There are so many concerns tied to GMO foods — health concerns from scientifically documented health risks, environmental concerns by the bushel, and economic returns (GMO companies are generally large and monopolistic and are not good for small farmers and communities). For all of these reasons, and maybe more, there is a strong groundswell of opposition to GMOs around the world, including in Kenya. Last week, the African Biodiversity Network released a statement on how it thinks the Kenyan government should be supporting its farmers and protecting its citizens.
Toxin from GM Crops Found in Human Blood, Canadian Scientists Find
When you let the GMO industry police itself and evaluate the safety of its own products, you are bound to get something different than if you had (or let) independent scientists do so. I’ve covered the scientific limitations of GMO studies commissioned or conducted by the GMO industry before, as well as 13 scientific studies that have identified a link between GMOs and organ disruption. News is out now that may be even more disturbing.
Greenwashing Genetically Modified Crops
One of the biggest weapons in GMO companies’ arsenal is the claim they make repeatedly that genetically modified (GM) crops are needed to help feed to world in the face of global climate change. There’s one problem with this claim, though — it’s total greenwashing and untrue.
New Pathogen, Livestock Reproductive Problems, Crop Failure, & Monsanto’s Roundup Ready® Crops {Take Action}
Internationally recognized plant pathologist Dr. Don Huber has found some things that we should really be concerned about, and they concern GMOs. He has spoken out about it, but the federal government isn’t listening yet.
Dr. Huber “wrote a letter to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack warning of the discovery of a new pathogen and a possible link between Roundup Ready® (GMO) corn and soybeans and severe reproductive problems in livestock as well as widespread crop failure” in January.
F***ed Up: USDA Lets GMO Companies (e.g. Monsanto) Perform Own Environmental Impact Studies
The USDA continues to ignore the message and ruling of the court and makes it easier for GM crops (like Monsanto’s GM sugar beets) to be approved and planted without true government oversight.
How to Join the No-to-GMOs Movement
Following up on my post yesterday on the horrible but not at all surprising news that 13 scientific studies have linked GMOs to organ disruption, as promised, here’s a little more info on how to get involved in the citizen movement against GMOs.
GMOs Linked to Organ Disruption in 13 Scientific Studies
Yeah, if you haven’t worried about GMOs up until now, that headline might have you doing so. Unfortunately, it’s true.
A new review of the scientific literature on GMOs published in the journal Environmental Sciences Europe reports that numerous scientific studies have found a link between the most common GMOs (in particular, GM corn and soybeans) and severe organ problems in rats and mice. Data from several independent studies “indicate liver and kidney problems as end points of GMO diet effects,” the authors write.
European Countries May Soon Not Be Able to Ban GMOs
I felt tremendously disheartened and somewhat shocked last year when I reported on the European Commission’s approval of BASF’s GM Amflora potato (aka the ‘Frankentstein potato’), the first authorization of a GM crop in 12 years and the second overall.
Food Prices Rising Fast in U.S., More to Come?
I wrote last week that we should probably cover the link between food and broader issues a little more here on Eat Drink Better. With a nudge from our site director, Becky Striepe, and network founder/publisher, David Anderson, I’ve decided to cover the complicated but important topic of rising food prices today.
The LA Times had a decent piece on this topic recently that included a number of interesting food statistics. What of the following did you know?
Monsanto GM Sugar Beets (and Alfalfa) Approval: Why This is Bad News
We have a great post going up tomorrow morning on the USDA’s recent approval of Monsanto’s genetically modified (GM) — “genetically engineered” (“GE”) if you live in Europe — sugar beets and GM alfalfa from Ken Roseboro, editor of The Organic & Non-GMO Report. It will cover health concerns (based on scientific studies), environmental concerns, legal concerns, considerable threats to organic farmers and consumers, and the USDA’s decision to ignore public concerns and comments from hundreds of thousands of U.S. citizens. But I wanted to chime in on this with a few comments of my own.