The FDA lied by omission about GE salmon, and Monsanto is attempting an end-run around USDA rules for GE beets. The stock market seems to be telling the true story.
But before we get into the latest political news about genetically engineered food, let’s take a moment to look at some recent science news. A recent study published in the journal Nature found that what we eat creates genetic changes—which may then be passed on to our children. Our genes are controlled by billions of chemical markers on our DNA. And these chemical markers can be affected by many lifestyle factors, the most important of which is diet. While the genes themselves generally don’t change, what they are “told to do” is changed by the food we eat (both quality and amount) and the chemicals we breathe or ingest. In this study, a group of rats was given a high fat diet, and they developed symptoms of diabetes. When they reproduced, the rats’ offspring were not overweight—but their ability to produce insulin was impaired. Researchers think the sperm cells from the obese rats had a different pattern of epigenetic marks on their DNA, which created the insulin resistance in their pups.
It should come as no surprise, then, that genetically engineered foods are causing terrible genetic changes in mammal offspring. Scientists are seeing birth defects, high infant mortality rates, and sterility in hamsters, rats, and livestock fed genetically engineered soy and corn. Some hamster pups even begin growing hair inside their mouths. What we eat changes the biology of our children and our children’s children, and may harm them irreparably.
With this in mind, back to government policy. Remember Frankenfish? It turns out that the FDA knowingly withheld the revelation that both the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) testified at a 2003 hearing that genetically engineered salmon must not be kept in open-water net pens because these transgenic salmon would threaten and adversely affect wild Atlantic salmon, currently on the Endangered Species List!
In an email, FWS staff wrote to NOAA and said, “Shortly after the Atlantic salmon was listed as endangered, several of us from USFWS and NMFS spent 2 days down in Maryland meeting with AquaBounty [creators of the bio-engineered salmon] and FDA about development of genetically engineered salmon and discussion around the need for FDA to engage in Section 7 consultation with the Services. We never heard a peep out of FDA or AquaBounty after that.”
In other words, even though such preliminary discussions with these expert fishery services took place, and the Services said such a hatchery operation must be prohibited, FDA never made this information public during the public hearings about AquAdvantage salmon. AquaBounty, of course, claims (with no proof) that the fish pose no threat to marine environments.
Then we have genetic engineering giant Monsanto. They paired with the German company KWS SAAT AG, one of the world’s leading plant breeders, to produce a variety of sugar beets containing the Roundup Ready gene. This gene ensures that the beets will tolerate applications of extremely toxic Roundup agricultural herbicides. But as we reported last year, a US district court ruled that they couldn’t proceed with production until the USDA completed a full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), which will be ready in May 2012.
Monsanto and KWS didn’t want to wait. They filed a petition with the USDA for “partial deregulation,” which would allow them to continue production of the GE beets while the research for the EIS was ongoing—in other words, to let them totally circumvent the rules. And the USDA is considering it, and is accepting public comment on it for thirty days (hence our Action Alert below).
Sales of Montanto’s Roundup herbicide have collapsed this year under an onslaught of low-priced generics made in China. But that’s the least of Monsanto’s troubles. Weeds are becoming resistant to Roundup, dimming the future of the entire Roundup Ready crop franchise. This will lead to uncontrolled growth of “superweeds,” which may require ever more toxic herbicides—to everyone’s peril. On top of that, the Justice Department is investigating Monsanto for possible antitrust violations!
AquaBounty Technologies stock still hasn’t recovered from its losses this September after the FDA panel requested a delay in the approval of AquAdvantage salmon to study more of the data. Clearly the public’s confidence in genetically engineered foods is weakening.
A New Action Alert
Please write to the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, and ask them not to approve partial deregulation of GE sugar beets. Until the EIS is completed, no one can say how much these genetically engineered organisms will harm the environment. Monsanto should not be allowed to play fast and loose with the regulations, potentially endangering our health. Please take action today!
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TO SEND YOUR MESSAGE TO THE USDA Click THIS LINK to go to the Action Alert page. Once there, fill out the form with your name and address, etc., and customize your letter. We have a suggested message for you, but please feel free to add your own comments to the letter. |
USDA: We have told you for years that we do not want GM foods, you are allowing it in the market place to be consumed. It is now contaminating non GM crops. We still do not want it. If you do nothing more for us (the concerned consumer) give us absolute Truth in labeling of products, anything less is shameful. Thank you for reading this. Rodney
We need to stop talking and try some action. Change some laws and treat these corporate pigs like they should be treated. Crimes against humanity and mass murder is punishable by law. Ask chemical Ali!
