Transgenic Food and Agriculture Articles and Related Information— From the Late Fall 2011 to the end of 2013—with Annotations
This (mostly) annotated bibliography allows readers to quickly gain a summary overview of a range of the available material. Additional searching is encouraged to find more and to zero in more specifically on sub-topics. Again, like the preceding bibliography covering 2010 and 2011, this is mostly a collection of journalistic articles posted on the Internet, but it does contain some other references, including video and academic articles. The collection enables readers to quickly learn about the large amount of material not yet provided to those getting their news from the corporate, mainstream media. Much of the information has also not been provided to those relying on public radio and public television. This part of the bibliography could be turned into a formal bibliography the same as the material on the preceding page, but a volunteer is needed to help with that. In the meantime, everything is in rough preliminary form with the articles listed as they were collected (thus more or less chronologically).
http://mercola.fileburst.com/PDF/ExpertInterviewTranscripts/InterviewDrHuber-Part1.pdf Transcript of the above interview http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_19497619 Arkansas Supreme Court Liberty Link Rice Verdict http://www.truth-out.org/under-industry-pressure-usda-works-speed-approval-monsantos-genetically-engineered-crops/1323453319 Using FOIA, Truth-out shows how the USDA works with industry http://www.stltoday.com/business/columns/david-nicklaus/monsanto-s-grant-earns-million-including-million-bonus/article_3bcec816-24ec-11e1-9bbe-0019bb30f31a.html#ixzz1gLk1d5LX Monsanto Chief Executive Hugh Grant got a $3 million bonus (in 2010) as a result of the company’s improved financial performance, bringing his total compensation to $11.57 million.“ http://www.sott.net/articles/show/238831-Genetically-Modified-Foods-Not-Served-in-Monsanto-Cafeteria In Britain, no transgenic food for Monsanto employees in the company cafeteria. This story is from 1999, and this was a result of the breaking of the Arpad Pusztai story after the Parliamentary hearings. http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/1999/12/22/gmfood991222.html# “GM foods not served in Monsanto cafeteria,” Last Updated: Friday, November 10, 2000, CBC News The fight to ban genetically modified foods has won more converts -- some employees of Monsanto the company that is doing the most to promote GM products. The Independent newspaper reports that there is a notice in the cafeteria of the Monsanto pharmaceutical factory is High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, advising customers “as far as practicable, GM soya and maize (has been removed) from all food products served in our restaurant. We have taken the steps to ensure that you, the customer, can feel confident in the food we serve.” The notice was posted by the Sutcliffe Catering Group. Monsanto confirms the authenticity of the notice, but company spokesman Tony Coombes says the only reason for the GM-free foods is because the company “believes in choice.” Coombes says in other Monsanto locations employees are happy to eat GM foods because they are “sprayed with fewer chemicals.” Adrian Bebb with Friends of the Earth says the notice in the Buckinghamshire plant is hard to misinterpret. “The public has made its concerns about GM ingredients very clear - now it appears that even Monsanto’s own catering firm has no confidence in this new technology.”
On Tue, 24 Jan 2012 17:46:32 -0500, Henrike Holdrege wrote: I attended your presentation this past Sunday at Hawthorn Valley Farm. You asked for annotated scientific articles in relation to transgenic crops or feed. “nontarget.org: This Nature Institute project documents over 80 cases of unintended and unpredictable effects of genetic engineering on organisms and the environment. Our nontarget.org website makes important scientific research about unintended effects accessible to the broader public. It provides crucial information needed for an informed debate concerning genetic engineering in agriculture and genetically modified food.” From our website: http://www.natureinstitute.org(nontarget.org) I am selecting some reports of interest for you:
http://www.timesargus.com/article/20130305/NEWS03/703059852’ Governor Shumlin of Vermont says the passage of a Vermont bill calling for the labeling of transgenic food would do more harm than good for the movement to get transgenic food labeled. He says the biotech industry would defeat the bill in court and overcome it. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/03/05/gmo-affects-climate-change.aspx?e_cid=20130305_DNL_art_1&utm_source=dnl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=art1&utm_campaign=20130305 Dr. Mercola discusses the impact of mono-cropping on global warming and emphasizes with references to other articles the need for more pastured meat to replace the current reliance on meat raised on transgenic corn and soy in confined feedlots (CAFOs). The article concludes with a discussion of the Bowman v. Monsanto lawsuit and the campaign to have transgenic food labeled. http://europeangreens.eu/news/ignoring-gmo-risks-in-serbia-because-big-business-pressure-mistake Monsanto’s effort to gain a foothold in Serbia by providing cheap seed to small farmers brings out Green Party opposition. http://nextbigfuture.com/2013/03/scientists-improve-transgenic-enviropigs.html Research at the University of Guelph to improve the “enviropig” so that it can better utilize the phosphorus in its food and end the necessity of feeding the expensive enzyme Phytase to promote better utilization the phosphorus in grain. Basically, the transgenic modification enables the pig to secrete Phytase in its saliva, and the Phytase enables the pig to break down phytic acid in the grain. The pig is called “Enviropig” because its manure contains less phosphorus to pollute the environment. No independent, long-term safety testing of the meat from these transgenic pigs has been done, but the meat is not yet in the market. The research shows the transgenic trait is passed along to future generations of pigs through normal breeding, and a semen bank has been created, so breeding of enviropigs is ready to start. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/09/business/grocery-chain-to-require-labels-for-genetically-modified-food.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 Story about the Whole Foods decision to label all transgenic food in their store by 2018. They have found that customers have responded to the label and certification from the Non-GMO Project by improving sales as much as 15%. Money speaks, but the Whole Foods plan is more a PR hedge than real leadership, because nation-wide labeling could be demanded by the public before 2018. There is much more Whole Foods could do immediately or sooner than five years in the future if they wanted to provide real leadership as the nation’s first and only organically-certified grocery chain with enough stores to have real market leverage. They have 339 stores in the U.S. and Canada. http://www.etcgroup.org/content/NR-gene-giants-seek-philanthrogopoly Report from the ETC Group showing the extent of the seed market domination by just three companies Monsanto, Dupont (Pioneer), and Syngenta and their work to lock in market control through contracts after the patents on their seeds expire. http://www.etcgroup.org/content/Ecomm-gene-giants-seek-philanthrogopoly More about how the “Gene Giant” companies are working to circumvent the ability of anti-trust regulators to limit their domination of the world-wide seed marketplace. Called for is a UN study of the implications of biotech agriculture for the future of developing nations http://www.non-gmoreport.com/articles/march2013/gm-food-labeling-initiatives-in-states.php Report on the state by state status of transgenic food labeling initiatives as of the end of February 2013.
http://www.voxxi.com/monsanto-brazil-collide-transgenic-seeds/2/ Story by Susana Baumann about the conflict in Brazil between Monsanto and CNA, an agricultural federation of state ag organizations and other groups with 1.7 million members over Monsanto’s royalty payment demands.
http://www.alternet.org/how-monsanto-outfoxed-obama-administration Lina Khan in Salon shows how the DOJ failed to illuminate and act on the most important issues in its anti-trust investigation of Monsanto. http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0058409 Peer Reviewed Research Article “Consuming Transgenic Goats’ Milk Containing the Antimicrobial Protein Lysozyme Helps Resolve Diarrhea in Young Pigs,” Caitlin A. Cooper, Lydia C. Garas Klobas, Elizabeth A. Maga, James D. Murray. The article reports on the use of transgenosis to introduce a anti-microbial protein found in human milk into goats milk, so that it can be fed to pigs as a way of curbing microbial diseases in the pigs. http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/genetically-modified-potatoes-are-studied-criticized-in-ireland/2013/03/16/8035108c-8756-11e2-9d71-f0feafdd1394_story.html?wpisrc=nl_headlines March 16, 2013 story in the Washington Post about the the cisgenic creation of a blight resistant potato in Ireland. The new potato variety comes from wild Latin American potatoes and is being advanced in Ireland amid criticism from some. “Cisgenic” means the genetic modification comes from a near relative of the original potato plant, not from a different species. Meanwhile, a traditional breeder has a competing potato that also resists the blight. http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/15267-monsantos-death-patents Randall Amster writes in this Op-Ed originally published in Counterpoint about the larger issues at stake underneath the Bowman v. Monsanto lawsuit. 22 March 03 http://www.texasobserver.org/seeds-of-discontent/#.URkP276wg54.twitter “Seeds of Discontent: A Texas Organic Cotton Farmer Takes On Monsanto”by Eva HershawPublished on Thursday, February 7, 2013. The story gets into the relations between the growers of transgenic cotton and the members of the Texas Organic Marketing Cooperative who grow 90% of the organic cotton grown in the United States. OSGATA et al. Co-plaintiff LaRhea Pepper is prominent in the story. http://onpoint.wbur.org/2013/02/20/bowman-monsanto Tom Ashbrook interviewing Farmer Hugh Bowman and others about the merits of Bowman’s argument in Bowman v. Monsanto. Among the interviewees is Dan Ravicher of the Public Patent Foundation who filed an amicus brief on behalf of Bowman. http://news.cals.wisc.edu/agriculture/2013/03/22/lauer-the-protective-value-of-transgenic-corn-hybrids-audio/ A three minute interview at the University of Wisconsin showing the way the agricultural researchers there think about their investigation of transgenic crops. Even without knowing how their research is funded, their enthusiasm for the benefits of transgenic corn is made clear. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/03/26/dr-wakefield-vaccine-film.aspx?e_cid=20130326_DNL_art_2&utm_source=dnl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=art2&utm_campaign=20130326 This article and film about the combined Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine is included in the bibliography because the struggle for information and against the corporate and political establishment on this issue is similar to the struggle to locate the truth about transgenic food and the associated chemicals. Also, there could be a connection between the MMR issue and transgenic food because the problems for children in Great Britain occurred at the same time transgenic food was being introduced in Britain without informing the public. No evidence on this has been presented because no studies on this aspect of the issue are known to have been made. https://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/22-9 Friday, March 22, 2013, “Common Dreams: New Worries for the World’s Water,” Claire Hope Cummings, “Researchers in China have found recombinant drug resistant DNA, molecules that are part of the manufacturing of genetically modified organisms, in every river they tested. Genetically engineered organisms are manufactured using antibiotic resistant genes. And these bacteria are now exchanging their genetic information with the wild bacteria in rivers. As the study points out, bacteria already present in urban water systems provides ‘advantageous breeding conditions for the(se) microbes.’” Claire Hope Cummings is the author of Uncertain Peril, Genetic Engineering and the Future of Seeds, which won the 2009 American Book Award. http://climate-connections.org/2013/03/25/transgenic-dna-from-gmos-in-chinese-rivers-why-is-it-suddenly-there/ Global Justice Ecology Project, March 25, 2013: “Transgenic DNA from GMOs in Chinese rivers—why is it suddenly there?” Kurt Heidinger, March 22, 2013. Source: Biocitizen “UC Berkeley microbiologist Dr Ignacio Chapela has discovered ”the escape and establishment of transgenic DNA from GMOs” in rivers in China. “That’s not good news. The introduction of new kinds of DNA into the bios creates new forms of life and diseases, as Dr. Chapela reports: ‘DNA from transgenic organisms have escaped to become an integral component of the genome of free-living bacteria in rivers.’” He adds that “the transgenic DNA studied so far in these bacteria will confer antibiotic resistance on other organisms, making many different species resistant to the antibiotics we use to protect ourselves from infections.’” Heidinger concludes: “There is no $$ to be made on Wall Street in the prevention of pollution, chemical or genetic. And until the day there is, we are all ‘UNDERpolluted.’” http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2013/03/22/1216719110.abstract An example of a study by an industry supported researchers, “Potential shortfall of pyramided transgenic cotton for insect resistance management,” Thierry Brévaulta,1, Shannon Heubergerb, Min Zhangb, Christa Ellers-Kirkb, Xinzhi Nic, Luke Massond, Xianchiun Lib, Bruce E. Tabashnikb, and Yves Carrièreb,1;Author Affiliations: a Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement, Unité Propre de Recherche 102, F-34398 Montpellier, France; b Department of Entomology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721; c U.S. Department of Agriculture–Agricultural Research Service Crop Genetics and Breeding Research Unit, Tifton, GA 31793; and d National Research Council of Canada, Biotechnology Research Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada H4P 2R2 Edited by May R. Berenbaum, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, Urbana, IL, and approved February 15, 2013 (received for review September 25, 2012) The following disclaimer is made: “Conflict of interest statement: B.E.T. received support for research that is not related to this publication from the following sources: Cotton Foundation, Cotton Inc., National Cotton Council, Monsanto, and Dow AgroSciences. He is also a coauthor of a patent on engineering modified Bt toxins to counter pest resistance, which is related to research described by Tabashnik et al. (2011, Nature Biotechnology 29: 1128-1131).” http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/29/science/earth/soaring-bee-deaths-in-2012-sound-alarm-on-malady.html?src=se&_r=0 “Mystery Malady Kills More Bees, Heightening Worry on Farms,” by Michael Wines. The article discusses the growing amount of bee death, but unfortunately, it does not point out that the major source of neonicotinoid pesticides in the environment results from its primary use as a coating on Monsanto’s transgenic seeds. The Bt toxin in the DNA of the seeds does not work until the crops get started. It does not work during sprouting and early plant growth; thus the pesticide coating on the seeds is used to protect the plants during the early stages of their growth. Of course, the Bt toxin in the pollen could also be a factor in the bee deaths. It gets into the honey as much as the other pesticides. Clothianidin, the pesticide used, is persistent in nature; it does not discipate, benignly or otherwise. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/27/business/monsanto-and-dupont-settle-fight-over-roundup-ready-technology.html?src=recg “Monsanto and DuPont Settle Fight Over Patent Licensing,”Andrew Pollack,March 26, 2013. The two leading companies in the biotech seed industry agree to collaborate for their mutual benefit. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/03/30/grazing-livestock.aspx?e_cid=20130330_DNL_art_1&utm_source=dnl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=art1&utm_campaign=20130330 TED talk by Allan Savory of Holistic Range Management explaining the process of desertification and its link to climate change. He shows how and why we need to mimic nature through the use of animal agriculture to restore healthy grasslands and sequester carbon. He believes we can get back to pre-industrial levels of carbon and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere if we follow his prescription. This is all part of a balanced agricultural system respecting nature instead of destroying it and exploiting it destructively against the interest of public of human health. http://truth-out.org/news/item/15463-from-growing-profit-to-growing-food-challenging-corporate-rule Article by Beverly Bell and Tory Field reviewing the concentration of control over food and showing what can be done against it. A short list of resources is provided. http://landing.newsinc.com/wpix/video.html?freewheel=91044&sitesection=36_Lionel&VID=24690964 Commentator Lionel on WPIX in New York City states his point of view about the Farmer Assurance Provision (AKA Monsanto Protection Act) incorporated into the Continuing Budget Resolution and signed by President Obama. This provision overrides judicial review to prevent the courts from stopping the planting of transgenic crops even to protect the public safety. The Secretary of Agriculture is explicitly given the freedom to override and pay no attention to the courts. http://www.democracynow.org/2013/4/2/the_monsanto_protection_act_a_debat Democracy Now discussion with Wenonah Hauter of Food and Water Watch and Gregory Jaffe of the Center for Science in the Public interest. Opinion: Jaffe has simply not looked at all the available international research, and has looked, seemingly, only at the industry sponsored research or the industry supportive research. Jaffe favors the voluntary labeling of food but not mandatory labeling. Hauter is strong in favor of labeling and raises the health concerns about transgenic food. http://www.democracynow.org/2013/4/2/foodopoly_the_battle_over_the_future?autostart=true&get_clicky_key=suggested_next_story This segment continues the above segment with Wenonah Hauter and with Senator Tester of Montana http://www.democracynow.org/2010/9/17/percy_schmeiser_vs_monsanto_the_story?autostart=true&get_clicky_key=suggested_related Amy Goodman interviews Percy Schmeiser in Germany in 2010 while he was there to accept the Right Livelihood Award. http://www.alternet.org/what-monsanto-protection-act-and-how-did-it-sneak-law Natasha Lennard fingers Sen. Mikulski and the Senate Appropriations Committee for allowing the Farmer Assurance Provision (AKA The Monsanto Protection Act) into the continuing budget resolution, HR 933 in March 2013. The sources of the information are reported to be Food Democracy Now and the Center for Food Safety. http://www.alternet.org/food/watch-jon-stewart-scolds-congress-monsanto-protection-act?akid=10287.1072727.bE5cc6&rd=1&src=newsletter819894&t=19 The Daily Show reports on the process that allowed the Farmer Assurance Provision (The Monsanto Protection Act) to be inserted into the Continuing Resolution. http://www.theyucatantimes.com/2013/04/yucatan-will-not-plant-any-transgenic-crops-this-year/ The Yucatan Times reports on the state decision to ban transgenic crops in preference for conventional hybrids that show more promise and protect the bees needed for pollination. http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/04/02/why-do-g-m-o-s-need-protection/?src=recg New York Times food writer Mark Bittman addresses the Farmer Assurance Provision of the Continuing Budget Resolution and the social utility of the clams made on behalf of transgenic food. Key source for the article is Doug Gurian-Sherman of the Union of Concerned Scientists. http://www.panna.org/blog/stacked-favor-monsanto-co Linda Wells explains the impact of The Monsanto Protection Act (The Farmer Assurance Provision, Section 735 of HR 933, the Continuing Budget Resolution) http://www.panna.org/blog/new-science-pesticide-soup-scrambles-bee-brain-function Report on the latest research showing the impact of neonicotinoid and organophosphate pesticides on the brains of bees. http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/South_America/Echoes_Vietnam.html Report by Rachel Massey on Glyphosate use in Colombia as part of the U.S. Drug War’s aid package to Colombia. Included in the report is a denial of any damage by the U.S. State Department. A U.S. spokesman is quoted as saying Glyphosate is no more damaging than salt or aspirin. http://bogota.usembassy.gov/nas-eradication.html U.S. State Department report on the use of Glyphosate for coca and poppy eradication in Colombia. The report states 153,000 hectares were sprayed in 2007. https://cdr.lib.unc.edu/indexablecontent?id=uuid:57a5afb9-8087-43bb-9b11-46e897969cbf&ds=DATA_FILE Master’s thesis by Julia Isabel Fernandez in 2007 examining the coverage in the New York Times and El Tiempo in Bogota about Glyphosate use to destroy illegal drugs in Colombia. She notes that Glyphosate use has had no impact on drug production over all the 15 years of its use and that the discussion of the environmental issues fails to promote informed public debate about the damage and harm being done. The discussion of the issue in the NY Times is viewed as ineffectual in producing a debate about the most effective policy options. 34 NYT articles were examined and 219 in El Tiempo. http://blog.nature.org/science/tag/gmo-risks/ Article by Matt Miller on the relationship between Roundup use and the destruction of the Monarch Butterfly. http://www.alternet.org/meet-goper-who-worked-monsanto-sneak-monsanto-protection-act-law?akid=10292.1072727.EkpFOr&rd=1&src=newsletter820467&t=3 Natasha Lennard updates the story about the Farmer Assurance Provision by reporting intelligence from Tom Philpott of Mother Jones and Dave Rogers of Politico, making clear that the rider was placed in HR 933 by Senator Roy Blunt of Missouri and that it was written by him with Monsanto’s help. Blunt received $64,250 in campaign contributions in 2012 from Monsanto. This added to the $44,250 Monsanto contributed to Blunt’s victorious campaign for the U.S. Senate in 2010. He was a Congressman from Missouri formerly. He was the Republican whip under Majority leader Tom DeLay. http://truth-out.org/news/item/15601-farmers-and-consumers-vs-monsanto-david-meets-goliath Tory Field and Beverly Bell review world-wide opposition to Monsanto http://www.agprofessional.com/resource-centers/corn/insect/news/Refuge-requirements-for-transgenic-insect-control-traits-201849571.html?ref=571 Corn planting instructions and strategy changes from Syngenta
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxATngnqgv8 “People and Power — Argentina: The Bad Seeds,” a 25-minute film about the takeover of Argentina by soy plantations. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/04/09/argentina-gmo-crops.aspx?e_cid=20130409_DNL_art_1&utm_source=dnl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=art1&utm_campaign=20130409 An article based on the story told in the 25-minute film “People and Power — Argentina: The Bad Seeds.” http://occupy-monsanto.com/dana-milbank-the-motto-for-this-protest-soups-on/ Article by Washington Post columnist Dana Milbank about the Stone Soup event at the FDA to increase the focus on the public demand for transgenic food labeling.. http://www.agro.basf.com/agr/AP-Internet/en/content/news_room/news/11_03_11_press-release-basf-and-monsanto-take-dicamba-tolerant-cropping_ BASF and Monsanto take Dicamba tolerant cropping system collaboration to the next level. March 14, 2011 http://www.worldwatch.org/node/568 “Trespass: Genetic Engineering as the Final Conquest” by Claire Hope Cummings, lawyer and environmental journalist,World Watch Magazine, January, February 2005, Volume 18, No. 1 “I have the feeling that science has transgressed a barrier that should have remained inviolate.” -Dr. Erwin Chargaff, biochemist and the father of molecular biology (below are the first paragraphs of the article.) “Hidden inside Hilgard Hall, one of the oldest buildings on the campus of the University of California at Berkeley, is a photograph that no one is supposed to see. It’s a picture of a crippled and contorted corncob that was not created by nature, or even by agriculture, but by genetic engineering. The cob is kept in a plastic bin called ‘the monster box,’ a collection of biological curiosities put together by someone who works in a secure biotechnology research facility. “What the photo shows is a cob that apparently started growing normally, then turned into another part of the corn plant, then returned to forming kernels, then went back to another form-twisting back and forth as if it could not make up its mind about what it was. It was produced by the same recombinant DNA technology that is used to create the genetically modified organisms (GMOs) that are in our everyday foods. When I saw this photo, I knew it was saying something very important about genetic engineering. I thought it should be published. But the person who owns it is frankly afraid of how the biotechnology industry might react, and would not agree. In order to get permission even to describe the photo for this article, I had to promise not to reveal its owner’s identity. “ (and the text below is that final concluding paragraph) “At the end of my inquiry I came to the conclusion that genetic engineering, at least as it is being used in agriculture is, by design, inherently invasive and unstable. It has been imposed on the American public in a way that has left us with no choice and no way to opt out, biologically or socially. Thus, the reality is that the evolutionary legacy of our lives, whether as human beings, bees, fish, or trees, has been disrupted. We are in danger of being severed from our own ancestral lines and diverted into another world altogether, the physical and social dimensions of which are still unknown and yet to be described.”
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/04/13/salmon-confidential.aspx?e_cid=20130413_DNL_art_1&utm_source=dnl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=art1&utm_campaign=20130413 Report on the movie: “Salmon Confidential” about the government cover-up of farmed salmon diseases in Canada. The report and the movie are included to show the similarities between U.S. and Canadian government behavior, but there could be a feed factor involved depending on what the farmed salmon are being fed. (Nothing is said in the film about the feeding regimen of the farmed salmon, but most farmed fish is reported to be fed transgenic corn and soy as the major component of their diet.) The bottom line is that democracy is slipping away in Canada under the weight of corporate political power the same way it is in the United States. The movie brings this point home. The issue is the loss of wild salmon because of the diseases being spread by the farmed salmon. The question, again, is whether corporations are going to overwhelm the public interest and the environmental interest.
http://www.mofga.org/Publications/MaineOrganicFarmerGardener/Winter20082009/JeffreySmithKeynote/tabid/1016/Default.aspx A summary of the keynote speech by Jeffrey Smith at the annual meeting of the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association in 2008. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetically_modified_crops The Wikipedia entry on transgenic crops with 115 footnotes. http://media.wholefoodsmarket.com/news/whole-foods-market-commits-to-full-gmo-transparency The Statement by Whole Foods committing to full labeling of all transgenic food in their stores by 2018. At the time of the statement in March 2013, they were selling 3300 products (from 250 brands) certified by the Non-GMO Project http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erwin_Chargaff Brief biography of Columbia University Professor Edwin Chargaff a critic of transgenic engineering. He reportedly warned, “the technology of genetic engineering poses a greater threat to the world than the advent of nuclear technology. An irreversible attack on the biosphere is something so unheard of, so unthinkable to previous generations, that I only wish that mine had not been guilty of it”. https://www.google.com/url?sa=X&q=http://www.thepeoplesvoice.org/TPV3/Voices.php/2013/04/27/everything-is-rigged-the-biggest-price-f&ct=ga&cad=CAcQAhgBIAAoATAAOABAkZLyiwVIAVgBYgVlbi1VUw&cd=AyINj3wiaJM&usg=AFQjCNHAOYkIof-QKO8dCPEkxFZeMwwHcA This story by Rolling Stone reporter Matt Taibbi, “Everything Is Rigged: The Biggest Price-Fixing Scandal Ever”April 27th, 2013,is included in the bibliography because it portrays Judge Buchwald doing much the same in the LIBOR case as she did in the OSGATA et al. v. Monsanto dismissal decision. Readers should read the oral arguments and the judge’s decision in both case to decide for themselves whether the judge’s actions are similar in both cases. Taibbi asserted: The LIBOR decision was like letting bank robbers off because they did not speed on the highway to and from the heist. http://www.biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/1472-6750-13-36.pdf “Less is more: strategies to remove marker genes from transgenic plants,” Yuan-Yeu Yau, Department of Natural Sciences, Northeastern State University, Broken Arrow, OK 74014, USA C Neal Stewart Jr, Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA Abstract: Selectable marker genes (SMGs) and selection agents are useful tools in the production of transgenic plants by selecting transformed cells from a matrix consisting of of mostly untransformed cells. Most SMGs express protein products that confer antibiotic- or herbicide resistance traits, and typically reside in the end product of genetically-modified (GM) plants. The presence of these genes in GM plants, and subsequently in food, feed and the environment, are of concern and subject to special government regulation in many countries. The presence of SMGs in GM plants might also, in some cases, result in a metabolic burden for the host plants. Their use also prevents the re-use of the same SMG when a second transformation scheme is needed to be performed on the transgenic host. In recent years, several strategies have been developed to remove SMGs from GM products while retaining the transgenes of interest. This review describes the existing strategies for SMG removal, including the implementation of site specific recombination systems, TALENs and ZFNs. This review discusses the advantages and disadvantages of existing SMG-removal strategies and explores possible future research directions for SMG removal including emerging technologies for increased precision for genome modification.
http://www.redpepper.co.ug/lack-of-regulation-will-expose-consumers-to-gmo-risks-expert/ The challenge of confronting biotech agriculture in Africa, or at least in one African nation, Uganda http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=a-hard-look-at-3-myths-about-genetically-modified-crops&page=5 This article by Natasha Gilbert and Nature magazine looks at three issues: Roundup resistant weeds, suicides in India, and Monsanto corn transgene migration in Mexico. It is inadequately and incompletely researched on all three points. It finds the presence of the resistant weeds but does so blandly, and it does not begin to delve into the full scope of the issue. On suicides in India, it relies mainly on a comparison of suicide numbers before Bt cotton and after Bt Cotton, but the suicide issue began with the sale of hybrid seeds a decade earlier, so the employed comparison is insufficient to find the needed facts. It also discusses yield averages, but the issue is with the small growers of cotton who do not have access to irrigation. Bt Cotton can maintain yields when it is irrigated to specification (as larger, more wealthy farmers can do), but it does not produce for farmers who do not have access to timely irrigation. These nuances are not explored by the article. It depends on secondary sources in all three parts of the article. These work out the best in relation to the Mexico maize portion of the article, but in all three parts of the article more thorough on-the-ground research is needed to fully understand the issues the author attempts to modestly illuminate. As a result, it is featherweight journalism published too prominently probably by editors who do not know the topic well enough to properly review, evaluate, and edit it. The article depends too much on academic research and not enough on shoe-leather journalism. It illuminates the truth less than adequately even if it does provide some modestly valuable information many people will not know. Perhaps and hopefully, our co-plaintiff from Navdanya, Vandana Shiva will address the charge made against her at beginning of the discussion about the Indian suicides. She deserves equal space to explain her contention. http://www.nature.com/news/case-studies-a-hard-look-at-gm-crops-1.12907 This is the original Nature publication of the above article by Natasha Gilbert. This reference is provided for the benefit of the comments provided at the end by some of the people who are quoted in the article. http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/26-3 Friday, April 26, 2013,Common Dreams, “Study: Monsanto’s Roundup Herbicide Linked to Cancer, Autism, Parkinson’s,”Andrea Germanos, staff writer; Glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, may be “the most biologically disruptive chemical in our environment,” say authors of the study. The referenced article is next below by researchers at MIT. http://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/15/4/1416 Samsel, Anthony; Seneff, Stephanie. 2013. “Glyphosate’s Suppression of Cytochrome P450 Enzymes and Amino Acid Biosynthesis by the Gut Microbiome: Pathways to Modern Diseases.” Entropy 15, no. 4: 1416-1463. Abstract: Glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup®, is the most popular herbicide used worldwide. The industry asserts it is minimally toxic to humans, but here we argue otherwise. Residues are found in the main foods of the Western diet, comprised primarily of sugar, corn, soy and wheat. Glyphosate’s inhibition of cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes is an overlooked component of its toxicity to mammals. CYP enzymes play crucial roles in biology, one of which is to detoxify xenobiotics. Thus, glyphosate enhances the damaging effects of other food borne chemical residues and environmental toxins. Negative impact on the body is insidious and manifests slowly over time as inflammation damages cellular systems throughout the body. Here, we show how interference with CYP enzymes acts synergistically with disruption of the biosynthesis of aromatic amino acids by gut bacteria, as well as impairment in serum sulfate transport. Consequences are most of the diseases and conditions associated with a Western diet, which include gastrointestinal disorders, obesity, diabetes, heart disease, depression, autism, infertility, cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. We explain the documented effects of glyphosate and its ability to induce disease, and we show that glyphosate is the “textbook example” of exogenous semiotic entropy: the disruption of homeostasis by environmental toxins. http://truth-out.org/news/item/16124-senators-propose-federal-legislation-to-label-gmo-food “Senators Propose Federal Legislation to Label GMO Food,” Thursday, 02 May 2013,Michelle Goldstein,Natural News “In an exciting move in Washington, Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Congressman Peter DeFazio (D-OR) together have sponsored new federal legislation that requires the labeling of all genetically engineered food in the U.S. The Genetically Engineered Food Right-to-Know Act is the first national labeling bill to be introduced in Congress since 2010. U.S. citizens have demonstrated overwhelming support to label GMO foods in this country.” http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/16254-in-the-wake-of-west-texas-1000-toxic-chemical-accidents-you-have-not-heard-of This article by Mike Ludwig of Truthout is included in the bibliography because the use of anhydrous ammonia and ammonium nitrate is part of the agricultural system promoted by Monsanto. The 1000 accidents reported in the story resulted in 19 deaths, 1600 injuries, 68,000 evacuations by nearby residents, and $350 million in property damage. But the worst part of the use of the products is the greenhouse gas impact, and that part is not mentioned in the story. Nitrous Oxide is 300 times more potent as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. Its importance has been overlooked or neglected in the assessment of climate change caused by greenhouse gases. http://www.earthopensource.org/index.php/news/145-new-article-on-health-hazards-of-genetically-modified-foods. “Don’t Look, Don’t Find: Health Hazards of Genetically Modified Food,” A peer-reviewed article on the health hazards of genetically modified foods has recently been published in Vital Link, the journal of the Canadian Association of Naturopathic Doctors (www.cand.ca). The article underscores the inherently imprecise nature of the genetic engineering process, which can cause disruption to the genome. This can lead and has led in some cases to unintended and serious effects. The article tackles the hard issues concerning the safety of GM foods. http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/supreme-court-rules-for-monsanto-in-genetically-modified-soybean-case/2013/05/13/c84d7710-bbdb-11e2-97d4-a479289a31f9_story.html?hpid=z2 Brief news report on the Supreme Court decision in the Bowman v. Monsanto case. Bowman’s arguments on patent exhaustion were rejected. http://www.slate.com/articles/business/project_syndicate/2013/05/gene_patents_the_case_of_myriad_genetics_shows_the_dangers_of_overly_protecting.html The trouble with the patent system as it is currently operated is spelled out by economist Joseph Stiglitz. The article keys from the Myriad Case (AMP v. Myriad), but the argument applies as well to OSGATA et al. v. Monsanto. http://truth-out.org/opinion/item/16428-hijacked-organic-limited-local-faulty-fair-trade Mark Engler of Dissent magazine on May 17, 2013 looks at the issues facing organic, local, and fair-trade food consumers from the prospective of the radical eater who is a citizen first and consumer after that. The issue of transgenic contamination is not raised, but that could be added to the list of problems being faced. http://www.stltoday.com/business/local/pr-push-by-ag-and-biotech-industries-has-a-secret/article_4905971c-9eaa-5094-8fdb-eb65db31f121.html Biotech agriculture enlists moms with blogs to support their agricultural system. http://grist.org/news/vermont-house-approves-gmo-labeling-law/ Grist article by John Upton about the vote in the Vermont House of Representatives to label transgenic food. The bill passed 107-37. Senate action is awaited in 2014, and it is not certain that Governor Shumlin will sign the bill, because of the threat of a lawsuit that could cost the state $5 million according to the state Attorney General’s Office. http://www.ibtimes.com/monsanto-protection-act-20-would-ban-gmo-labeling-laws-state-level-1267629 International Business Times reports on the King Amendment to the farm bill designed to prevent states from enacting transgenic food labeling laws of their own. In the effort to seem innocuous the provision is called the Protect Interstate Commerce Act, but opponents call it the Monsanto Protection Act, version 2.0. It aims to end other state laws enacting more stringent protections than those existing in federal law. http://www.takepart.com/article/2013/05/14/elizabeth-kucinich-center-food-safety Elizabeth Kucinich joins the Center for Food Safety and answers questions about the core issues. http://www.yourpublicmedia.org/node/25627 Connecticut Public Radio “Where We Live” discussion about transgenic food labeling in the state with the state Farm Bureau president, Don Toler, and a representative of GMO-Free Connecticut, Attorney Tara Cook-Littman http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/14/us-usa-gmo-report-idUSBRE94D0IL20130514 Report by Carey Gillam on “U.S. tax dollars promote Monsanto’s GMO crops overseas: report,” May 14, 2013 “U.S. taxpayers are footing the bill for overseas lobbying that promotes controversial biotech crops developed by U.S.-based Monsanto Co and other seed makers, a report issued on Tuesday said.” The report was issued by Food and Water Watch, after it examined communications with embassies overseas released by Wikileaks to gather information about the money being spent by the government to support Monsanto’s sales efforts and those of other biotech companies. The government has supported Monsanto and the biotech industry even after Monsanto “paid $1.5 million in fines after being charged with bribing an Indonesian official and violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act in 2005.”
