Arsenic in Meat Chickens6/7/2013 This is part of an email I got this morning from Marjory Wildcraft, author of Grow Your Own Groceries.
"I pointed out the chickens and mentioned to the parents “did you know that Tyson Foods is the worlds largest producer of chicken?” They didn’t know that of course. It was my opening and I pushed on. “Yes, it’s a tough business with a very thin profit margin of only about three percent”. The husband and wife looked at each other wondering where this conversation was going. I continued, “in the chicken business the most important, biggest thing, is the weight of the birds – the total sale amount depends on the total weight. So a common practice in the larger chicken operations is to add a tiny amount of arsenic to the chickens feed. It’s not enough to kill the chickens; it is just a tiny amount. But it gets into the chickens bodies and causes the cells of the chickens to swell and retain water – and wholla! The chickens weigh more. So a little bit of arsenic helps cut down on the cost of feed, and turns out to be a profitable thing to do. The thing is though, when you eat that chicken meat, you get the arsenic in your cells. Your cells swell and retain water. And you are thinking you are eating healthy because you choose chicken right? But by eating that chicken you will never be able to lose weight.” The two of them stood there a moment, thinking. The husband says slowly “they also feed those animals growth hormones to get them fatter and bigger more quickly and we are eating that too. And they give them anti-biotics… ” Now what do you think about eating chickens as part of healthy diet? Of course, we all know I am bit crazy for spreading the inconvenient truth. Just looked at this email from a neighbor who purchased our eggs and shared it with her nephew who practices the Paleo Diet. 
Here is a better picture: 
So what makes the difference?
The “life” makes the difference. Within a few minutes after clinical death, the process of biological death begins. Bodies of living organisms begin to decompose shortly after death. So for beginners, our chickens eat living organisms when possible. Not the dead, decomposed organisms that are humanly altered to maintain the appearance to be considered FEED. Our eggs at the time of purchase are most likely a living, breathing organism capable of hatching given the right temperature and humidity. Eggs from the store have been dead for weeks before you get your hands on them. Store bought eggs are legally required to be dead at the time of laying and by human intervention kept in a state of appearance that’s palatable. So apart from all the nutrition science debates aside, consider the possibility of not eating the “decomposed and preserved” and see what happens to your body. The UnNatural Natural Food Revolution4/19/2013 Everywhere I turn, there is natural food revolution. Everything is labeled all natural. So here is a list of all natural products you can eat for the brave among us. Yes, many of these chemicals are in your "ALL NATURAL" food produced by FOOD INC.
Acetal Acetaldehyde Acetaldehydee50%eineAlcohol,ePG Acetic Acid Acetone Acetoin Acetyl Propionyl Alcohol C-6 Alcohol C-7 Alcohol C-8 Alcohol C-10 Alcohol C-12 Aldehyde C-6 Aldehyde C-8 Aldehyde C-10 Aldehyde C-12 ( Lauric) Aldehyde C-14 Allyl Caproate Allyl Isothiocyanate ( Mustard Oil) Almond Oil, Bitter Anethole Anisic Aldehyde Anisyl Acetate Anisyl Acetone Anisyl Alcohol l-Arabinose Benzaldehyde Benzoic Acid Benzyl Acetate Benzyl Alcohol Benzyl Butryate Benzyl Cinnamate Benzyl Formate Benzyl Isobutyrate Benzyl Mercaptan Benzyl Phenylacetate Benzyl Propionate Benzyl Salicylate BittereAlmondeOile(exeApricoteKernel) l-Borneol Butyl-2-Methyl Butyrate Butyl Acetat Butyl Alcohol Butyl Isovalerate Butyl Lactate Butyraldehyde Butyric Acid Capric Acid Caproic Acid Caprylic Acid 4-Carvomenthenol I-Carveol d-Carvone l-Carvone Caryophyllene 1,8-Cineole Cinnamic Acetate Cinnamyl Acid Cinnamic Alcohol Cinnamic Aldehyde Cinnamyl Benzoate Cinnamyl Cinnamate Cinnamyl Isovalerate Citral Citronellal l-Citronellol Citronellyl Acetate Citronellyl Butyrate Citronellyl Propionate Cocolactone Cocotone 7500 (CO2 Extraction) Cocotone 8500 (CO2 Extraction) d-Decalactone d-Dodecalactone g-Decalactone Decanal Decanoic Acid 3-Decen-2-one Diacetyl Dihydro