Infinite Unknown

- Monsanto and other GM firms are winning in the US – and globally (Guardian, May 14, 2014):

If you have a feeling that genetically modified (GM) foods are being forced upon the population by a handful of business interests and vociferously defended by the scientists that work in the agriculture industry or at the research institutions it funds, you might be onto something.

The zeal with which GM proponents evangelize transgenic seeds (and now, transgenic food animals) is so extreme that they are even pouring vast sums of money to defeat popular efforts to simply label GE foods – like the nearly $50m spent to defeat the popular 2012 ballot measure to label GE foods in California, Proposition 37. What’s more, it’s not just happening in the United States. I am the head of Food & Water Watch, and we have spent months looking at the extent to which the US State Department is working on behalf of the GM seed industry to make sure that biotech crops are served up abroad whether the world wants them or not.

Our report analyzes over 900 State Department diplomatic cables from 2005 to 2009 and reveals how far the US government will go to help serve the seed industry’s agenda abroad, knowing that resistance to GMOs worldwide is high.

Here are some of the tidbits gleaned from our comprehensive look at the cables: Continue reading »

Tags: Agriculture, Barack Obama, Environment, Food, Global News, Government, Monsanto, Obama administration, Pioneer, Politics, U.S.

Just as Monsanto attempted to discredit scientist Gilles-Eric Seralini’s study on rats fed genetically engineered corn, the company called this peer-reviewed journal article “another bogus study” due to its “bad science.”

- Study Links Monsanto’s Roundup To Autism, Parkinson’s And Alzheimer’s (Nation of Change, May 5, 2013):

A new review of hundreds of scientific studies surrounding glyphosate—the major component of Monsanto’s Roundup herbicide—sheds light on its effects within the human body. The paper describes how all of these effects could work together, and with other variables, trigger health problems in humans, including debilitating diseases like gastrointestinal disorders, diabetes, heart disease, obesity, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.

Glyphosate impairs the cytochrome P450 (CYP) gene pathway, which creates enzymes that help to form and also break down molecules in cells. There are myriad important CYP enzymes, including aromatase (the enzyme that converts androgen into estrogen) and 21-Hydroxylase, which creates cortisol (stress hormone) and aldosterone (regulates blood pressure). One function of these CYP enzymes is also to detoxify xenobiotics, which are foreign chemicals like drugs, carcinogens or pesticides. Glyphosate inhibits these CYP enzymes, which has rippling effects throughout our body.

Because the CYP pathway is essential for normal functioning of various systems in our bodies, any small change in its expression can lead to disruptions. For example, humans exposed to glyphosate have decreased levels of the amino acid tryptophan, which is necessary for active signaling of the neurotransmitter serotonin. Suppressed serotonin levels have been associated with weight gain, depression and Alzheimer’s disease.

Continue reading »

Tags: Alzheimer, Brain, Diabetes, Environment, Enzymes, Global News, Glyphosate, Health, Heart disease, Monsanto, Obesity, Parkinson, Roundup, Roundup Ready, Science, Serotonin

- Comparison of GMO and non-GMO corn – the real statistics will astound you! (Natural News, May 5, 2013):

As Monsanto parades their genetically modified seed, throwing it out like candy into the fields, future generations are being subjected to nutritionally void, disease-causing food. As the government protects the GMO industry, with its recent signing of the “Monsanto Protection Act”, the republic’s health interests are being discarded.

A 2012 study, called the Corn Comparison Report, was recently released by Profit Pro and published on the website for Moms Across America March to Label GMOs – a group dedicated to raising awareness about the dangers of genetically modified organisms.

The Corn Comparison Report detailed the nutritional deficiencies of GMO corn compared to regular organic corn. The report reveals the stunning levels of glyphosate in GMO corn and the amount of vital nutrients that have been drawn out.

GMO corn: nutritionally void

The nutrition statistics for GMO corn are bone chilling. Here is what the report indicates:

• Organic corn has 14 ppm of manganese. GMO corn has only 2 ppm.
• Real corn has 7 times more manganese!
• Organic corn has 6130 ppm of calcium. GMO is stripped down to 14 ppm.
• Real corn has 437 times more calcium!
• Organic corn has 113 ppm of magnesium. GMO corn is vacant, with only 2 ppm.
• Real corn has 56 times more magnesium!

