Romney is Monsanto’s Candidate…there go our farms!

You know that this blog has a long history of exposing and criticizing Monsanto for the chemical destruction of what once was our fresh food products —Monsanto, whose dark history features scandals involving PCBs, Agent Orange, bovine growth hormone, NutraSweet, IUD, genetically modified (GM) seed and herbicides, reaching back to the 1970s and ’80s.

Those of us who support the remaining organic food growers, and who grow our own out of necessity, have set Monansto as the most evil of challenges.

If we go way back to Romney’s beginnings with Bain Capital when he was 30 years old, who do you think his largest client was, and who remains his friend today? You guessed it. Monsanto. This matters for a number of reasons:  it sheds on Romney’s self-ballyhooed business experience; Romney helped create Monsanto corporate objectives that clash with planetary concerns; If Romney is elected, this enemy of environmentalists will have a very old friend in the White House.

Monsanto’s former CEO John W. Hanley is in fact the only business executive outside of the Bain founding family to so shape Romney’s career—jumpstarting the two companies, Bain & Company and Bain Capital, that account for all but two years of Romney’s much-ballyhooed business experience.

Monsanto, who currently produces Genetically Modified corn, soybean, alfalfa and other seeds, which are  engineered to resist Roundup and increase yield, faces many global disputes, and has lost two recent, at least $2 billion, court decisions in Brazil -  5 million soy farmers sued them. The Brazilian farmers’ issue is also a source of frustration for US farmers—the contracts farmers are forced to sign pledging not to save seeds for future harvests, a common farm custom that resale-fixated Monsanto has hired a seed police army to stop.

“Roundup Ready” seeds, of course, are completely responsible to the success and safety of Roundup itself. However,“super-weeds” are developing a Roundup tolerance, requiring more and more spraying to work. This is harmful both ecologically and financially  for farmers.The seeds, introduced in the Bain years with Bain boosting, Roundup’s supposedly “biodegradable” and “nontoxic” claims, have led to false advertising findings. This is part of Romney’s business trustworthiness and acumen.

In the presidential campaign, Romney is deliberately vague . He’s moved publicly in Monsanto’s direction on the company’s genetically engineered ethanol and farm subsidies, appears aligned with it on labeling (Monsanto wants to avoid labeling its fruits and vegetables with the 5 digit code, different for organic competitors), and his spokesman Shawn McCoy said this month that the candidate was “concerned by the effect that the Obama administration’s crushing onslaught of regulations is having on agriculture.” Read from this what effect the Obama administration will have on one of his largest campaign contributors.

Related articles

• mitt is a monsanto man (thegreenhorns.wordpress.com)
• Protesters Blockade Monsanto Seed Facility in California (earthfirstnews.wordpress.com)
• Monsanto Allowed to Put Genetically Modified Food on Your Plate (blogs.lawyers.com)
• GMO Update: New Study Shows Increasing Rootworm Resistance to Monsanto’s Bt Corn (eatdrinkbetter.com)
• Walmart Signs Deal With Monsanto to Sell Un-Labeled GMO Corn (friendseat.com)
• Lisa Cerda – Monsanto: A Modern Day Plague (prn.fm)
• Sept 16: Global Week of Action Against Monsanto (occupyventura805.wordpress.com)

When you shop for fruit and tomatoes, look at the stickers.

From Dear Ruth O’Donnell:

• Ruth O’Donnell shared General Knowledge‘s photo.

  

  
  

  Those stickers on fruits and veggies tell you quite a bit! 4 numbers mean they were conventionally grown. 5 numbers starting with number 8 means they are genetically modified (GMO). And 5 numbers starting with 9 means they were organically grown.

  Tag n share!