Cuminyl Aldehyde Dimethyl Anthranilate 2,5-Dimethyl-3-(2H)Furanone Dimethyl Pyrazine Dimethyl Sulfide (DMS) Estragole Ethyl Acetate Ethyl p-Anisate Ethyl Benzoate Ethyl Butyrate Ethyl Caprate Ethyl Caproate Ethyl Caprylate Ethyl Cinnamate Ethyl Decanoate Ethyl Formate Ethyl Heptanoate Ethyl Hexanoate Ethyl Isobutyrate Ethyl Isovalerate Ethyl Lactate Ethyl Laurate Ethyl Levulinate Ethyl-2-Methyl Butyrate Ethyl Myristate Ethyl Octanoate Ethyl Oenanthate Ethyl Oleate Ethyl Oxyhydrate ( Rum Ether) Ethyl Palmitate Ethyl Phenyl Acetate Ethyl Propionate Ethyl Pyruvate Eucalyptol Eugenol ( ex Bay) Eugenol ( ex Cinnamon Leaf) d-Fenchone Flerueol ( Strawberry Furanone) Formic Acid Furfural Furfuryl Acetate Furfuryl Alcohol Furfuryl Mercaptan Furfuryl-3-Methylbutyrate Furfuryl Propionate Geraniol Geranyl Acetate Geranyl Butyrate Geranyl Caproate Geranyl Caprylate Geranyl Isovalerate Geranyl Propionate Green Notes Guaiacol Guaiacyl Acetate Heliotropine Heptanal (Aldehyde C-7) 2-Heptanone (MAK) Heptyl Acetate cis-3-Hexenol cis-3-Hexenyl Acetate cis-3-Hexenyl Butyrate cis-3-Hexenyl Caproate cis-3-Hexenyl Isovalerate cis-3-Hexenyl Lactate cis-3-Hexenyl-2-Methyl Butyrate trans-2-Hexenal trans-2-Hexenol trans-2-Hexenyl Acetate Hexenol ( Alcohol C-6) Hexyl Acetate Hexyl Butyrate Hexyl-2-Methyl Butyrate Hexyl Phenyl Acetate Ionone, Alpha and Beta Ionone, Alpha Ionone, Beta Isoamyl Acetate Isoamyl Alcohol Isoamyl Butyrate Isoamyl Caprate (Decanoate) Isoamyl Caproate (Hexanoate) Isoamyl Caprylate (Octanoate) Isoamyl Cinnamate Isoamyl Isobutyrate Isoamyl Isovalerate Isoamyl Laurate Isoamyl Phenyl Acetate Isoamyl Propionate Isobutyraldehyde Isobutyl Acetate Isobutyl Alcohol Isobutyl Butyrate Isobutyl Caprate Isobutyl Caproate Isobutyl Caprylate Isobutyl Formate Isobutyl Isobutyrate Isobutyl Isovalerate Isobutyl Propionate Isobutyric Acid Isovaleraldheyde Isovaleric Acid Lactic Acid Lauric Acid Lauric Aldehyde Lauryl Acetate Leaf Alcohol Levulinic Acid d-Limonene l-Limonene l-linalool Linalool (ex BDR) Linalyl Acetate (ex BDR) Linalyl Acetate (ex Petitgrain) Linalyl Butryate (ex BDR) Linalyl Propionate (ex BDR) Maltol Maltone (Praline) d-Mannose Maple Lactone (MCP) Massoia Lactone p-Mentha-1.8-Dien-7-al l-Menthol Menthyl Acetate Methyl Amyl Ketone Methyl Anthranilate Methyl Benzoate 3-Methyl Butanol 3-Methyl Butyraldehyde Methyl Caproate Methyl Cinnamate Methyl Cyclopentenelone (MCP) Methyl Heptanoate Methyl Heptenone Methyl Heptyl Ketone Methyl Isobutyrate Methyl Isovalerate Methyl Laurate Methyl-N-Methyl Anthranilate Methyl Nonyl Ketone Methyl Phenyl Acetate Methyl Salicylate Methyl Sulfide Mustard Oil (Allyl Isothiocynate Myristic Acid Naringin Neral Nerol Nerolidol Neryl Acetate Neryl Isobutyrate Neryl Propionate 2-Nonanone (Methyl Heptyl Ketone) Nootkatone Ocimene g-Octalactone Octanal 1-Octanol 3-Octanol 1-Octene-3-ol 1-Octyl Acetate 3-Octyl Acetate 1-Octyl Butyrate 1-Octyl-2-Methyl Butyrate 1-Octyl Isobutyrate 1-Octyl Isovalerate 1-Octyl Octanoate 1-Octyl Propionate Oleic Acid Orange Aldehydes Palmitic Acid Perilla Aldehyde alpha-Phellandrene Phenyl Acetic Acid Phenyl Ethyl Acetate Phenyl Ethyl Alcohol Phenyl Ethyl Benzoate Phenyl Ethyl Butyrate Phenyl Ethyl Caproate Phenyl Ethyl Cinnamate Phenyl Ethyl Formate Phenyl Ethyl Isobutryate Phenyl Ethyl Isovalerate Phenyl Ethyl 2 Methyl Butyrate Phenyl Ethyl Octanoate Phenyl Ethyl Phenylacetate Phenyl Ethyl Propionate Pineapple Pulegone Pyrazines Pyruvic Acid Raspberry Ketone Raspberry Ketone, Methyl Ether l-Rhamnose Rhodinol Rhodinyl Acetate Rhodinyl Butyrate Rhodinyl Formate d-Ribose Rum Ether (Ethyl Oxyhydrate) Sclareol Sinensal d-Sorbitol Strawberry Furanone (Fleureol) Tannic Acid Tartaric Acid Alpha Terpineol g-Terpinene Terpinyl Acetate Terpinyl Butyrate Terpinyl Formate Terpinyl Propionate Tetramethyl Pyrazine Thiomenthone Thymol Trimethyl Pyrazine g-Undecalactone Valencene Vanilla Absolute (CO2 Extraction) Vanillin-c As tax season dawns upon us, many investors are searching for tax-saving strategies. One that is often misunderstood is the 1031 like-kind exchange that an American can use to defer capital gains taxes on investment real estate profits.
