View Full Version : Corp. Ag spending millions to stop GMO labeling...
Tussiemussies
10-8-12, 12:44am
http://www.motherearthnews.com/nature-and-community/big-ag-against-prop.-37.aspx
I'm hoping consumers WAKE UP, Re:.
Incredibly discerning how everything revolves around such secrecy nowadays...
This thread reminds me of a thread topic posted (a while back) related to "slowing down". People nowadays are sooo busy and sooo preoccupied with their own little dream worlds, that second-glances and questioning, have become secondary, and that, as we can see, is a dangerous thing.
Society needs to SLOW DOWN, and in turn, start paying attention more in the way of what affects our daily lives, particularly in the way of health. We need to take a proactive approach to ensuring the safety and betterment of our future. If we did, battles such as the one currently underway would never take hold, they'd be stiffed and suppressed immediately.
To add, and to think the control we have regarding. Unlimited!
In my mind GMO's represent a bigger threat overall than climate change. At least with climate change species will evolve on their own to adapt to changing conditions. Forced evolution may not blend as well into natural selection.
In my mind GMO's represent a bigger threat overall than climate change. At least with climate change species will evolve on their own to adapt to changing conditions. Forced evolution may not blend as well into natural selection.
That is an interesting thought I had not considered, until possibly now. There sure some danger in having the worlds bread basket tied up in a few monocultures or crops. I assume you are getting at the fact that without genetic diversity there is far less chance of major food crops adapting to disease and climate change? Though I'm not aware of many cases where that has been an obvious problem, so far.
It does seem like just recently there has been a lot of bad press on GMOs. The first long term study on health says there is plenty of risk for tumor development. It will be interesting to see where this takes us in terms of further studies and more work on health risk. Also, "super weeds" that are Roundup resistant have been in the news. I suppose if enough Roundup resistant weeds show up, the advantages of GMOs may diminish? I've certainly been looking at labels more closely lately.
Monoculture is ALWAYS a bad idea, but there are other tricks with GMO’s as well. So called "terminator genes" that are designed to grow plants that can not reproduce, the seeds are sterile. The industry lexicon for them is "suicide seeds" which seems sadly ironic. The obvious benefit to the seed company is that farmers have to get back in line every year for more. The down side is that it is theoretically possible for these plants to cross pollinate with standard varieties and also produce sterile seed. If you are an indigenous culture raising traditional crops that could be an immediate threat. It will take a little longer to threaten the rest of us.
Super weeds are already a real problem in a lot of areas. Round-Up ready corn and soy beans were a big hit, the problem is that only so much resistance to the herbicide was built in. Those couple of weeds that survived the chemical Armageddon to reproduce don't have those limits. According to Washington State University the annual increase in the herbicides required to deal with tougher-to-control weeds on cropland planted to genetically modified crops has grown from 1.5 million pounds in 1999 to about 90 million pounds in 2011. Put another way, herbicide use on GM crops is SIXTY TIMES what it was 12 years ago to get the same level of weed control.
And then there is Bt corn. It was meant to be toxic to pests, and it was to almost all of them. But the ones that survived passed that resistance on to their young so now we have super bugs as well. It's earlier on the curve than the herbicide use on super weeds, but pesticide use is now starting to ramp up as well.
Thanks, Greg. I'll have to study up a little on those things. I was not aware of the increased used of herbicides, and if I remember from the health study report, these can incorporate into the cells of the harvest (I'll have to double check that). It does not sound good.
Sheesh, Soylent Green might even be a health risk one of these days.
I'm waiting for the day someone decides we need a variety of corn with gluten in it - or a wheat with peanut genes in it.
Sheesh, Soylent Green might even be a health risk one of these days.
It's peeeeeeople :) I just wanted to talk like Charlton Heston for a second.
I just wanted to talk like Charlton Heston for a second.
