In November 2011, about 250 Boulder County residents attended a
public meeting to discuss the planting of GM (genetically modified)
crops on county-owned land.
Their turnout, together with an anti-GMO (genetically modified
organism) recommendation from the county's Food and Agriculture
Policy Council, led county officials to vote for a phase out of
genetically engineered crops on open space.
This is a powerful testimony to the influence residents can have
on their local regulations when they stand together for a cause;
you, too, can work toward enacting such a phase out in your area as
well.
Boulder Residents, County Officials Say "No" to GMOs
Boulder's Parks and Open Space Advisory Committee voted 5-4 in
support of the Food and Agriculture Policy Council's recommendation
to phase out the planting of GM crops on the county's open space.
Currently, about 16,000 acres of county-owned land are planted
with genetically engineered corn; the new rule will mean these crops
will be transitioned out in favor of traditional GMO-free farming
practices.
The area has been a hot-spot for GMO debate since 2009, when
local farmers wanted to plant genetically engineered sugar beets in
the county.
Following public outcry, County commissioners delayed the
farmers' request. Since then, a local survey showed that 56 percent
of Boulder County residents supported a ban on GM crops, and now
their voices have been heard.1
As reported by the Boulder Daily Camera2,
Parks and Open Space Advisory Committee member John Nibarger said:
"There's the voters' side of this, and there's the
farmers' side of this … I think we heard rather strongly ...
(that a lot of voters) don't want to see GM crops."
Americans Already Eating GM Foods, While Other Countries Have Banned
Them
GM corn, soybeans, canola, and sugar beets have made their way
into approximately 80 percent of current U.S. processed grocery
store items, now that up to 90 percent of several U.S. grown crops
are grown with genetically engineered seed. So if you live in the
United States, you have most certainly already been exposed to GM
foods -- most likely a lot of them.
This is why Boulder's move to phase out GM crops is such a breath
of fresh air, as finally a governing body in the United States is
stepping up to protect its residents from this massive, uncontrolled
experiment -- a move that has already taken place in other parts of
the world, and in four counties in California and a city in Maine.
Genetically engineered seeds are banned in Hungary, as they are
in several other European countries, such as Germany and Ireland.
Peru is also following the precautionary principle, and has even
passed a law that bans genetically modified ingredients within the
nation for 10 years.3
The issue of protecting farmland from invading GMOs is a serious
one, so much so that Hungary recently destroyed nearly 1,000 acres
of corn crops because they were found to be mistakenly grown with GM
seeds. The discovery that the farmland was planted with GM seeds
came when the season was already underway, so the harvest was
completely lost.
What would prompt the Hungarian government to take such a drastic
step?
Perhaps it is the fact that GM crops simply cannot be contained,
and inevitably will contaminate the environment with GM DNA. Or it
could be that they do not want superweeds, triggered by the overuse
of
Roundup herbicide on GM Roundup Ready crops, overtaking their
farmland the way they are now doing in the United States. Then
again, it could be the unknown threats to human health -- and the
fact that new research shows toxins from
GM crops are now appearing in human blood -- that made them
think twice.
The other, and more serious issue, is the hidden one. Nearly all
GM crops are designed with genes to resist a potent herbicide called
Round Up or glyphosate. The newest science is showing that
glyphosate is actually FAR more dangerous than people realize. It
just is not widely appreciated yet, and the U.S. is spreading
massive amounts of it every year. The consequences of this chemical
abuse will have profoundly devastating consequences and the longer
we wait to remove this toxin the worse it will be.
Either way, they, and a growing number of people around the
world, are clearly well educated about the dangers of GM foods …
which is a lesson the U.S. government still needs to learn.
Genetically Engineered "Pesticide" Toxin Now Found in Human Blood
Upwards of 65 percent of U.S. corn crops contain a special gene
added that allows them to produce an insecticide. This way, when
bugs attempt to eat the corn they're killed right away (specifically
their stomach is split open) because the plant contains an
invisible, built-in pesticide shield.
