News regarding the dangers of GMOs and biotech, and the advantages of organic sustainable agriculture.
The FDA Should not be Put in Charge of our Farms
Three years ago major concessions were won for small farmers, including an exemption for producers making less than $500,000 a year in sales who also sold most of their food locally. Now it’s all in danger. The FDA had proposed two troubling Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) rules that will drastically hurt small farms. The first one concerns standards for the growing and harvesting of raw agricultural produce, exempting foods that are sterilized by irradiation (even though “nuking” it harms the food’s nutritional value can cause a wide range of health problems). Obviously, organic foods cannot be irradiated, so they will never be exempted. The second amended the FDA’s Current Good Manufacturing Practices (CGMP) guidelines by creating hazards analysis requirements and risk-based protections with lots of detailed recordkeeping. Most farmers will likely need a team of lawyers to make sure they’re complying with the new rule properly. The new rules are written in vague language and geared to discriminate against small farmers and food producers who wish to diversify, as well as give the FDA the right to revoke the above exemption for small farms or facilities, even if there is no proof that the farm is the cause of the outbreak, and even though there may not be an immediate threat to public health!
Norway Issues Warnings About Health Dangers of Farmed Salmon
During the first two weeks of June, reports of farmed salmon toxicity spread through Norwegian news, and on June 16, the Norwegian Health Department actually went on the record warning against eating too much farmed salmon. A large European study involving about 8,000 newborns found that pregnant women with high levels of toxins in their bodies tend to give birth to children with lower birth weight, which in and of itself may have an adverse on the child’s health.
FDA/USDA Begin to Take Action that Could Eliminate Organic Pastured Poultry in Favor of Factory Birds
The government threat to restricting or even eventually eliminating organic pastured chickens is back. Not only is the idea that organic pastured poultry are more dangerous than confined factory birds ridiculous, but the practice of continuing to allow factory chickens to continue using the UDSA organic certification without meeting the requirement of allowing the birds outdoor access, continues to this day. Cheap factory chickens and turkeys fed cheap government subsidized corn, soy, and wheat (much of which is genetically modified) is a big business in the U.S. So don't expect the market of humanely raised poultry outdoors on pastures and organic non-GMO feed to increase too much without a fight from Big Ag and the government agencies that protect them.
Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship Program Seeks to Train More Grass-fed Dairy Farmers
The dairy industry is an important part of Wisconsin's economy, its culture, and its future. Today the state has about 12,000 dairy farms, but each year 500 of those farms go out of business. The average age of farmers is 57 years old and many of these farmers do not have an identified successor. Meanwhile, aspiring dairy farmers face significant barriers to farm ownership. If farm loss continues at the current rate, the dairy industry and the rural communities that depend on it could be decimated in a generation. Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship—the first accredited Apprenticeship for farming in the nation—was specifically created to address this challenge. The Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship of GrassWorks, Inc., is dedicated to providing a guided pathway to independent dairy farm ownership, developing grazing careers, and strengthening the economic and environmental well-being of rural communities and the dairy industry.
France Launches Long-term Study on GMO Health Risks, Ends GMO Field Trials
The research department of the General Commission for Sustainable Development (CGDD) Department of Ecology issued a call for the establishment of a consortium under the research program Risk'OGM, a national research program on the environmental and health risks of GMOs. "The purpose of this call for the creation of a consortium is to investigate the health effects of long-term consumption of GMOs," announced the ministry, which added that the grant to the consortium will be "in the order of 2.5 million euros." Meanwhile, France's last-remaining experimental open field trial of GMOs in France has been stopped. The National Institute of Agronomic Research (INRA) ended the trial by destroying 1000 GM poplars that have grown since 1995 in Saint-Cyr-en-Val, near Orléans (Loiret), a research site of 1300 square meters.
Study: Glyphosate (Roundup) is Estrogenic and Drives Breast Cancer Cell Proliferation in the Parts-Per-Trillion Range
An alarming new study finds that glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup weedkiller, is estrogenic and drives breast cancer cell proliferation in the parts-per-trillion range. Does this help explain the massive mammary tumors that the only long term animal feeding study on Roundup and GM corn ever performed recently found?
Bees dying by the millions
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. “Once the corn started to get planted our bees died by the millions,” Schuit said. He and many others, including the European Union, are pointing the finger at a class of insecticides known as neonicotinoids, manufactured by Bayer CropScience Inc. used in planting corn and some other crops.
US Military Tracks GMO Campaigners and Independent Scientists
The largest German daily newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung has published a shocking article that reveals how Monsanto, the US Military and the US government track both anti-GMO Campaigners and Independent Scientists who study the dangers of GMOs. In a very detailed article the Süddeutsche Zeitung journalists reveal information on how the US Government “advances the interests of their corporations” using Monsanto as an example. After a very detailed introduction into Monsanto and their links to the US government and the security firm Blackwater, Süddeutsche Zeitung asks the question: ‘Is everything allowed in war? Especially in the new-fangled cyber war?’
Farmer Stands up to Government Stealing His Raisins
Defying a a 64-year-old program that gives the U.S. government a heavy-handed power to interfere with the supply and demand for dried grapes by seizing them from farmers without pay, one farmer finally said "no!" He now owes the government 1.2 million pounds of unpaid raisins, roughly equal to his entire harvest for four years.
Why Grass-Fed Beef Is Good For Your Health
Researchers determined a total of 10 key areas where grass-fed is better than grain-fed beef for human health. Contrary to popular arguments, factory farming is not a cheap, efficient solution to world hunger. Feeding huge numbers of confined animals actually uses more food, in the form of grains that could feed humans, than it produces. For every 100 food calories of edible crops fed to livestock, we get back just 30 calories in the form of meat and dairy. That’s a 70 percent loss.