I think the Heston quote that most expresses my feelings on modern agricultural practices is:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idsxgLjGXGI
I was sorry to see this did not pass. But I'm a good label-reader and know how pervasive these things are, and what ingredients to look for to avoid them.
Hoping all my friends will protect their families by doing the same, and teaching others how to do the same.
Some day.
Tussiemussies
11-7-12, 10:35am
Pug, I was so sad too -- to see that this did not pass. Monsanto did a huge campaign with commercials, right before the voting went on, stating that it would cost the taxpayer more money if the food had to be labeled. No one in Occupy Monsanto believes this is true.
I think a massive boycott has to start with anything containing corn or soy. I know that Silk soy milk already labels their organic soy milk as non-GMO. I have already stopped eating corn and refuse to buy any corn oil, cornmeal etc.
Change starts from the ground up right? Don't buy their transgenic products. Tell your friends and family not to. Boycott restaurants that serve it. I can't imagine a world in which something as basic as food choice might become unavailable in the future.
I suspect the fight isn't over. I'm not convinced soy is a healthy food anyway, so I rarely eat it, but I do eat corn from time to time. I hope more manufacturers label voluntarily.
Don't forget too all you paleo people that animals are fed the GMO stuff too.
By initiative in this election, my county banned GMO crops from our lands.
Don't forget too all you paleo people that animals are fed the GMO stuff too.
Yeah, and all the Roundup-ready crops are spreading into the surrounding environment, and Monsanto is buying up seed companies. Plenty to worry about, if you're so inclined. You can seek out clean suppliers and hope they stay that way, of course, and store your own seeds.
Good work, bae. I'd like to see that go statewide.
Tussiemussies
11-7-12, 1:20pm
That is great Bae!
ApatheticNoMore
11-7-12, 1:24pm
I think a massive boycott has to start with anything containing corn or soy. I know that Silk soy milk already labels their organic soy milk as non-GMO. I have already stopped eating corn and refuse to buy any corn oil, cornmeal etc.
And sugar. I mean ok eat sugar or don't eat sugar, whatever, but do know that beet sugar is now GMO, so look for cane sugar if you want the sweet stuff as cane sugar is non GMO.
Tussiemussies
11-7-12, 1:28pm
And sugar. I mean ok eat sugar or don't eat sugar, whatever, but do know that beet sugar is now GMO, so look for cane sugar if you want the sweet stuff as cane sugar is non GMO.
Thankfully about 3 years ago I gave up eating sugar. I thought it was sugar beets that are GMO. Isn't most sugar made from cane sugar? Just wondering .
Have stopped eating beets too...I hope the list won't get more extensive. Next year will be a full blown garden and canning.
ApatheticNoMore
11-7-12, 1:37pm
Of course in addition to cane sugar being ok, there's also honey and maple syrup (hey if it's your drug of choice and you have to have it :)). I think at this point most processed goods are made with beet sugar (I believe if a product contains cane sugar it will be specifically labeled "cane sugar" and of course if it's 100% organic it can't be GMO).
Yea the list growing more extensive, that's a problem, that is what the labeling would have slowed a little in addition to just making people aware :(. What I dread: things like GMO salmon, infinite potential to breed with wild salmon which is a WILD species, it's not a chicken or a cow or something, it's a wild species.
Tussiemussies
11-7-12, 1:47pm
Of course in addition to cane sugar being ok, there's also honey and maple syrup (hey if it's your drug of choice and you have to have it :)). I think at this point most processed goods are made with beet sugar (I believe if a product contains cane sugar it will be specifically labeled "cane sugar" and of course if it's 100% organic it can't be GMO).
Yea the list growing more extensive, that's a problem, that is what the labeling would have slowed a little in addition to just making people aware :(. What I dread: things like GMO salmon, infinite potential to breed with wild salmon which is a WILD species, it's not a chicken or a cow or something, it's a wild species.
I know I get concerned that the next thing on their list is tampering with animals. They have already tampered with cows. They are going to control the whole food supply if that happens. I am so glad other countries are making them label.
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