Related articles

• What do the stickers on fruit tell you? (bargainhoot.com)
• Produce Stickers Are Actually Helpful (datewithyourplate.wordpress.com)
• How To I.D. Genetically Modified Food at the Supermarket (cheapogroovo.typepad.com)
• Pesky Produce Stickers (chipwellness.wordpress.com)
• Produce Code (snopes.com)
• New GMOs Poised to Destroy Farmer’s Market Favorites (underthelobsterscope.wordpress.com)
• How to read those little stickers on food (rawlivingfoods.typepad.com)
• Battle brewing over labeling of genetically modified food (mercurynews.com)
• Are There GMOs in Your Backyard Garden? (blogher.com)

The Monsanto Story – a personal documentary

I’ve talked many times about Monsanto and Genetically Modified seeds and the dangers they are bringing upon farming since they have been allowed to patent seeds. Perhaps you don’t know Monsanto’s history. This short piece by Andy Radford will give you an education:

New GMOs Poised to Destroy Farmer’s Market Favorites

This article is from Rodale. The first couple of lines are below… then connect to the full story:

New GMOs threaten tomatoes and other garden staples.

By Leah Zerbe

Your tomatoes are under attack.

If approved, two new types of genetically engineered corn and soy crops will threaten some of America‘s favorite farm foods, including tomatoes, peas, cucumbers, squash, melons, pumpkins, green beans, grapes, and other farmer’s market and garden staples.

—> Read the rest HERE.

Is your food going to be sprayed with Agent Orange?

Right now, Dow‘s Agent Orange corn is being rubberstamped through the approval process at USDA. It has not been adequately tested for our health or safety, and it should not be approved. We have until February 27 to tell the USDA to reject Agent Orange corn. Tell the USDA not to approve this crop!

Big Ag is in an arms race with weeds. Most genetically engineered crops are made to withstand chemical weed killer (e.g., Roundup), but over time, weeds evolve to resist these chemicals.

This means that farmers have to apply stronger chemicals to kill the weeds, and the newest version of this is 2,4-D, a major component of Agent Orange. This is the same horrific chemical that destroyed wide swaths of jungle and killed hundreds of thousands of people during the Vietnam War.

If the USDA approves Dow’s Agent Orange corn, more dangerous chemicals will definitely be used on our crops, we’ll see new resistant weeds and people may get sick. Urge the USDA to reject Agent Orange corn!

Tell USDA — don’t approve Agent Orange corn:
http://action.foodandwaterwatch.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=9513

Germany Decides Genetically-Modified Foods Are Not Welcome

German chemicals giant BASF is closing its biotech division in Germany. The move was prompted by massive resistance to genetically modified food among both the public and politicians. GM opponents are jubilant, while some researchers are complaining this is another case of German hostility to technology.

If Germany can do it, we can, too. Our chemical giant, Monsanto, should be our target… and we shouldn’t quit until its chemicals are banned.

 

 

Read more: Conscious Consumer, Diet & Nutrition, Eating for Health, Eco-friendly tips, Environment, Food, Green, Green Kitchen Tips, Health, Natural Pest Control, Nature, Videos, Videos, Videos, Videos, Videos, Videos, Activists, agriculture, Annette Schavan, BASF, biotech, Biotechnology, food, foods, Friends Of The Earth, genetic-engineering, genetically modified crops, genetically modified foods, genetically modified organisms, germany, GM, GM crops, GMO, GMO Crops, GMOs, Greenpeace, Heike Moldenhauer, news, organic farming, organic food, science, Science News, Scientific Research, Scientific Research News, Stefan Marcinowski

How to identify Genetically Modified foods at Whole Foods…

 Whole Foods Market admits it sells genetically modified foods:

“The reality is that no grocery store in the United States, no matter what size or type of business, can claim they are GE-free. … we are not going to mislead our customers with an inaccurate claim…”

Whole Foods Market
Internal Company Memo 1/30/2011

Activists with the Organic Consumers Association‘s Millions Against Monsanto campaign went to Whole Foods Market in San Francisco to try to identify which foods are genetically engineered, but couldn’t get any help from store employees.