Many real estate and tax experts still think that you can't do a like-kind exchange with foreign real estate. You can. The question is whether or not you should. First, some background. A 1031 like-kind exchange is a section of the U.S. tax code that allows for investment property, real estate or otherwise, to be exchanged for similar investment property. You can exchange a piece of factory equipment for another piece of factory equipment…or you can exchange a commercial building for a residential apartment building (that is, investment real estate for investment real estate). Of course, generally speaking, things like factory equipment don't appreciate over time, whereas real estate can. Therefore, the ability to exchange an appreciated property for another property and thereby defer the capital gains taxes (both on the absolute appreciation and any recaptured depreciation that would have occurred with a sale) can be an excellent tax-planning tool. U.S. real estate investors are generally well aware of the benefits of 1031 like-kind exchanges. A whole real estate industry has evolved around the concept. However, many don't realize they can do an exchange with foreign property. The catch is that you can't exchange a U.S. property for a foreign one under the 1031 rules. It has to be U.S. for U.S. or foreign for foreign. In other words, you must make your first foreign real estate investment…and then think about like-kind exchanging it for another when you're ready to execute your exit strategy. You could exchange a rental apartment in Buenos Aires for a farm in New Zealand…or a ranch in Uruguay for a beach house in Puerto Vallarta. Of course, it isn't a literal exchange. You don't have to find a farmer in New Zealand who wants an apartment in Buenos Aires. However, you do have to follow the 1031 rules carefully. These include certain timelines for identifying properties you want to buy as part of the exchange and for closing on the selected new property. In addition, it's very important to understand that you can't actually touch (that is, take possession of) any proceeds from the sale of the original property. You have to use a qualified intermediary to hold the proceeds from the sale of the first property for you and then pass them along to the seller of the property for which you are exchanging. You can find the specifics for the rules online at any number of sites specializing in 1031 exchanges. Many investors get excited when they learn they can do an exchange with a foreign investment property. However, as I mentioned, it's a great opportunity in theory, but not always in practice. While deferring your U.S. capital gains taxes is obviously beneficial, you don't want to end up deferring U.S. taxes (meaning you have to pay them later) when you could get a credit against them today and avoid them altogether. For example… If you sell an investment property in Spain for a profit, you'll owe capital gains taxes to the Spanish government (a tiered rate starting at 21%). U.S. capital gains taxes can be 0% if you have low enough income, but most likely you'll be at the 15% tax rate on your capital gains (note it could be as high as 20%). Therefore, because you must pay the Spanish government at least 21%, you can be better off in the long run taking that as a credit against the 15% tax due to Uncle Sam, rather than doing a 1031 like-kind exchange and deferring the U.S. capital gains tax. Obviously, if you're selling a property in a country that doesn't charge capital gains taxes (New Zealand, for example), then doing the exchange makes sense for your U.S. tax purposes. You also have to weigh the expense of doing the exchange against the potential U.S. capital gains tax. The cost of exchanging a U.S. property for a U.S. property exchange can be minimal…as little as US$495 through do-it-yourself websites. However, a foreign-for-foreign exchange will likely cost you more, maybe as much as US$1,500, meaning that, at the current capital gains tax rate of 15%, you break even only if your gain is US$10,000 or more. For smaller properties and smaller profit gains, an exchange may not make sense. Lief Simon Being a veteran of the IT industry gives one unique insights into global business as IT is the quintessential melting pot of resources from all over the world, unlike any other.
