Mike Adams
Natural News

In what is perhaps the most significant breaking news we’ve heard on the GMO front in a long time, an effort has just been announced in California that seeks to gather enough signatures to put an historical initiative on the ballot which would require the labeling of GMOs in foods.

I interviewed Ronnie Cummins from the Organic Consumers Association (www.OrganicConsumers.org), who is a key leader in advocating mandatory GMO labeling. His organization is playing a significant role in helping to get this initiative on the ballot in California.

This is the pathway to victory against GMOs! With this initiative on the ballot, we have a very achievable strategy to deal a death blow to GMOs and restore sanity and integrity to our seeds and food crops.

Read Full Article and LISTEN to interview here

Wiki Image

Ethan A. Huff
Natural News

Reversing a previous decision by a US District Court that declared gene patenting to be invalid, the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) recently ruled in opposition, declaring that certain gene variants are supposedly unnatural and can thus be legally patented by biotechnology companies.

Myriad Genetics & Laboratories, a molecular diagnostics company out of Salt Lake City, Ut., had filed patents for BRCA1 and BRCA2, two genes allegedly linked to predicting breast cancer risk. Because the company had supposedly omitted certain so-called noncoding “junk” regions from the genes, Myriad alleged that these genes were their own intellectual property.

Last year, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and others challenged the patents on these and five other genes that had been filed by Myriad. US District Court Judge Robert W. Sweet, who heard the case, ended up issuing a 152-page decision ruling against the patents because the genes, after all, do exist naturally in every woman’s body (http://www.naturalnews.com/028492_BRCA1_human_genes.html).

Advertisement

But CAFC sees things differently. The mere act of pulling BRCA1 and BRCA2 out of their natural gene sequences or of altering them in some other way apparently renders them unnatural and open game for patenting. The judgment even made the bold declaration that “[t]he molecules as claimed do not exist in nature.”

So this essentially means that any doctor or medical specialist who conducts tests or analyses involving BRCA1 or BRCA2 will have to first gain permission from Myriad to do so. And just like with patented genetically-modified organisms (GMO), use of the patented genes will likely come at a price in the form of mandatory royalty fees.

“The human genome, like the structure of blood, air or water, was discovered, not created,” said Chris Hansen, a staff lawyer from the ACLU, in response to Myriad’s original patent filings. “There is an endless amount of information on genes that begs for further discovery, and gene patents put up unacceptable barriers to the free exchange of ideas.”

The Association for Molecular Pathology, the American College of Medical Genetics, the American Society for Clinical Pathology, and the College of American Pathologists were all plaintiffs in the case against Myriad and the US Patent and Trademark Office.

Sources for this article include:
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn20755-breast-cancer-gene-patent-reinstated.html

Learn more about natural health and health freedom at NaturalNews.com

Aedes Aegypti mosquito – CDC/Wiki image

Brandon Turbeville
Activist Post

Ad

Additionally, the fact that the mosquitoes are modified to die in the absence of tetracycline is also problematic. This is because tetracycline is a commonly used antibiotic in agricultural production and sewage treatment. Therefore, if there were some contamination of an area with this specific type of antibiotic, or if the existing levels are high enough in the first place, the GE mosquito population could potentially persist and co-exist with the natural mosquito population.

From Oxitec’s point of view, the release of GE mosquitoes is a money-making gift that keeps on giving. Especially since the mosquitoes would have to be released over and over in order to keep the population of natural mosquitoes down. If a country, state, or community decides to stop payment to Oxitec, or end the release of the GE mosquitoes, then the natural population of mosquitoes would likely rebound and with it would come the possibility of the increase of the prevalence of disease.

Brandon Turbeville is an author out of Mullins, South Carolina. He has a Bachelor’s Degree from Francis Marion University where he earned the Pee Dee Electric Scholar’s Award as an undergraduate. He has had numerous articles published dealing with a wide variety of subjects including health, economics, and civil liberties. He also the author of Codex Alimentarius – The End of Health Freedom, 7 Real Conspiracies and Five Sense Solutions.

