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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
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Ecological Society of America Oral History Collection
Subject
The topic of the resource
Ecology
Societies--History, organization, etc
Agriculture and Industry
Description
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Dennis H. Knight, a member of ESA’s Historical Records Committee, was the initial organizer of this collection, which helps document the history of ecology and the Ecological Society of America. The interviews were done by various ESA members and will continue into the future as the opportunity arises.<span> <br /><br /></span>Interview notes were written by Knight and others.<br /><br />All interviews in this collection have been indexed in OHMS.
Creator
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Ecological Society of America Historical Records Committee
Publisher
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Richard B. Russell Library for Political Research and Studies
Date
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2012-ongoing
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http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Format
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Oral histories
Identifier
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RBRL416ESA
Coverage
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United States
Oral History
A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge.
OHMS Object
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https://purl.libs.uga.edu/russell/RBRL416ESA-012/ohms
OHMS Object Text
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5.3 Interview with George Woodwell, May 20, 2015 RBRL416ESA-012 RBRL416ESA Ecological Society of America Oral History Collection Richard B. Russell Library for Political Research and Studies, University of Georgia George Woodwell Richard Houghton oral history 0 Kaltura audio < ; iframe id=" ; kaltura_player" ; src=" ; https://cdnapisec.kaltura.com/p/1727411/sp/172741100/embedIframeJs/uiconf_id/26879422/partner_id/1727411?iframeembed=true& ; playerId=kaltura_player& ; entry_id=1_75y6ov85& ; flashvars[localizationCode]=en& ; flashvars[leadWithHTML5]=true& ; flashvars[sideBarContainer.plugin]=true& ; flashvars[sideBarContainer.position]=left& ; flashvars[sideBarContainer.clickToClose]=true& ; flashvars[chapters.plugin]=true& ; flashvars[chapters.layout]=vertical& ; flashvars[chapters.thumbnailRotator]=false& ; flashvars[streamSelector.plugin]=true& ; flashvars[EmbedPlayer.SpinnerTarget]=videoHolder& ; flashvars[dualScreen.plugin]=true& ; & ; wid=1_gwio011y" ; width=" ; 304" ; height=" ; 231" ; allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozAllowFullScreen frameborder=" ; 0" ; title=" ; Kaltura Player" ; > ; < ; /iframe> ; English 40 Early life and education So how did your growing up lead you to become an ecologist? Woodwell talks about growing up on a small farm in Maine, and then going to Dartmouth College to study biology. After graduation he joined the Navy before attending Duke University for graduate school. Doug Wade ; Dwight Billings ; Harvard ; Henry Oosting ; mid-Atlantic ridge 17 323 Important career milestones How do you feel about listing some of the important milestones you see in your career and how they happened to occur? Woodwell discusses working at the University of Maine, where he studied the effects on DDT in the spruce budworm. He later went to the Brookhaven National Lab in Long Island to study their use of DDT to control mosquitoes and the effects of ionizing radiation. He also talks about the effects humans have on climate change. conservation foundation ; ecosystem production ; environmental defense fund ; food chains ; food webs ; half-lives ; mosquito control commission ; systematic impoverishment 17 847 Changes in discipline of ecology In the years you've been doing ecology of one kind or another, the world has changed. Woodwell discusses how ecology has changed since he has been active in the field. He talks about issues like contamination and nuclear weapons, and expresses his view that we need to stop using fossil fuels and that government regulations are necessary. biology ; chemistry ; communities ; Duke ; Dwight Billings ; ecotypes ; Exxon ; Hal Mooney ; industrial waster ; nuclear weapons ; oil compaines 17 1262 Origin of ESA as an organization So the last set of questions here have to do more with the Ecological Society of America. Woodwell discusses the idea behind creating the Ecological Society of America (ESA), saying that starting in the 1970s they began to recognize that ecologists have a responsibility to work with the government to protect individuals by providing them with clean water, air, etc. He talks about how he tried to help give ESA a better administrative focus during his presidency, which eventually lead to the opening of ESA's Washington, D.C. office. corporate interests ; ecosystems ; military interests ; The Institute of Ecology ; Woods Hole Research Center 17 No transcript. Resources may be used under the guidelines described by the U.S. Copyright Office in Section 107, Title 17, United States Code (Fair use). Parties interested in production or commercial use of the resources should contact the Russell Library for a fee schedule. audio 0 RBRL416ESA-012.xml RBRL416ESA-012.xml http://purl.libs.uga.edu/russell/RBRL416ESA/findingaid
