by Case Adams, Naturopath

The damage of the 2012 drought to the corn crop in the U.S. wouldn’t be so bad if it weren’t for GMO Bt corn and the lack of crop rotation, according to corn crop and pesticide management experts. Findings by the farmers such as Charlie Sandager and pest experts like Dr. Bruce Potter, a University of Minnesota professor, have concluded that the primary corn pest rootworm has developed resistance to the proteins in the GMO Bt corn that was designed to kill the pests.

Apparently, this resistance is resulting in the widespread growth of rootworm among America’s corn crop. And since one of the rootworm’s effects is that it prevents corn roots from absorbing water, the rootworm-infested GMO corn crop has magnified the crop damage produced by one of the worst U.S. droughts in decades.

The pest experts suggest that the primary reason for the rootworm outbreak is due to the fact that rootworm has become resistant to the Bt protein, producing stronger and larger rootworm populations.

Adding to the problem is the fact that GMO corn growers are not rotating their crops. When the farmer rotates corn with another crop that does not attract the rootworm, the rootworms and their eggs will typically die off, creating less exposure to the next corn crop. Traditionally, Midwest corn growers would alternate corn with soybeans, which would allow the rootworms to die off.

But this strategy has largely been abandoned by GMO corn farmers. GMO seed producers and their distributors have suggested to growers that when they plant GMO seeds, they do not need to rotate their crops because the proteins in Bt corn were supposed to kill the rootworm. This strategy has apparently backfired.

Farm and pest experts are now indicating that rootworms in many fields have now become resistant to those proteins. “We’re not going to make this go away,” Dr. Potter told Minnesota Public Radio. “We’re stuck with managing this problem.”

As the roots become weakened by the rootworm outbreak, they not only cannot absorb water adequately: They also become unstable and can topple over easily.

“Strong wind came up and it just tipped the corn plants over like a big old tree,” corn farmer Charlie Sandager told MPR.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is investigating the rootworm outbreak.

Outside of crop rotation strategies, organic farmers utilize natural strategies to combat pests. These include adding beneficial insects to the fields, such as nematodes, ladybugs, pirate bugs and others. Naturally-derived substances such as neem and rotenone are also used to combat different pests.

By fertilizing with nutrient-rich compost and other natural fertilizers, organically-grown crops also tend to have stronger immunity against fungus and other pests. For example, better nourished plants will attract more nematodes, which help protect roots from pests such as rootworms. Researchers have also found that other pests, such as wolf spiders, directly attack rootworms.

Research has also established that organic crops also tend to be more drought resistant. In a recent study of grain and legume crops by researchers from Cyprus’ Agricultural Research Institute, organic practices including crop rotations were compared with conventional monoculture, finding that the rotated organic crops had better production during drought seasons. Multiple crop years confirmed their findings.

A 2008 report by the United Nations concluded that organic farming practices among African farmers could substantially increase that region’s ability to feed its people.

GM Advice for UK Shoppers

We believe that the next announcement from UK supermarkets will be that they can longer guarantee that their own brand products are GM-free. Even currently, they cannot and do not guarantee that their non-own brand products are GM-free.

For that reason, we at The Therapy Book have been developing a phone app which will enable you to easily identify, in one swipe, which foods in UK supermarkets contain GM ingredients, or animals that are reared on GM feed.

At least that way, you and your family will have a choice about what you eat. And if we ‘vote with our wallets’, that may at least have some effect ~ the profit bottom line being the only language these sociopathic purveyors of Frankenfoods understand.

If you’d like to receive a free version of the phone app to test when it’s ready, please fill in this contact form.

Case Adams is a California Naturopath and holds a Ph.D. in Natural Health Sciences. His focus is upon science-based natural health solutions. He is the author of 20 books on natural health and numerous print and internet articles. His work can be found at http://www.caseadams.com.

