nonGMO

Industry Watchdog Reinforces Call for New Leadership at USDA National Organic Program

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(Excerpt from Cornucopia)

Read Cornucopia’s letter to USDA Secretary Perdue.]

“Non-organic corn and soy, labeled as organic, are flooding U.S. ports, undercutting legitimate U.S. organic farmers, due to the USDA’s negligence. The organic industry’s most aggressive industry watchdog, The Cornucopia Institute, reinforced their call for USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue to correct the chronic pattern of gross corruption at the National Organic Program (NOP) by replacing the incompetent management.

Cornucopia’s letter to Perdue follows the release of a new investigation by The Washington Post documenting massive shipments of fraudulent organic grains entering the U.S. from China and Eastern Europe. The May 13 article, The labels said ‘organic.’ But these massive imports of corn and soybeans weren’t, details how easy it has been for exporters to sell gross amounts of fraudulent “organic” commodities to U.S. markets.”

To read the entire article, please click on:  https://www.cornucopia.org/2017/05/washington-post-investigative-report-uncovers-massive-fraud-organic-grain-imports/?utm_source=eNews&utm_medium=email&utm_content=7.1.17&utm_campaign=WAPost

Monsanto and Their Big Food Allies Are at it Again

~ richeyjo ~ Leave a comment

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They’re trying to prevent clear GMO labeling on the package by persuading Congress to pass legislation that would allow food manufacturers to hide GMOs in their products using just a QR code.

Ever heard of a QR code??

Don’t feel bad if you haven’t, polling shows that more than 80 percent of Americans have never used a QR code. That’s because it’s a fading and unpopular technology that will confuse consumers. Americans have a right to know what they are eating. That means we need clear labeling on the package.

Take action: tell your senators to fight for clear GMO labels on food packaging.

Defeating Big Food’s attempt to block state labeling was a huge win for GMO labeling, but the fight isn’t over. We won’t stop working for you until we’ve secured federal legislation mandating GMO labels on food packaging. But we can’t do it alone. We need you to take action right now.

Tell Congress that you won’t stop fighting for your right to know. Ask your senators to advocate for clear GMO labels, not just high-tech gimmicks.

Thanks for standing with Just Label It!

 

RED ALERT: Right now a handful of Senators are trying to pass an outrageous corporate bailout for Big Food and the biotech industry known as the Monsanto Promotion Act in the Senate and we need your help to STOP IT TODAY- Every voice counts!

~ richeyjo ~ 1 Comment

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Right now Monsanto and the Grocery Manufacturers Association are scrambling in Washington DC to get your Senators to trample on states’ rights and hand Monsanto and Big Food another massive corporate bailout by making it illegal for states to pass common sense GMO labeling laws like the Connecticut, Vermont and Maine legislatures did in 2013 and 2014. This bailout not only protects Monsanto’s toxic products from real scientific investigations by the federal government, but also forces the USDA to promote GMOs around the country to try to create widespread “Consumer Acceptance” (this is the actual phrase from Senator Roberts bill).

That’s right, your Senators could vote next week to not only sell your constitutional rights to protect Monsanto and Big Food from common sense GMO labeling, but they’re also going to use taxpayer money to PROMOTE Monsanto, DuPont, Dow Chemical and Syngenta’s GMOs across the United States. This is an outrage, and calls to your Senators are the only thing standing in the way from this passing in the Senate and becoming the law of the land.

It’s absolutely CRITICAL that all of us make calls NOW to your Senators urging them to VOTE AGAINST S. 2609 and DEFEND VERMONT’s HISTORIC GMO LABELING LAW, which will go into effect on July 1st of this year.

We need to make sure they hear – Loud and Clear – that we won’t allow them to steal our basic democratic rights to protect Monsanto’s toxic profits.