USDA: We have told you for years that we do not want GM foods, you are allowing it in the market place to be consumed. It is now contaminating non GM crops. We still do not want it. If you do nothing more for us (the concerned consumer) give us absolute Truth in labeling of products, anything less is shameful. Thank you for reading this. Rodney
USDA: We have told you for years that we do not want GM foods, you are allowing it in the market place to be consumed. It is now contaminating non GM crops. We still do not want it. If you do nothing more for us (the concerned consumer) give us absolute Truth in labeling of products, anything less is shameful. Thank you for reading this. Rodney
USDA: We have told you for years that we do not want GM foods, you are allowing it in the market place to be consumed. It is now contaminating non GM crops. We still do not want it. If you do nothing more for us (the concerned consumer) give us absolute Truth in labeling of products, anything less is shameful. Thank you for reading this. Rodney
USDA: We have told you for years that we do not want GM foods, you are allowing it in the market place to be consumed. It is now contaminating non GM crops. We still do not want it. If you do nothing more for us (the concerned consumer) give us absolute Truth in labeling of products, anything less is shameful. Thank you for reading this. Rodney
USDA: We have told you for years that we do not want GM foods, you are allowing it in the market place to be consumed. It is now contaminating non GM crops. We still do not want it. If you do nothing more for us (the concerned consumer) give us absolute Truth in labeling of products, anything less is shameful. Thank you for reading this. Rodney
USDA: We have told you for years that we do not want GM foods, you are allowing it in the market place to be consumed. It is now contaminating non GM crops. We still do not want it. If you do nothing more for us (the concerned consumer) give us absolute Truth in labeling of products, anything less is shameful. Thank you for reading this. Rodney
Thank you for your watchdog on what is trying to be passed off to the unsuspecting public. Personally think (strongly) that many, many of todays illness is due to our diet. Man was not supposed to be ingesting all these modern pesticides, fertilizers, additatives , antibiotics. etc. Enough is enough – Thanks for keeping us informed.
Thank you for your watchdog on what is trying to be passed off to the unsuspecting public. Personally think (strongly) that many, many of todays illness is due to our diet. Man was not supposed to be ingesting all these modern pesticides, fertilizers, additatives , antibiotics. etc. Enough is enough – Thanks for keeping us informed.
Thank you for your watchdog on what is trying to be passed off to the unsuspecting public. Personally think (strongly) that many, many of todays illness is due to our diet. Man was not supposed to be ingesting all these modern pesticides, fertilizers, additatives , antibiotics. etc. Enough is enough – Thanks for keeping us informed.
Thank you for your watchdog on what is trying to be passed off to the unsuspecting public. Personally think (strongly) that many, many of todays illness is due to our diet. Man was not supposed to be ingesting all these modern pesticides, fertilizers, additatives , antibiotics. etc. Enough is enough – Thanks for keeping us informed.
Thank you for your watchdog on what is trying to be passed off to the unsuspecting public. Personally think (strongly) that many, many of todays illness is due to our diet. Man was not supposed to be ingesting all these modern pesticides, fertilizers, additatives , antibiotics. etc. Enough is enough – Thanks for keeping us informed.
Thank you for your watchdog on what is trying to be passed off to the unsuspecting public. Personally think (strongly) that many, many of todays illness is due to our diet. Man was not supposed to be ingesting all these modern pesticides, fertilizers, additatives , antibiotics. etc. Enough is enough – Thanks for keeping us informed.
Thank you for your watchdog on what is trying to be passed off to the unsuspecting public. Personally think (strongly) that many, many of todays illness is due to our diet. Man was not supposed to be ingesting all these modern pesticides, fertilizers, additatives , antibiotics. etc. Enough is enough – Thanks for keeping us informed.
A very important article on Monsanto and very scary, but par for the course. This is criminal.
Difficult to beat the big boys.
j
Tlhank you for all you do to expose the dangers that are in our food supplies and the push to label foods that are altered. Unfortunately Monsanto is tied in with mega agricultlure that is fiinancially supported by our tax dollars. This causes expense to organic and heritage farmers due to contamination and the strong arm tactics used against competing small farmers by Monsanto. One by one they are putting the ethical farmers out of business.
And by the way, how is it Monsanto can get a patent for a genetically engineered beet seed that is so different than any others, they win the patent…and then at the same time claim that the beet is so the same as all other beets that they do not have to label that their beet is any different, ie, genetically engineered?