Location
The location of the interview
Woods Hole, Massachusetts
Duration
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27 minutes
Repository
Name of repository the interview is from
Richard B. Russell Library for Political Research and Studies
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
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Interview with George Woodwell, May 20, 2015
Identifier
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RBRL416ESA-012
Creator
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George Woodwell
Richard Houghton
Format
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audio
oral histories
Subject
The topic of the resource
Insecticides
DDT (Insecticide)
Environmental policy
Politics and Public Policy
Description
An account of the resource
George Woodwell is the founder of the Woods Hole Research Center and was the president of the Ecological Society of America from 1977 to 1978. In this interview, he talks about studying the effects of DDT at the University of Maine and the Brookhaven National Lab on Long Island. He also discusses the ESA’s role in policymaking and the Washington Office.<br /><br />
<h3>Interview notes</h3>
While spending part of his time on a small family farm in Maine, George became interested in the basis of human welfare. He went to Dartmouth, which at the time had a “college naturalist,” Doug Wade. He took an interest in students like him. George majored in “biology and the out of doors.” With Wade, he experienced bogs, peregrine falcons, and other things for the “pure joy of being outdoors.”<br /><br />George joined the Navy after graduating from Dartmouth and describes his experiences mapping the mid-Atlantic ridge on an ocean survey vessel. He felt fortunate to have had that experience. <br /><br /><strong>Development as an ecologist</strong><br /><br />George applied to Duke and Harvard and was accepted to both schools. Duke offered him a “job” where he could study with Oosting and Billings. It was an excellent choice, he said, but he didn’t describe much about his time there.<br /><br /><strong>Milestones in his career</strong><br /><br />After Duke, George joined the faculty at the University of Maine, where he encountered the spruce budworm, which was being controlled with DDT. He did a little research on DDT there. After three years, he went to Brookhaven National Lab on Long Island, and there too they were using DDT to control a mosquito. They found DDT residue in “organisms at every level.” He describes his research on DDT. Other options for mosquito control were available, such as ditching marshes. Eventually, DDT was abandoned there, for good reason, as other methods of mosquito control were possible. It was the beginning of conservation law pertaining to DDT.<br /><br />George went to Brookhaven to set up research on the ecological effects of ionizing radiation, an early study on the effects of this kind of disturbance. He briefly describes some of that work.<br /><br />George came to realize how important the ecological sciences were in the governmental sphere. Human effects on the biosphere became a theme for him and others. They focused on “ecosystem metabolism,” such as carbon fixation, disruptions in the carbon cycle, and the role of forests. That led to his work on the role of humans in affecting climate change. He explains that restored vegetation takes carbon out of the atmosphere.<br /><br />He does not describe his move to MBL, nor his subsequent establishment of the Woods Hole Research Center, nor does he describe his role in establishing NGOs like the Environmental Defense Fund and the Natural Resources Defense Fund.<br /><br /><strong>How has ecology changed over the years?</strong><br /><br />Ecology has expanded enormously into new issues. He describes the research underway at Duke while he was there, including Billings, Mooney, and others, on species and communities, which George came to think of as part of the larger systems. Together the plants and animals built a worldwide system that, regrettably, humans are “driving into impoverishment.”<br /><br />He says, "It's possible to contaminate the entire earth with one bomb.” This led to international appeals to restrict nuclear weapon testing. Atmospheric cycles and redistributions of all kinds of waste into the atmosphere were a new realm for ecology.