Food prices will likely rise, but not for the things I typically eat. Perhaps the higher cost of prepackaged and fast foods will encourage people to source their foods fresher, more locally, and more diversely — ultimately improving their health! Just for the record, corn is a grain, not a vegetable. Also for the record, Walmart recently decided to sell GM corn without labeling it, even in the face of massive petitions to the contrary. Corn that contains its own pesticide can and does have negative effects on the human body. Monsanto, the makers of genetically engineered corn also brought us Agent Orange, and are trying to bring a closely related herbicide into the US. “The mutant strength of GMO corn” also destroys tractor tires, causing farmers to use kevlar (aka bullet proof vest material) for their tractor tires. If it destroys tires, what does the GM corn do to the body?

Sorry, but I just can’t weep for the loss of corn. Humanity has been warned about GMO’s, petitioned Walmart and the FDA to stop selling unlabeled, untested Frankenfoods, and has attempted various lawsuits to that effect — all with little to no success. Is the Midwest drought Mother Nature’s Ace in the Hole? When scientists indicated that GM crops were killing bees, Monsanto bought the bee studiers. As far back as 1923, Rudolf Steiner began predicting the disappearance of honey bees and what that would mean for the planet’s survival. Mother Nature always bats last.

In fact, I have found that when we honor Mother Nature, she, and her elementals will often cooperate, as they did when I begged for an end to the drought in Madison. The elementals promised me rain within 24 hours, and sure enough it started raining after I heard them doing an early morning rain dance. Since that date, we have had rain many nights, as well as a few days. Madison has re-greened, and my organic garden continues to flourish. I recounted that story to Dr. Ann at Exopermaculture, and she had a similar experience — rain for the asking. (Read the comments on the linked post for that story.)

Elementals — faeries, nature spirits, devas, elves, gnomes — those who love and honor the Earth, are particularly willing right now to work with humans who wish to give back to the Earth. Anyone creating sustainable, organic, and local food options can ask for and receive help from the elementals. This includes small organic farmers, CSA’s (Community Supported Agriculture), home gardeners, wild food foragers, people who visit farmers markets, and even tree-huggers and litter-picker-uppers. If you give back to the Earth and honor her, then the Faery Realm will gladly return their own methods of support. Such methods may include enhanced manifestation and synchronicity in procuring foods, extra abundant produce yields, timely rainstorms and creative ideas for food trades. Perhaps you have a bumper crop of cucumbers but no lettuce or peaches, and you just “happen to run into someone” with lettuce or peaches who has been wishing for cukes. Insert faery wink and giggle here. Or, maybe you just walked in your local woods and picked up trash, only to run into someone wanting to rid themselves of loads of a delicious edible “weed” like purslane or nettles. Nature continues to offer abundance in any conditions for those in tune and in love with her ways.

But what about this Fall and Winter? Will food prices skyrocket? Yeah, they could. Companies actually have stored (read “hoarded”) plenty of staples that could be tapped into to feed millions. They hoard such things for price manipulation, so I don’t know whether they will release their backlog in the face of a food “emergency.” Eating organic and mostly fresh, raw foods, though, I wouldn’t ever rely on corporations or the government to feed me something I’d consider edible. I don’t like to stagnate in worry, but do have some dehydrated and freeze-dried foods on hand, just in case. So much “survival food” is filled with preservatives, pesticides and other chemicals that just eating a survival packet might push me over the edge. Knowing that, I’ve sourced my stash in other ways. I thought I’d share a few of my ideas, conclusions and purchases here, in case anyone else wants to prepare for the potentially unknown:

1) If food is scarce, you’ll want some of the most nutrient dense items available. Spirulina, for example, contains high protein, tons of chlorophyll, vitamins, and just happens to help combat the effects of radiation. Powdered wheat grass or barley grass juice and chlorella offer similar bang for caloric buck. In addition to these green foods, powdered meal replacements like VEGA, BOKU superfoods or Sun Warrior offer relatively lightweight, nutrient rich options. Chia seeds, dried mung beans, alfalfa seeds and various other sprouting seeds offer lots of potent nutrients in a small storage space. With just a little bit of water, you can activate their super fresh life force enzymes to supplement “dead” canned or prepackaged foods.