Here’s what your Senators need to hear from us:

They MUST OPPOSE S. 2609 and any proposal that would preempt States’ Rights and Maine’s landmark GMO Labeling bill.  They should support the excellent alternative bill sponsored by Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR). The Merkley bill would institute strong mandatory GMO Labeling nationwide.

Click here to make a call today! This corrupt deal – the ultimate Monsanto Promotion Act – will be voted on Next Week in the Senate and your Senators need to hear from you today!

http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/call/stop_the_Monsanto_Promotion_Act_now/?t=4&akid=1830.1112150.etw3Uq

Republicans Pitch the Monsanto Promotion Act!  Now Senate Republicans are desperate to promote Monsanto’s products To FORCE “Consumer Acceptance” on the American Public.
The current legislation from Senator Pat Roberts is so corrupt and contains such a massive corporate bailout for Monsanto, that even Roberts’ fellow Senators are outraged and are now calling his bill the “Monsanto Promotion Act”.

Buried in S. 2609, the bill Sen. Pat Roberts is trying to push through the Senate, is an outrageous proposal that demands using federal government funds to promote GMOs through educational, outreach and promotional efforts to “address consumer acceptance”. They have gone too far and we need your help today to stop dead in its tracks!

‘SEC. 294. INFORMATION FOR CONSUMERS.

‘‘(a) EDUCATION.—The Secretary, in coordination with other Federal agencies as appropriate, shall provide science-based information, including any information on the environmental, nutritional, economic, and humanitarian benefits of agricultural biotechnology, through education, outreach, and promotion to address consumer acceptance of agricultural biotechnology.

We’ve been able to stop them so far because of a massively high volume of phone calls, but we need to keep the phones ringing.

The vote is could take place as early as next week in the Senate and your Senators need to hear from you today!

This our moment to STOP Monsanto – It’s all hands on deck! We are in the final hours to protect our right to know what’s in our food and states’ rights so we can achieve mandatory GMO labeling. Please share with your friends and call your Senators today! Every voice counts!

Remember, democracy is like a muscle, either you use it or you lose it!

Thanks for participating in food democracy.

Tell your Senators to support mandatory GMO labeling and to stand up for your rights and the Constitution.

Then SHARE this image far and wide to Stop Monsanto’s GMO Trolls in the Senate!
Sources:

1. “Monsanto Could Benefit From a Chemical Safety Bill”, The New York Times, Eric Lipton, February 29, 2016
http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/1605?t=9&akid=1830.1112150.etw3Uq

If GMos are Not Enough, Check out Carrageenan

~ richeyjo ~ Leave a comment

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From fish with cancer and medications found in our water supply that is changing the sex of fish, growth hormones in our meat, genetically modified organisms in our food, we also have to watch out for Carrageenan.  The sad thing is that Carrageenan is also commonly used in organic foods so when we think we are eating healthy, that may not be the case at all.

Carrageenan is a common food additive that is extracted from a red seaweed, which has no nutritional value at all, and is used as a thickener and binder to improve the texture of ice cream, yogurt, cottage cheese, soy milk and other processed foods.   In manufacturing, carrageenan is also used as a stabilizer in medications, foods, and toothpaste and is an ingredient in weight loss products .

The University of Illinois College of Medicine, conducted studies linking carrageenan – the type that is widely used in foods with malignancies and other stomach problems and our digesting carrageenan causes inflammation and that when we consume processed foods containing it, we ingest enough to cause inflammation in our bodies. Since chronic inflammation is a root cause of many serious diseases including heart disease, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s diseases, and cancer,  the use of carrageenan has been tested in tissues and when laboratory mice are exposed to low concentrations of carrageenan for 18 days, they develop “profound” glucose intolerance and impaired insulin action, both of which can lead to diabetes.

According to Charlotte Vallaeys, director of Farm and Food Policy for non-profit food policy research group Cornucopia, the FDA picks profits over public health.  Though current research indicates carrageenan side effects can cause a host of problems, the FDA refuses to impose limitations on its use.  “Natural does not mean safe,” says Vallaeys. “Poison ivy is natural, but you wouldn’t put it in skin lotion…carrageenan side effects appear to do to your gut what poison ivy does to your skin.”