<br /><br />“Biology and Ecology have a set of rules which are absolutely inviolable in the sense that we can’t build systems that systematically contaminate air, water, and land, and still expect air, water, and land to support the life that evolved with a world of different chemistry. That’s just not going to work, so it’s time to backup, to back off from that, and decide that we have to honor the basic ecology of the earth.”<br /><br />“The concept of the ecosystem has been built into a concept of the biosphere, all within our own time.”<br /><br />Rules are needed to protect Earth, so that Earth “has the potential to support dense populations of people.”<br /><br />"We didn’t even realize how serious those issues of contamination are.”<br /><br />Corporate interests now realize, informally if not outright, that they are diminishing the Earth. He describes examples. The fossil fuel industry is no longer helping human welfare and government regulations are necessary.<br /><br /><strong>Development of ESA Washington Office</strong><br /><br />ESA and ecology changed from being largely taxonomic and descriptive to global, and all that has to do with the long-term welfare of people, clean air, and water, which was a fundamental responsibility of government. Ecologists are now defining what is necessary to sustain the biosphere. Chemical disruption is a serious matter that has to be attended to by the government. There are no challenges to the purpose of government. Corporate or military interests are different, often at odds, and this has changed a lot in his time.<br /><br />“I’m not at all bashful in saying that the responsibilities of ecologists have exploded and that we as ecologists/scientists who don’t accept those responsibilities are delinquent and are certainly not living up to the potential of our time.” ESA began to recognize this in the 1970s.<br /><br />George tried to help give ESA a better administrative focus, which led eventually to the Washington Office.<br /><br />New institutes dedicated to ecology and ecosystems were developed “here and there.” Some succeeded and some, like TIE, failed for various reasons. <br /><br />“We have much to be proud of and much further to go.”
Date
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2015-05-20
Rights
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http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Type
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sound
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
United States
OHMS
-
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Mississippi Agriculture Oral History Collection
Subject
The topic of the resource
Agriculture
Mississippi--History
Agriculture and Industry
Description
An account of the resource
The Mississippi Agriculture Oral History Collection is comprised of interviews whose research focus is on the environmental, social, and technological aspects of agricultural change in the Yazoo-Mississippi Delta. Interviews were conducted with a variety of subjects, including large-scale and small-scale farmers, former agricultural workers, civil rights activists, extension agents, and agro-industrial sector workers, documenting their experience of the agricultural industrialization process during the mid to late twentieth century.<br /><br /><span>The Mississippi Agriculture Oral History Collection was donated to the Russell Library in 2017 by Brian Williams, a doctoral candidate in the Geography Department at the University of Georgia. All interviews were conducted by Williams as primary source research, spanning across various states in the southeastern United States, including Mississippi, Tennessee, and Georgia.<br /><br /><a href="http://georgiaoralhistory.libs.uga.edu/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=&range=&collection=16&type=&tags=OHMS&featured=&subcollections=0&subcollections=1&submit_search=Search+for+items">View all OHMS indexed interviews in this collection here.</a><br /></span>
Publisher
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Richard B. Russell Library for Political Research and Studies
Date
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2016
Rights
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http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Format
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Oral histories
Identifier
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RBRL420MA
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Mississippi
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Brian Williams
Oral History
A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge.
OHMS Object
Contains the OHMS link to the XML file within the OHMS viewer.
https://purl.libs.uga.edu/russell/RBRL420MA-001/ohms
OHMS Object Text
Contains OHMS index and/or transcript and is what makes the contents of the OHMS object searchable.