http://action.responsibletechnology.org/p/salsa/web/common/public/content?content_item_KEY=11129 Jeffrey Smith interviews Dr. Stephanie Seneff of MIT about the health issues associated with Roundup in the diet because it is absorbed into the food. Roundup is more dangerous than its active ingredient Glyphosate because of the adjuvants added to it in the Roundup. Without the adjuvants added to promote plant death or weed death, the Glyphosate would not be absorbed into the plants or into the animals and people. The connection between between Roundup and all the major diseases afflicting western civilization is drawn out during the discussion. These afflictions and diseases include: autism, diabetes, heart disease, inflammatory bowel, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinsonism, anorexia nervosa, obesity, leaky gut, and tryptophan seratonin deprivation, depression, chronic diarrhea, colitis, cachexia, cancer, and more.
http://www.responsibletechnology.org/posts/roundup-damages-beneficial-gut-bacteria/ Summary of two journal articles in Anaerobe and Current Microbiology confirming the impact of Roundup and Glyphosate on gut microflora. http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/16516-the-growing-global-challenge-to-monsantos-monopolistic-greed Kevin Zeese and Margaret Flowers summarize the case increasingly being pressed against Monsanto http://truth-out.org/news/item/16530-wikileaks-cables-reveal-state-department-promoting-gmos-abroad Paul Jay of the Real News Network interviews Darcy O’Callaghan, international policy director at Food and Water Watch about the year long review made by Food and Water Watch examining over 900 cables released by Wikileaks. The cables reveal a pattern of biotech agricultural promotion at U.S. taxpayer expense. This has been done in the face of international doubts and findings against the value of transgenic crops and despite the absence of any independent, objective studies proving their value. Logical conclusion: The U.S. behavior has been a shameful exercise in pro-corporate promotion the U.S. people would not want to support if they knew about it. http://www.merid.org/en/Content/News_Services/Food_Security_and_AgBiotech_News/Articles/2013/May/20/Jakarta.aspx Development Underway for First Transgenic Sugarcane Plantation, Summary posted by Meridian on 5/20/2013, Source: The Jakarta Post (20 May 2013), Author(s): Anggi M. Lubis The National Genetically Modified Product Biosafety Commission of Indonesia recently approved the first genetically modified (GM) sugarcane crop, paving the way for the development of transgenic sugarcane for commercial production. According to Bambang Purwantara, a member of the commission, “We are proud to announce that the first biotech staple crop will be a drought-resistant sugarcane. We expect to see the transgenic sugarcane planted by next year at the latest.” According to the article, this drought-resistant sugarcane is the first of fourteen to be assessed by the commission. Thirteen others, including transgenic corn, soybeans, and (additional) sugarcane, have passed food safety testing, which ensures the products are safe for human consumption. The biotech plants must also go through feed safety and environmental safety tests to both assess use as animal fodder and assess its environmental impacts, the article reports. The original article may still be available at: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2013/05/20/development-underway-first-transgenic-sugarcane-plantation.html
http://www.agprofessional.com/news/US-funds-collaboration-for-abiotic-stress-tolerant-cereals-208473381.html “U.S. funds collaboration for abiotic stress tolerant cereals,” Vibha Seeds and Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics (ACPFG), May 22, 2013 “A new research program is being supported by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in partnership with The Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics (ACPFG) and Vibha Agrotech Limited to apply transgenic technologies to enhance environmental stress tolerance in cereal crops. The research is part of the US government’s global hunger and food security initiative, Feed the Future … Technologies developed in Australia will be enhanced and transferred initially to cultivars of wheat and rice that are relevant in subsistence farming practices in India. The technologies developed through this research program will also be relevant more broadly in South Asia and other areas where climate stresses impact cereal yields.” http://everlast.mercola.com/r/?id=h944ec9a,1c33197,1c50128 The threat of another dust bowl as the result of modern farming practices. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/26/opinion/sunday/breeding-the-nutrition-out-of-our-food.html?src=me&ref=general&_r=0 Op-ed article by Jo Robinson about the way nutrition has been bred out of food in pursuit of traits that lower nutritional content. http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/reading-ingredients-tales-health-conscious-mom/2013/may/25/march-against-monsanto-gmo-protests-436-cities-wor/ Washington Times Communiites Blog coverage about the March Against Monsanto in Washington, DC on May 25, 2013. Included are photographs from other marches around the world. March organizers reported marches in 436 cities in 52 nations. They reported total world-wide participation of about two million people. The Washington Times blog coverage of the Washington, DC march was built around an AP story about the marches around the world. The AP story was run widely around the nation often without local editing. http://www.gmwatch.eu/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=14803%3Abt-toxins-are-toxic-to-the-blood-of-mice GM Watch report on a European study investigating the impact of Bt toxin in the blood of mice: “Bt toxins are toxic to the blood of mice,”Thursday, 02 May 2013 An new study (abstract below) explores the toxicity of Bt proteins in mammals. The study shows that the Bt toxins Cry1Aa, Cry1Ab, Cry1Ac, or Cry2A have toxic effects in the blood of mice. The methodology is not clearly described but what is clear is that the presumed nontoxicity of Bt toxin to mammals, on which all regulatory approvals of Bt crops are based, is false: Mezzomo, B. P., et al. (2013). Hematotoxicity of Bacillus thuringiensis as spore-crystal strains Cry1Aa, Cry1Ab, Cry1Ac, or Cry2Aa in Swiss albino mice. J Hematol Thromb Dis 1(1). http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/jhtd.1000104Study available here in full: http://esciencecentral.org/journals/JHTD/JHTD-1-104.pdfAbstract: Formulated and sporulated cultures of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) have been widely used against insect pests, but after the advent of genetically modified plants expressing δ-endotoxins, the bioavailability of Cry proteins has been increased. For biosafety reasons their adverse effects should be studied, mainly for non-target organisms. Thus, we evaluated, in Swiss albino mice, the hematotoxicity and genotoxicity of four Bt spore-crystals genetically modified to express individually Cry1Aa, Cry1Ab, Cry1Ac, or Cry2A, administered alone by gavage with a single dose of 27 mg/ Kg, 136 mg/Kg or 270 mg/Kg, 24 h, 72 h or 7 days before euthanasia. Binary combinations of these four spore-crystal proteins were also assayed at 270 mg/Kg with a single administration 24 h before euthanasia. Control mice received filtered water or cyclophosphamide at 27 mg/kg. For hematotoxicity evaluations, blood samples were drawn by cardiac puncture and processed in a multiple automated hematology analyzer; for genotoxicity analyses, micronucleus test was carried out in mice bone marrow cells. Spore-crystal administrations provoked selective hematotoxicity for the 3 exposure times, particularly for erythroid lineage. A significant reduction in bone marrow cell proliferation demonstrated cytotoxic but not genotoxic effects. These effects persisted for all exposure times, becoming more evident at 7 days. Similar results were observed for binary combinations at 24 h, suggesting that further studies are required to clarify the mechanism involved in the hematotoxicity found in mice, and to establish the toxicological risks to non-target organisms, especially mammals, before concluding that these microbiological control agents are safe for mammals. http://supermarketnews.com/center-store/connecticut-senate-approves-gmo-labeling-bill Grocery trade news outlet provides a summary report on the legislative action in New England to enact transgenic food labeling. http://topinfopost.com/2013/05/28/russia-warns-obama-monsanto The first two paragraphs state: “The shocking minutes relating to President Putin’s meeting this past week with US Secretary of State John Kerry reveal the Russian leaders ‘extreme outrage’ over the Obama regimes continued protection of global seed and plant bio-genetic giants Syngenta and Monsanto in the face of a growing ‘bee apocalypse’ that the Kremlin warns ‘will most certainly’ lead to world war. “According to these minutes, released in the Kremlin today by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation (MNRE), Putin was so incensed over the Obama regimes refusal to discuss this grave matter that he refused for three hours to even meet with Kerry, who had traveled to Moscow on a scheduled diplomatic mission, but then relented so as to not cause an even greater rift between these two nations.”
http://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/millions-join-march-against-monsanto-demand-change-and-highlight-destructive?akid=10495.1072727.kQRCJ9&rd=1&src=newsletter846732&t=7 Alex Kane, “Millions Join ‘March Against Monsanto’ to Demand Change and Highlight Destructive Business Practices,” The global day of protest against the giant corporation Monsanto was a major success, as two million people showed up in cities around the world. http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/14/bad-enough/ Mark Bittman, New York Times food columnist, urges careful thinking and thorough reasoning, not fast intuitive thinking with respect to transgenic food. Most saliently, he asserts that it is premature to consider it safe. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/27/business/food-companies-seeking-ingredients-that-arent-gene-altered.html Stephanie Strom reports on the efforts of food processors to replace their transgenic ingredients with non-transgenic. She tells of a near tripling of applications to the Non-GMO project just in the month of March 2013 (300 new applicants compared with 180 last October when the discussion of Proposition 37 in California was before the public). This followed the Whole Foods statement that products labeled by the Non-GMO Project had increased sales by 15-30%. In addition, Whole Foods sales for the first quarter 2013 were up 13.6% while food sales at Wal-Mart fell slightly. http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/Tell_Kickstarter_not_to_allow_bioengineered_organisms “Dear friends, A synthetically engineered life form designed on a computer by a private biotech company will be sent out into the wild unless we can convince Kickstarter to stop it. It will be the first ever organism produced from Synthetic Biology (extreme genetic engineering) to be deliberately released into the environment and it will be entirely unmonitored and unregulated. It sounds like a bad science fiction plot, but it?s absolutely true. “Kickstarter is a crowdsourced fundraising website with rules preventing people from using it for projects involving drugs, weapons and even sunglasses! But unless they add to these rules, a Kickstarter project to bioengineer a new type of plant will receive over $400,000 of funding on the 7th June - just over a week away- and worryingly over 6000 people who gave more than $40 will be sent bioengineered seeds in the mail to release at will. The engineered plant, a common weed engineered to glow in the dark, will be built using a controversial technology called Synthetic Biology that is so new that apparently no US regulator has the power to stop the spread. At present over 600,000 seeds will be posted to over 6000 random locations - unmonitored and unassessed. “Synthetic Biology is a form of extreme genetic engineering where artificial DNA is engineered into living things to fundamentally change their character. Nobody knows how to assess synthetic organisms for safety and until now governments and companies have refrained from releasing these organisms into the environment because they may threaten the natural world. The UN has called for caution and advisors to the US President says that none of these new organisms should be released into the wild at this time. “Kickstarter was built to help struggling artists, not give corporate biohackers with risky technologies a blank cheque to threaten our ecosystems. Let’s return Kickstarter to its roots and help protect nature against this new threat of Synthetic Biology. Thanks! Jim Thomas, ETC Group, http://www.etcgroup.org/kickstopper
http://vimeo.com/67015375 Gary Hirshberg of Stonyfield Farm Yogurt commencement address at Bates College in 2013. His comments about transgenic crops are at minute 11 and 12. http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2013/05/30/187103955/gmo-wheat-found-in-oregon-field-howd-it-get-there “GMO Wheat Found In Oregon Field. How Did It Get There?,” Dan Charles, May 30, 2013, “Genetically modified wheat has been discovered growing in a field in Oregon. GMO wheat is not approved for sale in the U.S. “A farmer in Oregon has found some genetically engineered wheat growing on his land. It’s an unwelcome surprise, because this type of wheat has never been approved for commercial planting. “The U.S. Department of Agriculture says it’s investigating, trying to find out how this wheat got there. The USDA says there’s no risk to public health, but wheatexporters are worried about how their customers in Asia and Europe will react.” http://www.panna.org/blog/millions-against-monsanto Summary of the tactics used by the U.S. State Department to promote biotech crops around the world. The summery is by Marcia Ishii-Eiteman and taken from the exposé released by Food and Water Watch. http://www.panna.org/blog/insecticide-use-big-6-profits-surge-bt-corn-fails Chemical companies report increased sales as Bt crops enable the insects to adapt to the Bt toxin in the crops. (This might have been the plan from the start: impair the use of a naturally occurring bacterial pesticide like Bt, so that more chemical pesticides can be sold as the alternative to the use of Bt. They could not have imaged the project would work for long, because they offered a strategy from the beginning to try to prevent it. http://www.alternet.org/activism/thousands-mexico-protest-monsanto-throwing-carnival-corn?akid=10509.1072727.7FM2Oc&rd=1&src=newsletter848532&t=11 Alex Mensing, “Thousands in Mexico Protest Monsanto by Throwing a Carnival of Corn” “The Carnival of Corn was, at its core, a celebration of Mexican agricultural heritage—and a rejection of the biotech corporation.” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22101424 Anal Bioanal Chem. 2012 Mar;402(7):2335-45. doi: 10.1007/s00216-011-5541-y. Epub 2011 Nov 20. “Determination of glyphosate in groundwater samples using an ultrasensitive immunoassay and confirmation by on-line solid-phase extraction followed by liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry,”Sanchís J, Kantiani L, Llorca M, Rubio F, Ginebreda A, Fraile J, Garrido T, Farré M., Source:Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), Barcelona, Spain. Abstract:Despite having been the focus of much attention from the scientific community during recent years, glyphosate is still a challenging compound from an analytical point of view because of its physicochemical properties: relatively low molecular weight, high polarity, high water solubility, low organic solvent solubility, amphoteric behaviour and ease to form metal complexes. Large efforts have been directed towards developing suitable, sensitive and robust methods for the routine analysis of this widely used herbicide. In the present work, a magnetic particle immunoassay (IA) has been evaluated for fast, reliable and accurate part-per-trillion monitoring of glyphosate in water matrixes, in combination with a new analytical method based on solid-phase extraction (SPE), followed by liquid chromatography (LC) coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS), for the confirmatory analysis of positive samples. The magnetic particle IA has been applied to the analysis of about 140 samples of groundwater from Catalonia (NE Spain) collected during four sampling campaigns. Glyphosate was present above limit of quantification levels in 41% of the samples with concentrations as high as 2.5 μg/L and a mean concentration of 200 ng/L. Good agreement was obtained when comparing the results from IA and on-line SPE-LC-MS/MS analyses. In addition, no false negatives were obtained by the use of the rapid IA. This is one of the few works related to the analysis of glyphosate in real groundwater samples and the presented data confirm that, although it has low mobility in soils, glyphosate is capable of reaching groundwater. http://www.naturalnews.com/034504_glyphosate_groundwater_contamination.html Study confirms GMO herbicide glyphosate contaminates groundwater supplies, Wednesday, December 28, 2011 by: Jonathan Benson, Natural News staff writer http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=2909 USGS press release in August 2011 when its two Glyphosate studies were released. http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/16722-peak-water-peak-oil-now-peak-soi Peak Water, Peak Oil … Now, Peak Soil? Sunday, 02 June 2013,Stephen Leahy, Inter Press ServiceA Brief Report on the international Soil Carbon Sequestration Conference in Iceland where the neglect and impoverishment of the soil has been as bad as any place on Earth. The soil is second only to the oceans in its ability to sequester carbon dioxide, but we are generating more of it than both together can handle, even if the capacity was optimized. Over the past 40 years, 30% of the planet’s arable land has become unproductive due to erosion. http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/16725-putting-the-culture-back-in-agriculture-reviving-native-food-and-farming-traditions “Putting the Culture Back in Agriculture: Reviving Native Food and Farming Traditions,” Sunday, 02 June 2013, Tory Field and Beverly Bell, Other Worlds Harvesting Justice Series “Together with the loss of cultural diversity, the growth of industrial agriculture has led to an enormous depletion in biodiversity. Throughout history, humans have cultivated about7,000 species of plants. In the last century, three-quarters of the genetic diversity of agricultural crops have been lost. Thirty crops now provide 95% of our food needs, with rice, wheat, maize, and potato alone providing 60%. Eighty-five percent of the apple varieties that once existed in the US have been lost. Vast fields of genetically identical crops are much more susceptible to pests, necessitating increased pesticide use. The lack of diversity also endangers the food supply, as an influx of pests or disease can wipe out enormous quantities of crops in one fell swoop.” http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/16683-monarchs-of-life Monarchs of Life. Sunday, 02 June 2013,Tony Pereira, Truthout, “While 1 billion monarchs overwintered on 50 acres during peak migrations of just a few years ago, fewer than 3 acres were occupied by December of 2012, less than half as many as the previous year, a dramatic reduction. At this rate, this may very well be the last year we have the opportunity to witness this awe-inspiring migration. What can you do? At least four things: 1. Start a milkweed garden on your yard no matter how small. On the monarchwatch.org, find the milkweed species that are best adapted to the climate of yourspace. 2. Stop buying and consuming agricultural products that are grown using synthetic chemicals, and choose certified organic produce only. The reason for this is that organic agriculture bans the use of synthetic pesticides, herbicides and genetically modified organisms (GMOs), which cause untold death and destruction to beneficial pollinators including monarchs and other butterflies. Corn pollen is one of the monarchs’ favorite foods, and at leasttwo peer-reviewed studies, one by the Russian Academy of Sciences and the other at Cornell University, indicate a large percentage, up to 44 percent, of the monarchs in the study died when fed exclusively with GMO varieties. 3. Contact your senators and representatives, both state and federal, and demand a ban on the use of all pesticides, herbicides and GMOs, and ask themto start a well-thought-out plan of protection and conservation of milkweed habitats in the United States, Mexico and Canada, together with effective protection and reforestation of the monarch overwintering pine forests in Mexico. 4. Contact your city officials in parks and recreation and ask them to halt theuse of synthetic pesticides and herbicides and to plant milkweed patches on every park around town and around the county. Monarchs are important pollinators and perform a valuable service to all humankind and to many other species, a contribution to the web of life on which it is difficult, if not altogether impossible, to put a monetary value, if that is what concerns you.” http://www.truth-out.org/speakout/item/16636-marching-against-monsanto-in-the-belly-of-the-beast Marching against Monsanto in “The Belly of the Beast,” Wednesday, 29 May 2013,James Anderson, “People across the globe protested May 25 during the global day of action against Monsanto. More than 500 came to ”the belly of the best“ in Creve Coeur, Mo., just outside of St. Louis, to raise public awareness and chant, ”What do we want? Labeling! When do we want it? Now,“ ”Monsanto, disease, lies and greed!“ among other apt rallying cries. ”The 500-strong marched from Stacy Park, signs in hand, as rain started coming down. Indignant over “Monsanto’s monopolistic greed,” and undeterred by the rain, they held signs and aimed to raise awareness about Monsanto’s control over the food supply. Protestors passed out fliers reading, “SHOW ME THE LABEL,” encouraging citizens to visit a website to learn more about a Missouri initiative, Senate Bill No. 155, to get the state to label Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). Vermont and just recently Connecticut passed legislation requiring genetically engineered (GE) foods to be labeled.“ The article provides the motivation of a range of participants in the St. Louis march. http://www.capitalpress.com/content/ML-GE-wheat-interview-Update-060313 Monday, June 03, 2013, “Farmer planted two types of wheat not involved in GM trials, sources say,” By Mitch Lies, Capital Press, (Salem, Oregon), “The grower who found unauthorized transgenic wheat in an Oregon farm field had planted two types of wheat that had never been involved in a genetically modified wheat trial, according to sources. And, to the grower’s knowledge, the field was never used in the trials. One of the varieties, however, was developed by a Monsanto subsidiary, WestBred, a seed breeding company in Bozeman, Mont. A lawyer representing the grower said the grower had worked the field for nine years without encountering an incident with uncontrolled volunteers. “This spring, however, the grower found a smattering of volunteer wheat plants after treating the field with a glyphosate herbicide, said Tim Bernasek, a partner in the Portland law firm Dunn Carney. Bernasek said the grower then notified Oregon State University and sent in samples for study. Tests by OSU and the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service determined that the wheat contained the glyphosate-resistant gene that was developed by Monsanto Co. to resist the herbicide Roundup.” http://www.capitalpress.com/content/sb-GMO-ballot-anti-060713 Monday, June 03, 2013, “Anti-initiative group says transgenic discovery doesn’t affect labeling issue,” By Steve Brown, Capital Press (Salem, Oregon). “A group opposing Washington’s ballot initiative to require labeling of genetically modified ingredients in some foods sees no connection between the initiative and the recent discovery of GM wheat in an Oregon field. Brad Harwood, spokesman for ”Vote No on 522,“ said recent developments stimulate conversation but have nothing to do with Initiative 522.” Others also comment in the story.
http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_27679.cfm The OCA campaign to change the minds of some of the 71 Senators who voted against the Sanders Amendment to the Farm Bill shows just how out of touch with the issue and how under the influence of agribusiness many Senators are. They should be thinking about writing a law to improve the regulation of biotech agriculture, but they are not anywhere close to that.
http://www.ir-d.dk/gmo-lose-europe-victory-for-environmental-organisations/ “GMO lose Europe – victory for environmental organisations,” Nils Mulvad, 29/05/2013 “Monsanto will halt production of genetically modified corn in all of Europe, except Spain, Portugal and Czech republic. The agribusiness multinational states not to spend any more money on trials, development, marketing, court cases or anything else to get GM corn accepted in Europe.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=9QbJ_qzHHq8 Monsanto spokesman confirms decision to exit Europe.
http://www.ctnewsjunkie.com/ctnj.php/archives/entry/ct_first_in_the_nation_to_pass_gmo_labeling_bill “CT First In The Nation To Pass GMO Labeling Bill” by Jacqueline Wattles, Jun 3, 2013; A bill that would mandate labels on foods that contain genetically modified ingredients passed the House Monday, making Connecticut the first state in the nation to pass this type of legislation. (Governor has agreed to sign it.)
http://www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/episode/2013/05/29/gm-resistant-rootworms-and-the-future-of-farming/ Canadian TV reports on insects resistant to Bt crops. The Canadian Biotechnology Action Network writes: “Genetically engineered insect resistant (Bt) crops are failing as insects become resistant - just as predicted. There was actually never any dispute that this would happen, it was just a matter of time...and now is the time. You can listen to the discussion of this problem on CBC’s The Current.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/06/us/genetically-altered-crop-in-oregon-no-surprise.html?_r=0 Report by Michael Wines about the potential risks of crop contamination from Monsanto’s transgenic crops and the similar crops from other companies. Unfortunately, Wines has not done his reportorial homework, and he did not look at the entire agricultural methodology Monsanto promotes. There is real danger from both the seeds and the chemicals, and that is glossed over in this story. Because of Monsanto patent power and the collaboration of a dysfunctional (if not worse) government, the evidence is only anecdotal in the U.S., but there are studies abroad that need to be looked at when a story like this is written. To start with, Wines needed to look at the work of Arpad Pusztai and his team from 1998 in Great Britain. The importance of that work was questioned by politicians at the time, but it has been vindicated by scientists. Also, the politicians, most notably Tony Blair, have changed their mind and admitted their mistake.
http://belfercenter.ksg.harvard.edu/publication/23124/plea_for_agricultural_innovation.html This article show the attitude of the promoters of transgenic agriculture. If this article is typical, and it may be, it shows no concern about the issues being raised by others. It leaves those arguments unaddressed and simply treats the opponents as “pessimists” and essentially luddites. They are blindly pro-science with no concern about the consequences. The article speaks of the need to be evidence based, but it is really based on blind virtually religious commitment to imprudent optimism. The fact that people are creating transgenic crops is not evidence of anything. The health and environmental issues are not addressed. The attitude conveyed here is atrocious in its level of profligate irresponsibility, but the article should be read to understand the point of view. It should not be ignored, because it is shamefully prominent.
http://occupymonsanto360.org/blog/new-study-proves-bt-toxins-in-gmos-toxic-to-mammalian-blood/ Brazilian study shows again what a previous study in Canada had shown about the ability of Bt toxin no migrate into mammalian blood. The great U.S. irresponsibility is that these studies have not been done in the U.S. because of the patent power, political power, and financial power of Monsanto.
http://www.genengnews.com/gen-news-highlights/tracking-the-evolution-of-pest-resistance-to-transgenic-crops/81248468/ Jun 11, 2013 “Tracking the Evolution of Pest Resistance to Transgenic Crops,” “Analyzing field and lab data from 77 studies of 13 pest species in eight countries across five continents, entomologist Bruce Tabashnik, Ph.D., and his colleagues found well-documented cases of field-evolved resistance to Bt crops in five major pests as of 2010, compared with only one such case in 2005. They also found that three of the five cases occurred in the U.S. (which accounts for about half of the world’s Bt crop acreage), and that in the worst cases, resistance to Bt evolved within just two to three years. In the best cases, though, some Bt crops have retained their effectiveness for more than 15 years. ‘With a billion acres of these crops planted over the past 16 years, and with the data accumulated over that period, we have a better scientific understanding of how fast the insects evolve resistance and why,’ Dr. Tabashnik said in a statement. Added co-author Yves Carrière, Ph.D.: ‘The factors we found to favor sustained efficacy of Bt crops are in line with what we would expect based on evolutionary theory.’” http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2013/06/12/3779903.htm#.UbiAkZ-f914 “GM feed found to affect pig’s health,” Wednesday, 12 June 2013, Carey Gillam, ABC/Reuters, Pigs fed a diet of genetically modified grain showed markedly higher stomach inflammation than pigs who dined on conventional feed, according to a new study by Australian and US researchers. The study adds to an intensifying public debate over the impact of genetically modified crops, which is increasingly being used around the world. The study was published in the June issue of the peer-reviewed Journal of Organic Systems by researchers from Australia who worked with two veterinarians and a farmer in Iowa to study the pigs. Lead researcher Dr Judy Carman is an epidemiologist and biochemist and director of the Institute of Health and Environmental Research in Adelaide. The study was conducted over 22.7 weeks using 168 newly weaned pigs in a commercial US piggery. The researchers say more long-term animal feeding studies need to be done.
http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2013/06/11/3779117.htm?site=science&topic=latest#.UbiEc5-f914 “More pests resistant to GM crops: study,” Publishing in the journal Nature Biotechnology, US and French researchers analysed the findings of 77 studies from eight countries on five continents that reported on data from field monitors. Of 13 major pest species examined, five were resistant by 2011, compared with only one in 2005, they found. The benchmark was resistance among more than 50 percent of insects in a location. Of the five species, three were cotton pests and two were corn pests. Three of the five cases of resistance were in the United States, which accounts for roughly half of Bt crop plantings, while the others were in South Africa and India.
http://drrimatruthreports.com/gmo-corn-crops-failing-in-the-usa-famine-to-follow/ “Natural Solutions Foundation has been warning for years about the dangers of GMO “phude” (looks like food, may even taste a bit like food, but it isn’t). Dr Rima E. Laibow, Medical Director of the Natural Solutions Foundation, has pointed out that the human body has no evolutionary experience with the novel proteins in these “Frankenphudes,” thus the risk of cancer, dementia, infertility and other health problems. The threat, however, is not just to the harm caused to our bodies and our health. So our bodies fail under the burden of GMO phude. So, in fact, does the entire farming system, perhaps the entire ecosystem.”
http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-06-18/the-genetically-modified-burrito-chipotle-tells-all The Genetically Modified Burrito: Chipotle Tells All, By Justin Bachman, June 18, 2013, “If you’re horrified by the prospect of eating food containing genes that were altered by some industrial food giant, Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG) will tell you what’s what in its ingredients. Just don’t expect to be eating much that’s on the menu, at least for now. Go with pork carnitas, sour cream, and guacamole. Forget about pretty much everything else: The menu is heavy on genetically modified organisms (GMOs), from the chicken to the tortillas.”
http://grist.org/news/five-pest-species-now-immune-to-gmo-corn-and-cotton/ Five pest species now immune to GMO corn and cotton, By John Upton, June 13, 2013, “Yum, genetically engineered corn and cotton. That isn’t what most people would think. (Especially the cotton bit. And especially the GMO bit.) But a growing number of pests appear to share this sentiment. They’ve developed immunity to corn and cotton crops genetically engineered to contain the pesticide Bt, so they’re now munching away with impunity. As of 2010, five of 13 major pest species had become largely immune to the Bt poisons in GMO corn and cotton, compared to just one species in 2005, scientists write in a paper published in the journal Nature Biotechnology.” http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/06/25/glyphosate-residue.aspx?e_cid=20130620_DNL_ProdTest3_artTest_A6&utm_source=dnl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=artTest_A6&utm_campaign=20130620ProdTest3 New Studies Show Europeans have the Weed Killer in Their Bodies, June 20, 2013 “Tests show that people in 18 countries across Europe have glyphosate in their bodies. Of the urine samples tested, an average of 44 percent was found to contain glyphosate; 70 percent of Germans, Britons, and Polish tested positive. Researchers have determined the mechanism by which glyphosate residues in food disrupt normal body functions and induce disease; the pathway glyphosate uses to kill plants also exists in human and mammals’ gut bacteria. Glyphosate has estrogenic properties and promotes breast cancer in the parts-per-trillion range. Meanwhile, the EPA proposes raising allowable residue levels in certain vegetables from 0.2 to as high as 6 parts-per-million. The phytoestrogen genistein, naturally found in soybeans, has been found to heighten the estrogenic effects of glyphosate, prompting the warning that genetically engineered soybeans may therefore pose a breast cancer risk. A new EU-US free trade agreement has again cracked the door open for genetically engineered (GE) crops and foods into Europe.”