The majority of the public is unaware so it is our job to educate as many people as possible. Supporting Monsanto in anyway, including owning their stock, is criminal.
I here Bill Gates is a substiantial holder of Monsanto’s stock..To bad I use to think he was one of the good guys~?
I tried to respond to the action alert for the GE beets but i kept getting a message that said my email was registered under another account and i was not able to move forward. I tried multiple times. Now, when the screen first came up, all the information was filled in for my son who had used my computer once to respond to one of your action alerts. i changed the name & email to mine, but kept getting that error message. please advise me as to what i should do, because i really want to be able to help this cause!
Nancy, scroll to the very top of the page when you are looking at the newsletter article. At the top if it says, “Welcome, [name]!” please click below where it says “[Logout]”. This should eliminate the error you’re encountering.
Somehow we think irrationally that pesticides that kill insects and pests will not affect humans, yet we are have dna that is similar ??
Maybe we need to genetically modify the human body to tolerate all the pesticides and chemicals we are being unknowingly exposed to today!
Profits trumps sanity ?
No matter what you or i do will change nothing. the big corps. have all the power. Once you really under stand the system and who weilds the power (its not our government); the sooner you’ll realize the predicament we are all in- all nations. They will entirely take over the food system, there will be no organic (except perhaps w/ lax standards that deep it essentially gmo); notice how all food companys get bought out by the bigs and then mysterious ingredients start to show up on the label ie natural flavors. Well this is how it is going to go down. Our money system is debt based, its imposible under this system of top down control to have anything other that the monsantos of this world to take over the entire food supply- trying to go to senators, legislators does nothing. The only thing to do is grow your own food support local (while its still there) and boycott all the corporate food- short of that your spinning your wheels and getting frusterated- like i was untill i researched what, why, and how this is happening; it is globalism and it is happening all over the world. The usa is being restructured right now being liquidated so to speak, china is in a growth state now by 2050 or so they want us all to be the same. Totalitarianism for the planet- gmo’s will be our entire food supply. this is all fact.
Well said.
Monsanto’s record is one highly toxic anti-human “product” after another. Clearly Monsanto is politically protected by those who agree with the dark genocidal agenda Monsanto seems to have. Monsanto and the CIA are joined at the hip and are implementing the UN’s Agenda 21 which includes a reduction of this earth’s population.
http://www.gmwatch.org/gm-firms-mobile/10595-monsanto-a-history
The agenda to indirectly murder us has been sanctioned by those controlling our country. To think this highly advanced country could be taking one genocidal step after another by “mistake” dooms us.
Thank you for bringing more awareness to this subject. Our children alone are testimony, for how geneticly engineered food is effecting there physical development, and pre mature puberty.
The answer is so simple for all of us. God has given us the answer to how we should eat and what we should not eat and you’ll find it in Leviticus. For all these individual companies, drug companies to the FDA, is but nonsense. The one who created us knows what is good for us…for those that are messing around with mother nature are saying to God…you didn’t do it right, so we’re going to. When I see, read or hear about these things, the one thing that comes to mind is…greed! The other thing is caring nothing for their fellowman and without a doubt slapping God in the face. I have NO doubt in my mind, God is keeping note as to what these people are doing and why. And if they don’t turn it around and do what is right…they will be standing in front of him at the judgement and explaining their selves and they just may not make it into his kingdom. Some may think this won’t happen, but the one thing about our creator is, He doesn’t lie. As you can see, I’m fed up with these type of people and the way they like to twist and turn things to get their way.
Monsanto & all supporters need Boycoted. Not buying produts would be a start.
t should come as no surprise, that genetically engineered foods are causing terrible genetic changes in mammal offspring. Scientists are seeing birth defects, high infant mortality rates, and sterility in hamsters, rats, and livestock fed genetically modified soy and corn. Some hamster pups even begin growing hair inside their mouths. What we eat changes the biology of our children and our children’s children, and may harm them irreparably.
What more needs to be said?
Monsanto should not be allowed to play fast and loose with the regulations, potentially endangering our health. Is MONEY the only important thing left in our culture….? Please help.
Thank you,
Kind regards,
Julie
Very true, Julie. We reference the GM hamster study that caused sterility and growth of hair in the mouth in our May articles here: http://www.anh-usa.org/genetically-modified-food-more-reason-to-avoid-them-and-why-they-threaten-organic-agriculture/
Genetically engineered food should not even be considered food. The FDA needs to get out of the pockets of big agribusiness and protect us instead.
