Act Today Or Kiss Your Organics Goodbye!

[dobyblue]

After years of bureaucratic wrangling, Secretary Vilsack and the Obama administration are only days away from approving Monsanto’s genetically modified (GMO) alfalfa. If approved, GMO alfalfa will fundamentally undermine the entire organic industry overnight. In addition, the USDA says American consumers don't care about the contamination of organics.

Please join Food Democracy Now in calling on Secretary Vilsack and President Obama to stand up for organic family farmers by rejecting the approval of Monsanto's GMO alfalfa. Tell them to protect organic integrity and seed biodiversity over corporate profits.

Petition here - http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/s...anics_goodbye/

More info - http://articles.mercola.com/sites/ar...e-of-food.aspx

[wnderwoman]

This and Codex Alimentarius are two scary, scary things.

[Drewseph101]

Monsanto is the devil.

[AJF_41]

Just visited Monsanto's R&D headquarters in St. Louis last Thursday. What they are doing it pretty amazing. Biotechnology company 100%.

My takeaway was that "Monsonto is going to be able to grow corn on the sidewalk in NYC in a year years"....

The positive view on MON is that they are solving one of the world's problems. Population is rising quickly...people are eating more protein...we need to get more production out of a fixed size of arable land.

[dobyblue]

Yep, I think Monsanto could possibly be one of the most evil companies on this planet.

If you're signing this petition, please consider signing the one for Canada as well: http://www.cban.ca/Take-Action/Support-Bill-C-474

You can use the following generic address:

135 The West Mall
Etobicoke, Ontario
M9C 1C2

[Alazais]

Originally Posted by AJF_41

Just visited Monsanto's R&D headquarters in St. Louis last Thursday. What they are doing it pretty amazing. Biotechnology company 100%.

My takeaway was that "Monsonto is going to be able to grow corn on the sidewalk in NYC in a year years"....

The positive view on MON is that they are solving one of the world's problems. Population is rising quickly...people are eating more protein...we need to get more production out of a fixed size of arable land.

You can't be serious...

[dobyblue]

Originally Posted by AJF_41

Just visited Monsanto's R&D headquarters in St. Louis last Thursday. What they are doing it pretty amazing. Biotechnology company 100%.

My takeaway was that "Monsonto is going to be able to grow corn on the sidewalk in NYC in a year years"....

The positive view on MON is that they are solving one of the world's problems. Population is rising quickly...people are eating more protein...we need to get more production out of a fixed size of arable land.

Explain that to Africa.

Monsanto corn has 80% crop failure - Monsanto claims 25% crop failure - http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/270101
http://www.sundayvision.co.ug/detail...&newsId=743807
http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/20/743444

10 reasons why GMO's won't feed the world - http://www.saynotogmos.org/10reasons_feed.pdf
The Myths Of Agricultural Biotechnology: Some Ethical Questions - http://www.saynotogmos.org/biotech_myths.htm
State of the Science on the Health Risks of GM Foods - http://www.saynotogmos.org/paper.pdf

Countless other resources - http://www.saynotogmos.org/

[Alazais]

Not that it makes a difference but I also posted this on my facebook to try and spread the word a bit.

What sucks is that of all the people on Ants this will likely have a short stay on the first page but threads that really don't matter will last.

[NextMovement41]

Fuck Monsanto.

[AJF_41]

Originally Posted by Alazais

You can't be serious...

About what?

[AJF_41]

Originally Posted by dobyblue

Explain that to Africa.

/

Explain what?



Also, just to play devil's advocate for a second. Farmers don't have to buy seed and traits from MON if they don't want to. Nobody is forcing them to do anything. They do it because they get better yield/profit per acre.

[trautwein.m]

Originally Posted by NextMovement41

Fuck Monsanto.

Originally Posted by Drewseph101

Monsanto is the devil.

These.

Originally Posted by AJF_41

Explain what?



Also, just to play devil's advocate for a second. Farmers don't have to buy seed and traits from MON if they don't want to. Nobody is forcing them to do anything. They do it because they get better yield/profit per acre.

They kind of are forced into it. Food Inc was incendiary but showed that farmers that didn't buy into their soybeans had their soybeans tested for contamination of the Monsanto roundup gene, and if they found ONE soybean with it, farmers were sued into bankruptcy. Its difficult to keep the spread of Monsanto genetics away when you are surrounded by farms using it, thus the issue.

[trautwein.m]

Originally Posted by AJF_41

About what?

Just keep in mind that you were touring their corporate headquarters. Hardly an unbiased source of 'scientific' information.

