Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH)

rBGH is a hormone injected into dairy cows to increase milk production. Cows injected with rBGH have shorter life spans and are more likely to develop udder infections. rBGH may also cause cancer in humans.

Renewable Resources

A resource which can be replenished. This is generally thought of in terms of energy resources. Wind and water, for example, are renewable resources while fossil fuel is not. Many resources are renewable but this requires correct management. Soil, for example, is a renewable resource but improper management leads to loss of nutrients, erosion and other detrimental effects.

Robyn Van En

A pioneer of the CSA movement, Robyn Van En helped start over 200 CSA's, including the first CSA in the U.S. She was a great spokesperson for the movement in both North America and Russia. Her book "Basic Formula to Create Community Supported Agriculture," lays down the methods for developing a CSA. Van En died in 1997.

Root Vegetables

Vegetable grown for its large edible root. Turnips, carrots, and onions are all root vegetables.

Rotenone

An insecticide obtained from the roots of several tropical plants. Rotenone is minimally toxic to people and animals and works well as a substitute for more hazardous insecticides. Can be used in organic agriculture.

Ruminant

A ruminant is an animal that has a multi-chambered stomach. Cattle, sheep and goats have four sections to their stomachs and thus fall into this category. These animals obtain maximum nutritional value out of fiber-rich grasses including hay and straw. A pasture diet for these animals is thought to be healthier for them, us, and the environment than a diet of grain. For more information, we recommend www.eatwild.com.

Runoff

Excess water that flows over the ground and into rivers, lakes and reservoirs. Runoff can contribute to soil erosion and water pollution as it picks up fertilizers, pesticides, and soil in its migration to lakes and rivers.