Modern Farming with Monsanto – Wiki image

Anthony Gucciardi
Activist Post

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has decided to deregulate two of Monsanto’s genetically modified seed varieties, giving the company a further grasp on the food supply of the nation. One of the modified corn seed varieties is engineered to resist drought conditions, and the other is an herbicide-resistant soybean that has been genetically engineered to produce more fatty acids. Of course research has found that Monsanto’s GMO crops, despite claims to be resistant to herbicides and pesticides, actually require significantly more harsh chemicals. Apparently these studies do not concern the USDA, an organization that has always been adamant about genetically modifying the entire food supply.

The USDA continues to grant Monsanto further power over itself, despite evidence linking Monsanto’s creations to health conditions and environmental devastation. This is also the same organization that has continually pushed for the approval of genetically modified salmon, which was rejected by Congress due to health concerns. The USDA is so dedicated, in fact, that they decided to help forward the approval of genetically modified salmon by generously funding the cause with nearly $500,000.

The news comes after experiments with the seeds were conducted in five African nations, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Monsanto’s drought-resistant corn seeds were given to African farmers facing drought conditions, replacing traditional and sustainable farming with Monsanto’s GMO crops. Bill Gates himself has purchased 500,000 Monsanto stocks as of August 2010, and has heavy ties with Monsanto and even genetically modified mosquitoes which could be released in Florida early next year.

The USDA has allowed Monsanto to run rampant, modifying staple crops, food items, and even milk. Monsanto’s rBGH is a synthetic hormone created using molecules and DNA sequences that are a result of molecular cloning, which has been linked to breast and gastrointestinal cancer. In the United States, this synthetic hormone is present in 1/3 of all milk. Meanwhile, it is banned in 27 countries around the globe. Marketed under the name Posilac, Monsanto has since sold the brand to a division of Eli Lilly and Company, Elanco Animal Health. Eli Lilly and Company are the makers of suicide-linked Prozac, and were able to cover up the 1980’s research which found antidepressants to breed even more depression and suicidal thoughts.

Avoiding The Eye - Ships Free Today!

It seems rather clear that the USDA has zero regard for the research showing the negative effects of GMO crops on the environment and public health. Instead, they allow for Monsanto to steamroll through the approval process and make a fortune modifying the planet. Monsanto has ties within the deepest levels of government, and only through hardcore activism will they be forced to answer to public concern.

Explore More:

1. Monsanto GMO Sugarbeets to be Destroyed | Court Concludes USDA Illegally Approved Biotech Crop


2. GMO Giant Monsanto Will Soon Be Allowed To Police Itself


3. Monsanto Declared Worst Company of 2011


4. Genetically Modified Salmon Approval Pushed by USDA with Nearly $500,000 Funding


5. Monsanto Admittedly Influences Colorado GMO Ban, Launches Phony ‘GMO Co-Existence’ Protests


6. France Takes Stand Against GMOs, Monsanto Despite End of Ban

Please visit Natural Society for more great health news and vaccine information.

Non-GMO Heirloom Seed Bank

var linkwithin_site_id = 557381;

linkwithin_text=’Related Articles:’

Anthony Gucciardi
Activist Post

Among the toxic substances that you are exposed to on a daily basis, pesticides are one of the most ubiquitous.

Second only to genetically modified ingredients, pesticides inhabit the majority of conventional produce and have been repeatedly found to wreak havoc on your body.

New findings have pinpointed growing exposure to pesticides as a contributor to the obesity crisis that is currently sweeping the globe. What’s more is that the study reached these conclusions when studying one of the most commonly used pesticides in the world.

In a study conducted by the Mercer University School of Medicine, researchers examined whether pesticide exposure played a role in worldwide childhood obesity. It is interesting to note that the researchers chose to focus on childhood obesity, as pesticides are damaging to both children and adults.