One day Monsanto and everyone in bed with them will suffer the way they have allowed innocent people to suffer by unknowingly consuming DNA-mutated, pesticide-laden Frankenfood deemed as “safe.” All for money.
Allowing these genetically altered foods to go on market is allowing a possible genetic alteration to take place in future generations and who knows what the negative results could be. New generations will have to be genetically tested and only allowed to marry within the same genetic code.
The US government will be held responsible for allowing companies to produce and distribute mutagenic products, carcinogenic products, and eventually will be asked to answer to the fact that they are allowing living things to be cloned, mutated and patented. This is not legal, but these companies- Monsanto- is setting a precedent every time they are allowed to genetically modify a living thing and then put a patent on it.
There was a time, just under 20 years ago, when you could not put a patent on a plant and now Monsanto through cloning and genetic modification is getting around this an is not being held accountable for propagation that occurs later between natural and GMO organisms. This should stop now before there is too much chaos in the food chain within these species.
Monsanto will be held accountable, and will probably break into smaller companies to try to flee from the penalties while still committing further crimes in the name of mass food control and greed.
The US government and the FDA is ultimately responsible and Monsanto knows it. As long as Monsanto has key power operators in government, they will continue to push through each stage in their journey toward world food supply power and control. It’s a crime on so many levels, but if the federal government doesn’t step up soon, the Federal Government will have to deal with the problems that will mount.
Once can continue a discourse on this and the many related topics. The FDA must be stronger and do their job in ever position and ever level. They have too many weaknesses and have always shown signs of vulnerability when it comes to being swayed by powerful corporations and the money/power behind them.
Write you local politicians and make your voice heard. Write the FDA and demand that they take action. Write the president and take up his email, phone lines or time. Boycott products and eat natural produce that is locally grown. Speak with your wallet and your paycheck.
There are more of us than there are of them, and they wouldn’t exist without our support, so let’s withdraw our support.
It doesn’t seem to matter anymore about health.or assinine theories about jobs,or
CORPORATE PROFITS WHY can we not demand of our representatives in the GOV. to PLEASE yield to common sense , and the health and welfare of the CITIZENS ,not only of THIS country ,but the PLANET .MONSANTO seems to have its’ own seat in congress .I would love to see our PRESIDENT wake up and demand Congress to be more “Morally REsponsible “..This so called
Conservative crap does NOT represent ANY forward thinking individual in this Country…It’s all about FEAR mongering CRAP . DONE
It’s unfathomable to me how the FDA, FTC and other agencies turn their back on the people who they are sworn to protect. Primary and only focus is on lining the pockets of Big Pharma, Monsanto and food manufacturers that can get away with injecting poisons in our foods and yet have no concern about the ill effects of the products on the consumers. This is clearly criminal activity and those, primarily the execs of these businesses should be held accountable for the decisions they make. Unfortunately, the government is too weak-kneed to do anything about it. This is exactly the kind of situation that has led to the collapse of many empires in the past. And America today is headed down the same road because greed, corruption and the lust for power prevails in the highest positions of government and industry.
Monsanto just purchased (Blackwater) Ze and this could be very dangerous for countries that have refused to plant their GE seeds, or Monsanto has decided that they can make lots of profits by renting out these Mercenaries to the US Gov.
I feel that Monsanto will use the investigative arm of Ze to put pressure on all country Governments that they want to force their products on, whether the citizens want it or not. If they refuse GE products then Ze could do some arm twisting.
Anyway about it, Huge corporations like Monsanto have no business owning a company that gets things done by force.
I believe Monsanto should be investigated for lots of shady operations and I think they should not be able to patent any living things. All GE seeds should be destroyed and none should be allowed to be planted anywhere in this world.The science on this is not precise and we don’t know how much damage they can do to what nature has created for all of us to benefit from
I heard about this purchase of Ze by Monsanto btw it only seems to follow what they have already been doing. ( Have you not seen the documentary “Food, Inc.” ? ) Maybe getting the word out to as many people out there and seeking out those who do not use GM stuff in terms of our eating. I believe Monsanto’s mission is ultimately to be the controlling force of food. What better way to enforce that mission than to own the organization that has no ethical morality in enforcement?
Corporations like Monsanto and KWS SAAT know the FDA and USDA are a wholly owned subsidiary of theirs. They use these government agencies to get their way and then fight us using our democracy against us. Thanks for keeping us informed.