2) Speaking of water, you’ll want that. I have about 10 gallons of bottled water as well as a Berkey Travel Water Filter. We use distilled water at home because Madison has extremely lime-y water, but the distiller takes 6 hours of electricity to create one gallon of pure water. We then add a touch of sea salt to restructure the “dead” water. This results in water free of all chemicals, including flouride, but recognizable to the body as water due to the trace minerals from the sea salt. I ordered a Travel Berkey for when I host classes or multiple clients at home and want to offer lots of water or tea. The Berkey uses no electricity and takes much less time to filter. The Travel Berkey can also filter lake, stream or water barrel collections, and with the optional fluoride and arsenic filters, it rivals the distiller for cleanliness. I love that it requires no electricity and can be transported to nearby lakes in the event of no tap water. In the case of an on-going emergency, fresh, clean water could also become a useful barter item. All in all, I feel happy with this choice.

3) In terms of long term food storage, I did recently order an Heirloom Organics Seed Vault. I had noticed that normal saved seeds only last one or two years, but the seed vault packages them in such a way that they can last much longer. Everything fits into a small, easily transportable and storable bucket. The seeds are specially selected for growing in the widest variety of conditions — shady, sunny, rich or poor soil, etc. Obviously, the better the conditions, the better the yield, but I like that someone in the know has selected hardy strains. The Seed Vault also includes a diverse set of seeds, designed to feed two people for a year. Saving seeds from that growth will allow continuance of the “survival garden,” should one ever need it. As with the fresh water, excess seeds could become an important barter option in a poor economy or ongoing “emergency.”

I also looked into dehydrated vs. freeze dried foods and learned that freeze drying tends to preserve even more nutrients. Shelf Reliance offers freeze dried foods, and I have heard that they are at least mostly GMO free. In any case, if you order freeze dried bananas, for example, the only ingredient in the can would be … bananas. Mike Adams of Natural News has created an organic line of long term storage foods at bulk pricing. His online store is currently being redesigned, but if you’re interested, you can see what you find in a little while. Trader Joe’s also offers cheap freeze dried fruits, and you can find organic peanut butter there for cheap as well. Peanut butter isn’t something I normally consume, but in a pinch, it’s calorie rich and easily eaten right out of the jar.

4) In a sunny window sill, you can easily grow fresh herbs and some greens all year long. I do this for taste as much as for a backup and free food supply. There’s nothing quite like fresh cut basil, parsley, sage and rosemary for winter salads and stews! If something happens to the food supply line and you end up eating canned beans or cooked rice and beans for awhile, you can punctuate these dishes with fresh herbs and to feel nourished on all levels. The aromatic oils in these herbs also support immune function, helping to strengthen your resistance to any flu bugs or “epidemics” the media always threatens will soon hit the masses. You can instruct your body only to let in good food, water and air, but I like to work on multi-levels … providing good physical support as well as emotional, mental and spiritual energy towards what I want.

5) For an emergency health kit, I also find myself deconstructing the typical first aid or medical supply storage. I have a homemade meadowsweet tincture for painkiller, oil of oregano and Thieves for antibiotics/antivirals, homeopathic arnica for bruising or trauma, yarrow tincture and powder for bleeding, and I’ll be ordering cayenne tincture for fevers and circulation. Activated charcoal helps with food poisoning, lavender oil for relaxation and a mild antibiotic, Rescue Remedy for calm, potassium iodide for nuclear acccidents, homemade salve for scrapes or burns, MSM for inflammation or allergies, and dried nettles, because of the herbal maxim, “When in doubt, use nettles.” I’m also getting some superglue, which sounds random, but it can serve in place of stitches, and I know people who have used it for both stitches and to glue back a cracked tooth. We have a more standard first aid packet of bandaids, sterile bandages, etc. that came with David’s car, but given my natural proclivities, I like my add-ons.

6) For long term food, you’ll also want to ensure proper fat intake. Things like grains, beans and homegrown herbs don’t contain enough fats for long term nutrition. Hemp seeds provide one easy remedy. They can be eaten right out of a bag, sprinkled on other foods, or added to smoothies for a good Omega-3/6 ratio and lots of easily digested protein with chlorophyll. Another good oil to have on hand is coconut oil, which can be eaten, used for cooking, or used on the body. In addition to important fatty acids, coconut provides antifungal properties both inside and out.