To see a list of brands of “natural” or “organic” foods that contain carrageenan, please click on the link below.

http://www.cornucopia.org/shopping-guide-to-avoiding-organic-foods-with-carrageenan/?utm_source=eNews&utm_medium=email&utm_content=5.9.15&utm_campaign=carrageenan

US Forest Service Ignores Nestlé’s Illegal Take Over of Water Supply

~ richeyjo ~ Leave a comment

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They (large corporations) took over our food supply by adding GMOs, and now they want to get at our water supply.  Educate yourself and fight back – we can do it if we all stick together and take action.  Sign every Petition you can and tell all your family and friends to do the same.  Since our government won’t help us, we can get our point across by shopping for brands that care about our health and our rights.   If they see their profits starting to fall, they are more apt to listen to us.  Read the full story on the link below:

http://naturalsociety.com/us-forest-service-ignores-nestles-illegal-take-over-of-water-supply/#ixzz3ZWWqctSO

Sign Petition

http://act.credoaction.com/sign/Nestle_Water?nosig=1&t=1&akid=14123.1892298.n728WK

If you have a Twitter account, click here to automatically tweet:
Tell @forestservice: Immediately halt water withdrawals by @nestle during the California drought. http://bit.ly/1DFebPK

All Major 2016 Presidential Candidates OPPOSE GMO Labeling

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It’s up to the US people to protect the food supply.  Don’t allow the government and large corporations continue to put poison in our foods – you can do that by getting the word out and hitting them in the pocket – the only thing they seem to understand.  Because of the wise choices of everyday people, large greedy corporations are already starting to see their profits drop and more and more stores are stocking their shelves with non GMO and organic and gluten free food.

Read more about who has to say what about labeling and e-mail friends, tweet, blog, use Facebook and make your voice heard.

http://naturalsociety.com/virtually-all-major-2016-presidential-candidates-oppose-gmo-labeling/#ixzz3ZWVrfRtK

Write to Representatives to Label GMO Food.

~ richeyjo ~ Leave a comment
United States Senator Debbie Stabenow - Michigan
Dear Joyce,

Thank you for sharing your views regarding the labeling of genetically modified food. There is nothing more important than the safety of the food we feed our families and transparency for consumers to know what is in their food.

As Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, I am committed to supporting the great diversity of American agriculture, including local food systems that focus on farmers markets, small farms, and organics. That is why I fought to make the 2014 Farm Bill the strongest ever for healthy fruits and vegetables, with a major focus on helping to get locally raised produce into local supermarkets.

I strongly support the certified organic label, which under the law cannot contain genetically modified organisms. Organic crops are one of the main focuses of the 2014 Farm Bill. The law established important assistance programs for organic producers with dedicated organic research funding, critical data collection on organic markets, and assistance for farmers who want to grow organic crops and apply the certified organic label to their products. It is absolutely critical that when families purchase organic products, they can trust that rigorous enforcement standards ensure those products comply with the label.

I support sound, scientific research on the safety of genetically modified foods, and I also support the ability for consumers to make the most informed choices about their food. I will continue to monitor this issue closely and keep your opinions in mind.

Thank you again for contacting me. Please continue to keep me informed about issues of concern to you and your family.

Sincerely,
Debbie Stabenow
United States Senator

Progress Being Made by Activists for Healthy Food

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FDA Database: 93% of Food Additives Aren’t Properly Studied

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Natural Society says, “What an amazing past few weeks of victories for the natural health movement! From GMO labeling to corporations removing the junk from their products.

It’s all thanks to your support in spreading the message and helping us reach so many millions.”

Read more:  http://naturalsociety.com/fda-database-93-of-food-additives-arent-properly-studied/#ixzz3YLfI97pi

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