The GMO labeling issue is seeing some action on Capitol Hill. Maybe that’s because GMOs are in the news across the country. Here are some of the stories you may have missed.
Monsanto Settles with US Wheat Farmers
Monsanto has settled class-action lawsuits with farmers in seven states over 2013 contamination from their genetically engineered “Roundup Ready” wheat.
Genetically modified wheat has not been approved in the US, but Monsanto field-tested its Roundup Ready variety between 1998 and 2005 before withdrawing its application for approval from the USDA. Before Roundup Ready was either destroyed or stored, the GM wheat was found on an Oregon farm, triggering a suspension of trade with countries suspicious of GM crops. The incident led farmers in Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi to seek compensation for lost income.
Now Monsanto has settled these lawsuits by donating $50,000 to agricultural schools in each of the seven states. This is bad—all it does is increase the efforts of these companies to dominate the schools.
Last November, Monsanto announced a $2.4 million settlement on other lawsuits stemming from the 2013 Oregon wheat scare.
WHO Report Finds Roundup is “Probably” Carcinogenic
Glyphosate—better known by Monsanto’s trade name, Roundup—is the most widely used pesticide in the country. The World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research, which includes seventeen experts from eleven countries, recently published a report which concluded that, based on animal studies, Roundup is “probably carcinogenic to humans.”
Roundup use has increased markedly in recent years, due in large part to the prevalence of genetically modified crops that are “Roundup Ready”—that is, the toxic pesticide can be sprayed on crops, killing weeds without killing the crops themselves. According to the USDA, GM plants were grown on 94% of US soybean fields and 89% of U.S. corn fields last year.
“Arctic Apple” Approved for Sale in US and Canada
The Arctic Apple—a non-browning GM apple developed by the Canadian biotech firm Okanagan Specialty Fruits (OSF)—has been approved for sale in both the US and Canada.
What sets apart the Arctic Apple from other GM foods is that the gene which leads to oxidation and browning has been switched off. Most other GM products have been modified by introducing genes from other organisms into a plant.
In this context, it is useful to keep in mind that natural tomato plants were selected over the years to eliminate the tendency of the blossom end of the plant to stay green even after the rest of the tomato was red and ripe. After this was done, it was finally realized that the green end was closely connected to flavor, and eliminating the one also eliminated the other.
After approval of the GM apple, the OSF president wrote, “Over the next couple of years, we will be working hard with our grower partners to get as many Arctic trees in the ground as we can.”
The Organic Consumers Association had petitioned the USDA to deny approval, arguing that the GM apples could be harmful to human health, but the petition was rejected.
Bill Nye Flips on GMOs
Bill Nye, the children’s television show host known most recently for his fierce defense of the science behind evolution and climate change, has flipped his position on GMOs after a visit to Monsanto.
Before his visit to the biotech giant, Nye had advised caution in approaching GM foods. He covered GMOs in an episode of his show in 2005 and offered the following advice: “Let’s farm responsibly, let’s require labels on our foods, and let’s carefully test these foods case by case.”
He covered the GMO topic again in his recent book, Undeniable: Evolution and the Science of Creation, where he discusses the unintended environmental consequences of GM crops.
Now, in a recent backstage interview on Bill Maher’s HBO show Real Time with Bill Maher, Nye stated that he was changing his position and planned to re-write the GMO section of his book. He is reported as having said, “I went to Monsanto, and I spent a lot of time with the scientists there, and I have revised my outlook, and I’m very excited about telling the world.”
GM Grass Gets USDA Seal of Approval
Late last year, the USDA cleared a glyphosate-resistant grass for cultivation without requiring any environmental safety review. Developed by Scotts Miracle-Gro, the grass is a variety of tall fescue turf-grass meant to be marketed to golf courses.
The GM grass was developed using a process called “biolistics.” With this method, a gene-gun shoots DNA-coated metal particles into a plant cell. Because this method does not use a plant pest to transfer the genes, the USDA supposedly has no authority to regulate the GM grass and could not direct the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to conduct its normal pre-market testing.
It’s a clever maneuver initiated by Scotts. In 2003, a variety of GM grass escaped a field trial in Oregon, resulting in a $500,000 civil penalty from USDA. This way there is no oversight—and no potential penalty! Such a tactic sets a dangerous precedent for future efforts to introduce GM products into the market with no testing for negative environmental effects.