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/editorial/cloak-and-dagger-research/article4830857.ece “Cloak and dagger research” (in India), “There is a need for an independent regulator for overseeing research in genetically modified products. The Government has at last shed its ambiguity on researching genetically modified (GM) crops by allowing ‘confined’ field trials in a host of transgenic cotton, rice, castor and maize lines, developed by a clutch of multinationals, Indian seed firms and public sector research institutions. But the entire exercise has been needlessly shrouded in secrecy that will only provide fresh fodder to those fundamentally opposed to the technology. The Government, to start with, took nine months to reconstitute the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC), the official biotech regulator, after the existing panel’s term ended last June. The reconstituted GEAC met for the first time in almost a year on March 22, when the decision to clear several pending field trial applications ahead of the new kharif planting season was taken. That this information has been kept out of the public domain for nearly three months gives the impression that the Government is so apologetic about its action that it prefers it be revealed as a fait accompli. ”This sort of cloak-and-dagger approach is totally unwarranted, especially when the 53-odd applications piled up before the GEAC were all only for field trials of new GM crop candidates and not for cultivation in farmers’ fields. Although the previous Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh had, in February 2010, announced a ‘moratorium’ on the commercial release of Bt brinjal – India’s first ever GM food crop – there has been no such official prohibition in granting permission for conducting pollen flow studies or testing out candidate plants in isolated one-acre plots. By neither allowing commercialisation nor reconstituting the GEAC, the Government had willy-nilly declared a moratorium on GM research without explicitly saying so.”
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/06/20/gut-brain-connection.aspx “Your Gut Bacteria Affects Your Brain Function, Study Confirms,” June 20, 2013, Dr. Mercola (Quoting from the beginning of the article): The bacteria, fungi, viruses and other microorganisms that comprise your body’s microflora actually outnumber your body’s cells 10 to 1, and it’s now becoming increasingly clear that these tiny organisms play a MAJOR role in your health—both physical and mental. The impact of your microflora on your brain function has again been confirmed by UCLA researchers who, in a proof-of-concept study, found that probiotics (beneficial bacteria) indeed altered the brain function in the participants. As reported by UCLA:1 “Researchers have known that the brain sends signals to your gut, which is why stress and other emotions can contribute to gastrointestinal symptoms. This study shows what has been suspected but until now had been proved only in animal studies: that signals travel the opposite way as well. ‘Time and time again, we hear from patients that they never felt depressed or anxious until they started experiencing problems with their gut,’ [Dr. Kirsten]Tillisch said. ‘Our study shows that the gut–brain connection is a two-way street.’” The study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Gastroenterology,2 claims the discovery “carries significant implications for future research that could point the way toward dietary or drug interventions to improve brain function.” Mercola concludes, “Naturally, I urge you to embrace dietary changes here, (as) opposed to waiting for some ‘miracle drug’ to do the work for you….” (The impact of transgenic food is discussed later in the article.) http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/06/18/neonicotinoid-pesticide.aspx “Ecosystem and Food Supply Threatened by Gross Underestimate of Toxicity of Neonicotinoid Pesticides,”June 18, 2013, “Research shows the use of neonicotinoid pesticides in seed treatments is responsible for the death of birds, terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates and other wildlife. Neonicotinoids also appear to be one of the primary causes behind mass die-offs of bees, which threatens one-third of our food supply Many pesticides are neurotoxic and can cause disruptions to your neurological system and your brain. Research has linked pesticide exposure to Parkinson’s disease, raising your risk by 58 percent. Glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, chelates important minerals in your body and inhibits enzymes that help detoxify chemicals”
http://ecowatch.com/2012/national-organic-standards/National Organic Standards Board Still Corrupt after Friendly USDA Audit July 25, 2012, The Office of the Inspector General (OIG), at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), released a brief report on July 23 outlining their review of serious allegations of collusion with corporate agribusiness, conflicts of interest, illegal appointments and false information tainting the decision-making on the part of the National Organic Standards Board, the expert panel created by Congress to protect the integrity of the organic label. The OIG audit was prompted by a congressional request and a formal complaint filed by an organic industry watchdog, The Cornucopia Institute, a Wisconsin-based not-for-profit policy research organization. “The limited scope of this review by the OIG simply confirmed that the USDA’s National Organic Program (NOP) was correctly administering the process of reviewing non-organic and synthetic substances before they were added to the National List,” said Mark A. Kastel, co-director at The Cornucopia Institute. “Their audit made it clear that they did not look into the allegations documented in our heavily footnoted, 75 page-white paper, The Organic Watergate.”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/ej-dionne-the-supreme-court-furthers-conservative-goals/2013/06/26/c0d21f92-de98-11e2-963a-72d740e88c12_story.html?hpid=z5 “Kauai, Big Island consider GMO measures,” June 26, 2013, Lihue, Hawaii (AP) — “Councils in two counties are considering bills related to genetically modified foods several months after state lawmakers turned down a labeling bill amid heated debate. The Hawaii County Council is expected to hear a proposal to prohibit transgenic crops on the island beyond those already grown on existing farms, the Hawaii Tribune-Herald reported Wednesday. The existing farms would face tighter regulations, including signs on the property marking the use of transgenic crops. The farms would also have to register with the county and provide a list of pesticides and herbicides used.”
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/agri-biz/govt-puts-on-hold-approval-for-field-trials-of-gm-crops/article4853650.ece?ref=wl_industry-and-economy Government puts on hold approval for field trials of GM crops, Vishwanath Kulkarni, New Delhi, June 26, 2013: “The Environment Ministry has confirmed that the recent decision of the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee to permit field trials of genetically modified crops such as rice, wheat, maize, castor and cotton has been ”put on hold“. “The appraisal committee, the official body to give approval for commercial release and field trials of transgenic crops in the country, had on March 22, permitted field trials of genetically modified crops developed by a host of multinational companies, private Indian seed companies and the public sector research institutions. “The details of the appraisal body approvals were even uploaded on the Environment Ministry’s Web site last Tuesday – almost three months after the biotech regulator’s meeting. However, all this information was removed a day later. The GEAC Web site currently carries no reference to the minutes of the March 22 meeting that had been uploaded earlier. “A top Environment Ministry official told Business Line that the minutes of committee’s March 22 meeting had not been officially approved while terming the appearance of such clearance details in the public domain a ‘mistake.’” Significantly, the committee’s next meeting was scheduled to be been held on July 11, but it has now been deferred indefinitely, the official said. “The decision to put on hold all approvals – including those granted by the committee – has been taken in view of an ongoing public interest litigation case on the bio-safety of field trials of genetically modified crop – being heard by the Supreme Court.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/21/business/us-approves-a-label-for-meat-from-animals-fed-a-diet-free-of-gene-modified-products.html?_r=1& “U.S. Approves a Label for Meat From Animals Fed a Diet Free of Gene-Modified Products,” Stephanie Strom, June 20, 2013, “The Agriculture Department has approved a label for meat and liquid egg products that includes a claim about the absence of genetically engineered products. It is the first time that the department, which regulates meat and poultry processing, has approved a non-G.M.O. label claim, which attests that meat certified by the Non-GMO Project came from animals that never ate feed containing genetically engineered ingredients like corn, soy and alfalfa.” http://my.chicagotribune.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-76357763/ “Will McDonald’s serve genetically modified fries?” By Monica Eng, Tribune reporter, June 18, 2013, Quoting the article: Ahead of a federal approval decision on genetically engineered potatoes, a national consumer group todaylaunched a campaign that urges McDonald’s to refuseto serve genetically engineered fries. National consumer and environmental group Food & Water Watch is asking the fast food giant to “publicly refuse to source the ‘Innate’-brand genetically engineered (GE) potato now up for regulatory approval by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The GE potato developer, J.R. Simplot, currently provides McDonald’s with most of the potatoes it uses in its french fries.” http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2013/06/movement-to-label-gmos-gaining-steam/#.Uc25iBZfbzf “With Recent Victories, Movement to Label GMOs Gains Steam,” Helena Bottemiller, June 27, 2013, “More than six months after a big defeat in California, the movement to label foods containing genetically modified organisms appears to be picking up steam across the country. ”In the past three weeks, Connecticut and Maine passed labeling bills, the U.S. Department of Agriculture for the first time approved a non-GMO label claim for meat products, Chipotle began voluntarily labeling menu items containing GMO ingredients online, and, perhaps most notably, the Senate Appropriations Committee voted last week to give the U.S. Food and Drug Administration funding to label genetically modified salmon if the agency approves the fish.” http://blogs.prevention.com/inspired-bites/2013/06/25/epa-to-vote-on-increasing-level-of-cancer-linked-chemical/ “EPA Set to Increase Levels of Controversial Chemical on Food,” Robyn O’Brien, June 25, 2013; quoting the article’s lede paragraphs: “Pesticides may be putting young children at risk of cancer” read a headline. Other headlines have suggested that pesticides are linked to Parkinson’s, autism and other conditions. That can be tough to hear for anyone who has put regular, non-organic groceries into her shopping cart and on her dinner table. So when a headline hit this week that the EPA was seeking to increase the allowable levels of a controversial chemical used on our food crops, it was enough to make me wonder if anyone is watching out for the health of our children or if it is just about the financial health of corporations. (Summary: The EPA is about to raise the allowable limit of Glyphosate contamination in food even though Canada uses a standard 58 times lower and Europe has a standard lower than that. Meanwhile, MIT bas released a study reported the dangers associated with Glyphosate in food, but this article is based on an interview with Dr. Don Huber, emeritus professor of plant pathology at Purdue.) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/frances-moore-lappe-and-anna-lappe/choice-of-monsanto-betray_b_3499045.html “Choice of Monsanto Betrays World Food Prize Purpose, Say Global Leaders,” June 26, 2013, Quoting the story:In honoring the seed biotechnology industry, this year’sWorld Food Prize—to many, the most prestigious prize in food and agriculture—betrays the award’s own mandate to emphasize “the importance of a nutritious and sustainable food supply for all people.” http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/17287-photo-essay-mexico-celebrates-world-day-against-monsanto Photo Essay: Mexico Celebrates World Day Against Monsanto, Sunday,Andalusia Knoll, Upside Down World,30 June 2013
http://livingmaxwell.sharedby.co/share/CegSkE Z Magazine story about transgenic trees: “Historic Protests Disrupt Industry Conference,” By Anne Petermann and Orin Langelle, July 2013 “Hundreds of activists from across the country converged on Asheville, North Carolina from Sunday, May 26 to Saturday, June 1 to protest the Tree Biotechnology 2013 conference, hosted by the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO). They came to raise vocal and determined opposition to genetically engineered trees (GE trees). The conference occurs every two years and brings together leading tree engineers, students, and corporate representatives to discuss the science and politics of genetically engineering trees. The conference was disrupted or protested by activists even before it began and almost every day it took place. On May 25, more than 1,000 people joined the March Against Monsanto in Asheville, with a vocal contingent protesting GE trees.” Former Monsanto executives are active in the companies genetically engineering trees.
http://www.momsacrossamerica.com/stunning_corn_comparison_gmo_versus_non_gmo “Stunning Corn Comparison: GMO versus NON GMO,” Zen Honeycutt, March 15, 2013;“The claims that ‘There is no difference between GMO corn and NON GMO corn’ are false. Yesterday…, Vince from De Dell Seed Company, Canada’s only NON GMO corn seed company … emailed me this stunning report, clearly showing the nutritional value difference between GMO corn and NON GMO corn.” This is just one sample of the information on this blog.
http://gmopundit.blogspot.com/2007/09/ermakovas-gm-soy-trials-in-rats-get.html Critical analysis of the Irina Ermakova, Russian rat feeding study, but critics are not named. This analysis including the report on similar study in Japan is not sufficient to discredit Ermakova’s work, but her work does need to be responsibly replicated.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-lipsky/will-european-requirement_b_3535795.html “Will European Requirements for Labeling GMO Foods Survive New Trade Negotiations?” Michael Lipsky,Senior Fellow, Demos,07/03/2013; “This week U.S. and European negotiators will begin secret talks that could bargain away a key element in American resistance to GMO foods. The proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), also referred to as a Transatlantic Free Trade Agreement (TAFTA), will focus on ”normalizing“ regulatory practices that business interests deem limit trade, including the European approach to genetically modified foods. “Americans who favor allowing consumers to decide for themselves whether to purchase foods containing GMOs should pay close attention as discussions get under way.”
http://www.forbes.com/sites/kevincoupe/2013/06/07/the-clear-utterly-unscientific-case-for-gmo-transparency/ “The Clear And Utterly Unscientific Case For GMO Transparency,” Kevin Coupe,6/07/2013; “The people who do not want to consume GMOs deserve as much consideration as vegetarians who don’t want to eat meat, Jewish people who want to keep Kosher, people with wheat allergies who need to stay away from gluten, or people with nut allergies who need to know if a product contains nuts or even has been made using equipment that has come into contact with nuts.”
http://www.patentdocs.org/2013/07/organic-seed-growers-trade-assn-v-monsanto-co-fed-cir-2013.html This is the first legal journalism about the OSGATA et al. v. Monsanto Federal Circuit decision apart from a cursory blog posting soon after the decision was issued. This article has a clear pro-Monsanto slant, even to the point of not comprehending the issues at stake and the contentions asserted by the Plaintiffs.
http://www.cornucopia.org/2013/07/bees-dying-by-the-millions/ “Bees Dying by the Millions,”ThePost (Hanover, Ontario), Jon Radojkovic, July 8th, 2013; “ELMWOOD - Local beekeepers are finding millions of their bees dead just after corn was planted here in the last few weeks. Dave Schuit, who has a honey operation in Elmwood, lost 600 hives, a total of 37 million bees.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/16/science/earth/looking-for-ways-to-beat-the-weeds.html?emc=eta1&_r=0 “Looking for Ways to Beat the Weeds,” Carl Zimmer, July 15, 2013; At least 217 different weeds have evolved herbicide resistant; a few have taken up the Monsanto transgenes, but most have evolved the old-fashioned way. This evolution shows the weakness of reliance on chemical herbicides. The article discusses the alternatives.
http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=TmQBCaaFB3Jj9lAcF0J0zj9kxJY9wN%2Fy “Monsanto to withdraw EU approval requests for new GMO crops,”Charlie Dunmore, July 17, 2013; “BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Monsanto Co said on Wednesday it will withdraw all pending approval requests to grow new types of genetically modified crops in the European Union, due to the lack of commercial prospects for cultivation there. “We will be withdrawing the approvals in the coming months,” Monsanto’s President and Managing Director for Europe, Jose Manuel Madero, told Reuters by telephone.” The July 18, 2013 version of the story is here: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/07/17/us-eu-monsanto-gmos-idUSBRE96G16R20130717
http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/17666-millions-against-monsanto-on-the-road-to-victory “Millions Against Monsanto: On the Road to Victory,” (Op Ed), Ronnie Cummins, Organic Consumers Association,19 July 2013 http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/07/01/this-unsettling-chart-shows-were-not-growing-enough-food-to-feed-the-world/ “This terrifying chart shows we’re not growing enough food to feed the world,” Brad Plumer, July 1, 2013; “It’s a question that keeps crop scientists up at night: How are we possibly going to feed the world over the next few decades? “After all, consider what we’re up against: The global population is expected to swell from 7 billion today to 9.6 billion by 2050. The rising middle class in China and India is eating more meat than ever. And this is all happening at a time when we’re setting aside a greater slice of farmland for biofuels and trying not to cut down any more forests (which exacerbates climate change). Doing this in a sustainable manner is tricky.”
https://100r.org/2013/06/pest-control-syngentas-secret-campaign-to-discredit-atrazines-critics/#more-8756 “Pest Control: Syngenta’s Secret Campaign to Discredit Atrazine’s Critics,” Clare Howard, June 17, 2013; “To protect profits threatened by a lawsuit over its controversial herbicide atrazine, Syngenta Crop Protection launched an aggressive multi-million dollar campaign that included hiring a detective agency to investigate scientists on a federal advisory panel, looking into the personal life of a judge and commissioning a psychological profile of a leading scientist critical of atrazine. “The Switzerland-based pesticide manufacturer also routinely paid ”third-party allies“ to appear to be independent supporters, and kept a list of 130 people and groups it could recruit as experts without disclosing ties to the company.”
http://grist.org/news/monsanto-virtually-gives-up-on-growing-gmo-crops-in-europe/ “Monsanto virtually gives up on growing GMO crops in Europe,” John Upton; “Europeans who don’t want Monsanto’s GMO crops on their land can rejoice. “Monsanto has pretty much given up any hope (at least for now) of selling its genetically engineered seeds for corn, sugar beets, and other crops in Europe, where opposition to GMO food is overwhelming.”
http://journalstar.com/business/when-big-business-and-academia-mix-where-is-the-line/article_a9d2ddb4-b3be-5c09-9e8e-a316a584cc8e.html “When big business and academia mix, where is the line?” SDSU president doubles as member of board of directors for Monsanto, which funnels money and research to his school,” Alan Guebert, Lincoln, Nebaska Journal Star, April 25, 2009; University president earns $300,000 serving the university and $400,000 as a board member of Monsanto and about 300,000 as university president, according to this story.
http://www.cban.ca/Resources/Tools/Pamphlets-and-Factsheets/The-Failing-Experiment-of-Genetic-Engineering “The Failing Experiment of Genetic Engineering,” Lucy Sharratt, Coordinator, Canadian Biotechnology Action Network, Published in the Watershed Sentinel; March-April 2013; “GM crop technologies are failing. Genetically modified (GM or genetically engineered) herbicide tolerant and insect resistant crops are failing to perform and, despite years of government and corporate research and development, there is little indication of an imminent new miracle GM crop to prop up this floundering experiment. The failure of the technology itself, however, will not necessarily mean the end of the GM experiment - unnecessary, illogical and destructive technologies are approved all the time - but increasing public opposition defies the corporate plan to engender consumer acceptance by simply offering no alternative. Despite every possible government support and protection, after 17 years, the biotech industry is struggling to maintain its big project.” http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/73b3c1dc-f08d-11e2-929c-00144feabdc0.html#axzz2ZgTnfMzX “Seeds of doubt,” Editorial, Financial Times, July 21, 2013, “Europe is right to be cautious over GM crops. Monsanto, the US agricultural group, has abandoned its decade-long bid for permission to grow a range of genetically modified crops on European soil. The move comes shortly after Owen Paterson, the UK environment minister, warned that Europe was missing out on one of the most important agricultural advances since the 18th century. That conclusion is premature.” …
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/07/23/press-questions-gmo-safety.aspx?e_cid=20130723_DNL_art_1&utm_source=dnl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=art1&utm_campaign=20130723 “Good News! Monsanto’s PR Machine Is Failing Miserably,”Dr. Joeseph Mercola, July 23, 2013; “If you’ve been primarily a reader of the mainstream press, you’ve probably been mislead into thinking genetically engineered (GE) crops are the greatest thing since sliced bread, that they provide better yields of equal or better quality food, pest and weed resistance, reduced reliance on pesticides, and more... But thankfully, the truth is unfolding and the tide is finally beginning to turn. “I have long warned against GE crops, pointing out the risks associated with their consumption, and the falsehoods presented about their safety. Now, the mainstream press is finally joining in. “The Fox News report linked to the Mercola report above does a remarkably good job of questioning the logic behind, if not the safety of, GE foods and genetically modified organisms (GMOs)—from crops with built-in pesticides, to salmon designed to grow abnormally large and fast. “I’m very pleased that Fox News pointed out the fact that potential health hazards cannot be averted simply by avoiding the GE crop in question. Animals raised on GE-grain feed will in turn produce GMO-tainted meat, milk, and eggs, for example, thereby affecting the vast majority of the food supply. “Fox News even reported the disturbing findings from feeding studies showing intestinal damage in animals fed Bt corn, and the potential links to food allergies, antibiotic exposure, and increased exposure to pesticides.” …
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/07/23/massive-bee-deaths.aspx?e_cid=20130723_DNL_art_2&utm_source=dnl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=art2&utm_campaign=20130723 “Bees Dying by the Millions,”July 23, 2013; “Canadian beekeepers have reported millions of bees dying just after corn seeds, treated with neonicotinoid pesticides, were planted.” “An estimated 25,000 bumblebees were recently found dead in an Oregon parking lot, just a short time after trees in the area had been sprayed with a neonicotinoid insecticide. “The state of Oregon has banned 18 such pesticides pending an investigation into bee deaths; the European Union has also banned the pesticides for two years to further study their impacts on bee populations. “Beekeeping organizations and beekeepers have filed a legal action against the EPA for recently approving sulfoxaflor, a similar pesticide to neonicotinoids.” Monsanto is a major user of neonicotinoid pesticides, even though they do not make them (they are a Bayer product.) Monsanto uses them to coat their seeds to protect them during the early stages of growth when the built-in transgenic pesticide is not yet able to protect them.
http://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/press-releases/2228/statement-from-center-for-food-safety-regarding-decision-on-genetically-engineered-alfalfa “Statement from Center for Food Safety Regarding Decision on Genetically Engineered Alfalfa,”May 17th, 2013; “Center for Food Safety (CFS) is disappointed with today’s decision by the Ninth District Circuit Court to uphold USDA’s deregulation of genetically engineered (GE) alfalfa, yet will pursue numerous legal options to halt the sale and planting of this harmful crop. ”The court acknowledged the myriad harms that will be caused by the deregulation of GE alfalfa, including irreparable damages to rural economies from transgenic contamination, closing of major export markets, significant increase in the use of herbicides and the resulting spread of herbicide-resistant weeds, as well as harms to the environment and numerous endangered species. …”
http://planete.blogs.nouvelobs.com/media/02/02/453972038.pdf “Beyond ‘substantial equivalence,’ Showing that a genetically modified food is chemically similar to its natural counterpart is not adequate evidence that it is safe for human consumption,” Erik Millstone, Eric Brunner, and Sue Mayer, Nature, Volume 401, October 1999; “Whenever official approval for the introduction of genetically modified (GM) foods has been given in Europe or the United States, regulatory committees have invoked the concept of ‘substantial equivalence’. This means that if a GM food can be characterized as substantially equivalent to its ‘natural’ antecedent, it can be assumed to pose no new health risks and hence to be acceptable for commercial use. At first sight, the approach might seem plausible and attractively simple, but we believe that it is misguided, and should be abandoned in favour of one that includes biological, toxicological and immunological tests rather than merely chemical ones.” …
http://www.panna.org/blog/long-last-epa-releases-pesticide-use-statistics “At long last: EPA releases pesticide use statistics,” Karl Tupper,February 22, 2011; “EPA finally released updated sales and usage numbers. The agency used to produce a report summarizing national pesticide use every two years, but not long after Bush took office they stopped coming out. Now that report is back, though it only has figures through 2007. And what does it say? Here are some highlights:
Pesticide use in agriculture is down slightly, from 948 million pounds in 2000 to 877 million pounds in 2007. But that’s only about 1% per year, and still close to a billion pounds of toxic chemicals intentionally introduced into the environment and our food supply each year.
Use of organophosphates continues to decline, and this definitely is a good thing, as these are among the most acutely toxic pesticides still used. But 33 million pounds is still 33 million pounds too many, and despite the decline these neurotoxins are still detected in the bodies of most Americans (see the CDC’s National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals) and commonly found on our food.
The herbicide glyphosate has more than doubled in use, from 85-90 million pounds in 2001 to 180-185 million pounds in 2007. According to a report from the Organic Center, this increase is likely a reflection of the rising popularity of Monsanto’s RoundUp Ready genetically modified crops. (Glyphosate is the active ingredient of RoundUp.)”
http://www.havanatimes.org/?p=96858 “Let’s Say NO to Transgenic Ag in Cuba,” Isbel Díaz Torres, Havana Times, July 23, 2013; “Genetically modified crops continue to be introduced into Cuban farmlands in a secretive fashion, while domestic consumers and producers are practically left out of all debates surrounding the design of policies and strategies in this area.” See more at: http://www.havanatimes.org/?p=96858#sthash.b8V8q3La.dpuf http://www.villagevoice.com/2013-07-24/restaurants/the-monsanto-menace/full/ “The Monsanto Menace—The feds see no evil as a belligerent strongman seeks control of America’s food supply,” Chris Parker, Jul 24 2013 An overview survey article reviewing the contentions against Monsanto and quoting co-plaintiffs Jim Gerritsen and Bryce Stephens.
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/07/30/glyphosate-toxicity.aspx?e_cid=20130730_DNL_art_1&utm_source=dnl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=art1&utm_campaign=20130730 “Roundup and Glyphosate Toxicity Have Been Grossly Underestimated,” Dr. Joseph Mercola, July 30, 2013; “The true toxicity of glyphosate—the active ingredient in Monsanto’s broad-spectrum herbicide Roundup—is becoming increasingly clear as study after study is published demonstrating its devastating effects. In June, groundbreaking research was published detailing a newfound mechanism of harm for Roundup. “This was immediately followed by tests showing that people in 18 countries across Europe have glyphosate in their bodies, while yet another study revealed that the chemical has estrogenic properties and drives breast cancer proliferation in the parts-per-trillion range. “This finding might help explain why rats fed Monsanto’s maize developed massive breast tumors in the first-ever lifetime feeding study published last year. Other recently published studies demonstrate glyphosate’s toxicity to cell lines, aquatic life, food animals, and humans.” http://www.naturalnews.com/041377_farmers_GMO_food_survey.html “Survey: only 15% of farmers would eat GMO food,” Jon Rappoport, July 27, 2013; “The British survey was funded by Barclays Bank and done in collaboration with Farmers Weekly. “Only 15% of farmers polled said they would eat GMO food. Talk about a blanket rejection. It can’t get much clearer than that.” Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/041377_farmers_GMO_food_survey.html#ixzz2akDUjmsd Learn even more: http://www.naturalnews.com/041377_farmers_GMO_food_survey.html#ixzz2akD1pVsB
http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/nasty-pesticide-wheat-degraded-probiotic-used-culturing-food-1?utm_source=www.GreenMedInfo.com&utm_campaign=ea217b6115-Greenmedinfo&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_193c8492fb-ea217b6115-87057857 “Nasty Pesticide Broken Down by Probiotic Used In Culturing Food,”Sayer Ji, Founder, July 26, 2013; “A new study published in Letters in Applied Microbiologyshows that a commonly used food probiotic known as Lactobacillus plantarum is capable of degrading dangerous pesticide residues in wheat (pirimiphos-methyl), confirming the traditional fermentation-based food-processing technique known as culturing can significantly improve the safety of conventional food. “The researchers found that Lactobacillus plantarum enhanced the degradation of the pesticide from 15-34%, a close to 81% enhancement. The significance and impact of the study was described as follows: ‘Pesticide residues are an unavoidable part of the environment due to their extensive applications in agriculture. As wheat is a major cultivated cereal, the presence of pesticide residues in wheat is a real concern to human health. Reduction in pesticide residues during fermentation has been studied, but there is a lack of data regarding pesticide residues dissipation during cereal fermentation. Present work investigates the dissipation of pirimiphos-methyl during wheat fermentation by L. plantarum. Results are confirmation that food-processing techniques can significantly reduce the pesticide residues in food, offering a suitable means to tackle the current scenario of unsafe food.’”
http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_28005.cfm “Winning our Hearts and Minds? Monsanto and Big Food Pull out the Big Guns,” Katherine Paul and Zack Kaldveer, Organic Consumers Association, August 1, 2013; “For related articles and more information, please visit OCA’s Millions Against Monsanto page and our Genetic Engineering page.” “Monsanto and Big Food are taking the battle for consumers’ hearts and minds to the next level. And it’s no coincidence that they’re pulling out the big guns just as the Washington State I-522 campaign to label genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in food products is gaining steam. “Can industry front groups and slick public relations firms convince us that the products they’re peddling are not only safe, but good for us? Will the millions they spend on websites and advertorials pay off?” The story reports on two new PR efforts by the biotech industry: the fresh launch of GMOAnswers.com funded by the biotech industry, which claims it just “wants to talk” (and) the recently formed Alliance to Feed the Future, representing more than 50 multinational food, agribusiness and biotech companies.
http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_28003.cfm “Organic Index 8.1.13,” Zack Kaldveer, Organic Consumers Association, July 31, 2013; “For related articles and more information, please visit OCA’s All About Organics page, our Myth of Natural page and our Genetic Engineering page.” “Organic and ‘Natural’ Now Constitute 13% of All U.S. Grocery Sales” The report includes a variety of statistics about the organic marketplace. www.salon.com/2013/08/03/fight_the_farmers_market_backlash/?source=newsletter “Fight the farmers market backlash! — Critics mock their pretensions, smells, even the space they take up. But they have very real benefits for cities ,” Henry Grabar, Aug 3, 2013; A global perspective on the role of farmers’ and fishermans’ markets.
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2013/01/14/169318303/monsanto-lawyer-suggests-new-standard-for-suing-farmers “Monsanto Lawyer Suggests New Standard For Suing Farmers,” Dan Charles, January 15, 2013; Reflections on the impact of the oral arguments before the Appeals Court of the Federal Circuit on OSGATA et al. v. Monsanto. The discussion about the issue of estoppel was missed by Charles but he covers the problems caused for Monsanto by their prosecution of Percy Schmeiser.
http://youtu.be/-veZynKG594 “Seed Hunter” (2008) - National Geographic Documentary; The search for and preservation of ancient landrace and wild seed varieties.
http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=gn7eb7rQtjG5sBy96i7qUUemZ2tyNUPV “Torturing Animals with Monsanto’s Genetically Engineered Feed,” Katherine Paul, Organic Consumers Association, August 8, 2013; An article reviewing the animal afflictions caused by by transgenic feed and the associated chemicals in the feed. http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2013/08/what-are-gmos-and-why-should-i-care “Five Surprising Genetically Modified Foods—Leaving aside the question of whether they’re good or bad for a moment, what exactly are GMOs, and which foods are they in?” Maggie Caldwell, Aug. 5, 2013; “By now, you’ve likely heard about genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and the controversy over whether they’re the answer to world hunger or the devil incarnate. But for right now, let’s leave aside that debate and turn to a more basic question: When you go to the supermarket, do you know which foods are most likely to be—or contain ingredients that are—genetically engineered? A handy FAQ”
http://ucbiotech.org/answer.php?question=15 Issue:“How Many Foods Are Genetically Engineered?,” This article reviews the whole transgenic foods for sale now and in the past in the United States, including tomatoes, potatoes, papaya, squash, sweet corn, as well as the main commodity crops: corn, soy, canola, cotton, sugar beets, and now also alfalfa.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqFuch9ym3g “Everyone but China TPP Trade Deal Threatens Sovereignty and ….,” Paul Jay of Real News interviews Margaret Flowers and Kevin Zeese about the Trans-Pacific Partnership (Trade Agreement) being negotiated in secret.