5.4 Interview with Clyde Sartor, July 26, 2016 RBRL420MA-001 RBRL420MA Mississippi Agriculture Oral History Collection Richard B. Russell Library for Political Research and Studies, University of Georgia Clyde Sartor Brian Williams oral history 0 Kaltura audio < ; iframe id=" ; kaltura_player" ; src=" ; https://cdnapisec.kaltura.com/p/1727411/sp/172741100/embedIframeJs/uiconf_id/26879422/partner_id/1727411?iframeembed=true& ; playerId=kaltura_player& ; entry_id=1_d56vse4u& ; flashvars[localizationCode]=en& ; flashvars[leadWithHTML5]=true& ; flashvars[sideBarContainer.plugin]=true& ; flashvars[sideBarContainer.position]=left& ; flashvars[sideBarContainer.clickToClose]=true& ; flashvars[chapters.plugin]=true& ; flashvars[chapters.layout]=vertical& ; flashvars[chapters.thumbnailRotator]=false& ; flashvars[streamSelector.plugin]=true& ; flashvars[EmbedPlayer.SpinnerTarget]=videoHolder& ; flashvars[dualScreen.plugin]=true& ; & ; wid=1_kuhh7bbi" ; width=" ; 304" ; height=" ; 231" ; allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozAllowFullScreen allow=" ; autoplay * ; fullscreen * ; encrypted-media *" ; frameborder=" ; 0" ; title=" ; Kaltura Player" ; > ; < ; /iframe> ; English 12 Growing up in Mississippi So Dr. Sartor, could you state your full name and tell me a bit about yourself, just to get started? Sartor talks about his experience at the University of Mississippi, where he received a bachelor's of science and a masters in biology. Sartor adds that he received a PhD in entomology at Mississippi State University. Sartor shares that after graduation, he later became the designated cotton entomologist for the state of Mississippi before he came to work at a Elba Laboratories where he gathered data as a researcher for cotton development. Sartor talks about his parent's careers ; his father was the manager of a grocery story, and his mother was the manager of a women's clothing store. Sartor describes his hometown of Water Valley, Mississippi as a close-knit, quiet community. Sartor recalls that he was often involved in nature related activities such as fishing and hunting, and always had an interest in agriculture. Elba Laboratories ; Entomology ; Hinds Community College ; Mississippi State ; Thomas Edwards ; University of Mississippi ; Water Valley, Mississippi 17 389 Cotton scouting / Cotton crop pesticides I was fortunate enough to have a man living in Water Valley that was one of the first professional... Sartor explains how Tom Edwards, one of the first professional agricultural consultants for the state of Mississippi, taught him about agriculture. Sartor explains that his experience with Tom Edwards was one of his earliest experiences in agricultural consulting. Sartor explains that he first started scouting cotton fields with Edwards in 1962, during which he observed the harm caused to fields by the Boll Weevil. Sartor explains cotton farming as manually intensive labor, though much of the process of cotton picking was mechanical. Sartor talks about the many forms of pesticides used in the 60's including DDT, powder and liquid pesticides, and methylpyridine. He explains the use of ground machines, including high clearance rigs for pesticide control. 3-methylpyridine ; Boll Weevil ; DDT (pesticide) ; Thomas Edwards 17 944 Pesticide application machinery / DDT In fact, I've seen those three-wheel drive Haehs turned over... Sartor explains that the three-wheel drive Haehn (a pesticide application machine) was less stable than the similar four-wheel drive Haehn. Sartor then recalls that, during his cotton scouting days, there were few irrigation systems in place for cotton fields, as too much water would cause cotton plants to grow too tall and eventually rot on the highest parts of the plant. Sartor recalls that throughout his career, boll weevils were the most prominent pest for cotton fields. He explains that other pests including lupers, spider mites, bud worms, and boll worms also disrupted crop production, though not to the extent of the boll weevils. Sartor states that most of the client farmers of today tend to mis-apply insecticide against the wish of consultants. Sartor explains his belief that DDT is not as potent to the environment as proclaimed by environmentalists. Sartor recalls that DDT was targeted in 1970's by environmentalists as it was one of the most commonly used insecticides. boll weevil ; boll worms ; bud worm ; DDT ; Insecticide ; irrigation ; spider mites 17 1338 Potency of DDT / Exposure to insecticide So you said DDT wasn't that potent, of course... Sartor explains his belief that DDT was not as potent to the environment as proclaimed by environmentalists. Sartor opines that utilizing DDT as a insecticide could have prevented the outbreak of diseases such as the Zika virus, which is carried through mosquitoes. Sartor talks about how people served as flagmen for the planes that sprayed insecticide over the crops. He also talks about how he believes his exposure to insecticide seems to not have caused chronic health issues, though he doesn't recommend walking through fields after recent insecticide application. Sartor relates an interaction with cotton choppers (a mostly African American population) who he states were verbally abusive, due to what he claims was " ; racial factors" ; . DDT (pesticide) ; insecticide ; Silent Springs ; World Health Organization ; Zika Virus 17 1806 Emergence of herbicides / Aero pesticide application And so over the course of the 60's, herbicide started coming in... Sartor recalls the emergence of herbicides, a form of