GENETICALLY MODIFIED CROPS - THE SILENT KILLER IN YOUR KITCHEN

GENETICALLY MODIFIED CROPS

THE SILENT KILLER IN YOUR KITCHEN

Stes de Necker

Introduction

Over the years I have written many articles about the economic benefits of the so-called ‘No-till’ system of cultivating cash crops.

Since the pioneering days of the no-till system, producers of genetically engineered cash crops, in particular Monsanto, and the accompanying use of herbicides containing glyphosate, was portrayed by these manufacturers as completely harmless and safe for human consumption.

Concerns of developers (including myself) were merely rejected as speculative and ignorant opinions of misinformed individuals – and derided them as not only unscientific, but anti-science.

They (Monsanto) then set to work to convince the public and government officials, through the dissemination of false information, that there was an overwhelming expert consensus, based on solid evidence, that GMOs were safe.

It’s a big kick in the gut to reckon with corporate bullies most adept at leading us to believe that we are truly free to choose, that they don’t actually use every resource to benefit their bottom line, and that they really are concerned with our best interests.

And multinational seed and chemical corporation, Monsanto, doesn’t mind if you have no choice.

They believe they’ve got the tools to solve the world’s food, fuel and fiber problems with GMOs, and that’s all you need to know–not that nearly 80 percent of all processed foods sold in the U.S. contain unlabeled genetically modified organisms (most bearing Monsanto patents on corn, soy, canola and cotton), or that favors from industry groups, politicians and fellow corporations are paramount to the proliferation of Monsanto’s main seed: Corporate Greed.

Think that’s about to change anytime soon? Not after you see who sits on Monsanto’s board of directors.

A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who oversee the activities of a company or organization. In most cases it can require very little involvement in the day-to-day functioning of the governed entity, but it is typically always staffed with individuals vested in the best interest of the company or organization.

In Monsanto’s case, several members of its board of directors aid in the proliferation of genetically modified seeds through their daily livelihood, continuing to insure that no regulations or transparency requirements be allowed in the U.S. on foods or household products containing genetically modified ingredients, which would not only affect Monsanto’s success, but that of their other corporate interests as well.

Board of Directors

Gregory H. Boyce

Gregory H. Boyce is Executive Chairman of Peabody Energy Corporation

David L. Chicoine

David L. Chicoine, Ph.D. is president of South Dakota State University and professor of economics.

Janice L. Fields

Janice L. Fields is a former president of McDonald’s USA, LLC, a subsidiary of McDonald’s Corporation.

Hugh Grant

Hugh Grant is the chairman and chief executive officer of Monsanto Company.

Arthur H. Harper

Arthur H. Harper is managing partner of GenNx360 Capital Partners.

Laura K. Ipsen

Laura Ipsen is Senior Vice President & General Manager of The Global Industry Solutions Group for Oracle Corporation.

Gwendolyn S. King

Gwendolyn S. King is president of Podium Prose, a speakers bureau.

Marcos M. Lutz

Marcos M. Lutz is the Chief Executive Officer of Cosan S.A. Indústria e Comércio.

C. Steven McMillan

C. Steven McMillan is a retired chairman of the board and CEO of Sara Lee Corporation.

Jon R. Moeller

Jon R. Moeller is chief financial officer of The Procter & Gamble Company.

William U. Parfet

William U. Parfet is chairman of the board, chief executive officer and President of MPI Research Inc.

George H. Poste, Ph. D., D.V.M.

George H. Poste, Ph. D., D.V.M. is chief executive of Health Technology Networks.

Robert J. Stevens

Robert J. Stevens is a retired chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Lockheed Martin Corporation.

A new study recently published in the Journal of Organic Systems, examined US government databases searching for GE (Genetically Engineered) crop data, glyphosate application data, and disease epidemiological data while performing a “correlation analysis” on a total of 22 different diseases. 