During the study process, the researchers observed nearly 6,800 subjects aged 6 to 19. Individual exposure to environmental pesticides was determined through the use of urine tests, identifying the concentrations of pesticide residues.

What the researchers found is a higher prevalence of obesity in the participants with high urinary concentrations of a pesticide known as 2,5-dichlorophenol (2,5-DCP). It is important to note that 2,5-DCP is one of the most widely used pesticides on the globe. 

Avoiding Pesticides — The GMO Pesticide Trap

While pesticides are quite prevalent among the food supply, it is very possible to avoid the large majority of pesticides lurking in your diet. Perhaps the largest pesticide trap has to do with genetically modified foods (GMOs). Touted by Monsanto as requiring less pesticides, GMO crops actually require significantly more pesticides! This means that the GMOs you may be unknowingly consuming are actually loaded up with obesity-causing pesticides, as if the GMOs themselves weren’t damaging enough to your health. As you probably know, a review of 19 studies announced that consumption of GMO corn or soybeans may lead to significant organ disruptions in rats and mice – particularly in the liver and kidneys.

The good news is that it is entirely possible to avoid both GMOs and pesticides.

In fact, pesticides cannot be used on truly organic crops. Additionally, 100% organic products and produce items are free of GMOs. You should be careful when searching outside of the 100% organic label, however, as even products labeled as all natural and ‘GMO-free’ may still contain GMOs.

The truth of the matter is that ‘all natural’ virtually means nothing. Buy 100% organic, and from a local source, to avoid both obesity-breeding pesticide exposure as well as health-trashing GMOs.

Explore More:

1. USDA Ignores Pesticide Ravaging Bee Population, Threatening Global Environment


2. Exposure to this Chemical is Linked to Birth Defects


3. 5 Surprising Culprits Behind Obesity and Weight Gain


4. Global Water Crisis May Be Coming | 25 Signs


5. Apples Top Most Pesticide-Contaminated List


6. Fat America: 12 Outrageous Obesity Stats

Please visit Natural Society for more great health news and vaccine information.

Anthony Gucciardi
Activist Post

India has joined the conglomerate of nations directly opposed to the agricultural corruption brought upon by bloated biotechnology giant Monsanto, declaring legal action against the corporation for a crime dubbed ‘biopiracy‘.

The charges were brought against Monsanto for utilizing a local eggplant variety to develop their own genetically modified version including the notorious biopesticide Bt. Monsanto’s Bt GMO crops are known to threaten the environment in addition to human health, and India considers Monsanto’s unauthorized testing of the crops to be biopiracy.

India’s National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) made the unprecedented decision as detailed in their official statements on the subject, joining nations like Hungary and Peru in their efforts to control Monsanto’s presence within their borders.

Hungary was among the first to lead the charge, actually destroying more than 1,000 acres of Monsanto’s GM maize in direct defiance against the company. Peru also took a monumental stand against Monsanto, announcing a ten-year-ban on GMO crops and genetically modified ingredients.

In summary of the decision, the journal Nature Biotechnology states:

An Indian government agency has agreed to sue the developers of genetically modified (GM) eggplant for violating India’s Biological Diversity Act of 2002. India’s National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) is alleging that the developers of India’s first GM food crop—Jalna-based Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Company (Mahyco) partnered with St. Louis–based seed giant Monsanto and several local universities—used local varieties to develop the transgenic crop, but failed to gain the appropriate licenses for field trials.

Non GMO Heirloom Seed Bank

Rady Ananda
Activist Post

Washington’s state legislature will hold public hearings this week on two new bills that would require labeling for genetically engineered raw agricultural commodities and genetically engineered ingredients offered for retail sale.