If you toured over at Budweiser, they don't tell you that slamming down bud lights causes alcoholism, drunk driving accidents, and worse, makes you sleep with fatties.

[mandy18]

Originally Posted by AJF_41

Explain what?



Also, just to play devil's advocate for a second. Farmers don't have to buy seed and traits from MON if they don't want to. Nobody is forcing them to do anything. They do it because they get better yield/profit per acre.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ronnie..._b_587340.html

"A new earthquake" is what Haitian peasant farmer leader Chavannes Jean-Baptiste of the Peasant Movement of Papay (MPP) called the news that Monsanto will be dumping 60,000 seed sacks (475 tons) of hybrid corn seeds and vegetable seeds on Haiti, seeds doused with highly toxic fungicides such as thiram, known to be extremely dangerous to farm workers. Hybrid seeds, like GMO seeds (in contrast to Creole heirloom or organic seeds) require lots of water, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides. In addition, if a small farmer tries to save hybrid seeds after harvest, hybrid seeds usually do not "breed true" or grow very well in the second season, forcing the now-indentured peasant to buy seeds from Monsanto or one of the other hybrid/GMO seed monopolies in perpetuity. Monsanto wanted initially to dump GMO seeds on Haiti, but even the corrupt Haitian government knew that this would spark a rebellion, so Monsanto cleverly decided to dump hybrid seeds instead. The Haitian small farmers organization has committed to burning Monsanto's seeds, and has called for a march to protest the corporation's presence in Haiti on June 4, for World Environment Day.

Since gaining their independence from France more than 200 years ago in a bloody slave uprising, Haitian farmers have wisely protected their seeds and nurtured native crop varieties. They know that true food security is maintained by farmers who save, trade and breed indigenous seeds using traditional organic methods.

As Chavannes Jean-Baptiste, the Executive Director of the Peasant Movement of Papay (MPP), wrote earlier this year, "We need to establish seed banks and have silos where we can store our Creole seeds. Local, organic seeds are the basis of food sovereignty. It's urgent that Haitians buy local seeds. ... What's the danger we face today? It's that food aid from USAID and others is getting dumped in the country."

Monsanto's seeds will be distributed by the United States Agency for International Development's (USAID) WINNER program. USAID is a tax-payer funded agency that promotes the United States' interests abroad. It is run by Dr. Rajiv Shah, an Obama appointee that the Organic Consumers Association opposed because of his work with the explicitly pro-GMO Gates Foundation. The Gates Foundation works closely with Monsanto.

Please click here to contact President Obama and USAID administrator Dr. Rajiv Shah today to tell them to support Haitian farmers' demands for sustainability and food security, not Monsanto's poison pill.

USAID and Monsanto's poison pill for Haiti is designed to the make the island nation into a slave colony once again, except this time they won't be slaves for France, but rather for Monsanto and corporate agribusiness. Join the Haitian people and the growing global movement of Millions Against Monsanto.

You can donate to the distribution of local, organic seeds within Haiti by clicking here.

[goblue8426]

that is sad, sad news. GMO's are incredibly scary.

[MPizzle06]

Every Whole Foods in the country will implode. So wait, why are we mad about this then???

[dobyblue]

Originally Posted by AJF_41

Explain what?



Also, just to play devil's advocate for a second. Farmers don't have to buy seed and traits from MON if they don't want to. Nobody is forcing them to do anything. They do it because they get better yield/profit per acre.

You have clearly done no research on the matter. This is not at all what happens. Cross pollination unless you're going to build a DOME over your grounds will occur. When that happens, you get sued until you can't afford litigation any longer, then you agree to Monsanto's terms.

It's fucking sick.

[Lcsulla]

Originally Posted by MPizzle06

Every Whole Foods in the country will implode. So wait, why are we mad about this then???

Eat a damn bacon cheesburger you soybean eating sissies!

[unccrombie]

i have never bought organic food, and i'm not versed enough to make a decision. sounds like an interesting topic though

[ji/\/\ithing]

not all the farmers who don't use GMOs are "organic" farmers. as i understand it, in order to label you product as "organic", you can't use chemical fertilizers or pesticides... most farmers who grow natural crops use both to increase yield.

not saying GMOs are good (they aren't, for many more reasons than just what's listed in this thread), but your thread title and argument are somewhat misleading.

[dobyblue]

Not sure how the thread title is misleading - no-one stated that farms are automatically organic if they don't use GMO's.