The researchers came to an alarming conclusion:

“These data show very strong and highly significant correlations between the increasing use of glyphosate, GE crop growth and the increase in a multitude of diseases. Many of the graphs show sudden increases in the rates of diseases in the mid-1990s that coincide with the commercial production of GE crops. The probabilities in the graphs and tables show that it is highly unlikely that the correlations are a coincidence. The strength of the correlations shows that there is a very strong probability that they are linked somehow.”

The global resistance against Genetically Modified Crops is growing at an exponential rate. A few years ago, you were almost ridiculed for suggesting that GM foods could be a problem, and now scientists and researchers are presenting information that has 19 new countries joining an already long list of nations to completely ban, or have severe restrictions on, GMOs — as well as the pesticides and herbicides that go with them.

These countries will not allow genetically modified crops to be grown in their country. The opt-out countries are requesting that biotechnology companies exclude their territories from GMO seed sales, and some countries are simply putting things to a halt until more research is conducted.

For those of you who do not know, GMO crops have had their DNA artificially altered, which is a process that would not happen in nature. This is done by introducing genes from a completely different species in order to boost the plant’s resistance to pests or herbicides, or create some other desired effect.

Again, we are talking about 19 countries. That’s more than half of the countries within the European Union, some of which include: Germany, France, Scotland, France, Italy, Austria, Greece, Poland, and Belgium. The magnitude of this resistance cannot be ignored.

Health/Environmental Concerns Mixed With Scientific Fraud

So why are these countries doing this? Two of the main reasons have to do with environmental and health-related concerns. Alongside all of these troubles, some countries simply want to take time to do proper research — flying in the face of the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) decree that GMOs are completely safe. There are many who disagree with this assertion.

A great example is a study that was published in the journal Environmental Sciences Europe. The WHO has never cited any long term studies that prove the safety of GMOs. When a study was finally conducted, it found severe liver and kidney damage, as well as hormonal disturbances, in rats fed GM maize in conjunction with low levels of Roundup — levels that were below those permitted in most drinking water across Europe. The rats also developed large cancer tumours.

Other studies have found instances of adverse microscopic and molecular effects of some GM foods in different organs or tissues. They also determined that no standardized methods to evaluate the safety of GM foods have been established. Many studies have emphasized that more scientific effort is needed in order to build confidence in the evaluation and acceptance of GM foods.

Studies have also linked GMO animal feed to severe stomach inflammation and enlarged uteri in pigs.

Here’s what Irina Ermakova, VP of Russia’s National Association for Genetic Safety, said when Russia was mulling over the decision to ban GMOs:

“It is necessary to ban GMOs, to impose amoratorium on it for 10 years. While GMOs will be prohibited, we can plan experiments, tests, or maybe even new methods of research could be developed. It has been proven that not only in Russia, but also in many other countries in the world, GMOs are dangerous. Methods of obtaining the GMOs are not perfect, therefore, at this stage, all GMOs are dangerous. Consumption and use of GMOs obtained in such way can lead to tumors, cancers and obesity among animals. Bio-technologies certainly should be developed, but GMOs should be stopped. We should stop it from spreading."  

Keep in mind that we are talking about GM crops, which are sprayed with billions of pounds of toxic chemicals every year. These chemicals have been linked to a number of diseases, ranging from autism, to cancer, to Alzheimer’s disease and more.

“Children today are sicker than they were a generation ago. From childhood cancers to autism, birth defects and asthma, a wide range of childhood diseases and disorders are on the rise. Our assessment of the latest science leaves little room for doubt; pesticides are one key driver of this sobering trend.” October 2012 report by Pesticide Action Network North America (PANNA)  

 Correlation doesn’t mean causation, but using the Bradford Hill criteria, it’s easy to see why so many scientists/countries are opposing GMOs.

The shift towards organic food is strong and growing; it’s what consumers are demanding. After all, who wants a bunch of pesticides accumulating in their body, especially ones which have been incontrovertibly linked to several diseases?

For example, a recent study conducted by researchers from RMIT University, published in the journal Environmental Research, found that an organic diet for just one week significantly reduced pesticide exposure in adults by 90 percent.  

Another study, published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, indicated that among individuals eating similar amounts of vegetables and fruits, the ones who reported eating organic produce had significantly lower OP pesticide exposure than those who normally consume conventionally grown produce.