SB 6298 will be heard on Thursday in the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Water & Rural Economic Development:

HB 2637 will be heard on Friday in the House Committee on Agriculture & Natural Resources:

GMO-Free Washington and Organic Consumers Assn. are organizing bus rides. The bus ride is free, but OCA is accepting donations to defray the cost.  Organizers ask that you RSVP in advance.  For the 26th, RSVP here.  For the 27th, RSVP here.

Rep. Cary Condotta of the 12th District sponsored the House bill, while the Senate bill is sponsored by Senators Marilyn Chase (32nd), Sharon Nelson (34th), Paull Shin (21st), Karen Keiser (33rd), Christine Rolfes (23rd), and Steve Conway (29th).

If you are unable to attend the legislative hearings, the group will be holding a public discussion on Monday in Seattle at the Ballard Library from 6-7:45 pm.

Whether or not you plan to attend the hearings, all Washingtonians are being asked to write and call their state representatives and senators asking them to co-sponsor HB 2637 and SB 6298.

Folks are also asked to contact these members of the agricultural committees if you’re in their districts. They are expected to decide the following week.

Elsewhere

Next month, the California Right to Know coalition expects to begin collecting petition signatures in support of a citizen imitative, the California Right to Know Genetically Engineered Food Act.  If they collect a half-million legitimate signatures, the GMO label law will go to the voters in November.

The group is looking for volunteers and has scheduled petition training at dozens of locations throughout the state.  They plan to obtain at least 800,000 signatures.

California is one of several states that allow citizen-sponsored legislation to be put to a public vote.  Because previous bills submitted by state legislators to require GMO food labels never made it out of committee, the Right to Know group decided on direct democracy.

The Institute of Science in Society has put together a nice summary: The Case for a GM-Free Sustainable World.

RECENT SPECIAL REPORTS BY RADY ANANDA: 
Thyroid cancer, fracking and nuclear power
PIPA vote stalled while US censorship still grows

Rady Ananda is an investigative reporter and researcher in the areas of health, environment, politics, and civil liberties.  Her two websites, Food Freedom and COTO Report are essential reading.

Non-GMO Heirloom Seed Bank

Rady Ananda
Activist Post

If Washington State’s GMO-label bills, HB 2637 and SB 6298 don’t get voted out of committee by Friday at 5 pm, they’re dead, which is exactly what Monsanto-funded legislators on both the House and Senate Ag committees want.

The Senate’s Agriculture and Water & Rural Economic Development committee chair, Democratic Sen. Brian Hatfield, and two Republicans, Sens. Jim Honeyford and Mark Schoesler, have all taken money from Monsanto, reports the Organic Consumers Assn.

“Committee Chair Hatfield denies taking campaign cash from Monsanto, saying the Organic Consumers Fund is making ‘wild claims,’ even though anyone can see the public record of these contributions by entering ‘Monsanto’” at this search link in the Contributor Name box.

Sucks to be caught lying in public, but when a public servant does, that man ought to step down or recuse himself from the vote.  That’s what someone with morals would do, anyway.

“If he’s willing to lie about being sold-out to Monsanto, don’t believe him when he says, ‘The truth is, this bill does not have the votes to pass out of committee.’  It’s more likely that he’s blocking the vote to protect Monsanto because the bill WOULD pass,” says OCA.

The House Committee on Agriculture & Natural Resources also has two politicians sucking on Monsanto: the committee chair, Democratic Rep. Brian Blake and Republican Rep. Joel Kretz.

Last week, two public hearings on the GMO-label bills were packed, with OCA transporting 50 people to each of them.  You can watch the full Senate Ag hearing on the 26th here, and the House Ag hearing on the 27th here.

Residents are urged to write and call their state representatives and senators, asking them to co-sponsor HB 2637 and SB 6298.  Folks are also asked to contact these members of the agricultural committees if you live in their districts, urging passage of the bills out of committee.

In related news:

Kentucky takes on Big Ag in S.B. 47, a raw milk bill that would allow direct sales from farm to consumer as long as the milk and milk products are clearly labeled “Ungraded raw milk” or “Produced with ungraded raw milk.”