The petition even states:

If approved, the contamination of organic and conventional alfalfa crops is scientifically certain to happen. Once contaminated, organic and conventional crops will lose their economic value and this threatens the livelihood of family farmers who have responded to market signals regarding the valid concerns of the negative health and environmental impacts of genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

[ji/\/\ithing]

Originally Posted by dobyblue

Not sure how the thread title is misleading - no-one stated that farms are automatically organic if they don't use GMO's.

The petition even states:

thread title is "Act Today or Kiss Your Organics Goodbye!"

also:

Originally Posted by dobyblue

After years of bureaucratic wrangling, Secretary Vilsack and the Obama administration are only days away from approving Monsanto’s genetically modified (GMO) alfalfa. If approved, GMO alfalfa will fundamentally undermine the entire organic industry overnight. In addition, the USDA says American consumers don't care about the contamination of organics.

...

just sayin'. i'm on your side, just pointing out to those who are casually reading the thread that it's not just organic farms that are effected by this problem, it's conventional farms as well.

[Toy Soldier]

I enjoy my GMO's. They're tasty!

[wnderwoman]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

I enjoy my GMO's. They're tasty!

Enjoy your third arm.

[Toy Soldier]

Originally Posted by wnderwoman

Enjoy your third arm.

I already do!

[1eyed_jack]

Originally Posted by ji/\/\ithing

not all the farmers who don't use GMOs are "organic" farmers. as i understand it, in order to label you product as "organic", you can't use chemical fertilizers or pesticides... most farmers who grow natural crops use both to increase yield.

that's right. organic farmers do not use any of that stuff. instead of chemicals and pesticides, we use turkey shit, compost and our hands to pull weeds.

it's a lot more work, but then again you won't be killing yourself and the earth by eating it

[wnderwoman]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

I already do!

Walked right into that one, didn't I.

[Foreverford05]

So whats really changing here? Obviouslt no one is growing 3 arms from GMO's, Let me in on the big disturbance.

[VanHorneDog]

we have been genetically modifying crops and animals for a couple thousand years, finally we can do it on a molecular level. whats the big deal?

[dobyblue]

The massive increases in diseases like Alzheimers, cancer, Parkinsons, etc., over the last 100 years are attributed by many scientists to the changes in our food, our environment and our products like skin lotions, insecticides, household cleaning items, etc., etc.

For example, these are the ingredients I use to make chicken nuggets at home.

Free range chicken breasts, flour, egg, water, cayenne pepper, paprika, olive oil.

This are the ingredients McDonalds uses to make chicken nuggets.

Chicken, water, salt, sodium phosphates. Battered and breaded with: bleached wheat flour, water, wheat flour, food starch-modified, salt, spices, wheat gluten, paprika, dextrose, yeast, garlic powder, partially hydrogenated soybean oil and cottonseed oil with mono -and diglycerides, leavening (sodium acid pyrophosphate, baking soda, ammonium bicarbonate, monocalcium phosphate), natural flavor (plant source) with extractives of paprika. Prepared in vegetable oil (Canola oil, corn oil, soybean oil, hydrogenated soybean oil with TBHQ and citric acid added to preserve freshness). Dimethylpolysiloxane added as an antifoaming agent.


According to the Handbook of Food Additives, dimethylpolysiloxene is a suspected carcinogen and an established mutagen, tumorigen, and reproductive effector. TBHQ, or tertiary butylhydroquinone, is an antioxidant derived from petroleum that is either sprayed directly on the nugget or the inside of the box it comes in to "help preserve freshness." According to A Consumer's Dictionary of Food Additives, TBHQ is a form of butane (i.e. lighter fluid) the FDA allows processors to use sparingly in our food: It can comprise no more than 0.02 percent of the oil in a nugget. Which is probably just as well, considering that ingesting a single gram of TBHQ can cause "nausea, vomiting, ringing in the ears, delirium, a sense of suffocation, and collapse." Ingesting five grams of TBHQ can kill."

MSG is found in potato chips, most vaccines, baby food, canned foods, etc., etc. It is an excitotoxin like aspartame which excites glutamate receptors and causes nerve damage which many neurosurgeons believe is the cause of several neurological issues like autism in children, ADHD in children, Parkinsons, Lou Gehrig's, Alzheimers, brain cancer.