“Systematic Corruption” and “Subversion of Science” in the Proliferation of GMOs, Authoritative New Book Finds
Steven Druker’s book Altered Genes, Twisted Truth has recently been released. Druker was part of a 1996 lawsuit against the FDA after the agency decided to allow GMOs to be sold without labels. Now, in this remarkable new work, Druker details how the biotech industry and its well-funded offshoots in government agencies, academia, research institutions, and the biotech industry have succeeded in covering up the evidence that GMOs are not safe and not grounded in sound science. It’s a must-read for those looking to review the evidence in one thorough source.
I have quit eating corn and soy products.
If food was considered a drug it would take years and years of testing before FDA approval. The food we eat has not ever been tested for saftey. We have been eating roundup for years
Food is actually a drug. If we have good unadulterated food we can cure a lot of what ails the people in theis country
We are what we eat and we are doing rather poorly.
So why don’t the folks making the decisions do their homework? Take the time and take money out of the equation. Do the right thing. Treat GMO’s like what they are untested foods.
The Roundup that goes along with these GMO crops is destroying our land and our streams, lakes.
We need to wake up and do the right thing. More that likely there will be no do overs.
keep up the good work, this GMO problem is never ending, they will push till all our food I changed and we are all sick from cancer and other health problems.
Just what is Monsanto telling people about gmo’s when they visit their site? What is making them switch. Now Hilary Clinton is being connected to this company because their main attorney is her campaign manager. What’s really going on here. Does anyone know? All I kknow is I get very sick when I eat anything with wheat in it from the states.
Try organic wheat and see if there is a difference.
Non-organic wheat is all drenched in Round-Up a few days before harvest. In this case it is used as a dessicant to make harvest and separating wheat from chaff more easily. R-Up (glyphosate) can cause symptoms in the gut very similar to gluten intolerance.
Interesting how this all turns on gut biochemistry. That’s the heart of the issue Andrew Wakefield (a gastroenterologist) was alerting to–intestinal dysfunction leading to brain disorder. Guess what the chances of the feds funding any research into this linkage are.
Hillary Clinton was a lawyer at Rose Law Firm in Arkansas which represented Monsanto when they purchased the patent for the terminator seed. Bill Engdahl has written about this. I believe this is where the Clintons first connected with big money in the food industry – Tyson is one of the big money holders. It does not surprise me if she has hired the main attorney to be her campaign manager. They go back a long time and share similar beliefs. I believe all the politicians out there who are financed by the industries whose very existence is being challenged by people who are fed up being sick, being fat, being unhealthy, worried all the time, stressed out and so on and so forth. they want to know the truth – but . . . to be honest, I believe the truth is complicated. And with the GMO’s and pesticides/herbicides in the food, in the soil, in the air, in our blood, in vaccines – yes, even in some vaccines – there is genetically engineered stuff – In Steven Druker’s book Altered Genes, Twisted Truth – he tells about how engineered bacteria was put in a batch of Ltriptophan back in the late 1980’s and caused an epidemic of a new disease EMS 80 people died and over 1500 people continue to suffer from it.
To answer your question about American wheat, many wheat farmers use glyphosate to dessicate the wheat so it ripens and is ready for harvest. (Roundup ready just means it will not die when it is sprayed with Roundup) But wheat which is not Round up ready can be sprayed with Roundup a couple of weeks before harvest and so . . . there is glyphosate on the wheat. How are you going to eliminate that? And so . . . some people have digestive issues with American wheat.
If GMOs were so great, nobody would care if they were labeled. As usual nutrition researchers are correct.
The greatest country, the richest country, is not that which has the most capitalists, monopolists, immense grabbings, vast fortunes, with its sad, sad soil of extreme, degrading, damning poverty, but the land in which . . . wealth does not show such contrasts high and low, where all men have enough — a mod- est living — and no man is made possessor beyond the sane and beautiful necessities. Walt Whitman
May I point out that Roundup is an herbicide not a pesticide.
Susan
Doesn’t matter if roundup is a herbicide or pesticide this is just semantics Susan! The fact is roundup cause
cancer, & an accumulation of consuming food’s that have been sprayed with pesticides have the same result!