So after being a full-time permaculture farmer for over a year now, I have embarked on a journey to India. Soon Danny (20), Cole (27) and Cody (28), all of Bel Air will be joining me. While I am a student of Joel Salatin and Polyface Farm, I am only an amateur farmer. However, I grew up on a Plantation in India being exposed to various operational responsibilities while still in grade school acquiring proficiency in many areas before migrating to the US while in High School. I am writing this with the hope that someone in the US who has knowledge about sustainable agriculture operations can educate me, how we may replicate locally what we are doing in India. I know off tremendous international financial incentives to Countries like Costa Rica, in planting trees to combat Global Warming. Since the scope of work in India is similar in nature, if any one knows the intricacies of working with organizations to duplicate such incentives for India, please let me know. All the numbers that I discuss herewith are averages. There are variations on both extremes when running a Rubber (Hevea brasiliensis) Plantation, a member of the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae. I am very fascinated by Rubber, not only because of the nostalgia, but it is extremely profitable, while sustainable and massively green. Plus you are helping fight Al Qaeda, as natural rubber is a formidable alternative to petroleum based synthetic rubber. Any time, I can get rid of Petroleum, I am all over it. I am sure, most of my readers will want to know, how much money there is in the business of starting a Rubber Plantation and since many of us do not have millions of dollars to start a new initiative, I am going to be talking about small acreage farming. With the USD near all time high, ten acres of land in certain parts of India can still be purchased for under $50K. However, land of this nature is fast disappearing and I myself would gobble up all I can, if I could. Fencing, land prep, planting, drip irrigation, maintenance and the likes will double that amount by the time the Rubber trees reach maturity in 7 years. Now begins the fun part. You can reasonably expect to make an average net profit of $50,000 dollars annually for the next 25 to 30 years, while being an outstanding steward of the environment. I cannot think of a better use of money. Period. The fun just doesn't end there. In 25 to 30 years, while the Rubber trees are no longer viable for harvest, the wood (timber) alone will be worth your initial investment plus the cost of starting all over again. OK, so you are wondering, what happens if you don’t want to be farmer for the next 30 years? No problem there either. Locals will gladly pay 3 to 4 times your original investment for an operating plantation. There are many socio economic reasons for this, but that needs to be saved for another blog. While the land is becoming scarce by the day, value nearly doubles every two to three years with no end in sight. We are not talking about a real estate bubble either. That’s because, with nearly a billion and a quarter people and a growing percentage of them all over the world, like me, the consumer economy of India is diversified like no other. The social support system and an increasingly spreading out nucleus families, ensures that the trend will continue for perhaps another 100 years or more. Brings me back to my original thought… Are there areas of the United States that’s suitable for Rubber? I am nearly certain countries like Mexico, Costa Rica and Brazil is well suited for Rubber. So how come wealthy investors don’t consider sustainable investments of this nature in those countries? Perhaps, massive US investments in Sustainable Agriculture is the way to fight the Illegal Immigration and Drug Cartels, not guns and artificial walls. A growing local economy in countries like Mexico will prevent illegal immigration to the US. I spend quite a bit of my time with a large number of 20 somethings here at StartupVillage.in and not a single one looks forward to leaving India or has the time for listening to religious fanatics. Thats proof enough people don't look forward to being an illegal immigrant, when they have opportunities at home. Perhaps all the money we waste on the "Speak English" signs that litter the area can make a significant difference to Global Warming, Illegal Immigration, Drug Trade and even Terrorism. Sustainable Ag: Some numbers you need to know about Rubber Plantations.