pesticide used to kill weeds and other plants, over the course of the 1960's in America. Sartor talks about how the introduction of herbicides led to the unemployment of choppers, whom he claims didn't need to work because of welfare. Sartor explains how technology led to the lack of employment of tractor and machine operators, as increasing the size of machinery meant there was less machinery (and employees) necessary. Sartor also talks about how the flagmen used to guide the insecticide dusting planes usually had minimal education, as they only needed to know how to count to navigate the many rows of the cotton fields. Sartor relates an experience where he flew with an aero-applicator, during which he says he gained respect for the pilot's abilities to navigate the field. herbicide ; Thomas Edwards ; tractors 17 2322 Experiences in cotton scouting What was your favorite thing about cotton scouting in the early days? Sartor recalls that working outside was his favorite thing about cotton scouting during his youth. He then talks about how he didn't like getting wet from the rain and morning dew. Sartor relates a story of when he accidentally exposed himself to a concentrated dosage of insecticide, which led him to develop concentrated phosphate poisoning. He emphasizes that the poisoning was caused by his negligence, particularly the fact that he removed his gloves at some point during the pesticide mixing process. boll weevil ; cotton scouting ; pesticide application 17 2639 Pesticide aero-application Were you normally the person who applied the chemicals? Sartor explains that farm workers were often given the task of applying ground pesticides through ground machinery, and that such ground pesticide applicators came to be used as often as aero-pesticide applicators during the late 60's and early 70's. Sartor explains that the proposed idea of insecticide application by helicopter was inefficient due to mechanical problems and the fact that insecticide often entered the cockpit of the helicopter and exposed the pilot to insecticide. Sartor then talks about how GPS technology has helped aero-applicators in understanding the accuracy of pesticide spraying and positioning. Global Positioning System (GPS) ; insecticide 17 3129 Rise of technology in cotton agriculture The sixties were the time of major cotton allotments, right? Sartor talks about how the 60's was the decade that marked the increase of cotton, rice, and peanut crops. Sartor explains that in the mid-1960's there was a shortage of labor which Sartor claims is because of the increase of welfare offered by the government. Sartor describes his position that the lack of reliable labor eventually led to the increase technological innovation to account for the lack of workers. Sartor explains that, during his experience as a cotton scout, he realized that farmers varied on their level of concern for the safety of their laborers. Sartor recalls that there was no official training provided for farm workers handling insecticides, and that farm workers who stole insecticide for household application often put themselves and families at risk through their direct contact with the chemicals. Sartor recalls that workers often displayed psycho symptomatic behaviors when exposed to the pesticides, as workers often proclaimed that the felt sicker when exposed to foul-smelling herbicides, regardless of the herbicide's potency. herbicide ; labor ; technology ; welfare 17 3601 Insecticide irritants Which ones were more pungent? Sartor explains that some insecticides such as malathion, produces a bad smell which he claims might have influenced farmers in their choice of insecticide. Sartor explains that some insecticides were serious eye irritants, as some were infused with the chemicals present in peppers. Sartor talks about how the complexities innate to cotton manufacturing is what sparked his interest in cotton. malathion (insecticide) ; Mississippi State ; synthetic pyrethroid (insecticide) 17 4014 The plant bug Did you have an insect that you found more interesting that any other insect? Sartor explains that the plant bug was one of the most interesting insects he studied, as there was a lot unknown about the bug's biology and the impact the insect had on the plant. Sartor explains that the confusion over the pest's effect often created tensions between entomologist and the agriculture community, as many scientists believed that the plant bug did not harm cotton plants. Sartor explains the plant bug was often blamed for irregular cotton growing patterns during the late '70's and early '80's. He explains that the plant bug population increased in correlation with the increased emergence of corn crops in the United States, as the plant bug population often contaminated corn crops. Sartor explains that he doesn't take a polar position in the ideas whether or not the plant bug is harmful, as the science on the insect is not well-developed. corn crop ; entomologist ; Plant Bugs 17 4475 The plant bug (cont.) / Attending the University of Mississippi But did it really effect yield that much? Sartor explains that the strange cotton growth patterns, known as crazy cotton, might have been caused by the plant bug. Sartor includes, however, that crazy cotton often produced just as much cotton as plants displaying regular growth patterns. Sartor recalls that the dis-alignment between Missisippi's University and agricultural consultants over the threat posed by plant bugs to cotton crops resulted in tension between the two groups. Sartor then talks about how he