This is why the demand for organic foods is growing al lot of people know this! They are informed and not accepting
the mass media news about Health, the truth about the studies that have been conducted by Scientist like
Dr. Judy Carmen, and others. Do you hear about any of these studies and results on the mass media T.V no
occurs not. One has to find the truth looking for other sources like the internet & Alliance for Natural Health
PLEASE ASK THE ArcticApple CEO if he fed himself the apples he generated??? No word about that!!!! His Arctic Apple patent states that:
—————————————————————————–
The development of hybrids could result in the introgression of the novel traits into these related species, resulting in:
– the related species becoming more weedy;
and/or
– introduction of a novel trait with the potential for ecosystem disruption into the related
species.
Enzymes similar in structure and function to plant PPOs are found in other phyla and kingdoms,
notably tyrosinases that cause a strong browning reaction in mushrooms (Jolivet et al., 1998),
(Jolivet S, Arpin N, Wichers HJ, Pellon G. 1998. Agaricus bisporus browning: a review. Mycological Research 12:25.) melaninforming enzymes in animals, and haemocyanins in crabs, lobsters and their relatives. PPO is also present in some fungi and bacteria. True albino mutants
do not have functional PPO enzyme.
PPO is held in inactive form in healthy plant cells and the browning reaction proceeds only when
the PHENOLIC SUBSTRATE, concentrated in the cell vacuole, and the activated enzyme come together after cell membranes are ruptured.
There is a conserved region in the amino terminal part of PPO transit proteins of 22 amino acids
in a hydrophobic domain, which is preceded by two arginine residues. These same amino acids
are present in ALL plant PPOs examined, and this sequence is characteristic of lumen-targeted
proteins.
The functional role of PPO in plants is not completely understood, but a role in plant defense is indicated in some species.
PPO involvement with insect feeding.
A dose gradient of PPO levels in potato genotypes has been shown to correlate with suitability for Colorado potato beetle growth and development (Castanera et al., 1996). On the other hand, Urbanska (Urbanska et al., 1998) reported that some insects have PPO in their saliva. The proposed beneficial function of this insect PPO was to convert detrimental phenolic compounds to more benign forms, thus enhancing nutritional value to the insect.
———————————–
The Arctic Apples were produced using Agrobacterium-based (from soil bacteria
responsible for formation of plant tumors) plant transformation system.
The apples seeds contain also cauliflower mosaic virus (CAMV35s) promoter, gene
from NPTII enzyme, which inactivates a range of aminoglycoside…
This is an outrange! When will you think of the people of this country’s health instead of Corrupt Big Business?
Someone should tell Bill Nye, before his starts singing the praises of any Monsanto or other GMO produce, he should type “France’s 2 year study on GMO produce” into their search window, then after viewing what the GMO produce does to the 4 legged study creatures, go look up the video of Dr. Russell Blaylock comparing the life span of the study creature to that of mankind and extrapolating at what ages you can expect these same damages occurring in ourselves and our children.
You might also ask yourself if it is toxic pollen from these GMO plants that has been decimating our friendly little pollinators (honey bees) instead of, or as well as the pesticides.
If the FDA and USDA remain adamant about not making them label GMO produce, then perhaps we should go into reverse gear here. Maybe we can’t make them label the GMO, but we can darned sure refuse to buy any food that does not clearly label their product as containing non GMO
produce. If we refuse to buy the toxic stuff they offer, they won’t have a market.
My local beekeeper is leaning to a “cumulative insult” view on the bees, they are stressed from many levels and their is nasty mite that chokes their airways that is getting harder to kill, naturally it’s an imported pest from…China. DO NOT BUY ANY HONEY FROM CHINA BTW–it’s all adulterated GMO corn syrup and loaded with pesticide.
Nye is probably too busy hitching a ride with Shill Clinton or Prince Albert on their private greenhouse gas megajets to they can discuss “Climate Change” and how all those little people just need to be managed like farm animals. Speaking of which that’s where we are, on the last page of Orwell’s. “Animal Farm”.
We have a right to know what is in our food. Some cattle who were fed gmos became ill. gmos have not been tested for adverse effects on humans but have caused cancer in rats. If you dont smoke; why drink milk containing rbst. The same effects as smokeing four packs of cigaretts a day?
It even in cheese, butter and other dairy products. The long term damage to humans has not been
determiend . The states have the right to label their own foods. gmo. processed foods are not natural
and can do major harm. The company whos makeing big bucks on gmos. could care less.
Insist on labeling . Frankenfoods are dangerous and are a horrible misuse of science.
Disgusting ……………. So sorry for the large caps (sic).