Kentuckians should take immediate action by calling the Legislative Research Commission (LRC) and leaving a message in support of S.B. 47 for the full Senate and your senator at 1-800-372-7181.

On Feb. 1, the bill was “passed over and retained in the Orders of the Day,” meaning the bill is being reworked before being submitted to the Senate for a vote.

While there is opposition to the bill, the latest version (which LRC has not posted) includes clarification about buying clubs, farmshares and herdshares, related to poultry and livestock, as well as direct sales of raw milk and raw milk products from farm to consumer.

You can read more about SB 47 at Food Freedom.

On Feb. 1, the Vermont House passed H.R. 13, a resolution declaring the inalienable right of all Vermonters to save and grow seeds.  Last year, Vermont passed a raw milk bill allowing direct sales from farm to consumer.  It’s also looking to label GMOs.

“Local Food is Homeland Security,” says Jessica Bernier of Vermont Coalition for Food Sovereignty.

There’s also a move afoot to get Monsanto lobbyist Michael R. Taylor fired from the FDA.

Non GMO Heirloom Seed Bank

The California Department of Food and Agriculture organized the Small Herd Dairy Working Group to meet with stakeholders.  At the Dec. 17 meeting, the Food Rights Coalition proposed new rules for very small dairies, exempting them from the onerous rules and laws in place, which were written with a one-size-fits-all mentality.

The Coalition is looking to ensure the continued flow of organic, raw milk for its customers without undue interference from state regulators.  You can read more about this at Civil Eats.

Brave - The Browser Built for Privacy

At least 15 states currently have GMO-label bills pending: Alaska, California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Iowa, Illinois, Maryland, North Carolina, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, Washington, and West Virginia.

You can read more about these and other food freedom bills at the OCA’s current legislation page.

Please help us combat censorship: vote for this article on Reddit:  http://www.reddit.com/r/conspiracy/comments/p8nki/monsantofunded_legislators_suppress_was_gmolabel/

Rady Ananda is an investigative reporter and researcher in the areas of health, environment, politics, and civil liberties.  Her two websites, Food Freedom and COTO Report are essential reading.

Recent reports by Rady Ananda can be found on our Contributing Writers page.

Editor’s Note: There has been a lot of controversy surrounding this article.  According to Mike Adams, “this story is based on a Daily Mail article that we have now been informed is from 2003, not 2012. Monsanto even went to the trouble to contact us and inform us that they have not retreated from the UK at all.” However, a new updated link has surfaced that has yet to be corrected. So, with that in mind…

Anthony Gucciardi
Activist Post

It has been a truly rough week for Monsanto. After being slammed with a lawsuit by concerned farmers over their GMO crops and thrown out by China, now the corrupt juggernaut is being thrown out of the United Kingdom.

In an unprecedented announcement, Monsanto announced a major departure from the UK due to “intense opposition” to genetically modified foods from activists.

As a result, the company is now closing its genetically modified wheat growing operation based in Cambridge. Monsanto officials even went on record stating that the move was a result of opposition against their own ‘Frankenstein Foods’.

Furthermore, the company is even looking to liquidate their GMO crop facilities based in Germany, France, and the Czech Republic. Monsanto is making a run for it, and food good reason.

Nations have been openly voicing their opposition against the biotech mammoth, with officials and individuals nationwide taking a stand. France is one of many nations to call out Monsanto’s crimes, citing health concerns among the many reasons to reject Monsanto’s GMO crops. 

India has also joined the conglomerate of nations directly opposed to the agricultural corruption brought upon by bloated biotechnology giant Monsanto, declaring legal action against the corporation for a crime dubbed ‘biopiracy‘.

Peru even went as far as to pass a monumental 10-year ban on genetically modified foods.

It seems that the United States officials are among the few who still swear allegiance to Monsanto, even allowing their genetically engineered hormone RBGH to run rampant in the U.S. despite being banned in 27 nations.