came to receive a good education at the University of Mississippi, which eventually led him to teach at a community college at North Alabama. Sartor explains that when he came to acquire his Master's degree at Mississippi State University, he realized that he had a great foundation in the fundamentals of biology as opposed to his peers. crazy cotton ; herbicide ; Mississippi State University ; plant bug ; University of Mississippi ; University of North Alabama 17 4812 Attending Mississippi State University I'm not going to say where they went to school... Sartor talks about how his strong foundation in biology at the University of Mississippi helped him in obtaining his masters at Mississippi State University. Sartor talks how his teachers in community college helped him to build his approach towards teaching. Sartor recalls the integration of the first black student to Mississippi State University, James Meredith. Sartor talks about the biology PhD program at the Mississippi State University. Sartor explains that the program provided quality teaching services, though cotton and insect research were the primary concerns of the department. biology ; Mississippi State University ; University of Mississippi 17 5335 PhD research You said cotton research was the driving force even though you did your research on seed pines? Sartor explains that he conducted research at Mississippi State over the resistance of pine cones to insect species. Sartor expands on the point by explaining that paper companies often needed pine trees that were resistant to certain pesticides in the effort to maximize profits. Sartor adds that before he left Mississippi State University to teach at Gaston College in North Carolina, he planted pine trees behind the University's boll weevil lab. Sartor recalls that while he was planting the trees, he was offered a job by a fellow professor to work as an entomologist at the University of Mississippi. boll weevil ; Gaston College, North Carolina ; Mississippi State University ; seed pines 17 5707 The entomology department of Mississippi State / Working as a survey entomologist When was the shift between the old school instructor and the new school instructor? Sartor recalls that the " ; old school" ; entemology instructors at Mississippi State University differed in their teaching approach from the younger generation of instructors at Mississippi State University. Sartor explains that the older instructors mostly conducted research with the intent of the potential applied practicality of the research conducted, while the younger instructors taught with an emphasis on the implications of plant pathology and ways of developing plant resistance. Sartor recalls that as a survey entomologist hired by Mississippi State University, he provided information to the U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) about the condition of insects in the region, and how they were impacting the agricultural systems of Mississippi. Mississippi State University ; plant pathology ; US Department of Agriculture (USDA) 17 6238 Entomology work (cont.) / Unintended consequences of boll weevil eradication So did you spend any more time with one region... Sartor explains that as a survey entomologist working for Mississippi State University, he conducted the majority of his research over cotton research, which he reported to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). Sartor recalls that collaboration between the state and federal researchers seldom resulted in tension between the two groups. Sartor then explains that the boll weevil was the primary bug problem for cotton throughout the south. He adds that there were many problems created from the attempts by the agricultural community to control the population of the boll weevil. Sartor recalls that the bug worm became a pest due to the resistance of the bug to the phosphate based pesticides that were applied to control the boll weevil population. entomology ; Mississippi State University ; US Department of Agriculture (USDA) 17 6640 About the boll weevil / Integrated pest management Why was the boll weevil so bad? Sartor talks about how the boll weevil's high reproductive potential and its tendency to live inside the cotton plant for the majority of its life cycle makes it a formidable pest in cotton production. Sartor explains that boll weevil research has contributed greatly to the knowledge available on the boll weevil, which he claims has saved a substantial sum of money over years. Sartor talks about how he came to develop integrated pest management courses after working as an entomologist for about two years. Sartor then explains the difference between pest control and integrated pest management, as pest control is based on chemical application of pesticides to crops, while pest management takes into account the economic and environmental factors associated with pest control. boll weevil ; Integrated Pest Management (IPM) ; Mississippi State University 17 7286 Integrated pest management (cont.) / Selling pesticides Why was it that some people would just poison immediately if they saw one boll weevil? Sartor talks about how farmers would often overuse insecticide in dealing with pests simply because they would make the assumption that one pest confirmed the presence of others. Sartor talks about how pesticide companies were initially opposed to pest management, as pest management integrated environmental and economic factors in developing crop treatment plans. Sartor explains the network of members of the pesticide community in