The particular gene added to most corn crops is a type of
Bt-toxin -- produced from Bacillus thuringiensis bacteria. Genetic
engineers remove the gene that produces the Bt in bacteria and
insert it into the DNA of corn (and cotton) plants. They claim that
Bt-toxin is quickly destroyed in human stomachs -- and even if it
survived, it won't cause reactions in humans or mammals...
But studies are now showing that this is not the case, as Bt
toxin is readily passing into the human bloodstream and animal
studies have already shown that
Bt-toxin does cause health effects in animals, including
potentially humans. As
Jeffrey Smith, executive director of the Institute for
Responsible Technology, wrote:
"Mice fed natural Bt-toxin showed significant immune
responses and caused them to become sensitive to other formerly
harmless compounds. This suggests that Bt-toxin might make a
person allergic to a wide range of substances. Farm workers and
others have also had reactions to natural Bt-toxin, and
authorities acknowledge that "People with compromised immune
systems or preexisting allergies may be particularly susceptible
to the effects of Bt."
In fact, when natural Bt was sprayed over areas around
Vancouver and Washington State to fight gypsy moths, about 500
people reported reactions—mostly allergy or flu-like symptoms.
Six people had to go to the emergency room.
… The Bt-toxin produced in the GM plants is probably more
dangerous than in its natural spray form. In the plants, the
toxin is about 3,000-5,000 times more concentrated than the
spray, it doesn't wash off the plants like the spray does, and
it is designed to be more toxic than the natural version. In
fact, the GM toxin has properties of known allergens and fails
all three GM allergy tests recommended by the World Health
Organization (WHO) and others."
It's reasons such as this why the precautionary principle should
absolutely be used in regard to exposing humans and the environment
to GM crops. Unfortunately, it appears Cry1Ab, a specific type of Bt
toxin from GM corn, is already quite prevalent in humans; upon
testing 69 pregnant and non-pregnant women who were eating a typical
Canadian diet (which included foods such as GM soy, corn and
potatoes), researchers found Bt toxin in:
93 percent of maternal blood samples
80 percent of fetal blood samples
67 percent of non-pregnant women blood samples
Other potential dangers have also been uncovered, including:
Male mice fed GM soy had damaged young sperm cells4
Bacteria in your gut can take up DNA from GM food
The embryo offspring of GM soy-fed mice had altered DNA
functioning
GM foods lead to significant organ disruptions in rats and
mice, specifically the kidney, liver, heart and spleen
Several U.S. farmers reported sterility or fertility problems
among pigs and cows fed on GM corn varieties
Bt corn caused a wide variety of immune responses in mice,
commonly associated with diseases such as arthritis, Lou
Gehrig's disease, osteoporosis, and inflammatory bowel disease
Investigators in India have documented fertility problems,
abortions, premature births, and other serious health issues,
including deaths, among buffaloes fed GM cottonseed products
Intense Lobbying Efforts Aim to Keep Americans in the Dark about GM
Foods
The food and agriculture
biotechnology industry has spent more than $572 million in
campaign contributions and lobbying expenditures in just over a
decade, according to an analysis by Food & Water Watch.5
Key among the goals of this intense lobbying effort is to prevent GM
food labeling and keep Americans in the dark about the contents of
their food. The analysis states:
"The food and agriculture biotechnology industry has been
flexing its financial political muscle to ease the regulatory
oversight of genetically modified foods. Lobbying efforts for
some of these firms and groups have included approval of cloned
food and genetically engineered food, animals and livestock.
Companies are also fighting to eliminate or prevent
labeling on genetically modified foods in the United States and
preventing other countries from regulating genetically modified
foods. These efforts have dovetailed with lobbying to tighten
intellectual property law protections over patented seeds and
animals in attempts to further benefit the biotech industry."
Over 95 percent of Americans polled said they think GM foods
should require a label, stating it's an ethical issue and consumers
should be able to make an informed choice.
Like Europeans, Americans are suspicious of GM foods, and a large
part of why many continue to buy them is because they are unaware
that they're already in the food. A prominent GM food label would be
a death sentence to U.S. GM crops, which are right now enjoying a
free for all when it comes to entering the food market.