GMO corn contains alarming glyphosate levels

Continue reading »

Tags: Environment, Food, Formaldehyde, Genetically Modified Organisms, Global News, Glyphosate, GMO, Health, Monsanto

As a reminder …

- March against Monsanto taking place everywhere May 25 (Natural News, April 23, 2013)

Tags: Global News, Monsanto, Society

Original article in German down below.

Google translation:

- EU wants to regulate cultivation of fruit and vegetables in gardens (Deutsche Wirtschafts Nachrichten, April 23, 2013):

The European Commission wants to impose on farmers and gardeners in the future the use of standard seeds. Old and rare varieties have little chance of an approval, their cultivation will be  punishable by law – even if it takes place in private gardens.

The European Commission is working on a revision of the European seed market in the form of a regulation. Thus, a decision of the European Court is legalized in July 2012: Farmers are allowed to sell only officially authorized seed. So far, old and rare seed varieties were excluded that were grown in long standing economic and exchange traded, usually in small quantities. If it goes to the Commission’s plans, small farmers or private persons may not even give away their homegrown seeds in the future.

Continue reading »

Tags: 1984, Agriculture, Dictatorship, Environment, Farmers, Fascism, Food, Fruits, George Orwell, Global News, Government, Monsanto, New World Order, Politics, Seeds, Society, Vegetables

- The Monsanto Protection Act? A Debate on Controversial New Measure Over Genetically Modified Crops (Democracy Now, April 2, 2013):

President Obama outraged food activists last week when he signed into law a spending bill with a controversial rider that critics have dubbed the “Monsanto Protection Act.” The rider says the government must allow the planting of genetically modified crops even if courts rule they pose health risks. The measure has galvanized the U.S. food justice movement, which is now preparing for its next fight when the provision expires in six months. We host a discussion on the “Monsanto Protection Act” and the safety of genetically modified foods with two guests: Gregory Jaffe, director of the Biotechnology Project at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a nonprofit consumer advocacy organization that addresses food and nutrition issues; and Wenonah Hauter, executive director of Food & Water Watch and author of the book, “Foodopoly: The Battle Over the Future of Food and Farming in America.” On Wednesday, Hauter’s group is releasing a major new report called “Monsanto: A Corporate Profile.” [includes rush transcript]

Transcript

This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.

AARON MATÉ: President Obama outraged food activists last week when he signed into law a spending bill with a controversial rider attached. Critics have dubbed the rider the “Monsanto Protection Act.” That’s because it effectively says the government must allow the planting of genetically modified crops even if courts rule they pose health risks. The provision calls on the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the USDA, to, quote, “grant temporary permit(s) or temporary deregulation,” unquote, to the crop growers until an environmental review is completed. In other words, plant the GE crop first and assess the impact later.

AMY GOODMAN: One of the biggest supporters of the provision was Republican Senator Roy Blunt of Missouri, Monsanto’s home state. Blunt reportedly crafted the bill’s language with Monsato’s help.
On the other side was the lone member of the Senate who’s also an active farmer, Democrat Jon Tester of Montana. Senator Tester tried to remove the rider when the budget bill made its way through Congress last month. Speaking on the Senate floor, Tester said the provision would undermine judicial oversight and hurt family farmers.

SEN. JON TESTER: The United States Congress is telling the Agricultural Department that even if a court tells you that you’ve failed to follow the right process and tells you to start over, you must disregard the court’s ruling and allow the crop to be planted anyway. Not only does this ignore the constitutional idea of separation of powers, but it also lets genetically modified crops take hold across this country, even when a judge finds it violates the law—once again, agribusiness multinational corporations putting farmers as serfs. It’s a dangerous precedent. Mr. President, it will paralyze the USDA, putting the department in the middle of a battle between Congress and the courts. And the ultimate loser will be our family farmers going about their business and feeding America in the right way.

AARON MATÉ: Well, Senator Tester’s effort failed, and the rider was included in last month’s legislation that avoided a government shutdown.