Mississippi as manufacturers often had research and technology representatives while the " ; local dealers" ; distributed pesticides and pesticide services to farmers in the region. Sartor talks about tactics employed by pesticide salesmen to encourage farmers to buy their products. He explains how the diction used by the salesman to scare farmers into applying pesticides often resulted in the overuse of pesticide products, which benefited the pesticide manufacturers. boll weevil ; Gary Larson ; pesticide 17 7769 Environmental Protection Agency and pesticide applications I would be quick to tell you... Sartor talks about how some pesticide salesmen avoided exaggerating the recommended pesticide application dosage, as this often resulted in customer loss over time. Sartor recalls the variation in the results of different pesticides, as some pesticides did not work well, while others posed a threat to the ecosystem and humans. Sartor relates how the Mississippi agricultural industries were made aware of the future ban on the insecticide DDT in the 1970's, as they were warned by members of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Sartor talks about Project Safeguard, which Sartor claims was an attempt by the EPA to control pesticide usage in the United States. Sartor talks about how the organic phosphates used in pesticides were the primary concern of the government organization, though he states that long-residual chlorinated hydrocarbons should also have been addressed in government policies. DDT(insecticide) ; ecosystem ; Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ; pesticide ; Project Safeguard 17 8242 The ban on DDT Were there reports of tenants getting poisoned... Sartor talks about how tenant farmers who worked in tobacco were most likely to get poisoned from the organic phosphates present in chemical pesticides. Sartor shares his belief that the environmentalists of the 1970's employed scare tactics in order to push their agenda. Sartor talks about how the ban of the insecticide DDT resulted in the loss of life in third world countries as DDT prevented mosquito-born diseases in those areas. Sartor explains his belief that DDT should still be used, but should be more regulated in its application. chlorinated hydrocarbons ; Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ; insecticide ; Mississippi State 17 8737 Developing cotton scouting programs in Mississippi / Small scale vs. delta farming You were working with extension through '75... Sartor talks about his involvement in the development of cotton scouting programs in counties where there was a lack of professional cotton consultants. Sartor describes how he was hired as a scout supervisor in DeSoto County, Mississippi. Sartor recalls how he came to develop many cotton scouting programs throughout Mississippi. Sartor talks about the difference between working with small farmers versus large farming " ; delta farming" ; . Sartor states that small farmers had more diverse crops and often raised animals, while large farmers mostly grew selective crops on a larger scale. Calhoun County, Mississippi ; delta farming ; DeSoto County, Mississippi 17 9144 Working as a cotton consultant So did soil type ever play a role when it came to what sort of recommendations... Sartor explains that sandy loam soil was a more versatile soil for cotton crop growing, while heavy land soils often experienced different types of problems concerning insecticides. Sartor talks about how he came to inspect the effects of herbicide and plant diseases on crops as a cotton consultant working for Abbott Pesticide Manufacturers. Sartor talks about how he addressed misapplications of herbicide ; he states that, as a consultant, he attempted to handle situations as diplomatically as possible though some farmers were too difficult to deal with. Abbott Pesticide Manufacturers ; herbicide ; insecticide ; sandy land ; sandy loam 17 9570 Extension work in cotton consulting How did you decide, what led you to make the switch from... Sartor explains that his interest in biological control led him to develop his career in cotton consulting. Sartor adds that cotton consulting paid higher than extension work for Abbot pesticide manufacturers. Sartor recalls that his extension work led him to travel to many cotton-growing places in Central and South America. Aboott Pesticide Manufacturers ; Brazil ; cotton consulting ; El Salvador ; Guatemala ; University of Arizona 17 10005 Extension work (cont.) What was cotton production like in Central America at the time? Sartor talks about his extension work in Central America. Sartor recalls a particular visit to Guatemala, where he came to offer advice to a former Texan about his cotton crops in the United States. Sartor describes his visit to Nicaragua, which was a politically tormoiled region during the 1970's. Sartor also recalls his visit to Columbia, during which he states that he had a constant fear of the drug cartel. Columbia ; Guatemala ; Nicaragua ; politics 17 10536 Extension work (cont.) But the technologies were basically the same down there? Sartor talks about how the technology available in Central and South America varied in its development in relation to the cotton technologies offered in the United States. Sartor explains that application technologies were less developed than that in the United States, and relates that children were often hired for boll weevil collection in cotton fields. Sartor then recalls that scientific names assisted in the language barrier during his consulting work, though