“Organic Consumers Association ACTION ALERT: Tell the FDA: GMOs Aren’t ‘Natural’! Would you be shocked to learn that the corn in the ‘all natural’ tortilla chips you just bought had been genetically engineered to produce a toxin that ruptures the intestines of insects? Causing them to die quickly after ingesting the corn? Or that the corn in the ‘100% natural’ cereal flakes you just served your kids for breakfast had been saturated with far more glyphosate than any normal plant would be able to tolerate? Because the corn was engineered to resist Monsanto’s RoundUp herbicide? “The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) says ‘natural’ means ‘nothing artificial or synthetic … has been included in, or has been added to, a food that would not normally be expected to be in the food.’ So who would guess that food marketed as ‘natural’ contains the engineered genes of insecticide-producing and/or herbicide-resistant bacteria? So far the FDA has dodged the question of whether or not food companies are lying to customers when they say their product is ‘natural’ even though it contains genetically engineered ingredients. But with the courts facing a barrage of lawsuits from consumers furious that food companies have been allowed to hide GMOs in popular ‘natural’ brands, the FDA is being asked to weigh in. Given that the FDA’s Deputy Commissioner for Foods is none other than Monsanto’s former lawyer, Michael Taylor, whose side do you think the FDA will take?” http://www.thrivemovement.com/good-news-tuesday-episode-4-world-saying-no-gmo.blog “Good News Tuesday — Episode 4: World Saying ‘NO’ to GMO” A summary of actions in several nations against transgenic food and agriculture.
http://www.cornucopia.org/2013/07/organic-methods-hold-water/ “Organic Methods Hold Water—The Rodale Institute celebrates the success of its 30-year Farming Systems Trial,” July 31st, 2013; “The Rodale Institute’s Farming Systems Trial (FST) has been tracking the performance of organically grown grain crops (such as corn and soybeans) and conventional, synthetic-chemical-reliant grain crops for the past 30 years. As America’s longest-running side-by-side comparison of these farming systems, the FST has revealed that crops grown organically are truly healthier and hardier in the long run, and better able to cope with weather extremes. Organic fields in the FST produce just as much as the chemical-reliant fields, despite claims that organic farming uses more resources to produce less food. But it is the performance of the organic fields during drought years that is truly amazing. “In four out of five drought years, the organically grown corn produced significantly more than the conventionally grown corn. The organic corn of the FST was even more successful under drought conditions than the drought-tolerant seed varieties were in the industry trials. The Rodale Institute’s organically managed fields produced between 28.4 percent and 33.7 percent more corn than conventionally managed fields under drought conditions. “Monsanto boasted that its genetically modified drought-tolerant corn was “one of our most significant R&D milestones,” producing between 6.7 percent and 13.4 percent more under drought conditions than other corn varieties. DuPont touts hybrids that produce 5 percent more on average, and Syngenta, which is leading the pack, has managed to produce 15 percent more with its drought-tolerant seeds. “The organic matter in soil acts like a sponge, providing water reserves to plants during drought periods and preventing water from running off the soil surface in times of heavy rains,” says Rita Seidel, agroecologist and FST project leader at the Rodale Institute. “This organic matter has significantly increased in the FST organic fields and is actually diminishing in the conventional fields. “Even in times of severe water shortage, not only can organic fields produce a more successful crop, but they continue to contribute to our drinking water reserves. In the FST, the organic fields recharged groundwater at rates 15 to 20 percent higher than the conventional fields.” http://app.streamsend.com/c/19200783/16908/6CSuQI4/9pOA?redirect_to=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cornucopia.org%2F2013%2F08%2Fweedkillers-tied-to-depression-in-farmers%2F “Weedkillers Tied to Depression in Farmers,” Kerry Grens, August 2nd, 2013; “(Reuters Health) – Farmers who used weedkillers were more than twice as likely to be treated for depression than farmers who didn’t use the chemicals in a new study from France.”
http://livingmaxwell.com/new-york-state-ge-labeling-hearings-bronx-ny “Recap of NY State’s GE-Labeling Hearings, Interview with Andrew Kimbrell from The Center for Food Safety,” Max Goldberg, August 4, 2013 http://seattletimes.com/html/businesstechnology/2021586574_gmooverviewxml.html “On voters’ plates: genetically engineered crops, Washington voters will decide whether to label food that contains genetically engineered ingredients, a debate that’s roiling the food industry nationally,” Melissa Allison, Seattle Times business reporter, August 10, 2013; “When Washington voters decide Initiative 522 this fall, they will do more than determine whether to label food that contains genetically engineered ingredients. “They also will take sides in a national battle that has raged for two decades about the benefits and safety of manipulating the DNA of food — something many people view suspiciously but do not really understand.”
http://ncronline.org/blogs/eco-catholic/more-groups-call-vatican-response-against-growing-agribusiness-models “More groups call for Vatican response against growing agribusiness models,” Brian Roewe, August. 9, 2013; “In late July, Eco Catholic contributor Br. Dave Andrews addressed Cardinal Peter Turkson in an open letter before the Ghanian prelate’s appearance at the World Food Prize 2013 Borlaug Dialogue in October in Des Moines, Iowa. Andrews called Turkson to speak out against genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in light of the World Food Prize organization recognizing three scientists with the award for their work in such genetic engineering. “But Andrews is not alone in his calls for Catholic leadership to speak forcefully against GMOs and large-scale agribusiness.”
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/08/13/fungicide-bee-killings.aspx?e_cid=20130813Z1_DNL_art_2&utm_source=dnl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=art2&utm_campaign=20130813Z1 “Scientists Discover Fungicide and Pesticide are Killing Bees―and It’s Worse Than You Thought,” Dr. Joseph Mercola, August 13, 2013; “Systemic neonicotinoid pesticides have been increasingly blamed for bee deaths (and were implicated in a recent mass bee die-off of 25,000 bumblebees along with millions of bee deaths in Canada), prompting the European Union (EU) to ban them for two years. “Now, it appears measures that target single classes of pesticides, though a move in the right direction, may be falling short. In a first-of-its-kind study, researchers analyzed pollen from bee hives in seven major crops and found 35 different pesticides along with high fungicide loads.2 Each sample contained, on average, nine different pesticides and fungicides, although one contained 21 different chemicals.” The article also reports transgenic contamination in the gut bacteria of bees.
http://www.concordmonitor.com/news/work/business/8053977-95/house-subcommittee-begins-work-on-gmo-labeling-bill “House subcommittee begins work on GMO labeling bill,” Jeremy Blackman, Monitor staff, August 14, 2013; “Two months after his state passed legislation requiring labels on genetically engineered foods, Maine Rep. Lance Harvell, the bill’s chief sponsor, pitched his case yesterday for why New Hampshire lawmakers should follow suit. “‘If you want to make the American people potentially a lab experiment, at least let them know what’s going on,’ Harvell told members of a New Hampshire House subcommittee, as they began work on a similar bill introduced and retained earlier this year.”
http://www.panna.org/blog/monsantos-new-ge-crops-already-ground “Monsanto’s new GE crops already in the ground?” Marcia Ishii-Eiteman, August 6, 2013; “Early in July, Monsanto rolled out the red carpet for farm media in North Dakota, promoting its new, yet highly controversial, herbicide-resistant genetically engineered (GE) seeds. Touted at an industry field day in Cass County, these new soybean seeds are designed to be used with the volatile herbicide, dicamba — a close cousin of 2,4-D. “Dicamba-resistant soy is still awaiting USDA approval, as are 2,4-D-resistant corn and soy. And after receiving hundreds of thousands of comments opposing the approval of these crops, the agency recently extended its decision-making timeline. Despite the outcry, however, Monsanto has plowed full speed ahead, planting and spraying these crops in large, field-sized ‘Ground-Breaker’ demonstration plots in North and South Dakota and in research plots in undisclosed locations.”
http://justlabelit.org/on-twitter-who-to-follow-for-ge-labeling-news/ “On Twitter: Who to Follow for GE Labeling News, Just Label It,” August 14, 2013; See more at: http://justlabelit.org/on-twitter-who-to-follow-for-ge-labeling-news/#sthash.CBxrSUoi.dpuf http://ecowatch.com/2013/monsantos-stock-becomes-high-risk-as-youth-demand-gmo-labeling/ “Monsanto’s Stock Becoming High Risk as Youth Demand GMO Labeling,” Lauren Berlekamp, August 14, 2013; “Whether you believe genetically engineered (GE) foods ought to be labeled or you believe they ought to be outright banned, this very debate means bad news for notorious Big Ag biotech giant Monsanto. “In a recent article published by conservative Canadian newspaper The Globe and Mail, well-known growth investor and columnist Chris Umiastowski, P.Eng., MBA, wrote about the instability of Monsanto’s longterm stock value in light of the swelling demand for GE labeling. Citing his focus on long term stocks, he notes: ‘… it’s just as important to know what stocks to avoid as it is to know which ones to invest in. Most growth trends don’t last forever and you don’t want to be stuck holding the bag when growth disappears or reverses.’”
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/investment-ideas/strategy-lab/growth-investing/this-food-stock-has-a-bad-aftertaste/article13488677/ “Strategy Lab: Monsanto: A food stock with a bad aftertaste Add to …,” Chris Umiastowski, The Globe and Mail, July 29 2013, “As a growth investor with a long-term focus on stocks, it’s just as important to know what stocks to avoid as it is to know which ones to invest in. Most growth trends don’t last forever and you don’t want to be stuck holding the bag when growth disappears or reverses. And perhaps even better, if you’re willing to short sell stocks that you believe are negatively exposed to an industry change, you can add a margin of safety to your portfolio in the short term while potentially improving your long term returns.”
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=genetically-modified-crops-pass-benefits-to-weeds “Genetically Modified Crops Pass Benefits to Weeds—Herbicide resistance and other genetic modifications could confer an advantage on plants in the wild,” Jane Qiu and Nature magazine. Both the headline and the sub-headline are misleading. At the least, “benefits” should be placed in quotation marks. Discussed are cisgenic changes used to circumvent plant pest concerns resulting from transgenic technology, but the issue cannot be very big inasmuch as transgenic crops have not been denied approval in the United States. The reported research was done in China, so perhaps the concern is about regulations in China, but the article does not make that clear. The article is inadequate to sufficient discuss the topic, and that can be understood by reading the reader comments. Many readers failed to understand the article. Nonetheless, an article published or re-published in a major magazine needs to be included for others to make their own assessment.
http://rt.com/news/chile-protest-monsanto-law-634/ “Chile fights GMO in national protest against ‘Monsanto law,’” August 18, 2013; “Thousands of Chileans have rallied against a bill dubbed the ”Monsanto law“ that would let multinationals patent GMO seeds. Activists say it will not only compromise food sovereignty in Chile, but will also harm consumer health. “Mass protests were held in at least nine cities across the Latin American country to protest the bill that would allow for the development of genetically modified seeds. Activists carried banners emblazoned with slogans such as ‘Monsanto kills’ and ‘Monsanto will patent your life.’” http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_28145.cfm Basic Statistical information in brief about biotech agriculture compiled by Zack Kaldveer of the Organic Consumers Association. Among many other details, he reports that, on average, U.S. consumers eat almost 200 pounds of transgenic food annually.
http://hawaiitribune-herald.com/sections/news/local-news/councilors-introduce-new-gmo-bills.html “Councilors introduce new GMO bills,” Tom Callis, Tribune-Herald staff writer; “Hawaii Island’s food fight is about to get even more messy. “After sitting on the sidelines during the last three months, South Kona/Ka’u Councilwoman Brenda Ford has entered the debate over genetically modified organisms with her own bill that would ban all transgenic crops, including modified papaya. “Her legislation will compete with a new anti-GMO bill introduced by Kohala Councilwoman Margaret Wille, who first sparked the debate over modified crops last May when she brought forward Bill 79. Wille withdrew that bill, which banned GMO crops except for papaya, Aug. 6 in anticipation of drafting a new version. “Both new bills, Bill 109 and Bill 113, will be up for discussion next week when the council’s Committee on Public Safety and Mass Transit once again reconvenes to take on the controversial issue following several lengthy public comment sessions.”
http://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/1/4/1266/pdf Report on Seed Company Consolidation and Concentration and the Impact on Sustainability: “Visualizing Consolidation in the Global Seed Industry: 1996–2008,” Philip H. Howard, Department of Community, Agriculture, Recreation and Resource Studies, Michigan State University, December 2009
http://ncronline.org/blogs/eco-catholic/cardinal-turkson-speak-groups-opposing-views-gmos “Cardinal Turkson to speak to groups with opposing views on GMOs,” Megan Fincher, August 30, 2013; “Two organizations with opposing views on the genetic modification of crops will host events this fall on the same weekend in the same city with the same featured speaker: Cardinal Peter Turkson of Africa. “Turkson will be in Des Moines, Iowa, Oct. 16-18 to speak at an event honoring the 2013 recipients of the World Food Prize, three pioneers in genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, as well as at an event hosted by the movement Occupy the World Food Prize, which protests the organizations that donate to the award’s foundation. “As the president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, Turkson hopes for dialogue between the two factions. ‘Well aware of the controversy surrounding GMOs, on balance, the Cardinal feels it is best to accept the invitations,’ Turkson’s adviser, Fr. Michael Czerny, wrote in an email to various activist groups. “Turkson, archbishop emeritus of Cape Coast, Ghana, has called economic dependence on multinational companies ‘a new form of slavery.’ He says if multinational corporations refrain from extracting petroleum and mineral products from African lands, farmers have a better shot at using that land for food production.”
http://truth-out.org/news/item/18493-eco-groups-challenge-obama-administration-over-gmo-farming-in-national-wildlife-refuges “Eco-Groups Challenge Obama Administration Over GMO Farming in National Wildlife Refuges,”Mike Ludwig,Truthout, 30 August 2013;“Environmental advocates are once again suing the Obama administration to stop the farming of genetically engineered crops in national wildlife refuges, this time in five refuges in four Midwestern states. “In a lawsuit filed Tuesday in federal court, the environmental groups charge that the US Fish and Wildlife Service unlawfully entered into farming contracts to grow genetically engineered crops at national wildlife refuges in Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota and Illinois without completing an environmental impact review required by federal law.” http://disinfo.com/2013/03/the-fox-monsanto-buys-the-chicken-coop-beeologics/ “The Fox (Monsanto) Buys the Chicken Coop (Beeologics),”March 7, 2013; “A couple of years ago, Disinformation’s sister video label True Mind released the colony collapse disorder documentary “Vanishing of the Bees.” It was fairly obvious that the biggest (if not only) cause of the mysterious disappearing colonies of bees was widespread pesticide use in monoculture farming. Everyone’s favorite corporate criminal Monsanto is now causing conspiracy theorists to go into overdrive with their acquisition of a company specializing in bee medicine. Richard Schiffman sounds the alarm at Huffington Post: ‘Why would one of the largest purveyors of pesticides, genetically engineered seeds and agrochemicals want to buy a company which has been seeking solutions to the escalating threats to the world bee population? ‘Monsanto spokeswomen Kelly Powers says it is to give the fledgling company a helping hand. Beeologics has developed a product called Remembee, an anti-viral agent which its boosters claim will help stem the tide of Colony Collapse Disorder, a mysterious plague which has led to the disappearance of the bees in up to a third of the commercial colonies located in the U.S. during the last decade. ‘The root of the problem, however, may not be the virus targeted by Remembee, a chemical agent which utilizes RNA interference, a mechanism that blocks gene expression, but the herbicides and insecticides that agro-chemical giants like Monsanto, Dow and Bayer have themselves been hawking to farmers around the world.” http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/28/gut-bacteria-weight-obesity-diversity_n_3831476.html “Gut Bacteria Diversity Linked With Weight, Study Suggests,”August 28, 2013; “The number of bacteria in your gut—as well as the diversity of said bacteria—could be tied to your weight, according to a new study. A team of researchers from around the world found that people who are obese have fewer and less diverse gut bacteria than their leaner counterparts. “We also see that if you belong to the group with less intestinal bacteria and have already developed obesity, you will also gain more weight over a number of years,” study researcher Oluf Pederson, professor and scientific director at the University of Copenhagen’s Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, said in a statement. “We don’t know what came first, the chicken or the egg, but one thing is certain: it is a vicious circle that poses a health threat.” … “The Nature study is based on genetic mapping of intestinal bacteria from 292 Danes, and also showed that about one in four people has 40 percent less gut bacteria than average, as well as a lower-than-average diversity of bacteria. “The study is the work of the MetaHIT team, which included scientists from elsewhere in Europe and China.” The article does not discuss transgenics or Glyphosate, but Glyphosate can kill gut bacteria the same way it kills plants, and Monsanto’s transgenes can also migrate into gut bacteria to make them RoundUp ready. Either way, the exposure is not what the human gut expects to see.
http://readersupportednews.org/news-section2/445-farm-and-food-policy/19242-sen-warren-urges-fda-to-finalize-gmo-labeling-guidelines “Senators Warren and Udall Urge FDA to Finalize GMO Labeling Guidelines,”September 5, 2013, “United States Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Senator Mark Udall (D-CO) have sent a letter to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) urging the agency to finalize its policies on the labeling of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) marketed as food products or additives. ‘We encourage the FDA to implement a regulatory framework that will promote transparency for consumers while providing producers with the certainty they need to label their products appropriately,” Senators Warren and Udall write in the letter. “Standardized labels will prevent misleading or confusing information from being presented to consumers which will help them make informed purchasing decisions that will encourage market competition.’”
http://www.forbes.com/sites/bethhoffman/2013/08/31/golden-rice-and-gmos-the-best-solution-to-world-hunger/ “Golden Rice and GMOs: The Best Solutions To World Hunger?” Beth Hoffman, August 31, 2013; The article discusses the following question: “...is it worth all the investment for an unproven technology that will, at best, far in the future, serve a limited amount of people, if there are well documented, successful and cost effective means to reduce child mortality and blindness today?”
http://www.agprofessional.com/news/Bayer-CropScience-steps-up-investment-plans-222879141.html “Bayer CropScience steps up investment plans,” September 9, 2013; “Bayer CropScience is on track to grow annual sales toward EUR 9 billion in 2013 and toward EUR 10 billion in 2015. “Since 2007 we have continuously expanded our business with record sales, and we are optimistic about the future development,“ said Bayer CropScience CEO Liam Condon at the company’s annual press conference in Monheim, Germany. “Against the background of strong demand for its products, the company is adding EUR 1 billion to its investment program, bringing total capital expenditures for the period 2013 to 2016 to approximately EUR 2.4 billion.” A key part of the production expansion is a new plant in Mobile, Alabama to make “the herbicide glufosinate-ammonium, marketed in the United States under the brand name Liberty. The start-up of the new plant is anticipated probably for the fourth quarter of 2015, in time for the 2016 growing season.”
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/09/10/monsanto-bt-corn.aspx? “Monsanto Decimates Their Credibility,”Dr. Joseph Mercola,September 10, 2013; “Monsanto’s ”Bt corn“ is equipped with a gene from the soil bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), which produces Bt toxin—a pesticide that breaks open the stomach of certain insects and kills them. … “With Bt corn, the use of such insecticides was supposed to be curbed… but now, just 10 years later, the pests are already developing resistance to the GM corn and other serious consequences are also being uncovered.” http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlepolitics/2013/09/10/poll-big-lead-for-food-labeling-initiative/ “Poll: Big lead for food-labeling initiative,” Joel Connelly, September 10, 2013; “A new statewide poll found 66 percent of voters saying they will ”definitely“ or ”probably“ vote for Initiative 522, which puts labeling requirements on genetically manufactured foods and seeds offered for retail sale in Washington. “Agribusiness interests and major grocery chains spent $46 million to narrowly defeat a similar initiative in California last year. Until Monday, they have reported raising $3.264 million for the ‘No-on-522 Campaign’ in Washington, a war chest that trails the money so far raised by initiative supporters. “But that changed early Tuesday. Monsanto just put $4.592 million into the No-on-522 campaign, a sure sign that Washington is in for another big money corporate-fueled campaign in the next two months.”
http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/epa-american-people-let-them-eat-monsantos-roundup-ready-cake? “EPA to American People: ‘Let Them Eat Monsanto’s Roundup Ready Cake,’” Sayer Ji, July 2nd 2013; “The EPA, whose mission is to ‘to protect human health and the environment,’ has approved Monsanto’s request to allow levels of glyphosate (Roundup) contamination in your food up to a million times higher than have been found carcinogenic. “If you haven’t already heard, it’s now official. Monsanto’s request to have the EPA raise allowable levels of its herbicide glyphosate in food you may soon be eating has been approved. Public commenting is also now closed, not that it was anything but a formality to begin with.” Learn more at our research page on GMOs: Health Guide: GMO Research) “Also, download our entirely free PDF on the adverse health effects associated with glyphosate-based herbicide formulations:”http://www.greenmedinfo.com/product/downloadable-document-glyphosate-formulations
http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2013/09/cover-crops-no-till-david-brandt-farms “One Weird Trick to Fix Farms Forever—Does David Brandt hold the secret for turning industrial agriculture from global-warming problem to carbon solution?” Tom Philpott,Sep. 9, 2013; This article tells about Ohio farmer David Brandt, who uses cover crops instead of chemicals to maintain above average yields of conventional corn and soy. http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/09/11/us-usa-alfalfa-gmo-idUSBRE98A16H20130911?feedType=RSS&feedName=environmentNews “Exclusive: Washington state testing alfalfa for GMO contamination,” Carey Gillam, September 11, 2013; “(Reuters) - Agriculture officials in Washington state are testing samples of alfalfa after a farmer reported his hay was rejected for export because it tested positive for a genetically modified trait that was not supposed to be in his crop. “If it is confirmed that the alfalfa in question was genetically modified, it could have broad ramifications, said Hector Castro, spokesman at the Washington State Department of Agriculture. “It’s a sensitive issue,” Castro said. “Biotech alfalfa is approved for commercial production in the United States. But many foreign and domestic buyers require that supplies not be genetically modified, and the possible presence of GMO modified alfalfa in export supplies could result in lost sales for U.S. farmers.”
http://www.hispanicbusiness.com/2013/9/11/findings_on_life_science_research_detailed.htm “Findings on Life Science Research Detailed by Researchers at Northwest A&F University” (China), September 17, 2013 “By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Life Science Weekly -- Data detailed on Life Science Research have been presented. According to news reporting out of Shaanxi, People’s Republic of China, by NewsRx editors, research stated, ”’Proper preservation of transgenes and transgenic materials is important for wider use of transgenic technology in plants. Here, we report stable preservation and faithful expression of a transgene via artificial seed technology in alfalfa.’”
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Scientists-develop-200-GM-crops-await-govt-nod-for-trials/articleshow/22527157.cms “Scientists develop 200 GM crops, await government nod for trials,” Vishwa Mohan, Sep 13, 2013; “New Delhi: Do you think only ‘Monsanto’ (or any multi-national seed company) has the capacity to develop transgenic crops? The answer is a clear ‘no’. Indian scientists, working with public sector research institutions and universities, too have developed many genetically engineered varieties which, in fact, could not move beyond lab or ‘restricted’ trials. “The list accessed by the TOI shows that Indian scientists have over the years developed more than 200 genetically modified (GM) varieties of as many as 15 crops including cotton, brinjal, castor, groundnut, mustard, papaya, potato, rice, rubber, sugarcane, wheat and tomato. “These varieties, developed by scientists in different Indian universities and research institutions, have all the traits — resistance to insect, fungal, drought and virus — which may bring them in the league of Bt cotton by increasing productivity and export earnings.”
http://www.cban.ca/Press/Press-Releases/Industry-Launches-Coexistence-Plan-for-GM-Alfalfa-as-Contamination-Report-Investigated-in-the-U.S. “Industry Launches ”Coexistence Plan“ for GM Alfalfa as Contamination Report Investigated in the U.S.,”September 12, 2013; “Ottawa - The Canadian Seed Trade Association (CSTA) has launched its ‘Coexistence Plan for Alfalfa Hay’ to pave the way for Forage Genetics International to sell genetically modified (GM) alfalfa in Canada. The plan was released just as a report of possible GM alfalfa contamination in US exports came to light. ‘The industry plan is not based on science or reality. The reality is that GM alfalfa will contaminate farmers’ fields and no plan can stop it,’ said Lucy Sharratt of the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network, ‘The industry has made up a list of impractical measures for farmers to follow and called it a plan.’ “The ‘coexistence plan’ includes a one page list of ‘best management practices’ for farmers to follow, to attempt to keep GM and non-GM alfalfa separate. “‘The bottom line is that contamination will happen and no one’s taking responsibility,’ said Sharratt, ‘With GM alfalfa, contamination will impact more farmers than ever before. Contamination takes choice away from farmers.’”
http://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/2013/Sep/18/have-we-reached-the-gm-stage--23.asp “Have we reached the GM stage? The developing and under-developed countries of Asia and Africa should focus on basic problems in agricultural practices rather than difficult ones like genetic modifications,” Dr. Aijaz Hassan Ganie, September 18, 2013; “This process of tearing apart the genome of every organism will prove as ‘Genetic Holocaust,’ certainly more lethal than ‘Nuclear Holocaust.’” The author is a research fellow in the Department of Botany at the University of Kashmir, and his article is vigorous advocacy against the release of transgenic crops in India. He is not against science or research; he is arguing for much more prudence than has been seen.
http://fightland.vice.com/blog/a-mixed-martial-artist-takes-on-monsanto “A Mixed Martial Artist Takes On Monsanto, Fightland Blog,”Michael Hresko, September 23, 2013; “Dustin Barca doesn’t get along with Corporate America. In 2009, the standout waterman from Hawaii dropped off the professional surfing tour citing that he no longer wanted to surf, or conduct himself in the way that mainland sponsorship companies wanted him to. He didn’t try to re-qualify the next year and instead transitioned to mixed martial arts. Five years later, Barca is now a pro-MMA fighter, a full-time activist, and a grassroots organizer hell-bent on ridding Hawaii of biotech firms like Monsanto.” http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/09/24/gmo-alfalfa.aspx?e_cid=20130924Z1_DNL_art_1&utm_source=dnl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=art1&utm_campaign=20130924Z1 “Exclusive: Has GMO Alfalfa Already Contaminated Non-Alfalfa Fields?” Dr. Joseph Mercola, September 24, 2013; “Despite a strong and vocal opposition, genetically engineered (GE) Roundup-resistant alfalfa was approved in late 2011. At the time, many environmental and organic experts spoke out against it, warning that its approval could be devastating not just for the environment in general, but also for conventional alfalfa growers, and organic farmers in particular. “This includes organic animal products, as dried alfalfa is the hay they’re typically fed during winter months. Phil Bereano, a co-founder of AGRA watch, argued that by deregulating the planting of GE alfalfa, the USDA was in direct contravention to its obligations under law and court decisions. “A 2007 trial judge had already found that alfalfa farmers had established a reasonable probability that their conventional alfalfa crops would be contaminated with the engineered Roundup Ready gene if deregulation occurred. “Toxicology and plant pathology expert Dr. Don Huber also pointed out that once you insert new genes into a perennial insect-pollinated plant like alfalfa, there’s no way to prevent cross-fertilization and contamination, and it cannot be eliminated once it’s distributed throughout an area. “Of course, the possibility of cross-contamination between GE alfalfa and non-GE crops was downplayed as insignificant. But it didn’t even take two years for this possibility to rear its ugly head.” …
http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/10/06/warning-hating-monsanto-impedes-global-economic-gr/ “Warning: Hating Monsanto Impedes Global Economic Growth,” Maxx Chatsko, The Motley Fool, Oct 6, 2013; “Misconceptions about agricultural biotechnology cost this Zambian his crop -- and thousands of lives -- during a major drought.” A shallow, propagandistic, pro-Monsanto article presenting no real and reliable evidence to support its contentions. Everything the article says can be easily refuted, but it should be read just to understand what is being said and what many people will and do believe whether or not they are given any creditable and unimpeachable evidence. Here is the first paragraph of the article: “Monsanto attracts quite a bit of criticism for its transgenic crops and seeds, more commonly referred to as Genetically Modified Organisms, or GMOs. The agricultural pioneer has introduced several engineered products aimed at reducing the amount of pesticides, herbicides, and time required during the planting season. In fact, corn and cotton crops that contain genes to produce toxins created from a naturally occurring soil bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis, have saved farmers $57 billion in pesticide costs from 1996 to 2011.”
http://www.prweb.com/releases/glyphosate-industry/global-and-china/prweb11197487.htm “Global and China Glyphosate Market Analysis & 2017 Forecasts in New Research Report at ChinaMarketResearchReports.com (This adds) Latest Report on ‘Research Report on Global and China Glyphosate Industry, 2013-2017’ to its store,” Dallas, TX (PRWEB), October 06, 2013; “Glyphosate is a kind of herbicide with low toxicity, high efficiency and broad spectrum. It has been widely used for over two decades. In recent years, due to the wide spread of transgenic crops in the world, market demand for glyphosate booms and it constantly replaces other herbicides, ranking the first in global insecticide sales for many years. “During 2007 to 2008, influenced by many factors, glyphosate’s market price increased to 100,000 CNY/ton. As a result, many small and medium-size enterprises engaged in producing glyphosate and the production capacity was concentrated and released. Later, the price suddenly declined and many small and medium-size enterprises exited the market. However, since 2011, glyphosate market price has boomed again due to the decreasing inventory. Encouraged by large profit, many small and medium-size enterprises plan to produce glyphosate again. …” Complete report is available at: http://www.chinamarketresearchreports.com/99807.html “China has become the largest glyphosate producer in the world with glyphosate production capacity exceeding 600,000 tons by the end of 2012. China’s glyphosate output volume declined in 2011 with only 92,000 tons output volume. However, the production concentration degree was improved and the output volume of the top 5 glyphosate enterprises reached 249,500 tons, accounting for 85% of the national output volume. In 2012, China’s glyphosate output volume rapidly reached around 400,000 tons and glyphosate price increased rapidly in China market. From the second quarter of 2012, glyphosate started to show an upward trend. From the third quarter, glyphosate began to show a scalar-form rapid upward trend with a quarterly growth rate of over 30%. At the beginning of the fourth quarter, the increasing glyphosate industry entered an adjustment period and the growth rate slowed down. In the first half year of 2013, glyphosate price ranges from 33,000 CNY/ton to 38,000 CNY/ton in China market.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/08/business/fight-over-genetically-altered-crops-flares-in-hawaii.html?hp&_r=0&pagewanted=all “Unease in Hawaii’s Cornfields,” Andrew Pollack, New York Times environmental writer, October 7, 2013; “WAIMEA, Hawaii — The balmy tropical isles here seem worlds apart from the expansive cornfields of the Midwest, but Hawaii has become the latest battleground in the fight over genetically modified crops. “The state has become a hub for the development of genetically engineered corn and other crops that are sold to farmers around the globe. Monsanto and other seed companies have moved here en masse, and corn now sprouts on thousands of acres where sugar cane or pineapples once grew. “But activists opposed to biotech crops have joined with residents who say the corn farms expose them to dust and pesticides, and they are trying to drive the companies away, or at least rein them in.” The article reviews the history and status of the biotech penetration into the Hawaiian Islands because its favorable climate greatly shortens the time needed for crop development.
http://www.grain.org/article/entries/4725-hands-off-our-maize-resistance-to-gmos-in-mexico “Hands off our maize! Resistance to GMOs in Mexico,” Grain, 16 May 2013; “In a previous report (‘Red alert! GMO avalanche in Mexico’), we recounted the circumstances leading up to the imminent threat of the introduction of genetically engineered (GE) organisms (also known as GMOs, genetically modified organisms, or transgenics) into Mexico and several other Latin American countries. The whole continent is seeing a wave of measures, such as seed and intellectual property laws, designed to facilitate multinational control over agriculture. Unfortunately, these efforts are finding an echo in international organizations like the FAO and CIMMYT and in ‘development’ foundations like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. “With or without the granting of commercial planting permits, the threat of Mexico’s largest cities being inundated with transgenic maize still looms. We are seeing the proliferation of authoritarian crop intensification systems whose ultimate result is to contaminate native maize varieties in the very centre of origin of this crop— one of the four most important crops in the history of humanity.”