Does the food you eat have MSG in it? Maybe it doesn't list Monosodium Glutamate, but it's also known as:

• Gelatin
• Calcium Caseinate
• Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein (HVP)
• Textured Protein
• Monopotassium glutamate
• Hydrolyzed Plant Protein (HPP)
• Yeast Extract
• Glutamate
• Autolyzed Plant Protein
• Yeast food or nutrient
• Glutamic Acid
• Sodium Caseinate
• Autolyzed Yeast
• Vegetable Protein Extract
• Senomyx (wheat extract labeled as artificial flavor)
• Malted Barley (flavor)
• Natural Flavors, Flavors, Flavoring
• Modified food starch
• Barley malt
• Reaction Flavors
• Rice syrup or brown rice syrup
• Malt Extract
• Natural Chicken, Beef, or Pork, Flavoring "Seasonings" (Most assume this means salt, pepper, or spices and herbs, which sometimes it is.)
• Lipolyzed butter fat
• Maltodextrin, dextrose, dextrates
• Soy Sauce or Extract
• "Low" or "No Fat" items
• Caramel Flavoring (coloring)
• Soy Protein
• Corn syrup and corn syrup solids, high fructose corn syrup
• Stock
• Soy Protein Isolate or Concentrate
• Citric Acid (when processed from corn)
• Broth
• Cornstarch fructose (made from corn)
• Milk Powder
• Bouillon
• Flowing Agents
• Dry Milk Solids
• Carrageenan
• Wheat, rice, corn, or oat protein
• Protein Fortified Milk
• Whey Protein or Whey
• Anything enriched or vitamin enriched
• Annatto
• Whey Protein Isolate or Concentrate
• Protein fortified "anything"
• Spice
• Pectin
• Enzyme modified proteins
• Gums (guar and vegetable)
• Protease
• Ultra-pasteurized dairy products
• Dough Conditioners
• Protease enzymes
• Fermented proteins
• Yeast Nutrients
• Lecithin
• Gluten and gluten flour
• Protein powders: whey, soy, oat, rice (as in protein bars shakes and body building drinks)

The vast majority of GMO food has less nutrients than food grown naturally, the majority of soil that grows GMO food sees more nutrient reduction than food which is grown the way that sustained the planet for years. GMO foods usually REQUIRE being sprayed by particular products, like Monsanto's Roundup. Make corn that requires being sprayed by our pesticides/insecticides, they get into the food, get into our bodies, get into the soil, etc., etc.

The danger is, good soil and genetically unmodified natural foods are in danger of becoming a thing of the past, which means it will become harder and harder to choose the type of lifestyle required to avoid disease.

Monsanto began sending 60 tons of seeds to Haiti after the earthquake, they didn't bother telling farmers that masks and gloves and protective footing should be worn when handling seeds, imagine that! Seeds, they're so dangerous you should wear a mask when handling them, for CORN!



So what's the point? When products like GMO corn and GMO alfalfa are allowed to go unregulated, it's almost impossible to stop cross-contamination. Some people are recognizing the damages that happen, but just like the pharmaceutical industry there is simply too much money involved to say "wait, this stuff is actually bad". When the entire food supply system is contaminated and we realize that it is NOT sustainable as promised (not without bankrupting all farmers) and NOT good for human organisms it will be too late, that is why it's important to take control now.

You'll recognize the types of doctors and scientists that stand up to Big Pharma and Big Food and present all their data, they're the ones who are taken to court on behalf of the Big companies' watchdog, the hopelessly ineffective FDA, and prosecuted. Or they're just labelled a quack by loads of Pharma-friendly medical schools and heads of departments. Take a look at Dr. Russell Blaylock, Dr. Nicholas Gonzalez, Dr. Stanislaw R. Burzynski, the latter whom the FDA tried four times to shut down for non-conventional cancer treatments (ie - not using the Big Pharma mandated policies of chemo, surgery and radiation). See - http://www.alive.com/528a2a2.php?sub...read_cramb=116

Eat our poisonous nutrient-free foods, use our pthalate/paraben/PEG/parrafin/etc-loaded cancerous skin products, don't clean your house with vinegar and water because our toxic sprays work better, obey our painfully low recommended daily allowances of vitamins and minerals so you stay marginally above levels of scurvy et al, protect yourself against the flu by injecting yourself yearly with aluminium, 2-PE or thimerosol, MSG and formaldehyde vaccines that studies have shown are 1% effective yet cause billion dollar strains on health care, enjoy those delicious fast food burgers that no-one seems to put warnings on like cigarettes because acidic foods are a-ok in our book, get diseases, pay us to treat your diseases and then die a slow painful death. We are Big Pharma and Big Food, we love North Americans, they just trust us implicity to put their best interests at heart.

This generation of kids in North America have a shorter life expectancy than their parents.