of lowland rice (Oryza sativa L)
under two water regimes and organic soil amendments
Ngawang Chhogyel, Oscar B. Zamora & Bayani M. Espiritu
* Organic farming: The arrival of the dissident agriculture meme in Australia by John Paull
* Review: Good Food for all: Developing Knowledge Relationships between China and Australia by Sandra Grimes
* How to get your research published by John Paull.
* Consumer choice in context: Developing further understanding of organic buyer’s switching behaviour by J. Henryks & D. Pearson.
* Effect of organic extracts on the growth and flowering of marigold plants (Calendula officinalis L.) by Alaa E. Hassan, Karim M. Bhiah & Mushtaq T. H. Al-Zurfya.
* Response of fodder maize to the application of various organic manures prepared from Ipomoea muricate weed by Pratap Vyankatrao Naikwade.
* Influence of organic, mineral and organomineral fertilizers on growth, yield, and soil properties in grain amaranth (Amaranthus cruentus. L) by A. A. Olowoake.
* Phytochemical control of Radopholus similis in banana by Azadirachta indica and Allium sativum extracts by Ezra S. Bartholomew, Richard A.I. Brathwaite & Wendy-Ann P. Isaac.
* Ernesto Genoni: Australia’s pioneer of biodynamic agriculture by John Paull.
* Growth, yield and phosphorus-use efficiency of spelt wheat (Tritium aestivum ssp. spelta) compared with standard wheat (T. aestivum ssp. vulgare) in south- eastern Australia by J. Evans, R. Neeson, V. Burnett, D.J. Luckett, & N.A. Fettle.
* Attitudes of agricultural extension workers towards organic farming in Iran. Nematollah Shiri, Mojgan Faghiri, Amirhossein Pirmoradi & Hossein Agahi.
* Direct, residual and cumulative effects of organic manures and biofertilizers on yields, NPK uptake, grain quality and economics of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under organic farming of rice-wheat cropping system. Moola Ram, M. R. Davari & S.N. Sharma.
* Lord Northbourne, the man who invented organic farming, a biography. John Paull.
* Influence of the biofertiliser Seasol on yield of pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) cultivated under organic agriculture conditions. V. Vlahova & V. Popov.
* Development of organic indica rice cultivar (Oryza sativa L.) for the wetlands of Kerala, India through new concepts and strategies of crop improvement. T. Vanaja, K.P. Mammootty, & M. Govindan.
* Effect of poultry manure and plant population on productivity of fluted pumpkin (Telfaiaria occidentalis Hook F.) in Calabar, Nigeria. John Okokoh Shiyam & Walter Bisong Binang.
* Economics of organic versus chemical farming for three crops in Andhra Pradesh,
India. P. Sri Krishna Sudheer.
* Organic food: Exploring purchase frequency to explain consumer behaviour. David Pearson, Joanna Henryks, Parves Sultan & Tatiana Anisimova.
* Effects of crop residues and reduced tillage on microfauna abundance. M. Mutema, P. L. Mafongoya, I. Nyagumbo & L. Chikukura.
* Assessing the training needs of agricultural extension workers about organic farming in the North-Western Himalayas. Dinesh Singh Yadav, Pankaj Sood, Surender Kumar Thakur & Anil Kumar Chowdhary.
* The use of desalinated-dried jellyfish and rice bran for controlling weeds and rice yield. S.T. Hossain, H. Sugimoto, N. Asagi, T. Araki, H. Ueno, M. Morokuma & H. Kato.
* A long-term toxicology study on pigs fed a combined genetically modified (GM) soy and GM maize diet. Judy A. Carman, Howard R. Vlieger, Larry J. Ver Steeg, Verlyn E. Sneller, Garth W. Robinson, Catherine A. Clinch-Jones, Julie I. Haynes, & John W. Edwards.
* The economics of maize production under different cowpea-based green manure practices in the derived savanna zone of Nigeria - T.O. Fabunmi, & M.U. Agbonlahor
* A comparison of organic and chemical fertilizers for tomato production - H. Kochakinezhad, Gh. Peyvast, A.K. Kashi, J.A. Olfati
* The effect of combinations of organic materials and biofertilisers on productivity, grain quality, nutrient uptake and economics in organic farming of wheat - M.R. Davari, S.N. Sharma & M. Mirzakhani
* The effect of organic management treatments on the productivity and quality of lemon grass (Cymbopogon citrates) - P. Punam, Rameshwar Kumar, Sheetal Sharma & D. Atul
* Consumer concerns: is organic food important in an environmentally responsible diet? - David Pearson
* Book review: Book review: Rudolf Steiner - Alchemy of the Everyday - John Paull
* Dry season crop residue management using organic livestock repellents under conservation agriculture in Zimbabwe (Mutsamba, Nyagumbo & Mafongoya)
* Influence of fresh, composted and vermicomposted Parthenium and poultry manure on the growth characters of sesame (Sesamum indium) (Vijayakumari and Hiranmai)
* Evolution of technical efficiency scores from conventional to organic production: a case study of China’s paddy rice farmers in Wuchang City (Chen, Xin, Zhang, Zhao & Chien)
* The adoption of organic rice farming in Northeastern Thailand (Pornpratansombat, Bauer and Boland)
* Organic agriculture: a way forward to achieve gender equality in India (Subrahmanyeswari and Chander)
* A laboratory study of soil carbon dioxide emissions in a Vertisol and an Alfisol due to incorporating corn residues and simulating tillage (Bajgai, Kristiansen, Hulugalle and McHenry)
* Book Review (Paull, J.)