Because I have a history of dental issues, I have on hand a long term supply of Green Pasture’s raw, fermented fish oil, plus Active X butter. This combo provides both Omega-3′s for brain and body health, plus vitamins A and D in a form easily absorbed for strong teeth and bones. I’ve also got some organic, grassfed, fermented ghee, which is shelf stable and another source of A and D. Living in Wisconsin, I can’t always count on enough sunshine to provide all my needs. Although most of my foods are raw and/or vegan, I know how painful cavities can get, especially near the roots. I feel good having nutrients on hand to keep those teeth optimal under any circumstances. Vitamin D also helps with immunity.

7) Despite such preparations, which really just give my left brain peace of mind, my primary preparations for an “imminent food crisis” or other “emergency,” really include mindset, vibration and collecting positive stories and memories. As Jesus said, “Man does not live by bread alone.” We live in a vibrational Universe, so finding ways to feel positive, abundant and provided for, makes those feelings more likely to turn into facts. I consider the sacred chants I know, love and sing, just as important sources of nourishment as Omega 3′s and greens. Remembering to surround myself and my loved ones with white light helps to ensure protection and thriving in the face of any and all events. Green light helps heal, and golden light helps to purify. Knowing how to connect with faeries, the Earth, angels, calling in the elements and remembering that I am both stardust and earthdust reminds me that I am always connected and never alone. “I am always in the right place, at the right time, doing the right thing” is a mantra that can work for anyone, encouraging intuitive nudges and synchronicities that turn “emergencies” into magical moments.

We live in an abundant, benevolent world. The more we realize and acknowledge that fact, the more it will continue to reveal itself in our reality. I hope this article provides some extra ideas and unexpected resources. Many blessings and much love to all of you.

And HUMANS are eating this stuff! Gross!!!!!  This is a cruel experiment even on animals. (thank you, Richard)

Yet another study has concluded that feeding animals GMOs results in higher rates of infant mortality and causes fertility problems. Russian biologist Alexey V. Surov and other researchers fed Campbell hamsters (which have fast reproduction rates) Monsanto GM soy for two years. It should be noted that hamsters do not evolutionarily eat soy—just as cows fed Monsanto corn are actually ruminants and would not naturally eat corn.

“Originally, everything went smoothly,” Surov told broadcasting service The Voice of Russia.  Surov and the researchers fed the same diet to three generations of the hamsters, and that’s when they noticed things going awry.

GMO Causes Fertility Problems, Slow Growth, Hair Growth in Mouths

“We noticed quite a serious effect when we selected new pairs from their cubs and continued to feed them as before. These pairs’ growth rate was slower and reached their sexual maturity slowly.” By the third generation, the hamsters were infertile.

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Many animals on the GM diet even displayed rare, strange pathologies like hair growing in recessed pouches inside their mouths. “Some of these pouches contained single hairs,” said Surov in Doklady Biological Sciences, “others, thick bundles of colorless or pigmented hairs reaching as high as the chewing surface of the teeth. Sometimes, the tooth row was surrounded with a regular brush of hair bundles on both sides.  The hairs grew vertically and had sharp ends, often covered with lumps of mucous.”Surov and other authors concluded that because rates of hairy mouths occurred more frequently in third-generation GM-fed animals, the condition may have resulted of the GM feed. Surov says contaminants and herbicide residue (like Roundup) could be to blame as well.

Other Victims of GMOs

Other than fertility problems, the GMO phenomenon has been noticed elsewhere—even in our own United States. Farmers using GM feed have reported infertile pigs and cows. Other incidents involving GMOs include:

• Austrian researchers reporting 4th generation “Frankencorn”-fed mice totally infertile.
• Thousands of dead sheep, buffalo, and goats in India after grazing on GM cottonseed.
• Offspring of mother rats fed GM soy dead within three weeks and recorded smaller sizes.
• Cooked GM soy with up to 7 times the amount of a soy allergen.
• Organ lesions, altered liver and pancreas cells, and changed enzyme levels.
• Excessive cell growth in the stomach lining of GM-potato-fed rats, potentially leading to cancer.
• GMO corn contributing to human obesity and organ disruption.

Overall, GM sounds like a sweet deal only for Monsanto (and our own FDA and USDA, repeatedly found in bed with them). It remains a bad deal for us, the consumers.

