News regarding the dangers of GMOs and biotech, and the advantages of organic sustainable agriculture.
The USDA’s Organic Deception
by Barbara H. Peterson
Farm Wars
Organic is organic, or is it? It would seem that it is all a matter of perspective when one takes a stroll through the mountains of documents on the FDA and USDA websites.
The word “organic” is fast becoming a high-dollar money-maker for corporations smart enough to jump on the bandwagon […]
A Conversation with Dan Imhoff: An Introduction to the Farm Bill
by Cooking Up a Story
In part 1, Daniel Imhoff explains the historical roots of the federal Farm Bill, arguably the single, biggest piece of legislation that effects land use in the U.S., and as he himself notes, most average citizens know little about this important bill.
The current farm bill is […]
GMO mosquitoes may be a catastrophic mistake
by Humayun Kabir
Free Malaysia Today
SUNGAI SIPUT: The use of laboratory mosquitoes to fight dengue may turn out to be a catastrophic mistake, according to Sungai Siput MP Dr D Jeyakumar, who is a respiratory physician.
The biggest danger, he said, was that the release of large numbers of genetically modified (GM) mosquitoes into the environment […]
Tell Obama to say NO to GMOs
by Food Democracy Now
Over the past 12 days, the Obama administration has unbelievably chosen to approve two biotech crops, Roundup Ready genetically modified (GMO) alfalfa and Roundup Ready genetically modified (GMO) sugar beets. While the planting of both crops had been temporarily halted due to court decisions, Obama’s recent approval of them will allow […]
Couple turns swimming pool into aquaponics system to feed family of four: Now 100% self sufficient
We created GardenPool.org to document our journey of converting an old backyard swimming pool in to a way to feed our family and live more self-sufficiently. When we purchased our first home in Mesa, AZ on October of 2009, it came with a large, empty, and run-down pool. Rather than spending […]
The Last Thing our Hungry World Needs is More Food
Comment from Health Impact News editor: Fred Pearce of MailOnline in the UK has written an excellent piece today looking at the current food crisis. He makes a good claim that the last thing we need is more food. His article does a good job of pitting the biotech solution to world hunger against small-scale […]
USDA Approves Genetically Engineered Sugar Beets Without Ample Review
Without issuing an environmental impact study, the USDA is going to allow permitting that would allow some farmers to grow genetically engineered sugar beets this spring.
By Leah Zerbe and Emily Main
Rodale
RODALE NEWS, STATE COLLEGE, PA—In an unprecedented, and what some food safety groups call an illegal move, the United States Department […]
Mexico, Cradle of Corn, Finds its Noble Grain Under Assault from GM Contamination
By Tim Johnson | McClatchy Newspapers
GUELATAO, Mexico — Yank the husks off ears of corn grown in the mountains of southern Mexico, and you may find kernels that are red, yellow, white, blue, black or even variegated.
It’s only one measure of the diversity of the 60 or so native varieties of […]
Philippine Agencies, State Schools That Promote GMOs Are Violating the Law — Casiño
An anti-GMO poster from Bayan Muna
By INA ALLECO R. SILVERIO
Bulatlat.com
MANILA – Government agencies and institutions that are supposed to promote organic agriculture in the Philippines are violating the law because these, too, are proponents of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño said this week.
Casiño said Congress should […]
Farmers And Conservationists Challenge Latest Federal Approval Of Genetically Engineered Sugar Beets
by Paul Achitoff
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – February 4, 2011 – In defiance of earlier court ruling, USDA allows continued growing of controversial, illegally planted crop
Today the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) issued a new decision to allow the U.S. sugar beet industry to continue growing Monsanto’s “Roundup Ready,” genetically engineered (GE) sugar beets. The […]
U.S. Looks to Monsanto to Feed the World
by Marcia Ishii-Eiteman
At the annual World Economic Forum this past weekend in Davos, Switzerland, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Director Rajiv Shah stood beside CEOs from Monsanto and other infamous giant corporations, and announced U.S. support for a “New Vision for Agriculture.”