GMO products are creating quite a lot of side effects; i have experienced it already personally and moved to organic; but everyone one cannot afford to ; please stop these gmos;
To Kannan and everyone,
Yes, it’s true it can be expensive if you just walk into a health food store and try to buy all your groceries there, but over the years I have found that telling the managers, even at the large chain stores, the organic and non GMO foods that I want them to carry, has a great impact. Every time I set foot in a store I make the request again. It works, they like the money, ya know. Also I have found many organics at our local grocery outlet, discounted foods, and even the 99 cent store. Really, check it out. Takes a lot of label reading to do this non poison diet right, but it is worth it. The label reading goes faster as you become aware of what to look for. Thanks for this site and many others with a true consciousness for humanity, people are becoming more and more Aware. I agree with you completely, that we need to Stop GMO foods.
How am I suppose to not afford for you to kill my future generation by modifying my food #proectmykidsagainstgmofoods #saynotogmo
My mom showed me GMO tomatoes does not have a smell. #Godsfoodnotgmo #saynotogmo
Regarding non browning apples: I recently purchased an organic granny smith apple at Whole Foods in Chapel Hill, NC. I cut it in half and forgot to wrap up the half not used. I found it on the counter the next day it did not turn brown. I left it out for a week just to see what would happen and it still is not brown just dry. I must wonder if the non browning apples are already out there???
Hope you brought that apple to the produce manager at Whole Foods.
Jan, about four months ago I bought a bag of potatoes from Trader Joes, and I did a non browning test on them, and they did not brown, though left sitting out for 3 days. My husband didn’t want to believe it, and to be sure, we did the test again. Next thing, we called the local Trader Joes,went there and showed the manager and spoke with him about our concerns, and wanted them to find out what was up with these obvious GMO potatoes in their store, and get back to us. We approached them several times about this, and though it has been 4 months, and the response from them was, ” Our source of the potatoes said that they were organic, and non GMO, and they would Not Test them “. They know we cannot find out all the info on their products because they block it with their name, because they want us to believe they don’t have any GMOs in their products, as that is what they proclaim. I have tried for years to find out more about their ingredients, and it’s nigh impossible, and I find that so much BS!
Yes, I do believe you’re right, Barbara. My niece that doesn’t think she needs to worry about GMOs and other hazardous foods and things, until she is old, has been buying the non browning, pre-sliced apples, in a bag, from Wally mart for nearly 2 years. What else are we not aware of, eh? We need to ban together on an unprecedented Grand scale and eliminate these crimes against not only human health, but the health of every living thing on our precious planet. Please vote on line and speak out.
Well I guess there is a reason that I only knew two people with cancer when I was growing up 1939-1962. Then they started dropping like flies and now even worse it has become big business with massive wealth being generated by corps who caused this massive proliferation of this disease while the victims suffer and die and their relatives just suffer until their turn comes. It is a sad commentary on our society to allow this to happen. It does not speak of love except the love of money which always leads to disaster.
Cancer is not a disease. It is your body’s self-defense mechanism to segregate and CONTAIN free radical damage caused by toxic chemicals (hydrogenated oils, glyphosate, synthetic estrogen and thousands more FDA approved chemicals that are banned in the EU, Japan, etc). The body supports cancer and does not attack it because cancer is PROTECTING the body. It is the third line of defense. The first line is vitamins such as vitamin C to bind and carry away the toxins. Since what little vitamin C Americans get is depleted by pain killers (aspirin and NSAIDs), the body has to employ the second line of defense, infection. Anaerobic bacteria, fungi and viruses break down toxins to potent for the liver and kidneys to remove. Since Americans are also vaccine victims, not much help there either. So, the body then uses its own cells, converting them from aerobic to anaerobic to handle this emergency situation. But, anaerobic digestion is a VERY slow process. The cancerous mass is forced to grow in response to more agricultural and pharmaceutical sales hype toxins. Then doctors come in to cut, burn and poison the cancer defense mechanism, effectively breaking the bag and spilling the content throughout the body where it inevitably spreads and forces the body into a futile attempt to save itself again.
Thank you, William. Very well said. Seems no one else is saying this, either out of ignorance, fear or greed. I began reading Edgar Cayce books at 12 years old and became aware that many medical proclamations are based on nothing but a very unconscious lust for power, and a real disregard for the health of humanity.
Do I have your permission to share your comment on line or otherwise?
Do you know if Cayce had anything to say on the subject of fasting? That’s another one dismissed by the “experts” for so long but suddenly I see a PBS production validating it.