AS A NURSE-NUTRITIONIST I AM WELL AWARE THAT PESTICIDES LIKE ROUND-UP CAUSE EPIGENETIC DAMAGE WHICH IN TURN CAUSES ALL MANNER OF DISEASES AND DISORDERS. ROUND-UP IS ALREADY ASSOCIATED WITH MULTIPLE MYELOMA–A TYPE OF CANCER. NO ONE SHOULD BE EATING FOOD SPRAYED WITH ANY TYPE OF PESTICIDE, BUT ROUND-UP READY CROPS WILL BE EVEN MORE HEAVILY PESTICIDE CONTAMINATED THAN STANDARD CROPS.
THE USDA NEEDS TO WAKE UP PUT THE SAFETY OF PEOPLE OVER THE PROFITS OF MONSANTO.
If you knowly want to allow great dammage to humans and other life that GOD has created you will have to pay.It’s will be death a slow one but they will pay dearly for it.I know all involed won’nt be eating it them selves. murder for money it’s that simple!!! WILL YOU WAKEUP FOR GOD if not for humans………..MAY GOD SEE YOUR DEAD HEART………
When I was little I was scared of monsters like Frankenstein, Godzilla, the Wolfman, etc. Now that I am an adult I am scared by monsters with names like Monsanto, AquaBounty, Roundup, etc. Well you get the picture. These monsters are much more scary!!! Lord, help us all!!!
don’t forget those folks are rapidly acquiring patents on seed species. yes ! these monsters are in lockstep with our friends, the bilderburgers. world wide control of the food supply kids. check out “codex alimentarius”. financial control, arms control of the populace, we all know what’s next ! one need not be a rocket scientist. haarp, the iss up there in space for ” research” ! anybody heard of anything that space monster has done yet ? i didn’t think so.
Don’t mess our food supply
We need to really stop the genetic modfeied crops because of the unknowns to human life in the long run specally since it 20 years for one generation for us. We are seeing the terrible things that are happening to those that have short time genarations and the side effects.
Not only is mansanto working on this Round-Up resistant product – they are also working on a suicide gene. Yup – that’s right. One planting from the seed and all that is producted from it is sterile. That is even scarier than the round-up resistant product.
He Who Controls The Food – Controls the World!
The FDA better get off their butts and do something about all of this or we will all be begging at Mansanto’s door for food scraps and believe me – THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT THEY WANT!
Silence is Acceptance. If you are not speaking out about GM foods, then you are accepting them. We must continue to be the collective voice of reason, or else we will be betting on the safety of our children. And I don’t like the odds! I clicked on the link and sent my concern to the USDA. In addition, I’ve ordered copies of the Non-GMO Shopping Guide and will be sending some to the offices of my Congressman.
What about DNA transfer into microorganisms, usually found in our soil, by GMO and sanctioned
by the US Dept of Agriculture? What is that doing to “Mother Earth’s” normal soil flora?
In the mid 1990s and on, degerminated wheat seed cultured with a mass produced fungal organism, Aspergillus Flavus 36 was dropped by air to farm land all over the United States. The
theory behind this effort was to erradicate the organism, Aspergillus Flavus.
Aspergillus Flavus is Aflotoxic, Aspergillis Flavus 36 is not, Crops that contain more than 20%
Aflotoxin are destroyed costing millions in lost farm revenue. Aflotoxin is toxic to humans and animals.
This effort to reduce Aflotoxin at the market was quite successful because the organism
Aspergllus Flavus 36 is more aggressive and dominates, replaceing Aspergillus Flavus.
The dumping of this aggressive mass produced organism was done in conjunction with the use
of BT Cotton and other “BT” DNA Coded Plants. BT (Bacillus Thuringiensis) can transfer it’s DNA
across Kingdoms. This Bacterium has a DNA code that allows it to burn its way in to just about
anything to gain entrance. Do you see the advantage of adding this tranferrable DNA to the
DNA of seed to enhance germination? Yep, more bang for your seed buck. At least in theory.
But, what if that same transferable BT DNA, also found through out the root system of the plant
and leaching into the soil, is assimilated by other organisms in the soil? Of course, that will happen. WHAT will happen is discerning, Can this Kingdom-crossing transferable DNA then add
itself to other microorganisms giving them the ability to “burn their way in”. Are we changing our
soil’s normal flora and will it include more aggressive and potentially pathogenic organisms?