Source

It is reported that Brazil would soon secure clearance to ship corn to China, which is expected to become one of the world’s biggest importers of the grain, the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture said. At the end of April 2012, China has agreed to import Argentine corn. Brazil is the second corn exporter to China in South America.

As GM corn from Brazil will enter into the Chinese corn market officially in the near future, the increasing demand from China will boost the planting of corn in Brazil, especially the GM corn. Actually, it was the first time for Brazil to promote GM corn varieties in its domestic areas in 2011. This action brought the large success for Brazilian corn planting, greatly increasing its corn production in 2011. According to USDA, the production of corn in Brazil increases to 67.00 million tonnes in 2011 from 57.40 million tonnes in 2010. In 2011, GM corn varieties’ proportion has reached 83% of the total corn varieties in Brazil, nearly 50% higher than that of 2010.

What is the estimated crop production in Brazil and Argentina during 2012 and 2013 respectively?  What kind of influence it will make on South American crop protection market? You may find answers in the June issue of South America Crop Protection Monthly Report, published by CCM International.

South America Crop Protection Monthly Report provides you the latest market information and in-depth profile of crop protection companies, helping you identify new business opportunities in South America. If you are interested in it, please feel free to contact us at

econtact@cnchemicals.com or 86-20-37616606.

Headline news in June Issue of South America Crop Protection Monthly Report:

-Thanks to development and adoption of new technologies, reasonable management and good geographic location for sunflower production, Argentine sunflower will play an increasingly important role in global sunflower market in the near future.

-Soybean planting sees fast growth in Uruguay in these years.

-CNA officials visit Chinese ports when they were in China to inaugurate a CNA office, and they hope to know how to improve Brazil ports through this visit.

-Brazilian farmers won the lawsuit demanding return of royalties paid against Monsanto.

-ANVISA refuted the complaining that the process of agricultural chemicals registration was too slow.

-The federal judge in Brazil has rejected the prosecution of MPF, which requests the judge to suspend the registration of arsenical herbicide with active ingredient MSMA used on cotton in Brazil.

-Monsanto shows its new technology of soybean INTACTA RR2 PRO™ which mixes protection to caterpillars, glyphosate tolerance and potential productivity in Agrobrasilia 2012.

-Dow AgroSciences claimed that the launch of POWERCORE™ in Brazil would be coming soon.

… …

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In a riveting victory against genetically modified creations, a major biotech company known as Syngenta has been criminally charged for denying knowledge that its GM Bt corn actually kills livestock. What’s more is not only did the company deny this fact, but they did so in a civil court case that ended back in 2007. The charges were finally issued after a long legal struggle against the mega corp initiated by a German farmer named Gottfried Gloeckner whose dairy cattle died after eating the Bt toxin and coming down with a ‘mysterious’ illness.

Grown on his own farm from 1997 to 2002, the cows on the farm were all being fed exclusively on Syngenta’s Bt 176 corn by the year 2000. It was around this time that the mysterious illnesses began to emerge among the cattle population. Syngenta paid Gloeckner 40,000 euros in an effort to silence the farmer, however a civil lawsuit was brought upon the company. Amazingly, 2 cows ate genetically modified maize (now banned in Poland over serious concerns) and died. During the civil lawsuit, however, Syngenta refused to admit that its GM corn was responsible. In fact, they went as far as to claim having no knowledge whatsoever of harm.

The case was dismissed and Gloeckner, the farmer who launched the suit, was left thousands of euros in debt. And that’s not all; Gloeckner continued to lose many cows as a result of Syngenta’s modified Bt corn. After halting the use of GM feed in 2002, Gloeckner attempted a full investigation with the Robert Koch Institute and Syngenta involved. The data of this investigation is still unavailable to the public, and only examined one cow. In 2009, however, the Gloeckner teamed up with a German action group known as Bündnis Aktion Gen-Klage and to ultimately bring Syngenta to the criminal court.

Using the testimony of another farmer whose cows died after eating Syngenta product, Gloeckner and the team have charged the biotech giant for the death of over 65 cows, withholding knowledge of the death-link, and holding the corporation liable for not registering the cattle deaths. The team is even charging Hans-Theo Jahmann, the German head of Syngenta , personally over the withholding of knowledge.