he did often need assistance in Brazil due to the variety of languages spoken in the country. Sartor recalls that during his travels in the Americas, the most common cotton pest he encountered were boll worms, bug worms, boll weevil, aphids, flee-hoppers, and lupers ; though there was variation from country to country. aphids ; boll weevil ; boll worm ; bug worm ; flee-hoppers ; loopers 17 10906 Transitioning to private cotton consulting What made you get out of that and into consulting? Sartor talks about why he decided to stop conducting extension work for Abbott Pesticide Manufacturers. Sartor explains that the emergence of Pyrethroid insecticide proved to be more effective than the insecticide that Abbot was selling. Sartor recalls one of his experiences working with Abbott Pesticide Manufacturer, in which he took part in a community pest management program. Sartor explains that the event, though it did not eliminate the budworm problem, did teach farmers about the coordination needed for a community pest management program. Sartor talks about the advantage of large scale pesticide initiatives, as it serves as a better method for a sharp reduction in the pest population. cotton consulting ; Greenwood, Mississippi ; Holmes Mississippi ; pest management ; Pyrazole insecticide ; Pyrethroid 17 11414 Private cotton consulting management How was the transition? What was consulting like at that time? Sartor talks about the difference between private consulting and consulting for the company Abbott pesticide manufacturers. Sartor explains that, as a private consultant, he had to manage problems in his company and often had to make large monetary decisions. Sartor explains that he often was concerned over the health of his employees, and concern whether his customers would pay after recieving insecticide services. Sartor talks about how private consulting was labor heavy. Sartor talks about how he found cotton scouts from communities nearby. Sartor explains that he often still checks for skin melanoma from his days of working in direct sun. business ; cotton consulting ; management ; private consulting 17 11851 Finding cotton scouts / Farm crisis of 1980 Most of the folks who worked with you... Sartor talks about how he found most of his potential cotton scouts from his community. Sartor explains that the scouts he chose often had to have high endurance as they worked long shifts and had one day a week off. Sartor recalls how the United States farm crisis of the 1980's led him to lose clients and resulted in competition between consultants. Sartor explains that during this time, he often conducted research services for insecticide companies. Sartor explains that cotton quality was not a major concern in his line of work, as his customers were more concerned with the quantity of cotton produced. 1980's farm crisis ; cotton scout 17 12251 Cotton growing as an investment Unlike a lot of consultants... Sartor explains that he often was involved with the defoliation techniques throughout his career as a private consultant. Sartor recalls that growth regulators were often used for cotton defoliation in order to speed up the cotton picking process. Sartor talks about how farmers with business experience were some of the best farmers. Sartor explains that the costs associated with cotton made cotton growing a high-risk investment. Sartor recalls that he conducted private cotton consulting services all throughout southern America and he worked with many sized fields. defoliation ; investments 17 No transcript. Resources may be used under the guidelines described by the U.S. Copyright Office in Section 107, Title 17, United States Code (Fair use). Parties interested in production or commercial use of the resources should contact the Russell Library for a fee schedule. audio 0 RBRL420MA-001.xml RBRL420MA-001.xml http://purl.libs.uga.edu/russell/RBRL420MA/findingaid
Location
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Vicksburg, Mississippi
Duration
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216 minutes
Repository
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Richard B. Russell Library for Political Research and Studies
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Interview with Clyde Sartor, July 26, 2016
Identifier
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RBRL420MA-001
Creator
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Clyde Sartor
Brian Williams
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audio
oral histories
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http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
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sound
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Mississippi
Subject
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Pesticides
Pesticides industry
DDT (Insecticide)
Description
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Clyde Sartor grew up in Water Valley, Mississippi. Sartor worked as a cotton scout before he eventually came to receive a bachelor’s science and a master’s in biology at the University of Mississippi and later, a PhD at Mississippi State University. In the interview, Sartor talks about his former experience as a cotton consultant for a pesticide firm and an independent pesticide management consultant. Sartor also addresses topics including boll weevil and other cotton pest, environmental movements of the 20th century, and extension work as a cotton consultant.
Date
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2016-07-26
OHMS