Yes, you should be worried.
Claiming that “large-scale private sector partnerships [can] achieve significant […]
Organic Food: USDA Asked To Decide If Organic Means Outdoor
by DAVID MERCER
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — When the doors to the hen house open, the 14,000 chickens on Edwin Blosser’s organic egg farm make a mad dash for the pasture outside, where they can scratch and peck in the dirt.
“It’s just like an ocean of birds going out the doors – zoom!” Blosser said.
Greg Herbruck […]
Queen of the Sun: What are the Bees Telling Us? Film Examines the Dire Global Bee Crisis
About the film
In 1923, Rudolf Steiner, a scientist, philosopher & social innovator, predicted that in 80 to 100 years honeybees would collapse. His prediction has come true with Colony Collapse Disorder, where bees are disappearing in mass numbers from their hives with no clear single explanation. In an alarming inquiry into the insights behind […]
Bulgaria Becomes 7th EU Country to Ban GMOs
Bulgaria’s Agriculture Minister Miroslav Naydenov. Photo by bgnes
by novinite.com
Bulgaria will explicitly oppose to the proposed import of GMO-containing food products and livestock fodder in the EU.
“I received a demarche rom Argentina, Brazil, Canada and the US asking us to support their demand that EU allows GMO-containing food products and livestock fodder on its territory,” Bulgaria’s Agriculture Minister Miroslav Naydenovrevealed […]
This Could Threaten the Future of Food – Destroying the Entire Food Chain…
by Dr. Mercola
Roundup, Monsanto’s glyphosate-based herbicide, is causing Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS), a serious plant disease, in many fields. Study after study shows that glyphosate is contributing not only to the huge increase in SDS, but also to the outbreak of numerous other diseases.
Glyphosate is the world’s bestselling weed killer; it was patented by […]
Michael Pollan and Others Sign Organic Unity Statement Against Monsanto’s GE Alfalfa
Image Credit: Creative Commons photo by tea_time
by eatdrinkbetter
Heavy hitters in the food movement signed a unity statement in favor of fighting the USDA’s recent approval of GE alfalfa.
Here is the statement, in full:
In response to the USDA’s full deregulation of genetically engineered (GE) alfalfa, the following statement was released by more than 20 groups and individuals […]
After Decades of Chemicals, Farmers in the Philippines are Seeing the Benefits of Organic Farming
by John Cavanagh, Robin Broad
yes! Magazine
posted Jan 31, 2011
In an increasingly vulnerable world, we’re searching for rooted communities—and what we can learn from them. Read more at our blog, Finding Rootedness.
Authors Robin and John with Gil and Teresa (at center) and Don Bosco staff.
Photo courtesy of Robin […]
Genetics Scientist: “GMO technolgy is in its infancy and we have no idea what the technology is going to do.”
by Jeremy Bloom
I’ve been asked why we’re writing so much about Monsanto and genetically modified food. “It’s been tested,” they say. “It’s safe,” they say. “There’s nothing to fear. Why are you spreading disinformation?”
I’m not a geneticist. So if I say “We don’t know enough about this,” I’m just one guy. So I’ll let a geneticist answer those […]
Australia’s 1st Legal Attack on Monsanto for GMO Contamination of Organic Crops
Photo credit: Marie Nirme
by Craig Mackintosh PRI Editor
Over the Christmas and New Year, whilst people on the east and south of Australia were suffering floods and their consequences, one farmer, much further west, discovered a far more insidious flood was occurring on his property. He is also reeling from the consequences.
Steve Marsh is the farmer […]
New GMO Report from South Africa: GMOs Should be Banned – They Pose Unacceptable Risks to Human Health
by GMWatch
The South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), tasked by law, with monitoring the impacts of GMOs on the environment, has released its first report on 28th January 2011. The report co-produced by SANBI with premier biosafety unit, Genok in Norway and a number of South African universities record the findings of a three-year […]