http://ejfood.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/geo-watch-mexico-bans-transgenic-corn.html?m=1 “Judge rules that GMOs are imminent threat— Monsanto, Pioneer, Prohibited From Marketing Transgenic Seed,” Devon G. Peña, Seattle, Washington, October 11, 2013; “An October 10 press release with Mexico City byline announces the banning of genetically-engineered corn in Mexico. According to the group that issued the press release, La Coperacha, a federal judge has ordered Mexico’s SAGARPA (Secretaría de Agricultura, Ganadería, Desarrollo Rural, Pesca, y Alimentación), which is Mexico’s Secretary of Agriculture, and SEMARNAT (Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales), which is equivalent of the EPA, to immediately ‘suspend all activities involving the planting of transgenic corn in the country and end the granting of permission for experimental and pilot commercial plantings. “The unprecedented ban was granted by the Twelfth Federal District Court for Civil Matters of Mexico City. Judge Jaime Eduardo Verdugo J. wrote the opinion and cited ‘the risk of imminent harm to the environment’ as the basis for the decision. The judge’s ruling also ruled that multinationals like Monsanto and Pioneer are banned from the release of transgenic maize in the Mexican countryside as long as collective action lawsuits initiated by citizens, farmers, scientists, and civil society organizations are working their way through the judicial system. “The decision was explained during a press conference in Mexico City yesterday by members of the community-based organizations that sued federal authorities and companies introducing transgenic maize into Mexico. The group, Acción Colectiva, is led by Father Miguel Concha of the Human Rights Center Fray Francisco de Vittoria; Victor Suarez of ANEC (National Association of Rural Commercialization Entertprises); Dr. Mercedes Lopéz of Vía Organica; and Adelita San Vicente, a teacher and member of Semillas de Vida, a national organization that has been involved in broad-based social action projects to protect Mexico’s extraordinary status as a major world center of food crop biodiversity.”
http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2013/10/12/-march-against-monsantoralliesactivistsaroundtheglobe.html “Global ‘March Against Monsanto’ rallies activists,” Renee Lewis, October 12, 2013; “Protesters calling for the permanent boycott of genetically modified organisms marched in dozens of countries Saturday. “Activists from around the globe participated in a global ‘March Against Monsanto’ Saturday, calling for the permanent boycott of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). This was the second global, anti-Monsanto protest — the first took place on May 25 with over 2 million participants, organizers said. … “Critics of Monsanto, a multi-national biotech corporation, say its seeds destroy the soil and are designed to make constant repurchase necessary because the seeds last only one generation. The seeds must also be used with a variety of the company’s other products like fertilizers, fungicides and pesticides, which have been linked to mass bee deaths.” As of Sunday, October 13, 2013, according to a Google search, this story was the only major coverage of the Marches Against Monsanto on the previous day. The only print coverage revealed by the search was a story in the Orlando Sentinel (Florida) and a story in Berkshire Eagle (Massachusetts). The Berkshire Eagle story follows (the Orlando Sentinel coverage was not significant enough to include): http://www.berkshireeagle.com/news/ci_24299544/march-against-monsanto-participants-told-fight-label-gmo Television coverage in the St. Louis area was found, and that would be understandable based on the greater level of interest anything about Monsanto would stimulate in the area close to the corporate headquarters. Soon other small outlets provided coverage, but the closest to big city coverage was the DesMoines Register, but it is always better on agricultural stories. After that came the Edmonton Journal, also a farm country newspaper. Other outlets put out blog stories. Two examples follow: http://www.examiner.com/article/tens-of-protesters-turn-out-for-march-against-monsanto-event A pro-biotech story about the marches against Monsanto on October 12, 2013. http://www.kcet.org/living/food/food-rant/san-francisco-marches-against-monsanto.html “Food Rant: San Francisco Marches Against Monsanto,”Rick Paulas, October 12, 2013; “There are a few rules in life one must abide by if one is to ‘do it right.’ If you’re in the mood for good surf, you head on down to Hawaii. If you’re looking for deep dish pizza, you find the cheapest flight to Chicago. And if you want to see a protest done right, you head to San Francisco. “The prolifically passionate bunch turned up in full force on Saturday for the Bay Area’s chapter of the worldwide March Against Monsanto. (While the actual number of participants will surely be debated, I eyeballed at least 500 protestors, and if you wanted to twist my arm to say there were another 500 that straggled in late, I wouldn’t fight you on it.) The group joined up on the San Francisco side of the Golden Gate Bridge at 11 a.m. for an hour of rabble-rousing before taking the bridge itself by storm. “Some marched because they fear a world in which their children have access to only genetically-modified foods, while others chose to participate for more personal reasons. Eric Eberman, one of the local San Francisco march organizers, got involved after one of his family members died last March after a bout with colon cancer. “He had been exposed to agricultural chemicals as a child when he worked on a farm in Mexico,” said Eberman. ‘I was seeking some way to express my anger at his premature and painful death and found a creative way to do so via March Against Monsanto.’”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/genetically-modified-foods-what-is-and-isnt-true/2013/10/15/40e4fd58-3132-11e3-8627-c5d7de0a046b_story.html “Genetically modified foods: What is and isn’t true,” Tamar Haspel, October 15, 2013; “Welcome to Unearthed, an effort that will dig deep to try and figure out what’s true and what isn’t in the debate about our food supply.” The article does not do what it says it is going to do, and it could not do it in a short article. Maybe it could not even do it in 1000 page book. What it does do is discuss the “worldview” (an alternative word for “bias”) of the groups on both sides of the issue and promote civil discussion between those on both sides. It provides a beginning introduction to the partisans on both sides, but it does not get into their arguments. Despite the limitation, it is nice to see a major newspaper wanting to engage the issues. The Wash Post did not cover the marches against Monsanto around the nation and the world on the previous weekend, and they did not even do their own story about the marches on May 25, 2013 held in about 456 cities and 52 nations including Washington, DC. On that occasion, they ran a slightly edited version of the AP report about the events. Perhaps, instead of covering the marches on October 12, 2013 they put this story on the front page several days later. http://www.ww4report.com/node/12695 “Mexico: judge suspends GM corn planting,” Submitted by Weekly News Update…, Tue, 10/15/2013; “Mexican federal judge Jaime Eduardo Verdugo has issued an injunction ordering the Agriculture Secretariat (Sagarpa) and the Environment Secretariat (Semarnat) not to grant further licenses for the sowing of genetically modified (GM) corn, a group of environmental organizations announced on Oct. 10. Mexican law restricts the use of transgenic corn, but recently the government has greatly expanded the area where GM seeds can be sown in pilot projects by companies like the Monsanto Company, Pioneer, Syngenta AG and Dow AgroSciences. Environmentalists want to ban all transgenic corn, which they say threatens both Mexico’s biodiversity and the ability of independent farmers to grow organic crops.” http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2022084812_gmoecoside1xml.html “Jumping of genes didn’t start with GE crops, scientists say—Genes from GE crops can move into other species — but so can genes from conventionally bred crops,” Sandi Doughton, Seattle Times science reporter, October 20, 2013; “Another ecological worry about GE crops seemed to have come true with a vengeance in 2000. American scientists reported that maize from the mountains of Oaxaca, Mexico — the birthplace of corn and home to several, revered traditional varieties — contained bits of DNA from GE corn. “The study raised a furor and was later disavowed by the journal that published it. One follow-up survey found no evidence of transgenic contamination, but another reported traces in 1 percent of more than 100 fields sampled. “If GE genes aren’t already in Mexican maize, it’s probably just a matter of time, said Steve Strauss, professor and biotechnology outreach coordinator at Oregon State University. He just doesn’t see it as much to worry about.”
http://www.ensser.org/increasing-public-information/no-scientific-consensus-on-gmo-safety/ “Statement: No scientific consensus on GMO safety,” full statement, 10/21/13; “As scientists, physicians, academics, and experts from disciplines relevant to the scientific, legal, social and safety assessment aspects of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), we strongly reject claims by GM seed developers and some scientists, commentators, and journalists that there is a ‘scientific consensus’ on GMO safety and that the debate on this topic is ‘over.’ “We feel compelled to issue this statement because the claimed consensus on GMO safety does not exist. The claim that it does exist is misleading and misrepresents the currently available scientific evidence and the broad diversity of opinion among scientists on this issue. Moreover, the claim encourages a climate of complacency that could lead to a lack of regulatory and scientific rigour and appropriate caution, potentially endangering the health of humans, animals, and the environment. “Science and society do not proceed on the basis of a constructed consensus, as current knowledge is always open to well-founded challenge and disagreement. We endorse the need for further independent scientific inquiry and informed public discussion on GM product safety and urge GM proponents to do the same.” The press statement goes on to address a series of heavily footnoted points. The full list of signatories can be accessed from the Web site, and at the time when the statement was released there were 93 signers, but more were being welcomed from anywhere around the world.
http://www.ensser.org/media/0513/ Press Release (related to the above ENSSER statement), October 21, 2013; “No scientific consensus on safety of genetically modified organisms—Scientists release statement as World Food Prize goes to Monsanto and Syngenta. “There is no scientific consensus on the safety of genetically modified foods and crops, according to a statement released today by an international group of 93 scientists, academics and physicians.”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/21/los-angeles-ban-gmo_n_4137166.html?ir=Green&ref=topbar “Los Angeles Proposes Banning GMOs,” Kathleen Miles, October 21, 2013; “Los Angeles is considering banning the cultivation and sale of genetically modified organisms. If it does, the second-largest U.S. city would become the country’s largest GMO-free zone. “Two LA city councilmen on Friday introduced a motion that would ban the growth, sale and distribution of genetically engineered seeds and plants. The councilmen, Paul Koretz and Mitch O’Farrell, said the measure is meant to protect local gardens and homegrown food from contamination by genetically modified seeds. The motion would not affect the sale of food containing genetically modified ingredients.” http://livingmaxwell.sharedby.co/share/N3SNaY “Grocers group fighting I-522 reveals donors,” Jerry Cornfield, 10/17/2013; “The Grocery Manufacturers Association on Thursday established a political committee to oppose the food labeling initiative and provided the state with a list of its donors. “Its actions came one day after Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson accused the national group of violating state elections laws by not disclosing the source of $7.2 million it t has given to the group conducting the campaign against Initiative 522.” … Below are all the names reported Thursday. GMA intends to file a report Friday showing the amounts of each company’s contribution to the political committee: Abbott Nutrition, Bimbo Bakeries USA, Bruce Foods Corp., Bumble Bee Foods, LLC, Bunge North America, Inc., Bush Brothers & Co., Campbell Soup Co., Cargill Inc., Clement Pappas & Co. Inc., The Clorox Co., The Coca-Cola Co., ConAgra Foods, Dean Foods Co., Del Monte Foods Co., Flowers Foods, Inc., General Mills, Inc., The Hershey Co., The Hillshire Brands Co., Hormel Foods Corp., The J.M. Smucker Co., Kellogg Co., Knouse Foods Cooperative, Inc., Land O’Lakes, Inc. McCormick & Co., Inc, Mondelez Global, LLC., Moody Dunbar, Inc., Nestle USA, Inc., Ocean Spray, Cranberries, Inc., PepsiCo, Inc., Pinnacle Foods Group, LLC., Rich Products Corp., Shearer’s Foods, Inc., Sunny Delight Beverages Co., and Welch Foods, Inc. http://www.cban.ca/Resources/Topics/GE-Crops-and-Foods-On-the-Market/Corn Press Statement, October 23, 2013: “Tests Discover Unlabelled GM Sweet Corn in Canadian Grocery Stores and Farmers’ Markets: The Canadian Biotechnology Action Network (CBAN) tested sweet corn samples from across Canada and found unlabelled genetically engineered (also called genetically modified or GM) fresh sweet corn in grocery stores, roadside stands and farmers markets. CBAN testing clearly shows that consumers across Canada could be unknowingly buying GM sweet corn.” CBAN found transgenic sweet corn at 35% of randomly tested locations in four provinces: Ontario, Nova Scotia, British Columbia, and Alberta. The corn was both pesticidal (Bt) and herbicide resistant. The site provides full details and urges citizen action.
http://rt.com/shows/sophieco/monsanto-control-gmo-danger-622/ “‘Monsanto wants total control, covers up grave GMO dangers’—Researcher,” September 02, 2013; “Supermarkets are flooded with GMO products, but how safe is it to eat them? Tasty and beautiful, they are produced with intervention unprecedented in history. Gene manipulation: how appropriate is it? Does it contribute to solving the food crisis on the planet? Or will humanity have to pay a costly price for meddling with what is not theirs. We talk to Jeffrey M. Smith, GMO researcher from the Institute for Responsible Technology.” (Follow @SophieCo_RT) “Sophie Shevardnadze: If you were explaining to a schoolchild in plain words, how would you explain what’s with genetically modified products?” Half hour interview with Jeffrey Smith of the Institute for Responsible Technology on Sophie Co/RT with video of the interview and transcript. It is a good half hour summary of the issues.
http://sustainablepulse.com/2013/09/12/exclusive-new-study-reveals-roundup-is-toxic-to-dairy-cows/#.UmhqdX4n9Tv “World Exclusive: New Study Reveals Roundup is Toxic to Dairy Cows,” Sustainable Agriculture, September 12, 2013; “A new study by scientists in Europe has revealed that Glyphosate (Roundup) is toxic to the normal metabolism of dairy cows. “In the new paper titled ‘Field Investigations of Glyphosate in Urine of Danish Dairy Cows’ published in the Journal of Environmental & Analytical Toxicology, researchers led by Dr Monika Krüger reveal that ‘all cows investigated at the eight Danish dairy farms excreted glyphosate in their urine at significant different amounts between the farms.’ “The researchers continue; ‘We found increased blood serum levels of parameters indicative for cytotoxicity like GLDH, GOT, and CK and the lipid profile marker cholesterol in cows at all farms and high urea levels in half of the farm animals.’” Find the Full Study Here: gmoevidence.com
http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/breaking-study-links-roundup-weedkiller-overgrowth-deadly-fungal-toxins-1 “Breaking: Study Links Roundup ‘Weedkiller’ To Overgrowth of Deadly Fungal Toxins,” Sayer Ji, September 9, 2013; “A new study reveals that Roundup herbicide enhances the growth of aflatoxin-producing fungi, lending an explanation for the alarming increase in fungal toxins recently discovered in U.S corn, and revealing another way in which GM farming is seriously undermining food quality. “A new study lead by Argentinean researchers and published in the Journal of Environmental Science and Health titled, ‘Influence of herbicide glyphosate on growth and aflatoxin B1 production by Aspergillus section Flavi strains isolated from soil on in vitro assay,’ adds to an increasing body of research indicating that glyphosate (aka Roundup), the primary herbicide used in GM agriculture, is seriously undermining the quality of our global food supply, and may help to explain recent observations that GM corn heavy markets, such as the U.S., have a significant aflatoxin problem.”
http://www.testbiotech.org/en/node/928 “Spraying with glyphosate leaves high levels of residue in soybeans—Testbiotech publishes findings from investigations in Argentina,” October 22, 2013; “Today, Testbiotech will publish its findings from a pilot project initiated to analyse herbicide residues in soybean crops grown in Argentina. The samples were taken shortly before the harvest was due, and analysed by a laboratory at the University of Buenos Aires. The results showed surprisingly high levels of residue in plants that had been sprayed with glyphosate. Almost 100mg/kg were found in one of the samples. In seven of eleven samples, the level of residue was above the international maximum residue level of 20 mg/ kg allowed for food and feed products. The samples were taken from fields in Argentina in regions that are known for the cultivation of genetically engineered soybeans. Nearly all the soybeans grown in Argentina are genetically engineered, and made resistant to the herbicide glyphosate (brands such as Roundup). These soybeans were originally developed by the US company Monsanto. “‘We decided to publish our findings from this pilot project because of the unexpectedly high levels of residue that we found in the soybeans. The dosage of glyphosate applied in these fields is likely to be extremely high. We are worried about negative impact on the environment and the rural communities’, says Christoph Then for Testbiotech.”
http://www.testbiotech.org/en/node/893 “Genetically engineered oilseed rape out of control—Plants can no longer be withdrawn from the environment,” September 17, 2013; “Today Testbiotech has published a global overview of countries where there has been an uncontrolled spread of genetically engineered oilseed rape (canola). The countries include Canada, the US, Japan, Australia and Europe. In many cases the plants have escaped far beyond the fields into the environment. In some cases, the transgenes have moved into populations of wild relatives. Furthermore, new combinations of DNA constructs have been found which were never approved for release into the environment. The overview has been published to coincide with the international conference (ABIC) in Calgary, where agro-biotech industry representatives are gathering.”
http://www.takepart.com/article/2013/10/23/sea-kale-kernza-and-promise-perennial-plants-ag “Thomas Jefferson’s Favorite Kale Could Actually Be the Future of Farming—Moving away from varieties that need to be replanted every year could save valuable agricultural resources,” Willy Blackmore, October 23, 2013; “Belonging to a different genus but the same family as more familiar kale varieties, sea kale or Brassicaceae, was a favorite of Thomas Jefferson and has one significant difference from its leafy cousins: It’s a perennial. A single plant will persist year after year, yielding tender asparagus-like shoots in the spring, then greens and peppery flowers throughout the summer and fall, before it goes dormant in the winter. Other annual kales have to be planted, well, annually.” The suggestion here is that the role of agribusiness can be displaced through the perennialization of agriculture and the lowering of input cost, but sea kale appears to be a brassica, and that could mean it might be pollinated from transgenic canola to make the kale transgenic. More needs to be known, but transgenic canola is now a weed spreading widely everywhere.
http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2022078345_grocerydonorsxml.html?prmid=obinsource “A look at companies who gave to I-522 opposition; A list of companies that contributed money to fight Initiative 522,” The Associated Press, October 18, 2013; “In documents made public (the previous day), the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) listed about three dozen companies who contributed a combined $7.2million to oppose the Washington state food-labeling initiative. “Here’s a list of the companies and their contributions, as reported by the GMA’s filing:“ The story provides the names of the companies and the amount they have contributed. These are companies that wanted their names to remain undisclosed, and that would have been possible if the Attorney General of Washington state had not sued over the the failure to correctly disclose under state law. Reportedly, they wanted to evade disclosure, so they could also evade the boycotting of their products that resulted from participation in the opposition to Proposition 37 in California.
http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2022084803_gmoecoxml.html?prmid=obinsource “Track record mixed for GE crops; some have reduced insecticide use, but others have spawned herbicide-resistant weeds and led to overuse of Roundup,” Sandi Doughton, Seattle Times science reporter, October 19, 2013; “As Washington residents weigh the pros and cons of labeling genetically engineered foods, one question on many minds is whether current GE crops have helped or harmed the environment. “A panel of independent scientists and agriculture experts convened by the National Academy of Sciences in 2010 came down on the positive side. ‘Generally, GE crops have had fewer adverse effects on the environment than non-GE crops produced conventionally,’ their report concluded. “But as in everything to do with genetic engineering, blanket statements conceal a world of complexity. Environmental impacts vary depending on the types of genes added to each crop and the traits those genes confer.” This summary report gets some things right, but not everything, and that is because the complexities of the topic allowed much to be missed. The reporter clearly lacked the background understanding to cover the story without making some mistakes of interpretation.
http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2022029997_gmohealthxml.html “I-522: Claims conflict on safety of engineered foods; Amid a push to label genetically engineered foods, most scientists agree they are safe to eat. But there is disagreement on how effective safeguards will be at preventing future risks,” Sandi Doughton, Seattle Times science reporter, October 12, 2013; “Backers of Initiative 522, which would make Washington the first state to require labeling of genetically engineered foods, are careful to couch their arguments in terms of the public’s right to know, rather than public health. But the text of the measure—and the subtext of the debate—both raise the specter that eating genetically engineered food could be bad for you. “It’s a concern many people share. But sorting through the rhetoric and cherry-picked data is like wandering through the fog without a compass. “‘People are positively swimming in information about GM (genetically modified) technologies,’ the journal Nature noted in a special issue on the topic this spring. ‘Much of it is wrong — on both sides of the debate ... (With GM crops, a good gauge of a statement’s fallacy is the conviction with which it is delivered.)’ “Definitive answers are always hard to come by in science, and those who demand unequivocal proof of safety will never be satisfied.” This story deserves a E for effort, but it shows the difficulty in sending a broad scope reporter on a story like this and expecting all the facts to be correctly uncovered. For example, the story contends that no harm has resulted from eating transgenic food, and that is a clear error. The facts are not uncovered as a result of the kind of research the reporter did. She mostly interviewed people on both side of the issue, which would seem fair-minded, but it does not uncover the truth on an issue like this. Investigation into trusted primary resources is needed. That work might take a year, and a reporter on an assignment like this does not have that kind of time. Thus, misimpressions result. The Seattle Times may be doing its best to try to cover the story, but it would be impossible to get it right given the resources available to expend. At a result, their readers end up misinformed on many essential aspects of the issue. This distortion of the facts could also be consistent with the paper’s editorial position on the “No” side of the initiative.
http://seattletimes.com/html/businesstechnology/2021586554_gmoboilerplatexml.html “What I-522 would require; Initiative 522 calls for genetically engineered food sold at retail to be labeled beginning July 1, 2015,”Melissa Allison, Seattle Times business reporter, August 10, 2013; The story provides a summary of the labeling requirements under the I-522 initiative and provides a link, so readers can read the full text of the initiative.
“The promoters of Initiative 522 say they just want to give consumers more useful information about what’s in our food. They fail miserably on that claim by creating a selective labeling system for foods containing a discernable trace of genetically altered nutrients. “The initiative would confuse rather than inform, so voters should reject this poorly worded and deceptive initiative.” Many of the responses to the editorial from readers go a long way to address the points made in the editorial. A large number of them are posted after the text of the editorial on the same page; thus, they can be read to assess the place where truth is likely to be found.
http://seattletimes.com/html/editorials/2021968260_gmolabelingedit06nov2013endorsexml.html “Editorial: Vote No on Initiative 522, the GMO labeling initiative—Efforts to label foods with GMOs have failed in Oregon and California. Shoppers want useful information not scare tactics. Vote No on I-522,” Seattle Times Editorial, Originally published October 5, 2013 and modified October 25, 2013; “Initiative 522 is a clumsy, emotion-based campaign to require labeling of selective food products containing genetically modified organisms. “The issue for proponents of I-522 seems to be less about outcomes—the products themselves—but rather finding the modern processes offensive.” The editorial drew 188 comments before the thread was closed at the end of 72 hours. The comments provide a sense of the public attitudes and the tenor of the discussion among the readers.
http://onlineathens.com/features/2013-10-26/cosmo-talks-cosmo-fluorescently-sexy “Cosmo Talks: Is Cosmo fluorescently sexy?” Betty Jean Craige, October 26, 2013; a meditation on the implications of transgenic fluorescence. http://vtdigger.org/2013/07/22/whats-in-a-label-possibly-the-source-of-your-food/ “What’s In A Label? Possibly The Source Of Your Food,” Kate Robinson, July 22, 2013; “In May, the Vermont House passed a controversial bill that would mandate labeling of foods that contain genetically modified organisms. The easy passage of House Bill 112—the vote was 99-42—shows that, as in 27 other states, there is broad interest in Vermont in labeling GMOs. “But when the legislation is taken up by the Senate in January, passage out of committee, let alone the full body, could be an issue. Three of five senators on the Senate Agriculture committee either oppose labeling or question its usefulness. “Meanwhile, experts say, labeling key ingredients in processed foods — such as vegetable oils, corn, soy and sugar — could have unintended implications that have not been adequately considered.” … The article is a reasonably valuable summary of the internal state discussion about transgenic food labeling debate, interviewing the people involved, but it is like a story about blind men groping on an elephant and proclaiming their viewpoint about its nature. It does not dig deep enough into primary sources including some available in Vermont or nearby in other states and Canada. The mention of the process in Europe is enough to tease but not enough to inform. Deeper digging and a longer article would be necessary to be more illuminating, but then Vermonters often tend to believe their own parochialism is good enough. That goes with the pro-secession attitude found there. They often seem to think they do not have anything useful to learn from people in other states or nations! Some of the comments following the article help to fill out the discussion a bit more, but they do not make up for the limitations of the article. The issues are complex, and covering them requires extended coverage. Nonetheless, this article is better than many others in attempting to cover all aspects of the issue. The corporate media has not done any better, and the articles published in Washington state on their initiative I-522 show even less digging into primary sources.
http://www.foodprocessing.com/articles/2003/197/ “Regulatory Issues: E.U. issues new GMO regulations The new rules may represent a step forward—and the most that any proponent of genetically modified foods can realistically hope for,” David Joy, Contributing Editor, 2003 (note: this is not a recent story); “The European Union recently issued two regulations dealing with the touchy subject of food and food ingredients derived from genetically modified sources. Both regulations have been pending for several years and have been largely opposed by the food industry in the United States. “The more substantial of the two regulations, E.U. Regulation No. 1829/2003, deals with pre-market authorization and labeling of genetically modified foods intended for humans and animals. “Regarding pre-market authorization, the new regulation consolidates and streamlines various provisions that already existed under E.U. law. Anyone wishing to market a new, genetically modified variety of corn, for example, must submit an application to one of the E.U. Member States. The application is then made available to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the other Member States. EFSA is expected to give its opinion on the application within a period of six months, after which the E.U. Commission will prepare a draft decision on the application (either consistent with EFSA’s opinion or not).”
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Transgenic-food-products-being-sold-sans-GM-label/articleshow/24836503.cms “Transgenic food products being sold sans GM label,” Vishwa Mohan, TNN, Oct 29, 2013; “NEW DELHI: A forum of civil society groups on Monday wrote to the ministry of consumer affairs asking it to take action against those who are selling transgenic food products flouting the norms, which came into effect from January, of being mandatorily labeled as ”GM“, or Genetically Modified. “A Coalition for GM Free India - the forum comprising several civil society groups — alleged that cotton seed oil from BT Cotton and genetically modified soybean oil were being marketed by violating the existing rules. “The Coalition reminded the ministry that consumers would expect that any packaged food with GM should carry the label as an alert that would help them make a conscious ‘choice’.”
http://fightland.vice.com/blog/a-mixed-martial-artist-takes-on-monsanto “A Mixed Martial Artist Takes on Monsanto, Fightland Blog,” Michael Hresko, September 23, 2013; “Dustin Barca doesn’t get along with Corporate America. In 2009, the standout waterman from Hawaii dropped off the professional surfing tour citing that he no longer wanted to surf, or conduct himself in the way that mainland sponsorship companies wanted him to. He didn’t try to re-qualify the next year and instead transitioned to mixed martial arts. Five years later, Barca is now a pro-MMA fighter, a full-time activist, and a grassroots organizer hell-bent on ridding Hawaii of biotech firms like Monsanto.” ...
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/09/24/gmo-alfalfa.aspx?e_cid=20130924Z1_DNL_art_1&utm_source=dnl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=art1&utm_campaign=20130924Z1 “Exclusive: Has GMO Alfalfa Already Contaminated Non-Alfalfa Fields?” Dr. Joseph Mercola, September 24, 2013; “Despite a strong and vocal opposition, genetically engineered (GE) Roundup-resistant alfalfa was approved in late 2011. At the time, many environmental and organic experts spoke out against it, warning that its approval could be devastating not just for the environment in general, but also for conventional alfalfa growers, and organic farmers in particular. “This includes organic animal products, as dried alfalfa is the hay they’re typically fed during winter months. Phil Bereano, a co-founder of AGRA watch, argued that by deregulating the planting of GE alfalfa, the USDA was in direct contravention to its obligations under law and court decisions. “A 2007 trial judge had already found that alfalfa farmers had established a reasonable probability that their conventional alfalfa crops would be contaminated with the engineered Roundup Ready gene if deregulation occurred. “Toxicology and plant pathology expert Dr. Don Huber also pointed out that once you insert new genes into a perennial insect-pollinated plant like alfalfa, there’s no way to prevent cross-fertilization and contamination, and it cannot be eliminated once it’s distributed throughout an area. “Of course, the possibility of cross-contamination between GE alfalfa and non-GE crops was downplayed as insignificant. But it didn’t even take two years for this possibility to rear its ugly head.” …
http://www.alternet.org/food/monsantos-gmo-feed-creates-horrific-physical-ailments-animals “Monsanto’s GMO Feed Creates Horrific Physical Ailments in Animals—New research is showing some troubling information about animals on the receiving end of industrial agriculture’s big GMO experiment,” Katherine Paul, Alternet, August 9, 2013; “We associate food with at most, pleasure, at the very least, survival. It’s not too different for animals. Lambs turned out on new grass move “quickly over certain grasses to get to others – to nosh on clover and mustard grass, avoiding horse nettle and fescue along the way,” writes Dan Barber in A Chef Speaks Out. Wild pigs, capable of seeking out the nutrients they need, ‘enjoy eating nuts, roots, fruits, mushrooms, bugs, rabbits, and, occasionally, dead animals.’ “But what happens when animals are confined in cramped, filthy environments and force-fed monoculture diets of genetically modified corn and soy?” ...
http://everlast.mercola.com/r/?id=h11d91d45,2ba95f3,2e478afhttp://everlast.mercola.com/r/?id=h11d91d45,2ba95f3,2e478af “Toxicology Expert Speaks Out About Roundup and GMOs,” Dr. Joseph Mercola Interviews Dr. Don Huber,October 06, 2013; “There are NO peer-reviewed scientific papers establishing the safety of GMO crops. There are, however, both clinical and peer-reviewed scientific papers showing the hazards of GMO crops, including harmful secondary effects. “Epidemiological patterns show there’s an identical rise in over 30 human diseases alongside our increased usage of glyphosate and the increased prevalence of genetically engineered proteins in our food. “Glyphosate is not ‘just’ an herbicide. It was originally patented as a mineral chelator. It immobilizes nutrients, making them unavailable for your body. It’s also patented as a potent antibiotic that can devastate human gut bacteria. “The EPA recently doubled the amount of glyphosate allowed in food. Soybean oil is now allowed to contain a whopping 4,000 times the limit at which it can impact your health.” …
http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/10/06/warning-hating-monsanto-impedes-global-economic-gr/ “Warning: Hating Monsanto Impedes Global Economic Growth,” Maxx Chatsko, The Motley Fool, Oct 6, 2013; “Misconceptions about agricultural biotechnology cost this Zambian his crop -- and thousands of lives -- during a major drought.” A shallow, propagandistic, pro-Monsanto article presenting no real and reliable evidence to support its contentions. Everything the article says can be easily refuted, but it should be read just to understand what is being said and what many people will and do believe whether or not they are given any creditable and unimpeachable evidence. Here is the first paragraph of the article: “Monsanto attracts quite a bit of criticism for its transgenic crops and seeds, more commonly referred to as Genetically Modified Organisms, or GMOs. The agricultural pioneer has introduced several engineered products aimed at reducing the amount of pesticides, herbicides, and time required during the planting season. In fact, corn and cotton crops that contain genes to produce toxins created from a naturally occurring soil bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis, have saved farmers $57 billion in pesticide costs from 1996 to 2011.” …
http://www.prweb.com/releases/glyphosate-industry/global-and-china/prweb11197487.htm “Global and China Glyphosate Market Analysis & 2017,” ChinaMarketResearchReports.com adds Latest Report on “Research Report on Global and China Glyphosate Industry, 2013-2017” to its store, Dallas, TX (PRWEB), October 06, 2013; “Glyphosate is a kind of herbicide with low toxicity, high efficiency and broad spectrum. It has been widely used for over two decades. In recent years, due to the wide spread of transgenic crops in the world, market demand for glyphosate booms and it constantly replaces other herbicides, ranking the first in global insecticide sales for many years. “During 2007 to 2008, influenced by many factors, glyphosate’s market price increased to 100,000 CNY/ton. As a result, many small and medium-size enterprises engaged in producing glyphosate and the production capacity was concentrated and released. Later, the price suddenly declined and many small and medium-size enterprises exited the market. However, since 2011, glyphosate market price has boomed again due to the decreasing inventory. Encouraged by large profit, many small and medium-size enterprises plan to produce glyphosate again.” ... Complete report is available at: http://www.chinamarketresearchreports.com/99807.html “China has become the largest glyphosate producer in the world with glyphosate production capacity exceeding 600,000 tons by the end of 2012. China’s glyphosate output volume declined in 2011 with only 92,000 tons output volume. However, the production concentration degree was improved and the output volume of the top 5 glyphosate enterprises reached 249,500 tons, accounting for 85% of the national output volume. In 2012, China’s glyphosate output volume rapidly reached around 400,000 tons and glyphosate price increased rapidly in China market. From the second quarter of 2012, glyphosate started to show an upward trend. From the third quarter, glyphosate began to show a scalar-form rapid upward trend with a quarterly growth rate of over 30%. At the beginning of the fourth quarter, the increasing glyphosate industry entered an adjustment period and the growth rate slowed down. In the first half year of 2013, glyphosate price ranges from 33,000 CNY/ton to 38,000 CNY/ton in China market.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/08/business/fight-over-genetically-altered-crops-flares-in-hawaii.html?hp&_r=0&pagewanted=all “Unease in Hawaii’s Cornfields,” Andrew Pollack, October 7, 2013; “Waimea, Hawaii — The balmy tropical isles here seem worlds apart from the expansive cornfields of the Midwest, but Hawaii has become the latest battleground in the fight over genetically modified crops. “The state has become a hub for the development of genetically engineered corn and other crops that are sold to farmers around the globe. Monsanto and other seed companies have moved here en masse, and corn now sprouts on thousands of acres where sugar cane or pineapples once grew. “But activists opposed to biotech crops have joined with residents who say the corn farms expose them to dust and pesticides, and they are trying to drive the companies away, or at least rein them in.” The article reviews the history and status of the biotech penetration into the Hawaiian Islands because its favorable climate greatly shortens the time needed for crop development.” ...
