The End of Monsanto’s Roundup?

The End of Monsanto’s Roundup? For decades, Monsanto has claimed that Roundup and its key ingredient, glyphosate, are “safe.” The biotech industry has backed up those claims with industry-funded “studies.” The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which is supposed to protect us, has been protecting Monsanto’s profits instead. In July the EPA, despite new studies linking glyphosate to everything from infertility to cancer, actually raised the allowed limits of glyphosate on fruits and vegetables for human consumption. The world has had enough. On Tuesday, November 11, a $25-million international study was launched that will put an end, once and for all, to the question of whether or not Monsanto’s Roundup is “safe.” The study, the first of its kind, will be based on a variety of herbicide-resistant corn. Three independent scientists, from the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Moscow; University of California, Irvine, Calif.; and Maltoni Cancer Research Center, Bentivoglio, Italy, will investigate the answers to these questions: Is the GM food (or its associated pesticide) toxic to organ systems over the long-term? Does the GM food (or its associated pesticide) cause cancer? Does the GM food (or its associated pesticide) reduce fertility or cause birth defects? Is the mixture of chemicals present in Roundup herbicide more or less toxic than its active ingredient glyphosate? The Global GMO Free Coalition, of which OCA is a member, supports the study. We believe it will provide the irrefutable, bullet-proof evidence needed to ban Monsanto’s Roundup. Read the GGFC press release Read the Factor GMO press release More here ACTION ALERT A Little Help from their (57 Million) Friends “Through our experience we have come to understand that the genetic engineering of food has never really been about public good, or feeding the hungry, or supporting our farmers. Nor is it about consumer choice. Instead it is about private, corporate control of the food system.” Letter from America While here in the U.S. we’re making progress toward GMO labelling laws (and bans), our friends across the pond face an imminent-risk of invasion by U.S. biotech companies. The U.S. Gene Giants, with help from U.S. government officials and proposed international trade deals, are pressuring the UK and other European countries to loosen restrictions on GMO crops. And they may well succeed. Unless consumers, organic farmers, responsible retailers and clear-headed legislators—with a little help from their friends in the U.S.—stop them. Here’s why. The EU coalition that for years has successfully blocked the planting of GM crops has broken up. As a result, in January 2015, the European Parliament likely will vote to allow Member States to make their own decisions on the planting of GM crops. If that happens, it’s could well mean that the UK government will hang out the “Open for Business” sign for Roundup Ready crops. A new group, Beyond GM, is leading the efforts in the UK to reignite the anti-GMO movement and pressure the government to hold the line against Monsanto. As part of their campaign, they’ve written a “Letter from America” detailing the many ways GMO crops have failed. Groups (including OCA) and individuals, representing more than 57 million people, have already signed on. Please add your name to the millions of Americans who want people in the UK to know the truth about GMOs. Read the Letter from America TAKE ACTION: Sign the Letter from America Read the press release More here and here VIDEO OF THE WEEK Vaccines, Big Pharma, Your Food "Your health is now brought to you by Wall Street. If you thought they hurt us with the banks, wait 'til you see what they are doing to our health care." – Jeff Hays, producer of the documentary, "Bought." November 8 through November 14 is Vaccine Awareness Week. Show your support by renting or purchasing a copy of “Bought,” and sharing it with friends and family. Proceeds will be donated (until November 21) to National Vaccine Information Center(NVIC), a nonprofit organization advocating for vaccine safety and informed consent protection in the public health system. Learn more, watch the trailer, rent or purchase LITTLE BYTES Essential Reading for the Week Number of Children with Vitamin D Deficiency Soars Opponents of Genetically Modified Crops Alarmed at State Maui Just Banned GMO Farming. Will It Hold up in Court? Kale or Fracking? Farmers and Corporations Fight It out for Water Pesticide Levels on Food Unknown Due to Poor Government Testing Protecting Seeds and Their Stories: The Sacred in Everyday Life

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