Continue reading »

Tags: Barack Obama, Biotech, Congress, Constitution, Corporations, Environment, Food, Genetically Modified Organisms, Global News, GMO, Government, Health, Law, Monsanto, Obama administration, Politics, Roy Blunt, Society, U.S., USDA

Related info:

- Obama’s ‘Monsanto Protection Act’ Bill Hands The Biotech Industry The Power To Nullify The Decisions Of Federal Courts

- ‘Monsanto Protection Act’ Written By Monsanto-Sponsored Senator

- Outrageous Betrayal Of All Americans: President Obama Signs ‘Monsanto Protection Act’ Into Law

- Top 10 excuses for Obama signing the Monsanto Protection Act (Jon Rappoport’s Blog, March 28, 2013):

Yes, he signed HR 993. It was a bill funding the federal government. There was a rider in it. A Monsanto and biotech rider.

The gist of the rider is: a dangerous ghoulish GMO food crop can’t be stopped by a court order. That crop can still be grown, harvested, and sold in the US.

Isn’t that wonderful? Isn’t it grand?

250,000 people signed an emergency letter to Obama, telling him to send HR 993 back to Congress so the rider could be removed. He didn’t.

Continue reading »

Tags: Agriculture, Barack Obama, Bill Gates, Constitution, Dictatorship, Environment, Fascism, Food, Genetically Modified Organisms, George Soros, Global News, GMO, Government, Health, Law, Monsanto, New World Order, Obama administration, Politics, U.S.

“Yes, President Obama really did sign the “Monsanto Protection Act” into law earlier this week. It grants Monsanto and the entire biotech industry the power to nullify federal courts, even when those courts determine that particular GMO crops may be dangerous to human health or the environment.
The signing of this bill by Obama is widely seen as the “ultimate betrayal” by progressives and those on the political left. If Obama won’t take a stand against Monsanto, what does he stand for at all?”
- Mike Adams (Natural News)

Related info:

- ‘Monsanto Protection Act’ Written By Monsanto-Sponsored Senator

- Outrageous Betrayal Of All Americans: President Obama Signs ‘Monsanto Protection Act’ Into Law

- Obama’s signing of Monsanto Protection Act proves he will betray progressives, too (Natural News, March 29, 2013):

The internet has erupted into a fury over Obama’s signing of the so-called “Monsanto Protection Act,” a rider to a federal appropriations bill that hands Monsanto the power to nullify the decisions of federal courts. If the courts decide that a genetically engineered crop is dangerous to the public or the environment, it can no longer order Monsanto (or any other company) to stop planting the crops. Instead, the law mandates the Secretary of Agriculture to issue permits and deregulation orders that allow the “continued cultivation, commercialization and other specifically enumerated activities” even if a crop is deemed to be causing a plague or unleashing dangerous genetic pollution.

The actual language of the bill is barely-recognizable lawyerspeak, of course, but it’s not difficult to see how it will be interpreted by a federal government which routinely conspires with Monsanto and the biotech industry to sneak GMOs into the food supply. To read the bill language yourself, visit:
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-113hr933enr/pdf/BILLS-113hr933enr….
… and search for “735.” (Thanks to Anthony Gucciardi for finding this link.)

Activism holds politicians accountable

The backlash against the rider melded the efforts of numerous activist organizations, including Food Democracy Now, the Center for Food Safety, the Institute for Responsible Technology, the Organic Consumers Association and many more. It resulted in hundreds of thousands of petition signatures, protests outside the White House, and tens of millions of people learning the truth about how Obama has betrayed his own support base yet again.

That’s the real political impact of this: Obama’s own actions now prove he will betray progressives and democrats on the issues that matter to them, too. The GMO issue is a super-hot topic on the political left. Anyone who conspires with Monsanto is instantly — and justifiably — branded a “sellout” and a traitor to the People. This is why companies like Kashi, a cereal manufacturer that uses GMOs but doesn’t label its products as containing GMO, is feeling tremendous heat from the GMO labeling boycott efforts. Informed consumers are outright punishing any company, politician or media organization that allies itself with the interests of Monsanto.