http://www.grain.org/article/entries/4725-hands-off-our-maize-resistance-to-gmos-in-mexico “Hands off our maize! Resistance to GMOs in Mexico,”Grain, 16 May 2013; “In a previous report (‘Red alert! GMO avalanche in Mexico’), we recounted the circumstances leading up to the imminent threat of the introduction of genetically engineered (GE) organisms (also known as GMOs, genetically modified organisms, or transgenics) into Mexico and several other Latin American countries. The whole continent is seeing a wave of measures, such as seed and intellectual property laws, designed to facilitate multinational control over agriculture. Unfortunately, these efforts are finding an echo in international organizations like the FAO and CIMMYT and in ‘development’ foundations like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. “With or without the granting of commercial planting permits, the threat of Mexico’s largest cities being inundated with transgenic maize still looms. We are seeing the proliferation of authoritarian crop intensification systems whose ultimate result is to contaminate native maize varieties in the very centre of origin of this crop – one of the four most important crops in the history of humanity.”
http://ejfood.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/geo-watch-mexico-bans-transgenic-corn.html?m=1 “Judge rules that GMOs are imminent threat: Monsanto, Pioneer, Prohibited From Marketing Transgenic Seed,” Devon G. Peña, Seattle, Washington, October 11, 2013; “An October 10 press release with Mexico City byline announces the banning of genetically-engineered corn in Mexico. According to the group that issued the press release, La Coperacha, a federal judge has ordered Mexico’s SAGARPA (Secretaría de Agricultura, Ganadería, Desarrollo Rural, Pesca, y Alimentación), which is Mexico’s Secretary of Agriculture, and SEMARNAT (Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales), which is equivalent of the EPA, to immediately ‘suspend all activities involving the planting of transgenic corn in the country and end the granting of permission for experimental and pilot commercial plantings’. ”The unprecedented ban was granted by the Twelfth Federal District Court for Civil Matters of Mexico City. Judge Jaime Eduardo Verdugo J. wrote the opinion and cited “the risk of imminent harm to the environment” as the basis for the decision. The judge’s ruling also ruled that multinationals like Monsanto and Pioneer are banned from the release of transgenic maize in the Mexican countryside“ as long as collective action lawsuits initiated by citizens, farmers, scientists, and civil society organizations are working their way through the judicial system. “The decision was explained during a press conference in Mexico City yesterday by members of the community-based organizations that sued federal authorities and companies introducing transgenic maize into Mexico. The group, Acción Colectiva, is led by Father Miguel Concha of the Human Rights Center Fray Francisco de Vittoria; Victor Suarez of ANEC (National Association of Rural Commercialization Entertprises); Dr. Mercedes Lopéz of Vía Organica; and Adelita San Vicente, a teacher and member of Semillas de Vida, a national organization that has been involved in broad-based social action projects to protect Mexico’s extraordinary status as a major world center of food crop biodiversity.”
http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2013/10/12/-march-against-monsantoralliesactivistsaroundtheglobe.html “Global ‘March Against Monsanto’ Rallies Activists,” Renee Lewis, October 12, 2013; “Protesters calling for the permanent boycott of genetically modified organisms marched in dozens of countries Saturday. “Activists from around the globe participated in a global ‘March Against Monsanto’ Saturday, calling for the permanent boycott of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). This was the second global, anti-Monsanto protest — the first took place on May 25 with over 2 million participants, organizers said.” … “Critics of Monsanto, a multi-national biotech corporation, say its seeds destroy the soil and are designed to make constant repurchase necessary because the seeds last only one generation. The seeds must also be used with a variety of the company’s other products like fertilizers, fungicides and pesticides, which have been linked to mass bee deaths.” As of Sunday, October 13, 2013, according to a Google search, this story was the only major coverage of the Marches Against Monsanto on the previous day was by Al Jazeera America. The only print coverage the search revealed was a story in the Orlando Sentinel (Florida) and a story in Berkshire Eagle (Massachusetts): http://www.berkshireeagle.com/news/ci_24299544/march-against-monsanto-participants-told-fight-label-gmo Television coverage in the St. Louis area was found, and that would be understandable based on the greater level of interest anything about Monsanto would stimulate in the area close to the corporate headquarters. Soon other small outlets provided coverage, but the closest to a big city coverage was the DesMoines Register, but it is always better on agricultural stories. After that came the Edmonton Journal, also a farm country newspaper. Other outlets put out blog stories.
http://www.kcet.org/living/food/food-rant/san-francisco-marches-against-monsanto.html Food Rant: San Francisco Marches Against Monsanto, Rick Paulas,October 12, 2013; “There are a few rules in life one must abide by if one is to ‘do it right.’ If you’re in the mood for good surf, you head on down to Hawaii. If you’re looking for deep dish pizza, you find the cheapest flight to Chicago. And if you want to see a protest done right, you head to San Francisco. “The prolifically passionate bunch turned up in full force on Saturday for the Bay Area’s chapter of the worldwide March Against Monsanto. (While the actual number of participants will surely be debated, I eyeballed at least 500 protestors, and if you wanted to twist my arm to say there were another 500 that straggled in late, I wouldn’t fight you on it.) The group joined up on the San Francisco side of the Golden Gate Bridge at 11 a.m. for an hour of rabble-rousing before taking the bridge itself by storm. “Some marched because they fear a world in which their children have access to only genetically-modified foods, while others chose to participate for more personal reasons. Eric Eberman, one of the local San Francisco march organizers, got involved after one of his family members died last March after a bout with colon cancer. ”He had been exposed to agricultural chemicals as a child when he worked on a farm in Mexico,“ said Eberman. ‘I was seeking some way to express my anger at his premature and painful death and found a creative way to do so via March Against Monsanto.’” ...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/genetically-modified-foods-what-is-and-isnt-true/2013/10/15/40e4fd58-3132-11e3-8627-c5d7de0a046b_story.html “Genetically modified foods: What Is and Isn’t True,”Tamar Haspel, October 15, 2013; “Welcome to Unearthed, an effort that will dig deep to try and figure out what’s true and what isn’t in the debate about our food supply.”… The article does not do what it says it is going to do, and it could not do it in a short article. Maybe it could not even do it in 1000 page book. What it does do is discuss the “worldview” (an alternative word for “bias”) of the groups on both sides of the issue and promote civil discussion between those on both sides. It provides a beginning introduction to the partisans on both sides, but it does not get into their arguments. Despite the limitation, it is nice to see a major newspaper wanting to engage the issues. The Wash Post did not cover the marches against Monsanto around the nation and the world on the previous weekend, and they did not even do what they did on May 25, 2013 when previous marches were held in about 456 cities and 52 nations. On that occasion, they ran a slightly edited version of an AP story about the events. Instead of covering that news, they put this story on the front page several days later. http://www.ww4report.com/node/12695 “Mexico: judge suspends GM corn planting,” Weekly News Update…, October 15, 2013; “Mexican federal judge Jaime Eduardo Verdugo has issued an injunction ordering the Agriculture Secretariat (Sagarpa) and the Environment Secretariat (Semarnat) not to grant further licenses for the sowing of genetically modified (GM) corn, a group of environmental organizations announced on Oct. 10. Mexican law restricts the use of transgenic corn, but recently the government has greatly expanded the area where GM seeds can be sown in pilot projects by companies like the Monsanto Company, Pioneer, Syngenta AG and Dow AgroSciences. Environmentalists want to ban all transgenic corn, which they say threatens both Mexico’s biodiversity and the ability of independent farmers to grow organic crops.” http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2022084812_gmoecoside1xml.html “Jumping of genes didn’t start with GE crops, scientists say Genes from GE crops can move into other species — but so can genes from conventionally bred crops,” Sandi Doughton, science reporter, Seattle Times, October 20, 2013; “Another ecological worry about GE crops seemed to have come true with a vengeance in 2000. American scientists reported that maize from the mountains of Oaxaca, Mexico — the birthplace of corn and home to several, revered traditional varieties — contained bits of DNA from GE corn. “The study raised a furor and was later disavowed by the journal that published it. One follow-up survey found no evidence of transgenic contamination, but another reported traces in 1 percent of more than 100 fields sampled.” ... http://www.ensser.org/increasing-public-information/no-scientific-consensus-on-gmo-safety/ “Statement: No scientific consensus on GMO safety,” October 21, 2013; “As scientists, physicians, academics, and experts from disciplines relevant to the scientific, legal, social and safety assessment aspects of genetically modified organisms (GMOs),[1] we strongly reject claims by GM seed developers and some scientists, commentators, and journalists that there is a “scientific consensus” on GMO safety[2] [3] [4] and that the debate on this topic is ‘over’.[5] “We feel compelled to issue this statement because the claimed consensus on GMO safety does not exist. The claim that it does exist is misleading and misrepresents the currently available scientific evidence and the broad diversity of opinion among scientists on this issue. Moreover, the claim encourages a climate of complacency that could lead to a lack of regulatory and scientific rigour and appropriate caution, potentially endangering the health of humans, animals, and the environment. “Science and society do not proceed on the basis of a constructed consensus, as current knowledge is always open to well-founded challenge and disagreement. We endorse the need for further independent scientific inquiry and informed public discussion on GM product safety and urge GM proponents to do the same.” The statement goes on to address a series of heavily footnoted points. The full list of signatories can be accessed from the Web site, and at the time when the statement was released there were 93 signers, but more were being welcomed from anywhere around the world.
http://www.ensser.org/media/0513/ Press Release (related to the about ENSSER statement), October 21, 2013; “No scientific consensus on safety of genetically modified organisms - Scientists release statement as World Food Prize goes to Monsanto and Syngenta “There is no scientific consensus on the safety of genetically modified foods and crops, according to a statement released today by an international group of 93 scientists, academics and physicians.” ...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/21/los-angeles-ban-gmo_n_4137166.html?ir=Green&ref=topbar “Los Angeles Proposes Banning GMOs,” Kathleen Miles, October 21, 2013; “Los Angeles is considering banning the cultivation and sale of genetically modified organisms. If it does, the second-largest U.S. city would become the country’s largest GMO-free zone. “Two LA city councilmen on Friday introduced a motion that would ban the growth, sale and distribution of genetically engineered seeds and plants. The councilmen, Paul Koretz and Mitch O’Farrell, said the measure is meant to protect local gardens and homegrown food from contamination by genetically modified seeds. The motion would not affect the sale of food containing genetically modified ingredients.” …
http://livingmaxwell.sharedby.co/share/N3SNaY “Grocers group fighting I-522 reveals donors,” Jerry Cornfield, October 17, 2013; “The Grocery Manufacturers Association on Thursday established a political committee to oppose the food labeling initiative and provided the state with a list of its donors. “Its actions came one day after Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson accused the national group of violating state elections laws by not disclosing the source of $7.2 million it t has given to the group conducting the campaign against Initiative 522.” … Below are all the names reported Thursday. GMA intends to file a report Friday showing the amounts of each company’s contribution to the political committee: Abbott Nutrition, Bimbo Bakeries USA, Bruce Foods Corp., Bumble Bee Foods, LLC, Bunge North America, Inc., Bush Brothers & Co., Campbell Soup Co., Cargill Inc., Clement Pappas & Co. Inc., The Clorox Co., The Coca-Cola Co., ConAgra Foods, Dean Foods Co., Del Monte Foods Co., Flowers Foods, Inc., General Mills, Inc., The Hershey Co., The Hillshire Brands Co., Hormel Foods Corp., The J.M. Smucker Co., Kellogg Co., Knouse Foods Cooperative, Inc., Land O’Lakes, Inc. McCormick & Co., Inc, Mondelez Global, LLC., Moody Dunbar, Inc., Nestle USA, Inc., Ocean Spray, Cranberries, Inc., PepsiCo, Inc., Pinnacle Foods Group, LLC., Rich Products Corp., Shearer’s Foods, Inc., Sunny Delight Beverages Co., and Welch Foods, Inc.
http://www.cban.ca/Resources/Topics/GE-Crops-and-Foods-On-the-Market/Corn Press Release - October 23, 2013: “Tests Discover Unlabelled GM Sweet Corn in Canadian Grocery Stores and Farmers’ Markets: The Canadian Biotechnology Action Network (CBAN) tested sweet corn samples from across Canada and found unlabelled genetically engineered (also called genetically modified or GM) fresh sweet corn in grocery stores, roadside stands and farmers markets. CBAN testing clearly shows that consumers across Canada could be unknowingly buying GM sweet corn.” ... CBAN found transgenic sweet corn at 35% of randomly tested locations in four provinces: Ontario, Nova Scotia, British Columbia, and Alberta. The corn was both pesticidal and herbicide resistant. The site provides full details and urges citizen action.
http://rt.com/shows/sophieco/monsanto-control-gmo-danger-622/ “‘Monsanto wants total control, covers up grave GMO dangers’ - Researcher,” September 02, 2013; “Supermarkets are flooded with GMO products, but how safe is it to eat them? Tasty and beautiful, they are produced with intervention unprecedented in history. Gene manipulation: how appropriate is it? Does it contribute to solving the food crisis on the planet? Or will humanity have to pay a costly price for meddling with what is not theirs. We talk to Jeffrey M. Smith, GMO researcher from the Institute for Responsible Technology.” Follow @SophieCo_RT “Sophie Shevardnadze: If you were explaining to a schoolchild in plain words, how would you explain what’s with genetically modified products?” ... Half hour interview with Jeffrey Smith of the Institute for Responsible Technology on Sophie Co/RT with video of the interview and transcript. It is a good half hour summary of the issues.
http://sustainablepulse.com/2013/09/12/exclusive-new-study-reveals-roundup-is-toxic-to-dairy-cows/#.UmhqdX4n9Tv “World Exclusive: New Study Reveals Roundup is Toxic to Dairy Cows,” Sustainable Agriculture, September 12, 2013; “A new study by scientists in Europe has revealed that Glyphosate (Roundup) is toxic to the normal metabolism of dairy cows. “In the new paper titled ‘Field Investigations of Glyphosate in Urine of Danish Dairy Cows’ published in the Journal of Environmental & Analytical Toxicology, researchers led by Dr Monika Krüger reveal that ‘all cows investigated at the eight Danish dairy farms excreted glyphosate in their urine at significant different amounts between the farms.’“ “The researchers continue; ‘We found increased blood serum levels of parameters indicative for cytotoxicity like GLDH, GOT, and CK and the lipid profile marker cholesterol in cows at all farms and high urea levels in half of the farm animals.’ … Find the Full Study Here: gmoevidence.com
http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/breaking-study-links-roundup-weedkiller-overgrowth-deadly-fungal-toxins-1 “Breaking: Study Links Roundup ‘Weedkiller’ To Overgrowth of Deadly Fungal Toxins,” Sayer Ji, September 9, 2013; “A new study reveals that Roundup herbicide enhances the growth of aflatoxin-producing fungi, lending an explanation for the alarming increase in fungal toxins recently discovered in U.S corn, and revealing another way in which GM farming is seriously undermining food quality. “A new study lead by Argentinean researchers and published in the Journal of Environmental Science and Health titled, ‘Influence of herbicide glyphosate on growth and aflatoxin B1 production by Aspergillus section Flavi strains isolated from soil on in vitro assay,’ adds to an increasing body of research indicating that glyphosate (aka Roundup), the primary herbicide used in GM agriculture, is seriously undermining the quality of our global food supply, and may help to explain recent observations that GM corn heavy markets, such as the U.S., have a significant aflatoxin problem.” ...
http://www.testbiotech.org/en/node/928 “Spraying with glyphosate leaves high levels of residue in soybeans—Testbiotech publishes findings from investigations in Argentina,” 22. October 2013; “Today, Testbiotech will publish its findings from a pilot project initiated to analyse herbicide residues in soybean crops grown in Argentina. The samples were taken shortly before the harvest was due, and analysed by a laboratory at the University of Buenos Aires. The results showed surprisingly high levels of residue in plants that had been sprayed with glyphosate. Almost 100mg/kg were found in one of the samples. In seven of eleven samples, the level of residue was above the international maximum residue level of 20 mg/ kg allowed for food and feed products. The samples were taken from fields in Argentina in regions that are known for the cultivation of genetically engineered soybeans. Nearly all the soybeans grown in Argentina are genetically engineered, and made resistant to the herbicide glyphosate (brands such as Roundup). These soybeans were originally developed by the US company Monsanto. “‘We decided to publish our findings from this pilot project because of the unexpectedly high levels of residue that we found in the soybeans. The dosage of glyphosate applied in these fields is likely to be extremely high. We are worried about negative impact on the environment and the rural communities’, says Christoph Then for Testbiotech.” ...
http://www.testbiotech.org/en/node/893 “Genetically engineered oilseed rape out of control—Plants can no longer be withdrawn from the environment,” September 17, 2013; “Today Testbiotech has published a global overview of countries where there has been an uncontrolled spread of genetically engineered oilseed rape (canola). The countries include Canada, the US, Japan, Australia and Europe. In many cases the plants have escaped far beyond the fields into the environment. In some cases, the transgenes have moved into populations of wild relatives. Furthermore, new combinations of DNA constructs have been found which were never approved for release into the environment. The overview has been published to coincide with the international conference (ABIC) in Calgary, where agro-biotech industry representatives are gathering.” ... http://www.takepart.com/article/2013/10/23/sea-kale-kernza-and-promise-perennial-plants-ag “Thomas Jefferson’s Favorite Kale Could Actually Be the Future of Farming—Moving away from varieties that need to be replanted every year could save valuable agricultural resources,” Willy Blackmore, October 23, 2013; “Belonging to a different genus but the same family as more familiar kale varieties, sea kale or Brassicaceae, was a favorite of Thomas Jefferson and has one significant difference from its leafy cousins: It’s a perennial. A single plant will persist year after year, yielding tender asparagus-like shoots in the spring, then greens and peppery flowers throughout the summer and fall, before it goes dormant in the winter. Other annual kales have to be planted, well, annually.” … The suggestion here is that the role of agribusiness can be displaced through the perennialization of agriculture and the lowering of input cost, but sea kale appears to be a brassica, and that could means it might be pollinated from transgenic canola to make the kale transgenic. More needs to be known, but transgenic canola is now a weed spreading widely everywhere.
http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2022078345_grocerydonorsxml.html?prmid=obinsource “A look at companies who gave to I-522 opposition; A list of companies that contributed money to fight Initiative 522,” Associated Press, October 18, 2013; “In documents made public Friday afternoon, the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) listed about three dozen companies who contributed a combined $7.2million to oppose the Washington state food-labeling initiative. “Here’s a list of the companies and their contributions, as reported by the GMA’s filing:…” The story provides the names of the companies and the amount they have contributed. These are companies that wanted their names to remain undisclosed, and that would have been possible if the Attorney General of Washington state has not sued over the issue. They wanted to evade disclosure, so they could also evade the boycotting of their products that resulted from participation in the opposition to Proposition 37 in California.
http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2022084803_gmoecoxml.html?prmid=obinsource “Track record mixed for GE crops; some have reduced insecticide use, but others have spawned herbicide-resistant weeds and led to overuse of Roundup,” Sandi Doughton, science reporter, Seattle Times October 19, 2013; “As Washington residents weigh the pros and cons of labeling genetically engineered foods, one question on many minds is whether current GE crops have helped or harmed the environment. “A panel of independent scientists and agriculture experts convened by the National Academy of Sciences in 2010 came down on the positive side. ‘Generally, GE crops have had fewer adverse effects on the environment than non-GE crops produced conventionally,’ their report concluded. “But as in everything to do with genetic engineering, blanket statements conceal a world of complexity. Environmental impacts vary depending on the types of genes added to each crop and the traits those genes confer.” This summary report gets some things right, but not everything, and that is because the complexities of the topic allowed much to be missed.
http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2022029997_gmohealthxml.html “I-522: Claims conflict on safety of engineered foods; Amid a push to label genetically engineered foods, most scientists agree they are safe to eat. But there is disagreement on how effective safeguards will be at preventing future risks,” Sandi Doughton, science reporter, Seattle Times, October 12, 2013; “Backers of Initiative 522, which would make Washington the first state to require labeling of genetically engineered foods, are careful to couch their arguments in terms of the public’s right to know, rather than public health. But the text of the measure — and the subtext of the debate — both raise the specter that eating genetically engineered food could be bad for you. “It’s a concern many people share. But sorting through the rhetoric and cherry-picked data is like wandering through the fog without a compass. “‘People are positively swimming in information about GM (genetically modified) technologies,’ the journal Nature noted in a special issue on the topic this spring. ‘Much of it is wrong — on both sides of the debate ... (With GM crops, a good gauge of a statement’s fallacy is the conviction with which it is delivered.)’ “Definitive answers are always hard to come by in science, and those who demand unequivocal proof of safety will never be satisfied.” This story deserves a E for effort, but it shows the difficulty in sending a broad scope science reporter on a story like this and expecting all the facts to be correctly uncovered. For example, the story contends that no harm has resulted from eating transgenic food, and that is a clear error. The facts are not uncovered as a result of the kind of research the reporter did. She mostly interviewed people on both side of the issue, which would seem fair-minded, but it does not uncover the truth on an issue like this. It only captures the views of those interviewed. Investigation into trusted primary resources is needed. That work might take a year, and a reporter on an assignment like this does not have that kind of time. Thus, misimpressions result. The Seattle Times may be doing its best to try to cover the story, but it would be impossible to get it right given the resources they chose to expend. At a result, their readers end up misinformed on many essential aspects of the issue. That, by itself, could have resulted in the narrow loss the ballot initiative sustained.
http://seattletimes.com/html/businesstechnology/2021586554_gmoboilerplatexml.html “What I-522 would require; Initiative 522 calls for genetically engineered food sold at retail to be labeled beginning July 1, 2015,” Melissa Allison,business reporter, Seattle Times, August 10, 2013; The story provides a summary of the labeling requirements under the I-522 initiative and provides a link, so readers can read the full text of the initiative.
http://www.theolympian.com/2013/10/22/2787603/i-522-hides-real-agenda-about.html “I-522 hides real agenda about GMO foods,” The Olympian, editorial, October 22, 2013; “The promoters of Initiative 522 say they just want to give consumers more useful information about what’s in our food. They fail miserably on that claim by creating a selective labeling system for foods containing a discernable trace of genetically altered nutrients. “The initiative would confuse rather than inform, so voters should reject this poorly worded and deceptive initiative.” ... Many of the responses to the editorial from readers go a long way to address the points made in the editorial. A large number of them are posted after the text of the editorial. http://seattletimes.com/html/editorials/2021968260_gmolabelingedit06nov2013endorsexml.html “Editorial: Vote No on Initiative 522, the GMO labeling initiative—Efforts to label foods with GMOs have failed in Oregon and California. Shoppers want useful information not scare tactics. Vote No on I-522,” Seattle Times, Editorial, Originally published October 5, 2013 then modified on October 25, 2013; “Initiative 522 is a clumsy, emotion-based campaign to require labeling of selective food products containing genetically modified organisms. “The issue for proponents of I-522 seems to be less about outcomes — the products themselves — but rather finding the modern processes offensive.” The editorial drew 188 comments before the thread was closed at the end of 72 hours. The comments provide a sense of the public attitudes and the tenor of the discussion among the readers.
http://vtdigger.org/2013/07/22/whats-in-a-label-possibly-the-source-of-your-food/ “What’s In A Label? Possibly The Source Of Your Food,” Kate Robinson, July 22, 2013; “In May, the Vermont House passed a controversial bill that would mandate labeling of foods that contain genetically modified organisms. The easy passage of House Bill 112 — the vote was 99-42 — shows that, as in 27 other states, there is broad interest in Vermont in labeling GMOs. “But when the legislation is taken up by the Senate in January, passage out of committee, let alone the full body, could be an issue. Three of five senators on the Senate Agriculture committee either oppose labeling or question its usefulness. “Meanwhile, experts say, labeling key ingredients in processed foods — such as vegetable oils, corn, soy and sugar — could have unintended implications that have not been adequately considered.” The article provides a reasonable summary of the internal Vermont discussion about transgenic food labeling, interviewing the people involved, but it is like a story about all the blind men groping on the elephant and proclaiming their view. It does not dig deep enough into primary sources including some available in Vermont or nearby in other states and Canada. The mention of the process in Europe is enough to tease but not enough to inform. Deeper digging and a longer article would be necessary to be more illuminating. Some of the comments following the article help to fill out the discussion a bit more, but they do not make up for the limitations of the article. The issues are complex, and covering them requires extended investigation. Nonetheless, this article is better than many others in attempting to cover all aspects of the issue. The corporate media has not done any better, and the articles published by mainstream sources in Washington state on their initiative I-522 show even less digging into primary sources.
http://www.foodprocessing.com/articles/2003/197/ “Regulatory Issues: E.U. issues new GMO regulations The new rules may represent a step forward -- and the most that any proponent of genetically modified foods can realistically hope for,” David Joy, Contributing Editor, 2003 (note: this is not a recent story) “The European Union recently issued two regulations dealing with the touchy subject of food and food ingredients derived from genetically modified sources. Both regulations have been pending for several years and have been largely opposed by the food industry in the United States. “The more substantial of the two regulations, E.U. Regulation No. 1829/2003, deals with pre-market authorization and labeling of genetically modified foods intended for humans and animals. “Regarding pre-market authorization, the new regulation consolidates and streamlines various provisions that already existed under E.U. law. Anyone wishing to market a new, genetically modified variety of corn, for example, must submit an application to one of the E.U. Member States. The application is then made available to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the other Member States. EFSA is expected to give its opinion on the application within a period of six months, after which the E.U. Commission will prepare a draft decision on the application (either consistent with EFSA’s opinion or not).” …
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Transgenic-food-products-being-sold-sans-GM-label/articleshow/24836503.cms “Transgenic food products being sold sans GM label,” Vishwa Mohan, TNN, Oct 29, 2013; “New Delhi: A forum of civil society groups on Monday wrote to the ministry of consumer affairs asking it to take action against those who are selling transgenic food products flouting the norms, which came into effect from January, of being mandatorily labeled as GM or Genetically Modified. “A Coalition for GM Free India - the forum comprising several civil society groups — alleged that cotton seed oil from BT Cotton and genetically modified soybean oil were being marketed by violating the existing rules. “The Coalition reminded the ministry that consumers would expect that any packaged food with GM should carry the label as an alert that would help them make a conscious ‘choice’.”