Out of all my parents’ generation (the WW2s) I had just one aunt get it before their 80s, she had gotten irradiated heavily by the fools in the 50s who thought that was good for her skin condition. (There is an horrific history of rad abuse they leave out of the books now). The heavy smokers didn’t even get it, they died of heart disease before they ever got cancer. The “alt” med people look better the more the years go by. I remember in the 70s when “antioxidants” “free radicals” and “essential fatty acids” were health food store literature dismissed by the “official” med people (who Linus Pauling outlived by 20 years even though he was immersed in chem labs back in the days when they hardly even used fume hoods).
Just about all media depends on advertising revenue. Over a 100 years ago,
John D Rockefeller, creed. “Own nothing, control everything” with control of 50 companies and the largest controller of Pharmaceuticals, perfected the control of the ‘Media’ by controlling advertising money. Only what ‘John D’ approved was allowed to be printed or lose his advertising money. Then proceeded to buy States and Federals Laws and regulations and buy Medical Schools by threatening to with holding financing. Also originated and financed the AMA to control all of medicine.
The whole story is on the internet, Research; ‘rockefeller drugs’
‘John D’ then turned to Raw Milk. Our healthiest food, to destroy and control the publics confidence in real Milk’s. We now have Pasteurized Milk with toxic additives, produced by the poorest milk producing Cows.
Those who have doubt about about the side effects of GMO’s with roundup inside the seeds! Just google
Dr Judy Carmen study at the University of Austral a very objective scientific study of the effects that
GMO’s have on the digestive tract causing cancer. It seems like Monsanto is willing to roll the dice with
are health with the FDA in their pocket, and turning the other way!
Dez,
Not to mention that milk, or at least they call it that, is now being sold through the Wally mart brand, and not sure where else, that has a special sweetener in it, and you won’t believe what it is. It is (Aspartame), yep, it’s true, wish it wasn’t. After all, who really wants to ingest, and or especially give to children, anything with pure poison in it? There is a lot of info on line about aspartame, but I found the documentary (Sweet Misery), (can be seen on Youtube or NetFlix), and Dr. Mercola’s website to be most helpful, as the substance and it’s many dreadful side effects are listed. Please pass along this important information.
Remember, GMO means “RoundUp Ready”…. able to withstand higher doses of poison. The active ingredient in RoundUp is GLYPHOSATE, which is an ADJUVANT – a substance that intensifies allergic reactions to any antigen…. in other words, you don’t have to be allergic to the food or the whatever genetic engineering they did, but you’ll just generally become more allergic to anything capable of provoking a response when this food is in your system. That’s worse nut allergies, more asthma, etc.
There’s already a big problem with “superweeds” that RoundUp doesn’t kill. But don’t worry, pharma has a fix, it’s another…GMO derived herbicide. I think this one is made by Lilly.
I just keep thinking, wouldn’t it be better if people didn’t eat like pigs? Everywhere I turn I see people hogging on food that is obviously bad for you (soda pop and cupcakes for the rotund mom and daughter in line ahead of me last night)–but all the federally-mandated PSAs on our local radio are about Global Warming, the whooping cough and that stupid “Smokey the Bear hugged me” commercial.
Couple things about Nye: his vids are entertaining but shallow. I’ve been in the room about 50 times now when they were shown to kids and all they seem to remember is the these song! Lots of boucy graphics, sound effects–let me tell you that is the last thing this generation needs, they need to slow down and FOCUS!
Nye was curiously called onto CNN to comment on Fukishima (he’s not a nuclear engineer just a BS in ME) and fumbled it badly, confusing key details about boron and fissionable elements. This episode was once on wikipedia but has disappeared.
Not surprising he caved to an establishment power. Like the other neo-cult of so-called “skeptics” they don’t seem to “skeptical” about much of anything supported by institutions with money and power. In California the anti-prop 37 labeling law campaign featured a Stanford professor who disgraced himself by proclaiming there was no difference between GMO and grafting onto root stock. There is a consistent pattern with this bunch, they’re “all in” for fluoride, global warming oops make that climate change, and always seem to suck up to more top-down federal government interventions which reduce citizen’s real choices. One their pseudo-gurus, Shermer, has a gig lecturing in economics! Did any of these people exhibit any “skepticism” about repealing Glass-Steagal or questioning “Too Big To Fail”? But Rand Paul is a “nut” for questioning the Fed?!