As Biotech GMO Seed Falters, Insecticide Use Surges In Corn Belt
Across the Midwestern corn belt, a familiar battle has resumed, hidden in the soil. On one side are tiny, white larvae of the corn rootworm. On the other side are farmers and the insect-killing arsenal of modern agriculture. It appears that farmers have gotten part of the message: Biotechnology alone will not solve their rootworm problems. But instead of shifting away from GMO corn, or from corn altogether, many are doubling down on insect-fighting technology, deploying more chemical pesticides than before. Companies like or that sell soil insecticides for use in corn fields are reporting huge increases in sales: 50 or even 100 percent over the past two years. Steiner, the Nebraska crop consultant, usually argues for another strategy: Starve the rootworms, he tells his clients. Just switch that field to another crop. "One rotation can do a lot of good," he says. "Go to beans, wheat, oats. It's the No. 1 right thing to do." But large industrial farmers seem unwilling to give up the lucrative corn cash crop.
Farm Family Threatened with $700,000 Fine for Raising Pigs
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR), through the Michigan Attorney General, is asking the judge hearing Mark Baker’s case to fine him $700,000. DNR believes Mark has 70 “illegal pigs” being raised in violation of an invasive species order (ISO). Possession of prohibited swine carries penalties of up to two years in jail and fines of up to $10,000 per violation, so the state is asking for the maximum fine allowed under the law for raising what the state deems the wrong breed of pig.
How Organic Farming Could Release Us From the Curse of Fertilizer
Proponents of factory farms and genetically engineered crops argue that monocropping, or crop specialization, is the only way to feed the masses and that it's far more profitable than having small independent farms in every township. But is this really true? A number of studies show just the opposite! In fact, studies are showing that medium-sized organic farms are far more profitable than ANY sized industrial agricultural operation. Not only that, but organic farming practices use natural, time-tested techniques that naturally prevents soil depletion and destruction, and doesn’t use chemical fertilizers and other agricultural chemicals that pollute our soil, air, and waterways.
Bakers Green Acres vs Michigan DNR – Family Farm Under Attack
A family farm in rural Michigan may be shut down by a Government Entity who has passed a law stating that the heritage breed of hogs they are raising are a threat to neighboring croplands. In truth, the Big Pork Industry has been planning this campaign to take down all family farms with hopes to eventually siege complete control of the American Food Supply.
GM Food off the Menu in Parliament’s Restaurants Despite Ministers Telling the Public to Drop their Opposition to GMOs
Government ministers are demanding that ordinary families should abandon their reluctance to eat genetically modified food, however they are banned from restaurants in the Houses of Parliament.
Study: GM Salmon Breed with Trout, Create Superfish
Genetically modified salmon are more dangerous than anyone had realized. It’s now proven beyond doubt that they can interbreed with not only wild salmon, but also trout. Worse, the result is offspring that grow even faster than their parents and can outcompete them by a huge amount.
Keep Genetically Engineered Potatoes Off Supermarket Shelves
The J.R. Simplot Company, giant potato supplier for McDonald’s, has spent years working on the perfect potato. Its new genetically engineered trait (which will be offered in five different varieties of potatoes) is up for USDA approval. These potatoes will be used as frozen fries, potato chips and shoestrings, which make up approximately 50 percent of the potato market in the United States. The USDA will be seeking comments until July 2nd.
Study: GMO Feed Harmful to Pigs
A groundbreaking new study shows that pigs were harmed by the consumption of feed containing genetically modified (GM) crops. GM-fed females had on average a 25% heavier uterus than non-GM-fed females, a possible indicator of disease that requires further investigation. Also, the level of severe inflammation in stomachs was markedly higher in pigs fed on the GM diet. The research results were striking and statistically significant. Pigs with these health problems end up in the food supply. Pigs have a similar digestive system to people, so there is a need to investigate if people are also getting digestive problems from eating GM crops.
Beekeeping Industry ‘Doomed’ – Destruction of Food Supply Soon to Follow?
California nearly lost its almond crop this year, due to a lack of bees. Once a year, in late winter, 1.5 million bee hives from around the country are delivered to these orchards where the bees’ pollination efforts take place over the course of just a few days. It’s the largest mass-pollination effort in the world. This year, however, the unthinkable happened. Many of the 6,000 orchard owners simply could not find enough bees to pollinate their almond trees, at any price. 80 percent of the world’s almonds come from California, and almonds are the number one agricultural product in California. A general consensus among beekeepers is that the bee die-offs are most definitely related to toxic chemicals. Increasingly, a systemic type of pesticide called neonicotinoids is being blamed for bee die-off’s. Neonicotinoids are now used on most of American crops, especially corn. This newer class of chemicals is applied to seeds before planting, allowing the pesticide to be taken up through the plant’s vascular system as it grows. As a result, the chemical is expressed in the pollen and nectar of the plant.
African Groups Reject G8 Biotech Food Plan as ‘Colonialism’
African farmers’ movements and civil society groups have rejected the G8’s New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition as part of a “new wave of colonialism” targeting their food systems for corporate profit. The African statement accuses the G8 of supporting multinational corporations like Yara, Monsanto, Syngenta, Cargill in their quest to privatise African agriculture: “Private ownership of knowledge and material resources (for example, seed and genetic materials) means the flow of royalties out of Africa into the hands of multinational corporations.” The statement calls for alternative strategies to protect sustainable agricultural techniques already in development across Africa which put household food security before corporate profits.
