Publications

Whether you’re a policymaker, a member of the media, or just someone seeking well-researched, trusted, and non-partisan scientific information, CAST offers a wealth of publications on a wide range of agricultural science topics.

These papers have been created by recognized experts in their respective fields, and they are written in a style that makes their content accessible to anyone wishing to understand the issues.

Publications are listed with the most recent releases first. Use the search feature to find specific publications by series, subject, or title.

Your CAST membership delivers additional educational resources, from reference publications to our weekly Friday Notes digital newsletter.

 

Water Quality: Agriculture’s Role
December, 1992

This report discusses modern agriculture’s impacts on the environment, especially surface and groundwater. This report increases the understanding of the science, risks, benefits, and realities of agricultural production and water quality protection.

Preparing U.S. Agriculture for Global Climate Change
June, 1992

Covers all aspects of the subject, emphasizing adaptation to changes, emission of greenhouse gases, the impact of climate change.

Pesticides: Minor Uses/Major Issues
June, 1992

This report recommends implementation of an innovative minor use pesticides strategy before 1997, so as to assure the continued availability to U.S. consumers of high quality, reasonably priced minor crops.

Food Safety: The Interpretation of Risk
April, 1992

This report states that the amazing advances in analytical methods have made the Delaney Clause hopelessly obsolete and it should be repealed. The Delaney Clause, which states that no amount of cancer-causing substances can be added to our food, should be replaced with a “de minimis” concept.

Food Fats and Health
December, 1991

This CAST report supports dietary recommendations to decrease food fat consumption from the present national average of 37% to less than 30% of the total caloric intake. The agricultural and food industries are responding by redesigning fresh and processed foods so that consumers can more readily meet these recommendations.

Herbicide-Resistant Crops
May, 1991

This report indicates that biotechnology-induced herbicide resistance in crops will allow use of herbicides that are toxicologically and environmentally less suspect that those herbicides now used in some crops.

Ecological Impacts of Federal Conservation and Cropland Reduction Programs
September, 1990

Addresses the ecological implications of several programs established in the 1985 Food Security Act, including the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), Sodbuster, Swampbuster, Conservation Compliance, and Acreage Reduction Program (ARP).

Alternative Agriculture: Scientists’ Review
July, 1990

Reviews by 44 leading scientists support and criticize the 1989 National Research Council report, Alternative Agriculture. The authors represent the disciplines of agricultural engineering, food science, toxicology, animal sciences, crop and soil sciences, economics sociology, weed science, entomology, and plant pathology.

Mycotoxins: Economic and Health Risks
December, 1989

This report stresses the importance of the economic and health risks of naturally occurring fungal toxins known as mycotoxins. These diverse toxins potentially occur in foods and feeds and can cause a wide range of injury when consumed by humans and animals.

Reducing American Exposure to Nitrate, Nitrite, and Nitroso Compounds: The National Network to Prevent Birth Defects Proposals
June, 1989

This paper reviews the scientific literature on nitrates, concluding that there is inadequate evidence linking nitrate or nitrite ingestion to birth defects or to stomach cancer.