These chemicals are manufactured by big bio-tech corporations like Monsanto, and the fact that they’ve been caught lying doesn’t help their credibility one bit. For example, a new study published in the journal Biomedical Research International shows that Roundup herbicide is 125 times more toxic than its active ingredient glyphosate studied in isolation.  Roundup was also (finally) linked to cancer recently by the WHO, although a number of scientists had already provided tremendous amounts of proof for this.

There is convincing evidence that glyphosate also can cause cancer in laboratory animals. On the basis of tumours in mice, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) originally classified glyphosate as possibly carcinogenic to humans. A US EPA report and several more recent positive results conclude that there is sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in experimental animals. Glyphosate also caused DNA and chromosomal damage in human cells, although it gave negative results in tests using bacteria. One study in community residents reported increases in blood markers of chromosomal damage (micronuclei) after glyphosate formulations were sprayed nearby.

This is precisely why so many countries are banning it; Sri Lanka recently did so after discovering a link to deadly kidney disease.

The list literally goes on and on, and despite all of the protest from international government scientists, independent scientists, and others, all clearly concerned about GM crops, Monsanto is still labelling their claims as “unscientific.”

If their concerns are so unscientific, then why are so many scientists around the world opposing these crops?

This move also shows the power of the people. For the past view years, the world-wide web and non-corporately owned media has been sharing information about GMOs that you will never see in the mainstream. Millions of people all over the world continue to gather to “March Against Monsanto.”

It just goes to show what we are capable of when we all come together.

GM Crops Now Banned in 38 Countries Worldwide

Expert Groups across Nigeria have slammed  Monsanto over Plans to Introduce GM Crops

Following the recent green wave of genetically modified (GM) crop cultivation bans across the European Union, Sustainable Pulse has done research on which countries have decided to officially ban the cultivation of GM crops around the Globe.

This research has led to the discovery that there is a growing swell of government level support worldwide for bans on GM crop cultivation for both health and environmental reasons.

Thirty eight (38) countries worldwide have officially banned the cultivation of GM crops and only 28 actually grow GM crops (most of which grow under 500 thousand hectares).

The picture painted by the Biotech industry and the U.S. government that GM crops have been accepted by the majority of countries worldwide is therefore quite obviously wrong.

In fact many countries have recently started to put in place regulations to protect their population and environment from the environmental and health damage caused by GM crops.

Official GM crop cultivation bans

Africa (2)

The picture on GM cultivation bans across Africa is not clear due to the current pressure being put on many African governments by the Biotech industry and the Gates Foundation to lift long-standing bans on the import of unmilled GMO seeds or unmilled GMO food aid, however two countries do still have full legal bans on GM crop cultivation:

Algeria (since 2000)

Madagascar (since 2002)

Asia (4)

Turkey,

Kyrgyzstan

Bhutan

Saudi Arabia

Americas (4)

Belize

Peru

Ecuador

Venezuela

Europe (28)

Scotland

Wales

Northern Ireland

Germany

France

The Netherlands

Malta

Cyprus

Greece

Bulgaria

Russia

Serbia

Croatia

Italy

Denmark

Hungary

Moldova

Latvia

Lithuania

Austria

Poland

Slovenia

Azerbaijan

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Luxembourg

Ukraine (although there is already massive GM contamination in the country)

Norway

Switzerland

Conclusion

As an increasing number of countries are banning Monsanto's cancer-linked Roundup herbicide, a.k.a. glyphosate, others are banning Monsanto's GMOs.

Meanwhile, Monsanto-funded U.S. presidential candidate Hillary Clinton thinks "(t)here is a big gap between what the facts are, and what the perceptions are."

Actually the facts are established: Monsanto's herbicides and GMOs are harmful to humans and animals.

Several studies have demonstrated it and even led the World Health Organization to issue a warning against glyphosate's links to cancer. 

With hindsight, the health risk of applying Roundup in the production of cash crops, far out way the economic benefits that can be derived from this method of cultivation.