Discussion Board

"If you put a label on genetically engineered food you might as well put a skull and crossbones on it." -- Norman Braksick, president of Asgrow Seed Co., a subsidiary of Monsanto

"Monsanto should not have to vouchsafe the safety of biotech food. Our interest is in selling as much of it as possible. Assuring its safety is the FDA's job." -- Phil Angell, Monsanto's director of corporate communications

For nearly two decades, Monsanto and corporate agribusiness have exercised near-dictatorial control over American agriculture, aided and abetted by indentured politicians and regulatory agencies, supermarket chains, giant food processors, and the so-called “natural” products industry.

Finally, public opinion around the biotech industry’s contamination of our food supply and destruction of our environment has reached the tipping point. We’re fighting back.

This November, in a food fight that will largely determine the future of what we eat and what we grow, Monsanto will face its greatest challenge to date: a statewide citizens’ ballot initiative that will give Californians the opportunity to vote for their right to know whether the food they buy is contaminated with GMOs.

A growing corps of food, health, and environmental activists - supported by the Millions against Monsanto and Occupy Monsanto Movements, and consumers and farmers across the nation - are boldly moving to implement mandatory labeling of genetically engineered foods in California through a grassroots-powered citizens ballot initiative process that will bypass the agribusiness-dominated state legislature. If passed, the California Right to Know Genetically Engineered Food Act will require mandatory labeling of genetically engineered foods and food ingredients, and outlaw the routine industry practice of labeling GMO-tainted foods as “natural.”


http://www.alternet.org/food/154951/mil ... our_lives/

We all need to get involved and stop Monsanto. We are making a difference and we can't stop until they label GMO food. After that the consumer can decide what they want to eat.

When talking to a friend about the pink slime, she was so upset about the medias attack that she ended her assault on us "trouble makers" by saying "its your choice to eat it or not".

And she of course is right, it is our choice. But we cannot make the choice if we dont know what has it or what doesnt have it or that it even exists! Just like GMO and Monsanto. 2 bushels of corn at my local grocer, I want to make the choice!! This is the first election in a long time where Im actually excited to vote, just for this!!

If youre in California and have Facebook, flood it with this!!

Signed!!!

Mahalo, patty

I follow Just Label It on Facebook. I signed a petition that is going to The White House. 25,000 signatures needed, we are half way there, we need the rest in the next three weeks. Get involved, look up the Just Label It campaign.

Great tip.

An informative and thought provoking documentary has been making the rounds on the Documentary Channel on DISH called (Ingredients)... about the importance of buying local and getting to know the people who grow your food... It's on at 8:30 tonight...

The other night they showed (Killer At Large)... another thought provoking documentary about the obesity epidemic...

Thanks so much for creating this thread Knut, this is a terribly important issue with far reaching health and environmental consequences. I hope this gets a ton of hits and raises interest in our community of concerned eaters!

The below is excerpted from an article on the website EcoLife

Overview of Genetically Modified Food
Why You Should Avoid GM Food

By Maryruth Belsey Priebe

Negative impacts of genetically modified food

If you have yet to do any reading on the concerns many scientists and medical professionals are raising about genetically modified foods and agriculture, you’ve got a bit of catching up to do. Genetical engineering is a highly complex issue with far-reaching impacts on the earth as a whole and on individuals, too. But to get you up to speed, the Organic Consumer’s Association (OCA) has a very good summary of the major hazards of promoting genetically engineered crops and foods, and here are the highlights:

- Toxins and poisons, causing disabilities, short and long-term health problems, and even death in some cases.

- Increased cancer risk because of genetically engineered hormones given to feed animals.

- Skyrocketing food allergies as a result of foreign proteins being spliced into the gene structures of our foods.

- Reduced food quality and nutritional values.

- Increased exposure to pesticide residues because of the agrochemicals being used on GE crops (contrary to GE propaganda which argues that these crops don’t need as many chemical treatments).

- Genetic pollution as bees, birds, and insects pollute non-GMO crops with GM genetic matter, resulting in the potential loss of wild species of plants and insects.

- Reduction in the populations of beneficial insects and soil fertility.

- Contributions to the creation of superbugs and super weeds as well as new viruses and pathogens as these pests become immune to the herbicides and pesticides genetically built into GE crops.

- Dismantling of small farm systems that support farming families. [1]

If that’s not enough to convince you, check out the following campaigns that will educate you on all of the intricacies of genetically modified organisms and their hazards for the planet and for your body:

Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology - OCA
Non-GMO Project
Say No to GMOs!

Please read the rest of the article here to find out what foods are likely to be GMO and how to avoid eating GMO foods now until they are labelled as they should be!!!

http://www.ecolife.com/health-food/orga ... 26.2012_NL

Thanks for telling us about this. I signed it too.

There is another group on Facebook called Occupy Monsanto. They post lots of good stuff. I think they might also have a website or a blog.

I just signed the Just Label It petition and also the one that goes to the White House for the President to review. I've also forwarded this info to friends to do the same!

Millions against Monsanto is also another good Facebook group!

Thanks! I'll check it out.

I receive a lot of information from various websites that are trying to get GMO foods labeled. I sign every petition against Monsanto that I can. I think we have the basic right to decide what we do and do not want to eat. It also concerns me that a big corporation such as Monsanto may some day control all the seeds.

I do this also. I follow all of the groups that have been mentioned so far and sign everything. Like most people on this board, healthy food is a passionate subject for me. The fact that Monsanto is threatening the entire food supply makes me insanely angry. We will stop them.