Industry lobbying is clearly working, as to date biotech
companies have evaded mandatory labeling laws (although a new
California initiative may change all of that). They also succeeded
in getting
GM alfalfa approved, which quite literally threatens the entire
organic industry.
A large part of the problem, and one of the reasons why the
United States has not taken a precautionary stance the way other
countries have, is that the United States Department of Agriculture
(USDA) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are heavily
influenced by biotech giant Monsanto. In the first quarter of 2011
alone,
Monsanto spent $1.4 million on lobbying the federal government
-- and this was a drop from a year earlier, when they spent
$2.5 million during the same quarter.
The FDA, the USDA, and the U.S. Trade Representative all have a
special set of revolving doors leading straight to Monsanto, which
has allowed this transnational giant to gain phenomenal authority
and influence, as well as get their
genetically engineered crops planted on the lion's share of U.S.
farmland.
However, just as changes in Boulder could prove to be a tipping
point that begins a trend toward eliminating GM crops from American
soil, a
2012 ballot initiative has been launched in California, which
will require mandatory labeling of genetically engineered foods and
food ingredients -- also an important step toward ultimately
eliminating these toxic foods from the market.
You Can Join the Fight Against GMOs
The people of Boulder County have made it clear that they will
not tolerate GM crops on their local land; now you, too, can let
your opinion be heard. Several organizations, including Mercola.com,
the Organic Consumers Association, the Institute for Responsible
Technology, and the Environmental Working Group, are working to
generate a tipping point of consumer rejection to make GMOs a thing
of the past.
Here's how you can get involved:
If you live in California and are willing to attend a short
training session and then start collecting petition signatures
(you will be part of a team of 2-4 people) for the California
Ballot Initiative, sign up
here. (For more information see:
The California Ballot Initiative: Taking Down Monsanto.)
Also remember to share this information with family and friends
in California!
Whether you live in California or not, please
donate money to this historic effort
Talk to organic producers and stores and ask them to
actively support the California Ballot. It may be the only
chance we have to label genetically engineered foods.
Distribute WIDELY the
Non-GMO Shopping Guide to help you identify and avoid foods
with GMOs. Look for products (including organic products) that
feature the Non-GMO Project Verified Seal to be
sure that at-risk ingredients have been tested for GMO content.
You can also download the free iPhone application that is
available in the iTunes store. You can find it by searching for
ShopNoGMO in the applications.
For timely updates, please join the Organic Consumers
Association on
Facebook, or follow them on
Twitter
In the meantime, the simplest way to avoid GM foods is to buy
whole, certified organic foods. By definition, foods that are
certified organic must never intentionally use GM organisms, must be
produced without artificial pesticides and fertilizers and come from
an animal reared without the routine use of antibiotics, growth
promoters or other drugs. Additionally, grass-fed beef will not have
been fed GM corn feed, although now that GM alfalfa is approved,
grass-fed will not always mean GMO free.
You can also look for foods that are "non-GMO verified" by the
Non-GMO Project.
Important Action Item: Support California's Ballot Initiative to
Label GMO's!
In 2007, then-Presidential candidate Obama promised to
"immediately" require GM labeling if elected. So far, nothing of the
sort has transpired.
Fortunately, 24 US states have (as part of their state
governance) something called the Initiative Process, where residents
can bring to ballot any law they want enacted, as long as it has
sufficient support. California has been busy organizing just such a
ballot initiative to get mandatory labeling for genetically
engineered foods sold in their state. The proposed law will be on
the ballot for 2012.
Michigan6
and Washington are also starting similar campaigns.
Since California is the 8th largest economy in the world, a win
for the California Initiative would be a huge step forward, and
would affect ingredients and labeling nation-wide. Last month, a
coalition of consumer, public health and environmental
organizations, food companies, and individuals submitted the
California Right to Know Genetically Engineered Food Act to the
State Attorney General. Now, they need 800,000 signatures to get the
Act on next year's ballot.
I urge you to get involved and help in any way you can.
If you live in California,
volunteer to gather petition signatures. If you live outside of
California, please
donate to help support this Initiative and spread the word to
everyone you know in California. Be assured that what happens in
California will affect the remainder of the U.S., so please support
this important state initiative, even if you do not live there!