In the previous article I talked about the cost of land. Obviously land cost varies and farm land suitable for Rubber is not readily available everywhere. Further the cost of labor may or may not make it a practical proposition in many countries. Most of my own experience is limited to India, when it comes to natural rubber. The first and foremost obstacle I hear to Rubber Plantation is the gestation period of nearly 7 years. The farmer will have to invest his nearly non-existent capital with no new revenue coming for 7 years. Your average farmer cannot afford this. The other argument is, the competing opportunities available for investors with sufficient capital. I have been talking to others in corporate India who consistently look for 45% annual return on their capital. Now, as a passive investor you will be hard pressed to create that type of return, but it’s quite possible for individuals very active in managing their own business portfolios. So the power of compounding at 45% is a formidable barrier to entry into sustainable Ag with its very long gestation period. Sustainable Ag Rubber Plantations require great deal of patience as it takes nearly 7 years to create cash flow from operations. However, professional management of plantation operations can routinely create cash flow from the very first year using complementary intercrops during the first few years, but that will require additional investments beyond the scope of this article. One acre of land in the ideal world is about 209 x 209 Square Feet. Spacing seedlings about 10 feet apart and each rows about 20 feet apart is an acceptable practice in Rubber planting resulting in approximately 218 trees in an Acre. Various clones of Rubber exist with varying level of productivity based on various environmental qualities. Even many Rubber farmers do not understand this phenomenon. For instance, when I was a youngster the most modern clone was the RRII-105 which in ideal conditions yielded less than 1500 Kg/Hectare. Well, everyone who planted one hoped for ideal production, but that just cannot be. Then the price dropped and they cut down the trees to move on to the next opportunity. Professional farmers understand that modern clones such as the USM-1 can yield nearly double the rate of RRII-105 in average conditions and rubber market price closely follow Crude Oil. Synthetic rubber is a byproduct of petroleum and the reason why Rubber follow Crude pricing. Further, knowledgeable farmers know things like a curved stem on a modern clone is a feature and not a defect of the plant. In the past, they would cull such seedlings. Crude Oil is a commodity with limited supply and therefore, the future of natural Rubber is to my understanding better than being an Oil Barron. So if you missed out on the Dakota oil boom, you can create your own fortune in natural rubber and compete successfully with Oil. If you don’t believe that money grows on trees, you haven’t learned about Rubber Plantations. Many would be farmers look for the cheapest land to plant Rubber, and then complain about the yield. Like any business, you get from Rubber what you put into it. A $100K investment in small scale sustainable Ag of Rubber Plantations with yields like mentioned in USM-1 clone can well exceed $50K annually after the plant maturity period of 7 years or so. In addition, the underlying real estate asset doubles in value every 2 to 3 years while producing farms are priced at 3 to 4 times as much. I am not even using inflation adjusted numbers and I believe you will be hard pressed to find a better investment than Sustainable Ag. Bottom line is, if you care about the environment and want to do something about issues such as Global Warming or making sure your kids have clean air to breathe, then you owe it to yourself to understand opportunities that exist in sustainable Ag. Consider Ag, the next time pollutionary investment opportunities comes calling. Author
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