Shockingly, the synthetic hormone (RBGH) is actually created using molecules and DNA sequences that are a result of molecular cloning. Are U.S. officials truly convinced that Monsanto’s GMO crops are safe, or does it have to do with the fact that many Monsanto employees are at the heart of the U.S. government? Decide for yourself — click the image below to see the relationship between Monsanto and the U.S. government:

Explore More:

1. India Slams Monsanto with Unprecedented ‘Biopiracy’ Charges


2. Leaked: US to Start ‘Trade Wars’ with Nations Opposed to Monsanto, GMO Crops


3. USDA Steps Back and Gives Monsanto More Power Over GMO Seeds


4. Monsanto Investor Bill Gates Says GMO Crops Needed to Fight Starvation


5. Monsanto Admittedly Influences Colorado GMO Ban, Launches Phony ‘GMO Co-Existence’ Protests


6. France Takes Stand Against GMOs, Monsanto Despite End of Ban

This article first appeared at Natural Society, an excellent resource for health news and vaccine information.

Anthony Gucciardi
Activist Post

If you thought Monsanto’s lack of testing on their current GMO crops was bad before, prepare to now be blown away by the latest statement by the USDA.

Despite links to organ damage and mutated insects, the USDA says that it is changing the rules so that genetically modified seed companies like Monsanto will get ‘speedier regulatory reviews’.

With the faster reviews, there will be even less time spent on evaluating the potential dangers. Why? Because Monsanto is losing sales with longer approval terms.

The changes are expected to take full effect in March when they’re published in the Federal Register. The USDA’s goal is to cut the approval time for GMO crops in half in order to speedily implement them into the global food supply. The current USDA process takes longer than they would like due to ‘public interest, legal challenges, and the challenges associated with the advent of national organic food standards‘ says USDA deputy administrator Michael Gregoire.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, problems like public interest (activist groups attempting to bring the dangers of GMO crops to light), legal challenges (farmers suing Monsanto over genetic contamination), and national food standards are all getting in the way of their prime goal — to help Monsanto unleash their latest untested GMO creation. In fact, the concern is that Monsanto may be losing cash flow as nations like Brazil speed genetically modified seeds through laughable approval processes.

Steve Censky, chief executive officer of the American Soybean Association, states it quite plainly. This is a move to help Monsanto and other biotechnology giants squash competition and make profits. After all, who cares about public health?

‘It is a concern from a competition standpoint,’ Censky said in a telephone interview.

The same statements are re-iterated by analyst Jeff Windau in an interview with Bloomberg:

‘If you can reduce the approval time, you get sales that much faster,’ said Windau.

If you can reduce the approval time, as in the time it takes to determine if these food products are safe, then you can get sales much faster.

Is the USDA working for the United States consumer, or is it working for Monsanto?

Explore More:

1. USDA Steps Back and Gives Monsanto More Power Over GMO Seeds


2. Genetically Modified Salmon Approval Pushed by USDA with Nearly $500,000 Funding


3. Going Against Nature: USDA Found to be Exterminating Bees, Crops, and Birds


4. Monsanto’s GMO Crops Ravage US, USDA Ignores Dangers


5. Monsanto GMO Sugarbeets to be Destroyed | Court Concludes USDA Illegally Approved Biotech Crop


6. France Asks EU to Halt Monsanto GMO Corn Approval

This article first appeared at Natural Society, an excellent resource for health news and vaccine information.

Non GMO Heirloom Seed Bank

YouTube — MorphCity

Enlist is a new herbicide and GMO crop product from Dow Chemical and Monsanto.