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/10/29/gmo-labeling-campaign.aspx “GMO Labeling Has Its Day in Court,” Dr. Joseph Mercola,October 29, 2013; “On November 5, Washington State will cast their votes for the people’s initiative 522, ‘The People’s Right to Know Genetically Engineered Food Act.’ Your support is urgently needed. “Attorney General Bob Ferguson has filed suit against the GMA in Thurston County Superior Court on behalf of the State of Washington, alleging the association violated the state’s campaign disclosure laws. “Ferguson alleges the GMA illegally collected and spent more than $7 million on the No On Initiative 522 campaign, while hiding the identity of its contributors in order to shield them from consumer backlash. “The lawsuit forced GMA to establish a political committee, aptly named Grocery Manufacturers Association Against I-522. A list of the financial donors has now been disclosed to the Public Disclosure Commission. “Biotech are now trying to find a way to label that will still permit them to exist and make a profit. Pushing for federal labeling is one part of the plan to dilute the value of the label.” ... http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/08/06/genetic-modification.aspx “Why GMOs Can Never Be Safe,” Dr. Joseph Mercola,August 06, 2013; “Genetic modification interferes fundamentally with the naturally-occurring genetic modifications that organisms undergo in order to survive. “An organism’s genome is not static but fluid, and its biological functions are interconnected with its environment and vice versa, such that trying to control genetic changes via artificial modification is a dangerous game. “Compared with natural genetic modification, artificial genetic modification is inherently hazardous because it lacks the precision of the natural process, while enabling genes to be transferred between species that would never have been exchanged otherwise. “Artificial genetic modification uses horizontal gene transfer, which involves injecting a gene from one species into a completely different species; this yields unexpected and often unpredictable results, including the transfer of GM genes to humans.” ...
http://lapress.org/articles.asp?art=6903 Mexico: “Verdict bans liberalization of transgenic corn,” November 4, 2013; “Environmentalist organizations accuse (Mexican) government of intending to continue privatization of seeds.” ...
http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/elements/2013/11/why-the-climate-corporation-sold-itself-to-monsanto.html “Why the Climate Corporation Sold Itself to Monsanto,” Michael Specter, November 4, 2013; “David Friedberg, the Climate Corporation’s thirty-three-year-old chief executive, told me that Monsanto had agreed to purchase the company for about a billion dollars. The deal was finalized last week. The Climate Corporation, which has nearly two hundred scientists trying to make sense of fifty terabytes of weather data every day, will continue to operate as an independent unit, but I was surprised at Friedberg’s decision, because many food activists consider Monsanto to be the definitively evil corporation.” ...
http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlepolitics/2013/11/05/initiative-522-money-speaks-but-doesnt-get-last-word/ “Big money helps defeat food labeling initiative, but fight not over,” Joel Connelly, November 5, 2013; “Initiative 522, the measure to require labeling of genetically modified foods, appears to have gone down to defeat before a record spending campaign fueled by America’s major food manufacturers and agribusiness conglomerates. “I-522 was passing in a few places, notably King and Whatcom counties, but was losing heavily in southwest, central and Eastern Washington. It was receiving about 45 percent of the vote, but trailed by a 100,000-vote margin in votes counted on Tuesday night.” …
http://www.foodrevolution.org/blog/gmo-labeling-update/ “What really happened to GMO labeling in Washington,”Ocean Robbins, November 6, 2013; “Monsanto and the junk food industry teamed up to shatter Washington state records. They dumped more than $22 million into fighting against GMO labeling. Exactly $550 of those dollars came from inside Washington State. This was a classic example of out-of-state corporate interests pouring massive money into maintaining control of our food systems. “And based on returns so far, it looks like a campaign full of misleading ads and laundered money may have done the trick. There are still hundreds of thousands of votes to be counted, and it will be several days before we have the final results. But with over half of the ballots counted, the “no” side was winning with over 54% of the vote.” …
http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/new-investigation-alleges-us-military-monsanto-targeting-gmo-activists-and-1 “US Military, Monsanto Targeting GMO Activists and Independent Scientists, New Investigation Alleges,” Sayer Ji,July 14, 2013; “A highly concerning new investigative report from the largest daily newspaper in Germany alleges that Monsanto, the US Military and the US government have colluded to track and disrupt both anti-GMO activists and independent scientists who study the adverse effects of genetically modified food. “As revealed yesterday by Sustainable Pulse, on July 13, the German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung detailed information on how the US Government ‘advances the interests of their corporations,’ focusing on Monsanto as a prime example.” ... http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/gmo-farming-poisoning-worlds-drinking-water “Is GMO Farming Poisoning The World’s Drinking Water?” Sayer Ji,June 20, 2012; “Monsanto’s Herbicide Linked To Groundwater Contamination—In a groundbreaking study published in the journal Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry last year, evidence surfaced that Glyphosate, the active ingredient in the Monsanto’s patented herbicide Roundup, is flowing freely into the groundwater in areas where it is being applied. The researchers found that 41% of the 140 groundwater samples taken from Catalonia, Spain had levels beyond the limit of quantification – indicating that, despite the manufacturer’s claims, glyphosate herbicide does not break down rapidly in the environment, and is accumulating there in concerning quantities. … “Indeed, glyphosate is a powerful endocrine disrupter. Exceedingly small amounts are capable of mimicking and/or disrupting hormonal pathways, cell receptor sites and signaling. Research culled from The National Library of Medicine links it to 17 adverse pharmacological actions, including carcinogenicity, genotoxicity, neurotoxicty, hepatoxicity, and nephrotoxicity.” …
http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2013/11/dr-bronners-soap-gmo-labeling-washington “How Dr. Bronner’s Got All Lathered Up About GMOs—Best known for tingly soaps with wacky labels, the company has become one of the biggest players in the battle over labeling genetically modified ingredients,” Josh Harkinson, November 4, 2013; “It’s midmorning at the hive of cheap buildings that serves as the global HQ of Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps, and, as usual, David Bronner isn’t working on anything to do with soap. Sure, his phone is ringing off the hook with business calls and a rep from Trader Joe’s is visiting tomorrow, but the 40-year-old CEO—who looks like a 6-foot-5 raver version of Captain Jack Sparrow—could care less. A Burning Man amulet dangles on a hemp necklace over his tie-dye shirt as he leans in toward his computer screen, staring at what really matters to him: the latest internal poll results for Washington Initiative 522, a ballot measure that would require the labeling of foods containing genetically modified organisms.” …
“Monsanto is increasingly finding itself on the defensive as world opinion turns hostile toward genetically modified seeds, most of which are patented by the biotech giant. One of the company’s most compelling arguments for its quest to spread GMOs is that Monsanto products are the solution to world hunger — a Monsanto executive even won the prestigious World Food Prize this year. The company’s defenders claim that opposing GMOs is a luxury of Western privilege that denies developingcountries vital resources to feed impoverished communities. But in last weekend’s worldwide demonstrations against the company, protests erupted in several of these developing countries Monsanto professes it wants to help. “According to Food Sovereignty Ghana, seven African countries held anti-Monsanto rallies on Saturday, up from just one during the first global March Against Monsanto in May. This time around, activists in Kenya, Ghana, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal, Egypt and South Africa came out in force against the company. Activists in Accra carried signs saying, ‘GMO will make Ghanaian farmers poor’ and ‘Our Food Under Our Control!!!’…”
http://www.alternet.org/food/monsantos-rural-police-state “Evil Monsanto Aggressively Sues Farmers for Saving Seeds—Farmers have always saved seeds from their harvest to sow the following year. But Monsanto and other big seed companies have changed the rules of the game,” Richard Schiffman,Truthout, June 20, 2013; “For as long as humans have been growing food, farmers have saved seeds from their harvest to sow the following year. But Monsanto and other big seed companies have changed the rules of the game. They have successfully argued that they spend millions of dollars developing new crop varieties and that these products should be treated as proprietary inventions with full patent protection. Just as one can’t legally reproduce a CD or DVD, farmers are now prohibited from copying the GM seeds that they purchase from companies like Monsanto, Bayer, Dow and Syngenta. “In one sense, these corporations no longer sell seeds - they lease them, requiring farmers to renew their lease with every subsequent growing season. Monsanto itself compares its GM seeds to rental cars. When you are finished using them, rights revert to the owner of the ‘intellectual property’ contained within the seed. “Some farmers have saved their seeds anyway (called ‘brown bagging’), in some cases to save money, in others because they don’t like the big companies telling them how to farm. Monsanto has responded with an all-out effort to track down the brown baggers and prosecute them as an example to others who might be tempted to violate its patent. By aggressively enforcing its ‘no replant policy,’ Monsanto has initiated a permanent low-grade war against farmers. At the time of this writing, the company had not responded to emailed questions about its seed saving policies.” ...
http://7thspace.com/headlines/446798/a_new_double_right_border_binary_vector_for_producing_marker_free_transgenic_plants.html “A New Double Right Border Binary Vector For Producing Marker-Free Transgenic Plants,” November 9, 2013; “Once a transgenic plant is developed, the selectable marker gene (SMG) becomes unnecessary in the plant. In fact, the continued presence of the SMG in the transgenic plant may cause unexpected pleiotropic effects as well as environmental or bio-safety issues. “Several methods for removal of SMGs that have been reported remain inaccessible due to protection by patents, while development of new ones is expensive and cost prohibitive. Here, we describe the development of a new vector for producing marker-free plants by simply adapting an ordinary binary vector to the double right border (DRB) vector design using conventional cloning procedures.FindingsWe developed the DRB vector pMarkfree5.0 by placing the bar gene (representing genes of interest) between two copies of T-DNA right border sequences.” …
http://www.einnews.com/pr_news/175923578/genetically-modified-maize-doctors-chamber-warns-of-unpredictable-results-to-humans “Genetically Modified Maize: Doctors’ Chamber Warns of ‘Unpredictable Results’ to Humans,” PR Newswire, Vienna, November 11, 2013; “Demand for long-term studies - No release of transgenic species in nature: The Viennese Doctors’ Chamber warns of the possible dangers resulting from genetically modified organisms. The impact on beneficial organisms and livestock and therefore on humans is still not really predictable, emphasizes Piero Lercher, the consultant on environmental medicine in the Viennese Doctors’ Chamber. This was prompted by the planned release of a transgenic maize variety which, amongst other things, produces an insecticide. “In agriculture, genetic engineering, as opposed to traditional cultivation, goes beyond natural species boundaries by introducing specific genes from other organisms into a particular genome. “If such genetically manipulated organisms are released into nature they can hardly be controlled and are also irretrievable. ‘They represent a substantial risk to the biological balance of nature’, Lercher warns.” …
http://www.pressherald.com/news/New_Hampshire_lawmakers_deliver_blow_to_modified-food_labeling_bill_in_Maine_.html “N.H. Lawmakers Deliver Blow To Maine Modified-Food Labeling Bill—Four nearby states have to join in for Maine’s law to go into effect, but a committee just voted down a bill in New Hampshire,”Steve Mistler, Staff Writer, November 13, 2013; “Legislation in Maine that would require food producers to label products that contain genetically modified ingredients has been dealt a significant blow by lawmakers in New Hampshire. “Last week, a legislative committee in New Hampshire voted 12-8 against a labeling bill similar to Maine’s. Although Maine’s law passed earlier this year with broad bipartisan support and the promise of a signature from Gov. Paul LePage, it will take effect only if five contiguous states pass labeling laws. “The vote by New Hampshire’s House Environment and Agriculture Committee did not kill that labeling bill, which will be considered by the full Legislature. But it marks a change in the politics that could doom its passage. “Unlike in Maine, the vote broke along party lines, with Republican committee members largely opposing it. Democrats have a 42-vote majority in the New Hampshire House, while Republicans have a two-seat advantage in the Senate.” …
http://rt.com/usa/us-green-push-ethanol-615/ “Unintended consequences: US ethanol revolution causes ‘ecological disaster’,” RT, November 12, 2013; “A new investigation has revealed that the United States’ ethanol mandate is severely harming the environment without producing enough tangible benefits. “Since the Obama administration began implementing the ethanol mandate – requiring a certain level of the biofuel to be added to the gasoline supply – the Associated Press found that the damage done by the program has dwarfed any suspected benefits, many of which failed to materialize in the first place. “Since President Obama took office, roughly five million acres of land set aside for conservation have been lost in the drive to harvest more corn for ethanol, the investigation found. Farmers have plowed into land previously unused for farming, releasing amounts of carbon dioxide into the air that would take native plants decades to reduce naturally. “Billons of pounds of fertilizer were also used on land, some of which has leaked into drinking water, rivers, and has expanded the Gulf of Mexico’s dead zone, which can no longer support life. “‘This is an ecological disaster,’ said Craig Cox with the Environmental Working Group to the AP. Cox’s group, once a White House ally, now opposes the administration’s ethanol policies.” …
http://truth-out.org/opinion/item/19997-gmos-for-profit-the-missing-context-of-industrial-agriculture “GMOs for Profit: The Missing Context of Industrial Agriculture,”Curt Ries, Truthout | Op-Ed, November 14, 2013; “It is not what GMOs are that should demand so much attention but, rather, what they do: They lead to corporate control over the food system.” An excellent review of the costs of transgenic agriculture.
http://livingmaxwell.com/the-colbert-report-gmos-washington-state-522-max-goldberg “The Colbert Report Mocks GMOs, ...,” Max Goldberg, November 7, 2013; “...my Fox News Channel interview had made The Colbert Report. “Colbert reported on the loss of I-522, the GMO-labeling initiative in Washington State, and took serious aim at GMOs and the GMO-companies who are fighting against labeling.” …
http://livingmaxwell.com/fox-news-carol-alt-gmos “Talking About GMOs with Carol Alt on the Fox News Channel,” Max Goldberg, November 3, 2013; “Yesterday on the Fox News Channel, I was on ‘A Healthy You and Carol Alt’ talking about genetically-modified food.” Whenever Fox News decides to cover this topic, it is bigger news than it would be even if the New York Times decided to cover the topic. As it turns out the host, Carol Alt, was given full control over the content broadcast on her show.
http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2011/07/usda-deregulate-roundup-gmo-tom-philpott “Wait, Did the USDA Just Deregulate All New Genetically Modified Crops? In a surprise move, the agency green-lights Roundup Ready lawn grass—and perhaps much, much more,” Tom Philpott,July 8, 2011; “In an innocuous-sounding press release titled ‘USDA Responds to Regulation Requests Regarding Kentucky Bluegrass,’ agency officials announced their decision not to regulate a ‘Roundup Ready’ strain of Kentucky bluegrass—that is, a strain genetically engineered to withstand glyphosate, Monsanto’s widely used herbicide, which we know as Roundup. The maker of the novel grass seed, Scotts Miracle Gro, is now free to sell it far and wide. So you’ll no doubt be seeing Roundup Ready bluegrass blanketing lawns and golf courses near you—and watching anal neighbors and groundskeepers literally dousing the grass in weed killer without fear of harming a single precious blade.”
http://www.trueactivist.com/survey-only-15-of-farmers-would-eat-gmo-food/ “Survey: only 15% of (British) farmers would eat GMO food,” Jon Rappoport, Natural News, July 28, 2013; “The British survey was funded by Barclays Bank and done in collaboration with Farmers Weekly. “Only 15% of farmers polled said they would eat GMO food. Talk about a blanket rejection. It can’t get much clearer than that. “Obviously, these backward farmers want to protect their own health. Who ever heard of such a thing! How dare they! They’re supposed to follow the party line. They’re supposed to say, ‘Yum yum, give me some GM.’ “Well, funny things happen when people consider their own bodies. They tell you what they really think. “You see, 61% of the farmers said they’d grow GMO crops ‘if they had the opportunity.’ In other words, they’d willingly endanger other people’s health, but not their own.” …
http://www.naturalgrocers.com/store-info/blog/honor-thy-gmo-farmer “Honor thy (GMO) Farmer;” “Here at Natural Grocers we try to take a wide view of every issue to better understand all of the factors and circumstances that affect the success or failure of public policy. Recently, we sat down with a group of farmers who plant genetically modified (GM or GMO) crops to get their point of view on the continued rise of organic agriculture. Natural Grocers steadfastly determined to increase the use of safer, healthier, and more sustainable agricultural systems, but it is always helpful to listen to those who (may) think otherwise.
“Below are our notes from these discussions.” … A discussion about the views of farmers growing transgenic crops; note especially the hedge at the end about whether or not the farmers eat what they grow.
http://www.npr.org/blogs/13.7/2013/07/31/206969863/genetically-modified-organisms-to-eat-or-not-to-eat “Genetically Modified Organisms: To Eat Or Not To Eat?” Marcelo Gleiser, July 31, 2013; “It is no coincidence that reactions for and against GMOs are often radical and polarized. We see purists who want to ban any kind of GMO, claiming ill effects for health and environment. We also see the defenders of GMOs claiming benefits for health and the environment, as well as solutions to global hunger and malnutrition. “Behind the debate lurks the giant shadow of Monsanto, the world’s largest producer of GM crops and controller of a large fraction of the seeds available to farmers. “Few debates are as important. We see here echoes of what happens with global warming and vaccines, where the rational and irrational get mixed up into a single, confusing soup of argument. We see a huge popular distrust of the alliance between science and giant corporations, of scientists that have ‘sold out.’ They are sometimes even compared to those working for the tobacco industry, fairly or not.” …
http://www.gmeducation.org/government-and-corporations/p213501-uk-citizens-continue-to-reject-gmo-food-and-even-farmers-don-t-want-to-eat-it.html “UK Citizens Continue to Reject GMO food and Even Farmers Don’t Want to Eat it— Another survey has shown that only 21% of the UK public support genetically engineered food. Despite a massive pro-GM push by government, researchers and the media this latest poll carried out in June - confirms that UK citizens continue to reject the technology; “Meanwhile another survey has revealed that far from clamouring to use GMOs as the government claims, less than half of UK farmers believe GM technology is a good innovation, and hardly any of them want to eat GM food. “Both surveys were funded by Barclays Bank, who’s Head of Agriculture, Martin Redfearn, said; ‘This research shows how important the issue of GM still is.’ “The consumer survey carried out by YouGov confirmed previous polls that less than a quarter of people questioned support GMO technology. “Nearly 70% said they would ‘prefer to buy conventional (i.e. non-genetically engineered food).’” … The article covers two surveys, one of consumers and the other of farmers in the UK. Only 15% of the farmers were willing to eat transgenic food. 39% would not be willing to grow transgenic crops under any circumstances and 24% did not want to but would grow them if they had to.
http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Big-Island-approves-genetically-modified-crop-bill-4996217.php “Big Island approves genetically modified crop bill,” November 20, 2013; “Hawaii (AP) — A second Hawaii county has approved a bill regulating genetically modified crops. “The Hawaii County Council voted 6-3 on Tuesday to approve a bill restricting the planting of genetically modified crops to enclosed structures like greenhouses, the Hawaii Tribune-Herald reported.” (http://bit.ly/I55i8Y)
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20131117/BIZ/311179951/1031/biz “Food fight heads to Oregon—Effort to label genetic-modified foods on ballot,”Alison Vekshin,Bloomberg News, November 17, 2013; “San Francisco – The battle over genetically modified food labeling that’s drawn almost $85 million in campaign donations in little more than a year is moving to Oregon after industry opponents defeated drives in California and all but certainly in Washington state. “Oregon advocates are pushing ahead with a pair of labeling initiatives for the 2014 general election despite the two consecutive failures in which opponents funded by the food industry, including Monsanto and DuPont, makers of bioengineered crop seeds, exponentially outspent supporters. “‘I don’t see any reason at all to change strategy,’ said George Kimbrell, a senior attorney in the Portland office of the Center for Food Safety, which supports labeling. ‘The only thing that is causing us to narrowly lose these initiatives is the tidal wave of money that the chemical companies are spending.’ “Besides Oregon, lawmakers from New York to Hawaii may be next to offer bills on genetically modified organisms, or GMOs. Similar measures were weighed in about half of U.S. states this year. Only Connecticut and Maine approved labeling, and their legislation won’t take effect until other states do the same.” …
(“Trained in physics and philosophy, Vandana Shiva is renowned for her activism against GMOs, globalization, and patents on seeds and traditional foods. She co-founded Navdanya, which promotes seed saving and organic farming and has more than 70,000 farmer-members.”) “Sarah van Gelder: The seed has been a major part of your work. Could you say a little about what a seed is at its essence? “Vandana Shiva:The seed in its essence is all of the past evolution of the Earth, the evolution of human history, and the potential for future evolution. The seed is the embodiment of culture because culture shaped the seed with careful selection—women picked the best, diversified. So from one grass you get 200,000 rices. ‘That is a convergence of human intelligence and nature’s intelligence. It is the ultimate expression of life, and in our language, it means ‘that from which life arises on its own, forever and ever and ever.’” …
http://www.corporatepolicy.org/2013/11/20/spooky-business/ “Spooky Business: A New Report On Corporate Espionage Against Non-Profits,” News Release, November 20, 2013;
“For More Information Contact: Gary Ruskin (202) 387-8030 “Giant corporations are employing highly unethical or illegal tools of espionage against nonprofit organizations with near impunity, according to a new report by Essential Information. The report, titled “Spooky Business,” documents how corporations hire shady investigative firms staffed with former employees of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), National Security Agency (NSA), US military, Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), Secret Service and local police departments to target nonprofit organizations. “‘Corporate espionage against nonprofit organizations is an egregious abuse of corporate power that is subverting democracy,’ said Gary Ruskin, author of Spooky Business. ‘Who will rein in the forces of corporate lawlessness as they bear down upon nonprofit defenders of justice?’ “Many of the world’s largest corporations and their trade associations — including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Walmart, Monsanto, Bank of America, Dow Chemical, Kraft, Coca-Cola, Chevron, Burger King, McDonald’s, Shell, BP, BAE, Sasol, Brown & Williamson and E.ON – have been linked to espionage or planned espionage against nonprofit organizations, activists and whistleblowers. “Many different types of nonprofit organizations have been targeted with corporate espionage, including environmental, anti-war, public interest, consumer, food safety, pesticide reform, nursing home reform, gun control, social justice, animal rights and arms control groups.” …
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ocean-robbins/big-trouble-for-cocacola_b_4313979.html “Big Trouble for Coca-Cola,” Ocean Robbins, November 21, 2013; “Coca-Cola has been having a rough time. The company owns Honest Tea, Odwalla, Powerade, Vitamin Water, Simply Orange, and other products marketed to health-conscious consumers. But it is best known for making Coke, a product that is utterly devoid of nutritional value and is often blamed for contributing to the obesity epidemic -- an epidemic that is costing hundreds of billions of dollars and causing hundreds of thousands of deaths each year. “With demand for the company’s carbonated and artificially flavored sugar water declining, hope for Coca-Cola’s profitability has been increasingly resting on the brands it markets as healthier alternatives. Bloomberg.com reports that sales of Coca-Cola-owned brands like Honest Tea, Powerade, and Simply Orange are the company’s new profit center. “But there’s a problem. “In October, campaign finance reports revealed that Coca-Cola had secretly contributed more than a million dollars to the fight against GMO labeling in Washington. It took the state’s Attorney General suing the Grocery Manufacturers’ Association (GMA) for what turned out to be an $11 million violation of the state’s campaign finance laws to reveal these secret contributions. But now that the truth has been exposed, some healthy food activists are fighting back. “Andrew Kimbrell, founder of the Center for Food Safety, comments: ‘Consumers of healthy beverages want to know what’s in their food. By using money from sales of natural brands to secretly fund an anti-choice agenda that deprives consumers of the right to know what they’re eating, Coca-Cola has been betraying the public interest and standing on the wrong side of history.’ “We at the Food Revolution Network agree. And we have launched a petition on Change.org that calls for Coca-Cola to stop funding anti GMO labeling campaigns.”
(Photo: Alan Turner2 / Flickr)
“Twelve months after narrowly (51-49 percent) defeating our organic and natural health movement in an expensive ($55 million) and bitterly fought California ballot initiative to label genetically engineered foods, Monsanto and the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) are publicly bragging that they’ve beaten us again, 52-48 percent, in a similar ballot initiative—I-522—in Washington State.
“But at what cost? Thanks to increased consumer awareness and resistance against GMOs (genetically modified organisms), the biotech and junk food lobbies were forced to spend twice as much money per capita in Washington State as they spent in California. “They stooped to laundering $12 million in funds from Big Food companies to hide their identities in the hope of avoiding another round of bad publicity. They had to launch the same scurrilous barrage of TV, radio and direct mail ads, falsely claiming that GMO food labels as prescribed by I-522 were ‘confusing’ and ‘limited,’ would significantly increase food costs, hurt family farmers, and benefit special interest groups.” …
http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/19897 “Monsanto Wins Again: Voters Reject Washington GMO Labeling Initiative,”Mike Ludwig, Truthout,November 7, 2013; (Photo: Alexis Baden-Mayer / Flickr “Voters in Washington on Tuesday rejected Initiative 522, a ballot measure to label groceries containing genetically engineered ingredients that was leading in the polls for weeks before big biotech and processed food companies injected millions of dollars into the campaign, including more than $7 million in allegedly illegal donations from a trade group that concealed its corporate donors. “Some mail-in votes still need to be counted, and the Yes on 522 group had yet to concede as of Thursday morning, but Washington state officials reported that 54 percent of voters opposed Initiative 522 and 45.9 percent supported labeling. The No on 522 campaign had already claimed victory. “Had it passed, the ballot initiative would have made Washington the first state to require labels for most groceries containing genetically engineered ingredients, also known as genetically modified organisms, or GMOs. “The campaign was the most expensive in the state’s history, drawing national attention and millions of dollars in out-of-state campaign cash. The No on 522 campaign raised an unprecedented $22 million, largely from big biotech firms and junk food companies. The Yes on 522 raised almost $8 million from GMO opponents and natural foods and products companies.” ... By the time the final vote count was compete at the end of November, the margin of victory for ‘No’ had narrowed to 2.18% or 49%-51%, less than margin of victory in California where the final margin was 2.8%.
... “The promotion of GMOs as solution is too often disrespectful to African culture and intelligence and based on a shallow understanding of African agriculture. It is based on the image that is held by many Westerners who see Africa as poor, destitute, starving, disease-ridden, hopeless, helpless that needs to be saved by a white angel from the West. That image allowed colonialists to rationalize their scramble for Africa, and that image is being used by neo-colonialists to rationalize their scramble for African land and natural resources. “Those promoting the false solution of GMOs are recommending that African farmers develop a long-term, perhaps irreversible, cycle of dependence on the interests of a small handful of corporate decision-makers to determine what seeds, with what genetic characteristics, and requiring what chemical inputs, will be produced and made available to Africa’s people. This is a pathway toward profound vulnerability and centralized decision-making that flies in the face of the best agricultural evidence-based practices and sound policy making. The evidence and our experience with farmers clearly points to a more rational and appropriate path: investing in a transition toward more sustainable and agro-ecological farming systems that trust in the wisdom and capacity of tens of millions of African farmers to control, adapt and make decisions about their genetic resources, as the pathway toward greater well-being and resilience for Africa.” … A review of the agricultural alternatives for Africa by two people active there on the issue.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/genetically-modified-crops-should-be-part-of-africas-food-future/2013/10/22/e9b35488-37f5-11e3-ae46-e4248e75c8ea_story.html “The Post’s View: Genetically modified crops should be part of Africa’s food future,”Editorial Board, October 22, 2013; “A Recent Dispatch in the Post from a village in Tanzania foreshadowed stark choices facing Africa in the decades ahead. Journalist Sharon Schmickle, watching young children eagerly await scoops of corn and beans for lunch, described the conflict in Tanzania between those who suffer from food shortages caused by drought and pestilence and those who hold deep suspicions about the genetic engineering of crops, which might help grow more food. The doubters about genetic modifications seem to have the upper hand in Tanzania at the moment, and that is disturbing.” … A pro-Monsanto, pro-biotech editorial providing the Monsanto party line on the value of their products for African farmers. This could be a play for the pro-biotech advertisers, or it could be that the Post has not done its homework any better than many others.
http://responsibletechnology.org/glutenintroduction “Are Genetically Modified Foods a Gut-Wrenching Combination?” Jeffrey M. Smith, Executive Director, Institute for Responsible Technology, November 2013; “Gluten sensitivity is currently estimated to affect as many as 18 million Americans. Reactions to gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley, are becoming increasingly common. Gluten sensitivity can range in severity from mild discomfort, such as gas and bloating, to celiac disease, a serious autoimmune condition that can, if undiagnosed, result in a 4-fold increase in death. Genetics alone cannot explain the rapid rise in gluten-related disorders, and experts believe that there must be an environmental trigger. There continues to be much debate about what that environmental trigger may be.” …
http://responsibletechnology.org/autism “Are Genetically Engineered Foods Promoting Autism?” Jeffrey M. Smith, Executive Director, Institute for Responsible Technology, ...“Physician Jennifer Armstrong admits, ‘Twenty years ago, I didn’t even know what the word autism meant. It was rare.’ But then something shifted. Whether it was the food, medicine, environment, or some combination, by 2008, an astounding 1 in 54 boys suffered from autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the US. What is it that is damaging the health and well-being of so many of our children? Don Huber, PhD, professor emeritus from Purdue University, has an idea. ”In October 2011, Dr. Huber gave a talk in Germany about the physiological, neurological, and behavioral symptoms of pigs, cows, and rats fed genetically modified (GM) feed. After his lecture, a physician and autism specialist approached him and said, ‘The symptoms you describe are exactly what we are finding in our autistic children.’ “The animals in those studies were fed the same GM soy and corn eaten by children and adults in the US. Both crops are outfitted with bacterial genes that allow them to survive being sprayed with herbicide, which kills plants. As a result, higher residues of toxic weed killer end up inside our food. In addition, some GM corn varieties have an even more unsettling characteristic: their inserted genes produce an insect-killing poison called Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxin in every cell—and in every bite. Although the biotech seed companies like Monsanto claim that their genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are harmless, that’s not what the independent scientists are finding.” ...
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/11/26/corn-based-ethanol.aspx?e_cid=20131126Z1A_DNL_art_1&utm_source=dnl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=art1&utm_campaign=20131126Z1A&et_cid=DM34148&et_rid=349448997 “The Environmental Costs of Corn-Based Ethanol,” Dr. Joseph Mercola, November 26, 2013 “I’ve written extensively about the high price of genetically engineered (GE) crops on human health and ecosystems, and these ramifications are becoming increasingly well-known. “I’ve also railed against the flawed agricultural subsidies that promote the propagation of GE corn and soy, both of which can now be found in most processed foods. But the problems with corn, and GE corn in particular, do not end there. “In 2007, Congress passed a law requiring gasoline to be mixed with ethanol, ostensibly to reduce dependence on foreign oil. Ethanol was also a major part of Obama’s presidential platform for ”green“ energy, which he touted as the answer to global warming. “While the pesticide producers and junk food manufacturers continue to pound their purpose to ‘feed the world’, they seem to completely dismiss that we’ve destroyed millions of acres of wildlife to accommodate our federal mandate to grow ‘fuel’ instead of food.”
http://truth-out.org/video/item/20228-truthout-interviews-featuring-mike-ludwig-on-gmos “Paradise Lost: Truthout Interviews Mike Ludwig on Hawaii’s Fight Against GMOs,” Ted Asregadoo , Truthout | Video,24 November 2013; “When you think of the Hawaiian Islands, you don’t automatically think of genetically modified organisms -- unless maybe it’s part of a storyline in the TV show LOST or The X-Files. However, Truthout reporter, Mike Ludwig, went to the Aloha State and visited the island of Kauai to write about the way in which the ‘Garden Isle’ has become a laboratory of sorts for research and the testing of genetically modified organisms, or GMOs. These tests involve, among other things, the use of large amounts of pesticides to see how genetically modified corn and soy reacts to its exposure. The uses of those pesticides are allegedly having a deleterious effect on the residents and environment in Waimea. So much so, that many residents have spearheaded a movement to ban its use in GMO research. My conversation with Mike touches on some of the information he gathered for his article on Truthout, and it should concern us not as something that’s happening ‘over there,’ but rather as something that could possibly leapfrog its way to the mainland and beyond.”
http://truth-out.org/news/item/20256-on-the-front-lines-of-hawaiis-gmo-war-part-two “On the Front Lines of Hawaii’s GMO War, Part Two,” Mike Ludwig, Truthout | Report, November 26, 2013; This is the second and final installment in an in-depth series on resistance to pesticides and GMO farming on the Hawaiian island of Kauai. To read Part One, click here: http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/20170-on-the-front-lines-of-hawaiis-gmo-war “Michael is one of dozens of workers and their allies wearing gray shirts and gathered on November 14 outside of the county building on the Hawaiian island of Kauai. He says he is a ‘sprayer’ for Syngenta, one of the four international biotech and agrichemical companies that develop and produce hybrid and genetically engineered crop seeds on the island. He doesn’t want to share his last name, but he will share his views on the ensuing drama over Bill 2491, a piece of local legislation that has become the most divisive controversy that the Garden Island’s 67,000 residents have seen in years. “‘They’re telling us we are poisoning people, and I don’t think we are poisoning anybody,’ Michael says. Michael and his coworkers are here to tell the Kauai County Council not to override Kauai Mayor Bernard Carvalho’s recent veto of Bill 2491, which the council passed by a 6-1 vote.” …
http://www.hispanicbusiness.com/2013/11/27/findings_from_basf_plant_science_co.htm “Findings from BASF Plant Science Co. GmbH Reveals New Findings on Transgenic Crops,” December 5, 2013, News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Agriculture Week; “Researchers detail new data in Transgenic Crops. According to news originating from Ludwigshafen, Germany, by VerticalNews correspondents, research stated, ‘In the process of developing a biotechnology product, thousands of genes and transformation events are evaluated to select the event that will be commercialized. The ideal event is identified on the basis of multiple characteristics including trait efficacy, the molecular characteristics of the insert, and agronomic performance.’”
