Category Archives: Health

Health

U.S. Approves Genetically Modified Alfalfa

The genetically modified crop — developed by Monsanto and Forage Genetics, an alfalfa seed company that is owned by the Land O’Lakes farming and dairy cooperative — contains a gene that makes the plant resistant to the herbicide Roundup. That allows farmers to spray the chemical to kill weeds without hurting the crop.

Alfalfa is grown mostly to make hay fed to dairy cows and horses. More than 20 million acres are grown in the United States; it is the nation’s fourth-largest crop by acreage, behind corn, soybeans and wheat, with a value of about $8 billion. About 1 percent of alfalfa is organic.

Health

GM C.E.O. Buys Organic

These seeds grow crops that kill insects, thereby taking out a piece of the food chain that effects everything from birds to mammals to fish. At the same time, the increased use of chemicals like “Roundup” sterilize the soil and wash into creeks, stream, rivers and the ocean. (This is what is causing the dead zone in the gulf of Mexico.)

You may be saying “O.K., so GM seeds are bad, but what can we do? We have to grow more food, right?”

Well yes and no. Monsanto would have us believe that there is no alternative. But lets point out a few facts that they don’t want you to think about.

Health

Surrender to Monsanto

Whole Food’s Dirty Little Secret: Most of the So-Called “Natural” Processed Foods and Animal Products They Sell Are Contaminated with GMOs

The main reason, however, why Whole Foods is pleading for coexistence with Monsanto, Dow, Bayer, Syngenta, BASF and the rest of the biotech bullies, is that they desperately want the controversy surrounding genetically engineered foods and crops to go away. Why? Because they know, just as we do, that 2/3 of WFM’s $9 billion annual sales is derived from so-called “natural” processed foods and animal products that are contaminated with GMOs. We and our allies have tested their so-called “natural” products (no doubt WFM’s lab has too) containing non-organic corn and soy, and guess what: they’re all contaminated with GMOs, in contrast to their certified organic products, which are basically free of GMOs, or else contain barely detectable trace amounts.

Approximately 2/3 of the products sold by Whole Foods Market and their main distributor, United Natural Foods (UNFI) are not certified organic, but rather are

Health, Sacred Sky Sacred Earth

GMO Corn Linked To Organ Failure

“We therefore conclude that our data strongly suggests that these GM maize varieties induce a state of hepatorenal toxicity. This can be due to the new pesticides (herbicide or insecticide) present specifically in each type of GM maize, although unintended metabolic effects due to the mutagenic properties of the GM transformation process cannot be excluded [42]. All three GM maize varieties contain a distinctly different pesticide residue associated with their particular GM event (glyphosate and AMPA in NK 603, modified Cry1Ab in MON 810, modified Cry3Bb1 in MON 863). These substances have never before been an integral part of the human or animal diet and therefore their health consequences for those who consume them, especially over long time periods are currently unknown. Furthermore, any side effect linked to the GM event will be unique in each case as the site of transgene insertion and the spectrum of genome wide mutations will differ between the three modified maize types. In conclusion, our data presented here strongly recommend that additional long-term (up to 2 years) animal feeding studies be performed in at least three species, preferably also multi-generational, to provide true scientifically valid data on the acute and chronic toxic effects of GM crops, feed and foods. Our analysis highlights that the kidneys and liver as particularly important on which to focus such research as there was a clear negative impact on the function of these organs in rats consuming GM maize varieties for just 90 days.”

Health, Man and Nature

USDA Clears Planting of GM Alfalfa

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has approved the planting of genetically engineered alfalfa, rejecting regulations that the department proposed last month.

The USDA has decided not to regulate alfalfa that has been genetically modified (GM) to be resistant to the Roundup herbicide, made by Monsanto, which also makes the Roundup Ready GM alfalfa.

Last month the USDA signalled that it might approve GM alfalfa with certain restrictions, but the plan approved Thursday contained no such conditions, Reuters said.