Monsanto Shifts ALL Liability to Farmers video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWak_bUHDm8

Dow AgroSciences Technology Use Agreement:
http://msdssearch.dow.com/PublishedLiteratureDAS/dh_0886/0901b80380886267.pdf…

EPA admits 2,4-D dangers of 2,4-D herbicide:
http://www.epa.gov/teach/chem_summ/24D_summary.pdf

Glyphosate problems:
http://www.abc.net.au/rural/content/2011/s3245624.htm

Anthony Gucciardi
Activist Post

Obviously there is no room for GMOs in truly healthy food products, which is why it is truly vital that you understand the nature of GMOs and how they are oftentimes hidden in commercial food products.

It may very well shock you to know just how prevalent GMOs are within the food supply. It’s truly amazing that modified products continue to go unlabeled despite being linked to organ damage — among a barrage of other conditions — in a prominent review of 19 studies.

• Corn


• Cotton


• Soy


• Sweet corn


• Hawaiian Papaya


• Rice


• Potatoes

• 
  
  Genetically modified soybeans currently make up for 93-95% of the US soybean supply.
  
  


• 
  
  Genetically modified corn currently makes up for 86% of the US corn supply.
  
  


• 
  
  Genetically modified cotton currently makes up for 93% of the US cotton supply.
  
  


• 
  
  Genetically modified canola currently makes up for 93% of the soybean supply.
  
  


• 
  
  Genetically modified Hawaiin papaya currently makes up for 93% of the Hawaiian papaya supply.
  
  

This post is an excerpt from the ‘Genetically Modified Foods: How to Avoid & Identify’ section in my new book on natural health:

This article first appeared at Natural Society, an excellent resource for health news and vaccine information.

Non GMO Heirloom Seed Bank

Dees Illustration

Anthony Gucciardi
Activist Post

In what has been called the single largest wave of recorded suicides in human history, Indian farmers are now killing themselves in record numbers. It has been extensively reported, even in mainstream news, but nothing has been done about the issue.

The cause? Monsanto’s cost-inflated and ineffective seeds have been driving farmers to suicide, and is considered to be one of the largest — if not the largest — cause of the quarter of a million farmer suicides over the past 16 years.

According to the most recent figures (provided by the New York University School of Law), 17,638 Indian farmers committed suicide in 2009 — about one death every 30 minutes. In 2008, the Daily Mail labeled the continual and disturbing suicide spree as ‘The GM (genetically modified) Genocide’.

Due to failing harvests and inflated prices that bankrupt the poor farmers, struggling Indian farmers began to kill themselves. Oftentimes, they would commit the act by drinking the very same insecticide that Monsanto supplied them with — a gruesome testament to the extent in which Monsanto has wrecked the lives of independent and traditional farmers.

To further add backing to the tragedy, the rate of Indian farmer suicides massively increased since the introduction of Monsanto’s Bt cotton in 2002. It is no wonder that a large percentage of farmers who take their own lives are cotton farmers; the demographic that is thought to be among the most impacted.

Dr. Mercola, an osteopathic doctor that has been educating the world about natural health for many years, recently saw the destruction of traditional Indian farmers first hand. Dr. Mercola found out about the notorious ‘suicide belt’ of India, where 4,238 farmer suicides took place in 2007 alone.

Many families are now ruined thanks to the mass suicides, and are left to economic ruin and must struggle to fight off starvation:

‘We are ruined now,’ said one dead man’s 38-year-old wife. ‘We bought 100 grams of BT Cotton. Our crop failed twice. My husband had become depressed. He went out to his field, lay down in the cotton and swallowed insecticide.’

In India, around 60 percent of the population (currently standing at 1.1 billion) are directly or indirectly reliant on agriculture. Monsanto’s intrusion into India’s traditional and sustainable farming community is not only concerning for health and wellness reasons, but it is now clear that the issue is much more serious.
 
Explore More:

1. Monsanto Investor Bill Gates Says GMO Crops Needed to Fight Starvation


2. USDA Steps Back and Gives Monsanto More Power Over GMO Seeds


3. Farmers Issue Lawsuit Against Monsanto for Widespread Genetic Manipulation


4. Busted: Monsanto Abusing Illegal Workers in ‘Slave-Like’ Conditions


5. Monsanto’s GMO Corn Contributing to Weight Gain, Disrupts Organs


6. Monsanto GMO Seeds Use to Further Expand Within US

This article first appeared at Natural Society, an excellent resource for health news and vaccine information.