http://www.examiner.com/article/scientific-journal-withdraws-s-ralini-paper-on-roundup-toxicity “Scientific journal withdraws Séralini paper on Roundup toxicity,” Nancy Swanson|Seattle GMO Examiner, November 29, 2013; “Yesterday was a sad day for science. The Elsevier Journal of Food and Chemical Toxicology (JFCT) editor, Dr A. Wallace Hayes, has bowed to political pressure and retracted a long-term study on the toxic effects of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs).” … The report reviews the story of the retraction pulling away the curtain on all the machinations and dirty linen. More Commentary by Nancy Swanson about Monsanto can be found here: http://www.examiner.com/gmo-in-seattle/nancy-swanson
http://news.sciencemag.org/biology/2013/11/contentious-transgenic-maize-paper-retracted “Contentious Transgenic Maize Paper Retracted,” November 29, 2013 “The journal Food and Chemical Toxicology has retracted a much-criticized paper that links a strain of genetically modified (GM) maize with severe diseases in rats. The paper’s author, French biologist Gilles-Eric Séralini of the University of Caen, slammed the decision which he said is an attempt by the GM crop industry to muzzle scientists who put into question the safety of its products. “Séralini’s paper sparked a media storm when it was published in September 2012. While some commentators presented the study as proof that GM food is ‘poison,’ many scientists dismissed the study as flawed, and several official bodies also found it wanting. “Elsevier, the journal’s publisher, said in a statement released on 28 November that ‘the results presented (while not incorrect) are inconclusive, and therefore do not reach the threshold of publication for Food and Chemical Toxicology.’” …
http://nationalaglawcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/assets/articles/roberts_jem.pdf “A National AgLaw Center Research Article: J.E.M. Ag Supply, Inc. v. Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc.:Its Meaning and Significance for the Agricultural Community,” Michael T. Roberts,Director, National AgLaw Center , December 2002; The Report Concluded in part: “J.E.M. is a landmark case in the agriculture community because it affirmed the inclusion of sexually reproducing plants within the scope of the Utility Patent Act. The plant breeder now has at its disposal three intellectual property plant protection statutes, each with unique qualification criteria and scope. Of the three statues, the most significant in terms of accommodating and promoting the growth of biotechnology in agriculture is the Utility Patent Act. “The J.E.M. decision has significant implications for biotechnology and seed companies, producers, and consumers. The decision protects, sustains, and promotes the investment and economic stake of biotechnology products in the agriculture sector. The decision also validates and contributes to profound trends within the agriculture sector caused in whole or in part by the explosive growth of biotechnology. These developments have altered the relationships producers have with seed companies, created additional economic pressures for producers, changed the nature of farming for producers, and exposed producers to new forms of liability. Whether consumers and society will benefit will depend on the extent of the touted environmental, nutritional, and economic benefits from the growth of biotechnology products.”
http://www.opednews.com/Quicklink/China-rejects-60-000-tons-in-General_News-China-Politics_Corn_Rejection_Syngenta-131130-238.html “China rejects 60,000 tons of insect-resistant transgenic U.S. corn - UPI.com,” November 30, 2013 “China rejected 60,000 tons of U.S. corn because the crops had been genetically modified in violation of regulations, Beijing’s quality watchdog said Friday. The insect-resistant MIR 162 transgenic corn was developed by Syngenta AG to provide growers with maize hybrids that are resistant to feeding damage caused by moths, butterflies and other lepidopteran insects. MIR 162 is not authorized by China’s agricultural department. (Despite China’s reputation for being a country that mainly subsists on rice and noodles, corn is also one of the top grains, or agricultural staples, consumed across the country.)”
http://www.ipsnews.net/2013/12/argentine-protesters-vs-monsanto-monster-right-top-us/#13860446274321&action=collapse_widget&id=6096584 “Argentine Protesters vs Monsanto: ‘The Monster is Right on Top of Us,’” Fabiana Frayssinet, December 2, 2013; “Malvinas Argentinas, Córdoba, Argentina (IPS) - The people of this working-class suburb of Córdoba in Argentina’s central farming belt stoically put up with the spraying of the weed-killer glyphosate on the fields surrounding their neighbourhood. But the last straw was when U.S. biotech giant Monsanto showed up to build a seed plant. “The creator of glyphosate, whose trademark is Roundup, and one of the world’s leading producers of genetically modified seeds, Monsanto is building one of its biggest plants to process transgenic corn seed in Malvinas Argentinas, this poor community of 15,000 people 17 km east of the capital of the province of Córdoba. “The plant was to begin operating in March 2014. But construction work was brought to a halt in October by protests and legal action by local residents, who have been blocking the entrance to the site since Sept. 18.” …
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/agricultural-biotechnology-transgenic-seedscrops-and-biopesticides---global-strategic-business-report---2012-2018-234268491.html “Agricultural Biotechnology: Transgenic Seeds/Crops and Biopesticides - Global Strategic Business Report - 2012-2018,” PRNewswire, December 3, 2013; “Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/xjr8j8/agricultural) has announced the addition of the ‘Agricultural Biotechnology - Global Strategic Business Report’ report to their offering. “This report analyzes the worldwide markets for Agricultural Biotechnology in US$ Million by the following Product Group/Segment: Transgenic Seeds/Crops (Soybean, Corn, Cotton, & Others (Includes Canola, Wheat, Rice, and Potato among Others), and Biopesticides. The report provides separate comprehensive analytics for the US, Canada, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and Rest of World. Annual estimates and forecasts are provided for the period 2010 through 2018. A six-year historic analysis is also provided for these markets. “The report profiles 102 companies including many key and niche players such as: ...”
http://www.alternet.org/activism/corporate-espionage-against-progressive-nonprofits?page=0%2C0&akid=11235.1072727.MDBR94&rd=1&src=newsletter932538&t=11 “12 Corporate Espionage Tactics Used Against Leading Progressive Groups, Activists and Whistleblowers—Corporate spies for Dow, Kraft and others have tried to discredit, shame and infiltrate civic groups using an array of dirty tricks,” Steven Rosenfeld, AlterNet, December 3, 2013; “Posing as volunteers. Stealing documents. Dumpster diving. Planting electronic bugs. Hacking computers. Tapping phones and voicemail. Planting false information. Trailing family members. Threatening reporters. Hiring cops, CIA officers and combat veterans to do all these dirty deeds—and counting on little pushback from law enforcement, mainstream media or Congress. “These are some of the ways that many of America’s largest corporations have spied on nonprofits for years, according to a detailed new report from the Center for Corporate Policy tracing decades of corporate espionage where tactics developed for American intelligence agencies have been imported by a long list of corporate giants for use against progressives. “’The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Walmart, Monsanto, Bank of America, Dow Chemical, Kraft, Coca-Cola, Chevron, Burger King, McDonald’s, Shell, BP, BEA, Sasol, Brown & Williamson and E.ON have all been linked to espionage against non-profit organizations, activists and whistleblowers,’ the report said, noting that its targets are ‘environmental, anti-war, public-interest, consumer, food safety, pesticide reform, nursing home reform, gun control, social justice, animal rights and arms-control groups.’”
http://www.alternet.org/top-10-ways-us-most-corrupt-country-world “Top 10 Ways the US Is the Most Corrupt Country in the World,”Juan Cole,Informed Comment, December 3, 2013; Americans are not seen as corrupt because we only deal in the big denominations. Steal $2 trillion and you aren’t corrupt, you’re respectable. Photo Credit: Shutterstock.com/Jeff Wasserman
“Those ratings that castigate Afghanistan and some other poor countries as hopelessly ”corrupt“ always imply that the United States is notcorrupt. “While it is true that you don’t typically have to bribe your postman to deliver the mail in the US, in many key ways America’s political and financial practices make it in absolute terms far more corrupt than the usual global South suspects. After all, the US economy is worth over $16 trillion a year, so in our corruption a lot more money changes hands.” …
http://www.momsacrossamerica.com/our_sick_children_are_collateral_damage_in_war_for_power?utm_campaign=security&utm_medium=email&utm_source=yesmaam “Our Sick Children are Collateral Damage in War for Power,”Zen Honeycutt, December 4, 2013; “Watch Dr. (Lorrin) Pang at 8:18 (minutes) speak about one of the reasons why the government wants the USA and other countries to have genetically modified foods.” The entire 95 minute video is a discussion of transgenic science by Dr. Pang, a medical doctor speaking to an Hawaiian audience, and it gives context to the part near the beginning of the video that is highlighted by Honeycutt. The discussion brings a valuable medical point of view to the health issues associated with transgenic food. http://www.politico.com/story/2013/11/monsanto-agriculture-image-problem-100442.html?hp=f1 “Monsanto confronts devilish public image problem,”Jenny Hopkinson, November 29, 2013; “Monsanto is the agriculture world’s prince of darkness, spreading its demonic genetically modified seeds on fields all over the earth. Or at least that’s the case if you believe the likes of HBO talk-show host Bill Maher, the hazmat suit-wearing activists in Occupy Monsanto or any of a growing number of biotechnology haters. “For years the St. Louis-based company has ignored such critics. But now the biotech giant is attempting a public relations makeover. “In recent months the company has shaken up its senior public relations staff, upped its relationship with one of the nation’s largest public relations firms and helped launch a website designed to combat the fallacies surrounding genetically modified organisms. “And, most importantly, it is recognizing biotechnology has a public image problem.” … Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2013/11/monsanto-agriculture-image-problem-100442.html#ixzz2mdxx024D
http://www.counterpunch.org/2013/11/29/the-real-cost-of-gm-animal-feed/ “Deformities, Sickness and Livestock Death—The Real Cost of GM Animal Feed?” Andrew Wasley, November 29, 2013; “At first glance the frozen bundles could be mistaken for conventional joints of meat. But as Ib Pedersen, a Danish pig farmer, lifts them carefully out of the freezer it becomes apparent they are in fact whole piglets – some horribly deformed, with growths or other abnormalities, others stunted. “This is the result, Pedersen claims, of feeding the animals a diet containing genetically modified (GM) ingredients. Or more specifically, he believes, feed made from GM soya and sprayed with the controversial herbicide glyphosate. “Pedersen, who produces 13,000 pigs a year and supplies Europe’s largest pork company Danish Crown, says he became so alarmed at the apparent levels of deformity, sickness, deaths, and poor productivity he was witnessing in his animals that he decided to experiment by changing their diet from GM to non-GM feed.”
http://www.naturalnews.com/043111_GMO-free_zone_Los_Angeles_petition.html# “Help Make History! City councilmen introduce motion to make Los Angeles largest GMO-free zone in US,” Ethan A. Huff, staff writer, December 03, 2013; “(NaturalNews) Two Los Angeles city councilmen are attempting to make history in Southern California by banning the growth, sale and distribution of genetically modified (GM) seeds and plants anywhere in the city of Los Angeles. Congressman Mitch O’Farrell’s 13th District website explains that both O’Farrell and his colleague, Paul Koretz, are leading the charge with the new motion, which thousands of local supporters are already pushing to have passed with a new petition. “The motion would make all 502 square miles of Los Angeles an official ‘GMO-Free Zone,’ protecting homes, schools, community gardens and public spaces from being contaminated with GMOs. If passed, Los Angeles would become the largest GMO-free zone in the country, a move that both O’Farrell and Koretz say would serve the best interests of Angelinos by preserving the integrity of their local food supply. “Introduced on October 18, the motion takes particular aim at the issue of Colony Collapse Disorder, or CCD, a phenomenon in which large numbers of bees get lost and never return to the hive, or simply drop dead. Some of the latest research on CCD points to plant pesticides, and especially those applied to GM crops, as a major culprit in CCD, which continues to threaten the perpetuity of agriculture all around the world.” Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/043111_GMO-free_zone_Los_Angeles_petition.html##ixzz2me7b0ESB Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/043111_GMO-free_zone_Los_Angeles_petition.html##ixzz2me6nw4SN
http://deltafarmpress.com/cotton/cotton-acres-keeping-crop-mix “Cotton acres -- keeping the crop in the mix,” Elton Robinson, December 6, 2013; “Transgenic cotton seed was proving too costly for farmer Clinton Evans, so he came up with a conventional solution -- conventional cotton seed. So far, it’s worked for Evans, who farms corn and cotton near Brownsville, Tennessee. “High input costs were threatening to drive cotton out of the crop mix for producer Clinton Evans, who produces dryland corn and cotton near Brownsville, Tenn. So he did what anyone who loved to grow the crop would do. He figured out a way to keep it, with some older, but reliable equipment, conventional cotton varieties and an older approach to weed control. “Several years ago, Evans was just like any other cotton producer in west Tennessee, planting the usual offerings of biotech cotton varieties. But with the price of cotton falling and cost of production rising, it had become too risky financially, especially for dryland production.” The article details one farmer’s methods used to farm non-transgenic cotton. This is about an organic system! It is heavily dependent on chemicals, both herbicides and pesticides—and more, and the Farm Press runs stories like this because sellers of chemicals are their advertising bread and butter. They are also needing to show there are alternatives to the transgenic Monsanto program for the benefit of those other advertisers and the farmers who want to end their use of transgenic seed because of the high cost.
http://revolucionalimentaria.wordpress.com/2013/12/07/venezuela-and-the-battle-against-transgenic-seeds/ “Venezuela And The Battle Against Transgenic Seeds,” Frederick B. Mills, Senior Research Fellow at the Council on Hemispheric Affairs and Professor of Philosophy at Bowie State University and William Camacaro, MFA, Member of the Bolivarian Circle of New York “Alberto Lovera,” revolucionalimentaria, December 7, 2013; “Over the past two months, efforts to introduce a bill in the Venezuelan National Assembly that could have paved the way for the entrance of transgenic seeds into the country met stiff opposition from the agroecology and ecosocialist movements, stopping Monsanto and other GM firms from getting a foothold in the country. These movements also managed to place the construction of a new seed law in the hands of the major stakeholders, and in particular, farmers and consumers. This essay will provide a detailed look at the current battle against transgenic seeds in Venezuela.” The story details the inclusive, participatory character of the debate over transgenic seeds in Venezuela where the opposition is pushing transgenic seeds and the government is supporting a program wanted by small and moderate sized farmers. Monsanto has lobbied heavily in Venezuela, but they have only made headway with the opposition that is more closely associated with the oligarchy.
http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?ca=545f4244-9ca3-4f0e-b406-0bd5b0761613&c=e0bcf3f0-5bd8-11e3-8755-d4ae52733d3a&ch=e176ce10-5bd8-11e3-8881-d4ae52733d3a OSGATA December 2013 Newsletter http://truth-out.org/news/item/20516-in-depth-journal-retracts-independent-study-linking-monsanto-gmo-corn-to-cancer-in-rats “In Depth: Journal Retracts Independent Study Linking Monsanto GMO Corn to Cancer in Rats,” Mike Ludwig, Truthout Report, 09 December 2013; (Photo Credit: JR/TO; Adapted: Giandomenico Pozzi, Tatiana Bulyonkova) “Last September, an alarming study rocketed through media and unleashed a storm of controversy. French researchers appeared to have uncovered a link between a Monsanto genetically engineered corn variety and cancer in lab rats. Now, more than a year later, a respected American scientific journal has taken a black eye and retracted the study, reigniting a global debate that raises serious questions about the media’s coverage of biotechnology research and the deep divisions between industry-backed researchers and independent scientists. “The two-year study, conducted by a team lead by French biotech critic Gilles-Eric Séralini of the University of Caen, found that groups of lab rats fed a lifetime diet of either Monsanto’s NK603 corn (NK603 is treated with Roundup herbicide) or exposed to varying levels of Roundup herbicide in drinking water died earlier and had higher rates of tumors and organ damage than controls. NK603 is a genetically modified organism, or GMO, that is bioengineered to tolerate Roundup.” ... A detailed review of the controversy about the Seralini two-year toxicological rat feeding study and the retraction of the paper by the Journal of Food and Chemical Toxicology. http://truth-out.org/news/item/14784 “GM Seeds and the Militarization of Food—and Everything Else,” Jon Letman, Truthout Interview, 27 February 2013;
Vandana Shiva in Hawaii. (Photo Credit: Kai Markell)
“Indian physicist and philosopher, activist and ecofeminist pioneer Vandana Shiva talks with Truthout in Hawaii about GMO, the militarization of agriculture, the politics of occupation and the primacy of biodiversity. “Foot soldiers in the battle against corporate globalization and the privatization of commons like land and water have long been aware of Indian physicist and philosopher Dr. Vandana Shiva. An ecofeminist pioneer, today she is best known as an outspoken opponent of the GMOs (genetically modified organisms) being developed by transnational biotechnology and chemical corporations like Monsanto and Dow. “Shiva disputes the notion that patenting genes and controlling the world’s seeds, and thus much of its food supply, will better serve humanity. Biotech companies claim their genetically engineered (GE) crops are able to withstand threats from insects, disease, and man-made pesticides and herbicides while making a serious contribution to feeding an increasingly hungry world.” ...
“The Big Six agrochemical companies have turned the honeybee into a factory animal, a workhorse that cannot exist without antibiotics, and are using the term ‘Colony Collapse Disorder’ to cover the poisoning of pollinators vital to agriculture. “It is only by fiat of a corporate-captured EPA, a bought press and willed ignorance that colony collapse continues to be known as a bee ‘disorder.’ “Neonics, systemic pesticides that work through a neurotoxin, which is applied to the seed of a plant and taken up into all its tissue so that the insect is exposed at every turn to a new vehicle bearing the same poison, work in a very orderly manner indeed. Poisoned food crops and the honeybees that pollinate them are perfectly efficient bearers of the values of the Big 6 - Monsanto, Dow, BASF, Bayer, Syngenta and DuPont. The empty beehive isn’t mysterious. It is no magician’s cabinet. The bees aren’t disordered - they are designed. There is, that is, no Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD).” ... Separating the reality from the propaganda on the source of bee deaths
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/take-debate-on-bt-to-farmers-fields-agriculture-minister/article5444838.ece?homepage=true “Take debate on BT to farmers’ fields: Agriculture Minister,” Special Correspondent, December 11, 2013 (from India); “Calling upon the scientific community to focus on ‘non-transgenic’ biotechnology as it is possible to make definite progress in this sector because it is free from controversies unlike transgenic BT, Agriculture Minister Krishna Byre Gowda on Tuesday stressed the need to allow farmers to have a say in whether they want BT. “‘Farmer is sovereign:’ “‘Ultimately, the farmer is sovereign and he should have a say in any crucial issue that is related to him. It is our duty to support whatever the farmer wants and whatever benefits him. We must understand that agriculture is a difficult profession and that is the reason why people are moving out of this. In such a scenario, we must hear the farmer,’ Mr. Gowda said, while inaugurating a two-day national conference on ‘Biotechnology, a versatile tool for agriculture in the emerging context’, organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry here. “In this regard, he called for taking the debate on pros and cons of BT to farmers’ fields as they were the ones who had to actually make the decision.” …
http://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/protests-in-kolkata-against-bt-brinjal-cultivation-in-bangladesh-113121200950_1.html “Protests in Kolkata against Bt-Brinjal cultivation in Bangladesh,” IANS, Kolkata, December 12, 2013; “More than 20 Indian organisations participated in a campaign here to protest against the commercial release of genetically modified crops like Bt-Brinjal in Bangladesh, with scientists saying it was a ‘threat to India.’ “‘Introduction of transgenic brinjal in Bangladesh—a centre for the origin and diversity of the vegetable—would give rise to contamination of the crop in India,’ said scientist Tushar Chakraborty. “‘It is a threat to India as brinjal largely cross-pollinates and therefore such transgenic contamination poses a threat to the local varieties of brinjal and natural biodiversity as well,’ said Chakraborty, a molecular biologist at the CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology. “Representatives of the organisations participated in a four-km protest march from the Sealdah station to Minto Park, near the office of Maharashtra Hybrid Seed Company (Mahyco), partly-owned by the US-based corporation Monsanto.”
http://everlast.mercola.com/r/?id=h15f8698a,38a63eb,38abf0b&et_cid=DM37201&et_rid=368601482 “How Biological Farming Can Transform Your Food Supply for the Better,” Dr. Joseph Mercola, December 15, 2013; Dr. Mercola interviews Jerry Brunetti: “Jerry Brunetti, an internationally renowned speaker, is the founder of Agri-Dynamics, a company that provides holistic animal remedies for farm, livestock, and pets. “He’s also a co-founder of EarthWorks Natural Organic Products, which provides products and consulting services. Brunetti is a cancer survivor who can say he saved his own life employing holistic methods. “He initially got involved with biological farming while studying animal science, also known as ‘animal husbandry,’ at the University level. “‘When I was in college, I saw the industrialization of agriculture accelerating. We were getting away from the Joel Salatin models and getting into the factory farm models because of: a) efficiency – Labor efficiencies and time efficiencies, and b) subsidies from the federal government that made it worthwhile to lock animals up and feed them concentrates,’ he says. “What many fail to consider, however, is that purely focusing on production alone isn’t necessarily the most cost effective. Profits are frequently eaten up by increased diesel consumption, combating soil erosion, rising NPK fertilizer costs, and increased need for veterinary drugs to keep livestock healthy in an unnatural and unhealthy environment. “‘Production was being, in effect, purchased off the farm with fertilizer inputs, feeds, and drugs. So, I got into the ecological model because we realized that ecology does equate the economics,’ he says.” ... The article spells out the ecologically responsibly alternatives to the Monsanto system of agriculture.
http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/20065 “GMOs Solve No Real Problems Best: The Founding Fables of Industrialised Agriculture,” Colin Tudge, Independent Science News Op-Ed, November 15, 2013; “Governments these days are not content with agriculture that merely provides good food. In line with the dogma of neoliberalism they want it to contribute as much wealth as any other industry towards the grand goal of ‘economic growth.’ High tech offers to reconcile the two ambitions – producing allegedly fabulous yields, which seems to be what’s needed, and becoming highly profitable. The high-tech flavour of the decade is genetic engineering, supplying custom-built crops and livestock as GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms). “So it was that the UK Secretary of State for the Environment and Rural Affairs, Owen Paterson, told The Independent recently that the world absolutely needs genetically-engineered ‘Golden Rice’, as created by one of the world’s two biotech giants, Syngenta. Indeed, those who oppose Golden Rice are ‘wicked’: a comment so outrageous that Paterson’s own civil servants have distanced themselves from it. “Specifically, Golden Rice has been fitted with genes that produce carotene, which is the precursor of vitamin A. Worldwide, approximately 5 million pre-school aged children and 10 million pregnant women suffer significant Vitamin A deficiency sufficiently severe to cause night blindness according to the WHO. By such statistics a vitamin A-rich rice seems eminently justified. “Yet the case for Golden Rice is pure hype. For Golden Rice is not particularly rich in carotene and in any case, rice is not, and never will be, the best way to deliver it. Carotene is one of the commonest organic molecules in nature. It is the yellow pigment that accompanies chlorophyll in all dark green leaves (the many different kinds known as ‘spinach’ are a great source) and is clearly on show in yellow roots such as carrots and some varieties of cassava, and in fruits like papaya and mangoes that in the tropics can grow like weeds.” ... An article debunking the claim that transgenic agriculture is the only way to save the world from starvation.
http://blogs.prevention.com/inspired-bites/2013/11/19/big-foods-big-bin/ “Big Food’s Big Bind: Financial Ties to Nutrition Groups,” Robyn O’Brien,Nov 19, 2013; “Last month, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics held its annual conference (The Food and Nutrition Conference & Expo, also known as FNCE) in my hometown of Houston, Texas. “Rather than proudly showcase its sponsors and how they are marketing their products to our nation’s health care professionals, a photography ban was implemented for the first time in the conference’s history. Thankfully, the ban didn’t exist until you hit the showroom floor, and a sign greeting attendees showed just exactly who was going to tell these professionals what to think about food: Coca Cola, PepsiCo and others. “This conference is critical to the health of our country. It’s where professionals go to get educated. As we are quickly learning, food and particularly nutrition play a key role in not only promoting health but also in triggering disease. As renowned doctors like Dr. Mark Hyman highlight, so many of the diseases and conditions that we are seeing in our loved ones are due to or exacerbated by poor nutrition. “But Dietitians for Professional Integrity—an advocacy group group co-founded by dietitians that advocates for the Academy to cut its ties to its Big Food partners and sponsors — just released ‘The Food Ties That Bind,’ a report that details the messaging Big Food shared with dietitians at 2013 FNCE.” ... http://smallbites.andybellatti.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/The-Food-Ties-that-Bind-Nov-18.pdf The report mentioned in the above article. See especially page 11 for the report on the talk given at the end of the conference by the New Yorker’s Michael Specter. http://www.enveurope.com/content/25/1/33 “Rat feeding studies with genetically modified maize—a comparative evaluation of applied methods and risk assessment standards,” Hartmut Meyer and Angelika Hilbeck, Environmental Sciences Europe 2013, 25:33 doi:10.1186/2190-4715-25-33; Abstract: “A 2-year rat feeding study with genetically modified NK603 maize sparked an international scientific and public debate as well as policy responses by the European Commission. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) evaluated the study as defective based on conceptual and methodological shortcomings by retroactive application of the recommendations of its recent guidance on 90-day feeding studies. Our comparative analysis of the three relevant NK603 publications, including a 90-day feeding study of Monsanto, showed that all of them satisfy or fail to satisfy the EFSA evaluation criteria to a comparable extent; the rejection of only one of the papers is, thus, not scientifically justified. We also show that EFSA’s criteria are not standard practice in 21 other rat feeding studies lasting at a minimum of 12 months. The review reveals critical double standards in the evaluation of feeding studies submitted as proof of safety for regulatory approval to EFSA. We specifically argue that the current approach to declare statistically significant differences between genetically modified organisms and its parents as ‘biologically irrelevant’ based on additional reference controls lacks scientific rigor and legal justification in the European Union (EU) system. Only recently, the EU authorities started building up an implementing system based on its own legislation and supportive of the EU approach to risk assessment in the context of technology assessment. Until these issues are resolved, we do not expect that neither the public nor the scientific debate will subside.” ...
(Photo Credit: Nejron Photo, Fotokostic via Shutterstock/Salon)
“Imagine cows fed and milked entirely by robots. Or tomatoes that send an e-mail when they need more water. Or a farm where all the decisions about where to plant seeds, spray fertilizer and steer tractors are made by software on servers on the other side of the sea. “This is what more and more of our agriculture may come to look like in the years ahead, as farming meets Big Data. There’s no shortage of farmers and industry gurus who think this kind of ‘smart’ farming could bring many benefits. Pushing these tools onto fields, the idea goes, will boost our ability to control this fiendishly unpredictable activity and help farmers increase yields even while using fewer resources. “The big question is who exactly will end up owning all this data, and who gets to determine how it is used. On one side stand some of the largest corporations in agriculture, who are racing to gather and put their stamp on as much of this information as they can. Opposing them are farmers’ groups and small open-source technology start-ups, which want to ensure a farm’s data stays in the farmer’s control and serves the farmer’s interests. “Who wins will determine not just who profits from the information, but who, at the end of the day, directs life and business on the farm. “One recent round in this battle took place in October, when Monsanto spent close to $1 billion to buy the Climate Corporation, a data analytics firm. Last year the chemical and seed company also bought Precision Planting, another high-tech firm, and also launched a venture capital arm geared to fund tech start-ups.” ...
http://www.brownpoliticalreview.org/2013/07/the-monsanto-dilemma/ “The Monsanto Dilemma,” Sarah Domenick, JULY 15, 2013; Lede paragraph: “According to estimates, about 80% of Americans live in urban areas, and many have little understanding of our agricultural industry aside from what they buy in the grocery store. Various advocacy groups, however, are pushing for increased transparency of the food industry and agribusiness, which have amassed extraordinary power and influence. Genetically modified organisms (GMO) and genetically engineered (GE) foods have generated much controversy around Monsanto, one of the largest biotech companies that engineers GMO seeds used corn, soy, cotton and more. GMOs are a contentious subject largely because of the uncertainty regarding the risks they pose to humans and the environment and the profits they generate. The recent wave of discontent with these companies’ lack of disclosure has further fueled the debate about their place in agriculture.” ... From a Just Label It e-mail message: “The Top 10 GE Labeling Stories of 2013:” “2013 has been an amazing year in the fight for GE labeling! We have seen the first passage of GE labeling laws on the state level, the introduction of legislation on the national level and the fight for GE labeling has come to the forefront of food issues here in the U.S. As we get ready to embark on another year of fighting for the consumers right to know, we wanted to share some of the tremendous stories that have made this year a groundbreaking one. Just Label It wants to make sure that 2014 is another great year. Be sure to check our website and Facebook page regularly for updated stories on what is going on! Whole Foods to Label GMO Foods March 10 - Whole Foods Market, the grocery chain, announced that it would require all foods sold in its stores that contain genetically modified ingredients to be labeled as such within five years. The company is the first retailer in the country to require the labeling, and its executives received a standing ovation when they made the announcement during the Natural Products Expo West, a trade conference, in California. ... Genetically Engineered Food Labeling Taken on by Congress In Right-To-Know Act April 25 - Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) introduced bills to the Senate and House of Representatives that would require food manufacturers to clearly label any product containing genetically engineered ingredients -- or risk having that product classified “misbranded” by the FDA. ... Vermont House of Representatives Gives Green Light to GMO Labeling Bill May 10 - The Vermont House of Representatives has passed H. 112, a bill requiring the labeling of all genetically engineered (GE) food sold in Vermont. However, there are plenty of hurdles ahead. ... U.S. Discovery of Rogue GMO Wheat Raises Concerns Over Control May 31 - For global consumers now on high alert over a rogue strain of genetically modified wheat found in Oregon, the question is simple: How could this happen? For a cadre of critics of biotech crops, the question is different: How could it not? ... Ben & Jerry’s to Cut Genetically Modified Ingredients June 3 - Given Ben & Jerry’s tree-hugging image, it might be a surprise to some of its fans that the company’s ice cream includes genetically modified organisms (GMOs) among its ingredients. It does, but now the Unilever brand is promising to eliminate the controversial food products, pledging to go completely GMO-free by 2014. ... Connecticut Becomes First State to Pass GMO Labeling Law June 4 - Connecticut passed HB-6519, a bill that would require the labeling of genetically engineered (GE) food sold in Connecticut. The amended bill, after passing through the Senate this weekend, passed through the House by an overwhelming margin of 134 to 3, and makes Connecticut the first U.S. state to pass a law for GE labeling. ... Maine Is Second State to Pass GMO Labeling Law June 14 - Just days after Connecticut passed its genetically-engineered food labeling law, Maine lawmakers approved their own legislation requiring food manufacturers to reveal genetically engineered ingredients on products’ packaging. The governors in both New England states are expected to sign the bills into law soon. ... Senate Committee Passes GE Salmon Labeling Amendment June 21 - Senate Appropriations Committee passed an amendment to label genetically engineered salmon, which was offered by Senator Murkowski (R-AK) and added to a spending bill language. The amendment passed through the Committee by a narrow margin of 15 to 14, and would provide at least $150,000 for labeling. Senator Begich (D-AK) was a co-sponsor of the amendment, and also voted in favor. ... With Recent Victories, Movement to Label GMOs Gains Steam June 27 - More than six months after a big defeat in California, the movement to label foods containing genetically modified organisms appears to be picking up steam across the country. In the past three weeks, Connecticut and Maine passed labeling bills, the U.S. Department of Agriculture for the first time approved a non-GMO label claim for meat products, Chipotle began voluntarily labeling menu items containing GMO ingredients online, and, perhaps most notably, the Senate Appropriations Committee voted last week to give the U.S. Food and Drug Administration funding to label genetically modified salmon if the agency approves the fish. ... Backers of I-522’s GMO Labeling Concede Defeat, Vow New Effort in 2016 November 14 - The outcome was clear to many on election night, but backers of Initiative 522 waited to concede on Thursday evening that its campaign to label genetically modified foods in Washington had lost. Numbers improved in recent days for the Yes on 522 campaign, but nine days after the Nov. 5 election the measure still was trailing by 46,213 votes or nearly 3 percentage points. ... We’re building a movement of concerned citizens – parents, health care workers, small business owners, farmers, and more – who care about what’s in the food we eat. In October 2011, the Just Label It campaign was formed when the Center for Food Safety filed a petition with the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) to require the labeling of all foods produced using genetic engineering. Days later, we asked citizens from around the country to join us and tell the FDA to “Just Label It.” More than 1.2 million Americans have contacted to the FDA urging them to label genetically engineered foods. Ask others to sign on at: www.JustLabelIt.org/takeaction.