That list now clearly includes Obama himself. By signing this into law, he betrayed America and granted Monsanto and the biotech industry unprecedented power over federal courts. He essentially took away the power of the government to halt the continued growing and commercialization of dangerous genetically engineered crops. And he got caught doing so. Continue reading »

Tags: Agriculture, Barack Obama, Constitution, Dictatorship, Environment, Fascism, Food, Genetically Modified Organisms, Global News, GMO, Government, Health, Law, Monsanto, New World Order, Obama administration, Politics, U.S.

Related info:

- Outrageous Betrayal Of All Americans: President Obama Signs ‘Monsanto Protection Act’ Into Law:

“In an outrageous betrayal of all Americans, President Obama just signed the so-called “Monsanto Protection Act” into law.

This law gives Monsanto authority over federal courts and allows it to plant experimental GMO crops even if they pose an extreme risk to human health and environmental health.”

US President Barack Obama (AFP Photo / Brendan Smialowsky)

- Obama signs ‘Monsanto Protection Act’ written by Monsanto-sponsored senator (RT, March 28, 2013):

United States President Barack Obama has signed a bill into law that was written in part by the very billion-dollar corporation that will benefit directly from the legislation.

On Tuesday, Pres. Obama inked his name to H.R. 933, a continuing resolution spending bill approved in Congress days earlier. Buried 78 pages within the bill exists a provision that grossly protects biotech corporations such as the California-based Monsanto Company from litigation.

Continue reading »

Tags: Agriculture, Barack Obama, Dictatorship, Environment, Farmers, Fascism, Food, Genetically Modified Organisms, Global News, GMO, Government, Health, Law, Monsanto, New World Order, Obama administration, Politics, Roy Blunt, Society, U.S., USDA

“In an outrageous betrayal of all Americans, President Obama just signed the so-called “Monsanto Protection Act” into law.
This law gives Monsanto authority over federal courts and allows it to plant experimental GMO crops even if they pose an extreme risk to human health and environmental health.”
- Mike Adams (Natural News)

- Obama betrays America yet again by signing the ‘Monsanto Protection Act’ into law (Natural News, March 28, 2013):

President Barack Obama campaigned on promises to end secret prisons, decriminalize marijuana, balance the budget, honor the Second Amendment and make health care affordable. But what really unfolded was an explosion in the national debt (now $16 trillion and climbing), the signing of the NDAA, a claimed new power to kill any American at any time, even on U.S. soil, the use of military drones to murder American children overseas, a full-on assault against the Bill of Rights, a doubling of health insurance rates and the destruction of the U.S. economy.

But that’s not all.

Now Obama has signed the “Monsanto Protection Act” into law, stabbing America in the heart yet again and proving that no matter how convincing politicians appear on the campaign trail, they are still sociopathic liars in the end.

The Monsanto Protection Act, part of the HR 933 continuing resolution, allows Monsanto to override U.S. federal courts on the issue of planting experimental genetically engineered crops all across the country. Even if those experimental crops are found to be extremely dangerous or to cause a runaway crop plague, the U.S. government now has no judicial power to stop them from being planted and harvested.

As ibtimes.com reports, the bill “effectively bars federal courts from being able to halt the sale or planting of GMO or GE crops and seeds, no matter what health consequences from the consumption of these products may come to light in the future.”

GMOs now evade all regulations: America has become a grand Monsanto experimentA Food Democracy Now petition now states:

With the Senate passage of the Monsanto Protection Act, biotech lobbyists are one step closer to making sure that their new GMO crops can evade any serious scientific or regulatory review.

This dangerous provision, the Monsanto Protection Act, strips judges of their constitutional mandate to protect consumer and farmer rights and the environment, while opening up the floodgates for the planting of new untested genetically engineered crops, endangering farmers, citizens and the environment.

Corporate-government conspiracy is fascism Continue reading »

Tags: Agriculture, Barack Obama, Bill of Rights, Constitution, Dictatorship, Environment, Farmers, Fascism, Food, Genetically Modified Organisms, Global News, GMO, Government, Health, Law, Monsanto, NDAA, New World Order, Obama administration, Politics, Society, U.S., USDA