Check Out This Video courtesy of the Organic Consumer Association:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvU2yH4IpBo

For more information, go to: http://www.millionsagainstmonsanto.org

(also posted at Panhandle Vegan)

Related Articles

• Organic farmers file suit to protect themselves from Monsanto’s aggressive practices. (isiria.wordpress.com)
• Organic Farmers Unite Against Monsanto In Battle For Future of Food (singularityhub.com)
• Whole Foods Market Pledges a Clean Sweep By 2012 (prnewswire.com)
• Food Security and Genetically Engineered Alfalfa (knowthankyou.wordpress.com)
• Is Whole Foods Market the Perfect Stock? (fool.com)

March 26, 2011: Rally for the Right to Know!

I’m passing this on to you all out there because it is so important. I’ve written about chemical poisoning in our gardens and on our food for a couple of years now…and Elly and I discover as we go on and on that it is getting harder to be sure organic produce is actually organic. This thanks to Monsanto and the seeds that they distribute.

Anyway, if you can get to D.C. for this one, please do:

The national Millions Against Monsanto campaign staff is gearing up for a nationwide day of action on World Food Day, October 16, 2011, pledging to make it the biggest action on genetic engineering in US history.

In the meantime, to help raise awareness for the campaign, Millions Against Monsanto activist Trish Wright has sent out a call for a demonstration at the White House on March 26, 2011, and has urged other activists around the country to “Rally for the Right to Know” locally.

Learn More and Join in!

Related Articles

• Truth Squad Radio: Monsanto’s GMO Threat! (ppjg.wordpress.com)
• The Organic Elite Surrenders to Monsanto: What Now? (solari.com)
• GE Corn Unsafe for Consumption (theramblingsofateenagegirl.wordpress.com)
• USDA Recommends “Coexistence” with Monsanto: We Say Hell No! – Huffington Post (blog) (news.google.com)
• Climate Change and Agriculture (foodfreedom.wordpress.com)
• Monsanto blocks research on GMO safety, harasses scientists (eatdrinkbetter.com)
• Speak out on Monsanto… Tell the President… (underthelobsterscope.wordpress.com)
• Stop Monsanto Again – GM Alfalfa Threatens to Contaminate Organic Crops (twilightearth.com)
• Speaking with One Voice to Stop Monsanto and Biotech – Huffington Post (blog) (news.google.com)
• Monsanto and the Merchants of Death (ediblearia.com)
• Hypothetical “clean crop act” would never be able to undo the damage and losses caused by GE crops (aurule.wordpress.com)

Speak out on Monsanto… Tell the President…

Monsanto's Poison

Dear Friend,

Over the past 12 days, the Obama administration has recklessly and unnecessarily 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 these crops had been temporarily halted due to court decisions, Obama’s recent approval of them will allow them to be planted as early as this spring, despite widespread acknowledgment that these crops are certain to contaminate both conventional and organic farmers‘ non-GMO crops. Their approval only benefits one company — Monsanto.

These decisions are a devastating blow to our democracy and the basic rights of farmers to choose how they want to grow food on their land and the rights of consumers who increasingly choose organic and sustainably grown food for its positive health and environmental impacts.

Let them know that you care about organic integrity by following this link from Food Democracy Now!, then please pass this on. Please join me in telling President Obama that it’s time to stand up to Monsanto and reject these GMO crops today!

http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/sign/obama_goes_rogue_on_gmos/?referring_akid=.271844.qz2xd8&source=taf

Every voice counts!

Thank you!

Related Articles

• Keep GMOs Out of ‘Organic’! (zoecarnate.wordpress.com)
• Call President Obama: Stop Monsanto’s GMO alfalfa (ynative77.wordpress.com)
• “Say NO – and tell Obama to say NO – to Monsanto’s GMO Alfalfa! (2 items)— and related posts (markcrispinmiller.com)
• Yet another blow to organics: USDA approves Monsanto’s GMO sugar beets (eatdrinkbetter.com)
• USDA Deregulates GMO Sugar Beets, Farmers and Biotech Finds Common Ground in … – New West (news.google.com)
• Monsanto GM Sugar Beets (and Alfalfa) Approval: Why This is Bad News (eatdrinkbetter.com)
• Politics Dominate the FDA and USDA Putting Consumer Interests Aside – More … – Blogger News Network (blog) (news.google.com)
• USDA ‘partially deregulates’ GM sugar beets, defying court order (grist.org)