ABOUT

Smart discussion of the latest science and news on toxins in your food, water, and air, and what government agencies should be doing to protect public health. Written by EWG staff.

DONATE TO EWG TODAY

We need you to help protect your health and environment!  Please donate $5 to EWG today.

GET EWG'S TIPS & ACTION ALERTS

Sign Up here to receive email updates and tips from EWG and stay informed on the issues that matter most to you.

Get EWG widgets & blog badges.

ENVIROBLOG TO YOU

 Enviroblog in your Reader

ENVIROBLOG VIA EMAIL

Delivered by FeedBurner

Kid-Safe Chemicals Act YouTube
Environmental Working Group's Facebook Page

Twitter

    Cell Phone Radiation Blog Series - All In One Place

    Rubber Ducky: You're so not the one

    Epigenetics hits the mainstream

    Cosmetics Safety Series - Part 2: Mind the (data) gap

    SEARCH ENVIROBLOG

    FIND PAST POSTS

    FEATURED

    Why, oh why is there plastic in my aluminum water bottle?

    Cell phone radiation series - Part 2: 8 Ways to reduce your exposure

    So what products CAN we use?

    Infant formula: How to choose it & use it

    EWG's Tips for Parents: The Series

    EWG's Tips to avoid BPA exposure

    Let's talk some serious shop about TSCA reform

    EWG on TV

    Cutting the Pork from U.S. Farm Bill

    Toxic Tub?

    Sunscreen safety & DC drinking water

    Perchlorate in people, kids' personal care products & plastics, and sunscreen

    BPA in baby formula & safe cosmetics

    Ask EWG

    What can I do about fluoride in my water?

    What is new carpet treated with? What can I do?

    What is "fragrance"?

    Which infant formula is best?

    Are stainless steel water bottles safe?

    Is mineral-based makeup safer?

    Ask EWG Archives

    Top Blog Award

    Top  blogs award

    PEOPLE TALKING TOXICS

    Breast Cancer Fund

    The Daily Green

    Eco Child's Play

    Environmental Defense Fund

    Green Moms Carnival

    Grist

    Healthy Child, Healthy World

    Huffington Post Green

    NRDC's Switchboard

    Organic.org

    Safer States

    TreeHugger

    TALK TO US

    Did we miss something? Email Enviroblog.

    « Are you ready for World Population Day? | Main | The chemical industry's war on California toxics reform »

    Farm livin': Not the life for toads

    By EWG

    July 11, 2008

    agricultural chemicals feminize toadsLiving on or near agricultural land has feminizing effects on male cane toads, according to a recent report by Florida scientists. After comparing toads from a range of areas, from non-agricultural suburbia to 97% farmland, they found that male farm toads were more likely to have female physical traits. In the two heaviest agricultural areas examined, 60% of the male toads were feminized to some degree, and 40% were fully intersexed (meaning they had equal parts male and female reproductive tissue).

    We probably shouldn't be too surprised. Two common agricultural chemicals (Round-Up and atrazine) are already known estrogen-mimicking hormone disruptors. There's a good chance that other agricultural chemicals are contributing to the toad problem.

    In the unlikely case that you're thinking "Okay, so there are some girly frogs, who cares?" - - Allow me to explain. For starters, amphibian levels are tanking, and that disrupts the entire food chain (which, despite our distance from our food sources, we are still a part of). Not startling enough for you? How about this: toads and humans have the same sex hormones and very similar endocrine systems. If we're only just figuring out that hormone disrupting agricultural chemicals are having profound effects on toad reproductive systems, what more subtle effects are they having on us?

    Photo by Doug Greenberg.

    « Are you ready for World Population Day? |