CBAN

Heather Callaghan
Activist Post

Last year, the media was buzzing about the possibility of Enviro-pig entering the American and Canadian food markets.

The way our regulatory agencies work is to keep pending approvals for genetically modified animals on file, in secret, until a decision determines if it’s suddenly in the stores unlabeled, or no, not yet.

Enviro-pig could have gone to market for human consumption anytime. However, in a miraculous turn of events, Ontario Pork decided to cut research funding and close active research before the potential approval. The university cannot continue breeding the pigs without the funding.

“There’s no demand or need for genetically modifying food animals. The federal government should stop accepting requests to approve GM food animals,” said Lucy Sharratt of Canadian Biotechnology Action Network, a coalition of 18 groups that campaigned to prevent the GM food pigs from being approved for consumers. Also from CBAN’s press release:

It’s clear that consumers oppose GM animals so we’re relieved the project is being shelved. The GM pig was going to drive consumers away from eating pork if it was ever approved for market, said Paul Slomp, Youth Vice-President of the National Farmers Union. “This GM pig fiasco could have permanently damaged our domestic and international pork markets.

Dr. Cecil Forsberg, co-inventor of Enviro-pig agreed with Ontario Pork’s decision . . . for now. From NY Times, Forsberg says:

[When the first such pig was created in 1999] I had the feeling in seven or eight or nine years that transgenic animals probably would be acceptable. But I was wrong. It’s time to stop the program until the rest of the world catches up . . . and it is going to catch up.

Dr. Forsberg is retaining Enviro-pig semen on the chance “the world catches up with him” and a company is willing to take on the GM pigs in the future.

Mouse-pig or Franken-Swine could have been the very first GM animal for consumption — bacon just wouldn’t have been the same again; and, actually, it isn’t.

What About the Remaining Mess?

In 2002, a precedent for contamination was set when eleven GM piglets at the University were sent to a rendering plant and turned into animal feed (unapproved) instead of being destroyed as biological waste. They contaminated 675 tons of poultry feed that was sold to egg, turkey and chicken farmers in Ontario!

Former vice president of research at the University of Guelph said of the incident, “Things you don’t expect to happen can happen.”

Again in 2004, experimental GM pharma-pigs from the Quebec company TGN Biotech were accidentally[?] turned into chicken feed instead of being safely destroyed.

As we can see, the closed research was more a result of consumer reaction and activism than anything else. At the very least, Enviro-pig served to shed light on the problems with GM mega-farm conditions and a real environmental problem that still exists.

Avoiding The Eye - Ships Free Today!

The media might bemoan the naysayers who tried to stop the “good guys” who already pumped millions into a misguided “solution” for the environment. Truthfully, the pigs, environment and farming markets are much safer with Enviro-pig’s timely exit.

With great hope, farmers will continue to alter the structure and move towards economical healthy feed and confinement changes. Otherwise, consumer sway will move to decentralize further and seek better treated pigs, leaving lots of poor farmers undeservedly holding the GMO feed bag.

Additional Sources:

http://www.cban.ca/Resources/Topics/Enviropig
http://www.commonground.ca/iss/227/cg227_enviropig.shtml
http://howtoeliminatepain.com/ibs/enviropigs-an-insult-to-mother-nature-and-a-costly-“techno-fix”-by-biotech-corporations-playing-“god”

Read other articles by Heather Callaghan here.

You can support this information by voting on Reddit: http://www.reddit.com/r/conspiracy/comments/ru0aw/gm_enviropig_wont_go_to_the_market_on_to_humanely/

Non GMO Heirloom Seed Bank

var linkwithin_site_id = 557381;

linkwithin_text=’Related Articles:’