Considering increasing health problems and concerns about unsolved mystery diseases, like
Morgellons Disease, not to mention what is happening to the ecosystems in Sea Water near
our irragation run off, I am thinking we have problem on our hands.
Yes, there is something very powerful we can all do immediately. Please click these links to learn more. Be patient, they take a little time to form from a black screen.
POWEREFUL 11:11 GLOBAL LINK UP
or
http://www.eraofpeace.org/11-11-11.php
and
http://www.eraofpeace.org/11-11-11.php
Remember, we still have full control of our brains, and linked together en masse, we are much more powerful than a few greedy corporations.We will triumph.
If, as those who espouse GM foods have persuaded the FDA to rule, that GM foods do not require such a notice on those foods because there is no inherent danger in such foods, why is there such a strong (and now legal) prohibition against such a label?
Just think folks if it was’nt for the scientest and all the chemical crap they have dumped on the planet and called for the good of mankind. How would california be able to make there statement found on many of the the products that are bought?
(This product contains chemicals known to the state of California to cause cancer)
A week ago I read a report about how many drug related deaths yearly there were it was about 140,000 in the US. alone and that was compared to nateral remidies at a BIG 0.0 yearly. WHY????
(More scientist)
PBB PCP AND ALL THE REST
THE ANWSER GET SCIENTEST OFF THE PLANET
I BELIEVE THEY THINK WE ALL HAVE OUR HEADS IN THE SAND
Dear FDA,
I long for the day when you will dissociate yourselves from the deep pockets of Big Pharma and Big Agro and Frankenfood industries.
You are all over the small supplement and raw food companies like big brother on steroids, when their harmless, natural products don’t even come close to the dangerous products you allow the Big Pharma and GM food companies to put on the market place. It is such a disgrace! You allow murcury (Thimerasol) in childhood vaccines without long term studies and hold Big pharma immune from liabilities, thanks to corrupt laws that protect them. You allow GM foods to spoil the naturla and organic diversities of nature and risk the public health in so doing.
The fact the Aspartame and saccharin are still on the market, is a total crime and proof of the corrupting power of big money in the revolving door of FDA and Big business.
Why do you always let these big monopolies set the agenda and get away with literally murder with their endless toxic products? Whe a drug company finds value in a supplement like Pyrodoxamin (a derivative of vitamin B-6), you will pull the supplement off the market so theat Big Pharma can monopolize it. What insanity that is. You are supposed to serve the interest of the public, NOT the interests of Big Business.
I was shocked to learn that the USDA is considering the authorization of Roundup Ready sugar beets before you have completed the Environmental Impact Statement on the crop. Last August, a federal district court judge in California ruled that your agency had not vetted the environmental impacts of Monsanto’s Roundup Ready sugar beets. The judge even chided you, saying it really should have been done before your agency deregulated the sugar beets in 2005, and accused APHIS of not taking the court case seriously.
There are many environmental concerns with these genetically modified crops, like cross-pollination with other crops such as table beets and Swiss chard–GE plants could easily contaminate conventional and organic seeds and crops because sugar beets are wind pollinated and their pollen can travel long distances. Moreover, there is already evidence of weeds becoming resistant to Roundup and similar pesticides. This will lead to uncontrolled growth of “superweeds,” which may require ever more toxic herbicides–to everyone’s peril.
Of greatest concern is the fact that no long-term health studies on the effects of eating GE foods has been conducted by any government agency. Studies done on hamsters fed GE soy reveal genetic abnormalities in second- and third-generation offspring, and livestock fed GE corn are becoming sterile or are subject to a higher rate of birth defects. It is madness to assume that humans will not be similarly affected.
I believe Monsanto is attempting to manipulate the system by petitioning the USDA for partial deregulation. Please do not allow any deregulation or any other administrative action that would allow the continued cultivation of Roundup Ready sugar beets until the Environmental Impact Statement is completed in May 2012.
Sincerely,
Dear USDA and FDA,
The hunger issue that you are trying to combat is not going to get any better with GMO foods. Yes, more people will be able to afford this type of food, but they might suffer from other problems, like allergies or maybe even severe diseases that could be incurable. It makes absolutely no difference whether they die early from hunger or with a full stomach from an illness. Hunger can be reduced at least somewhat if people start to grow their own food. Any type of food that is not cultivated naturally, without the use of chemicals or genetic alteration, cannot be beneficial in any way. If you promote GM food, you will contaminate organic produce that many other individuals buy and wild plants, decreasing biodiversity and possibly leading to unpreventable issues.