The charges bring to light just how far large biotechnology companies will go to conceal evidence linking their genetically modified products to serious harm. Monsanto, for example, has even threatened to sue the entire state of Vermont if they attempt to label its genetically modified ingredients. Why are they so afraid of the consumer knowing what they are putting in their mouths?

Additional Sources:

Institute of Science in Society

FREE OUR SEEDS:: SEEDS ARE FREE, A new mixed-media series by Bulan Adi Ko.llective focuses on the growing threat to bio and cultural diversity by transnational agribusinesses. The series magnifies “the seed,” the nucleus of life and the many stories that come with the precious gift of life. The very beginnings of life are in danger and the series brings a visual understanding of the truth behind agribusiness.

FREE OUR SEEDS:: SEEDS ARE FREE, A new mixed-media series by Bulan Adi Ko.llective focuses on the growing threat to bio and cultural diversity by transnational agribusinesses. The series magnifies “the seed,” the nucleus of life and the many stories that come with the precious gift of life. The very beginnings of life are in danger and the series brings a visual understanding of the truth behind agribusiness.

A new generation of insect larvae is eating the roots of genetically engineered corn intended to be resistant to such pests.  The failure of Monsanto’s genetically modified Bt corn could be the most serious threat ever to a genetically modified crop in the U.S.

And the economic impact could be huge. Billions of dollars are at stake, as Bt corn accounts for 65 percent of all corn grown in the US.

The strain of corn, engineered to kill the larvae of beetles, such as the corn rootworm, contains a gene copied from an insect-killing bacterium called Bacillus thuringiensis, or Bt. 

But even though a scientific advisory panel warned the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that the threat of insects developing resistance was high, Monsanto argued that the steps necessary to prevent such an occurrence — which would have entailed less of the corn being planted — were an unnecessary precaution, and the EPA naively agreed.

According to a recent NPR report:

“The scientists who called for caution now are saying ‘I told you so,’ because there are signs that a new strain of resistant rootworms is emerging…[A] committee of experts at the EPA is now recommending that biotech companies put into action, for the first time, a ‘remedial action plan’ aimed at stopping the spread of such resistant insects …

The EPA’s experts also are suggesting that the agency reconsider its approval of a new kind of rootworm-killing corn, which Monsanto calls SmartStax. This new version of Bt corn includes two different Bt genes that are supposed to kill the rootworm in different ways. This should help prevent resistance from emerging, and the EPA is allowing farmers to plant it on up to 95 percent of their corn acres. But if one of those genes is already compromised…  such a high percentage of Bt corn could rapidly produce insects that are resistant to the second one, too.”

There can be little doubt that genetically engineered crops are the most dangerous aspect of modern agriculture. Not only are we seeing rapid emergence of super-weeds resistant to glyphosate, courtesy of Roundup Ready crops, we now also have evidence of emerging Bt-resistant insects. Add to that the emergence of a brand new organism capable of producing disease and infertility in both plants and animals, and a wide variety of evidence showing harm to human health, and the only reasonable expectation one can glean is that humanity as a whole is being seriously threatened by this foolhardy technology.

Bt Corn—a Most Dangerous Failure

Monsanto’s genetically modified “Bt corn” has been equipped with a gene from soil bacteria called Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis), which produces the Bt-toxin. It’s a pesticide that breaks open the stomach of certain insects and kills them.

This pesticide-producing corn entered the food supply in the late 1990′s, and over the past decade, the horror stories have started piling up. And the problem with Bt crops go far beyond the creation of Bt-resistant insects.

Monsanto and the EPA swore that the genetically engineered corn would only harm insects. The Bt-toxin produced inside the plant would be completely destroyed in the human digestive system and would not have any impact at all on consumers, they claimed. Alas, they’ve been proven wrong on that account as well, because not only is Bt corn producing resistant “super-pests,” researchers have also found that the Bt-toxin can indeed wreak havoc on human health.

Bt-Toxin Now Found in Many People’s Blood!

Last year, doctors at Sherbrooke University Hospital in Quebec found Bt-toxin in the blood of:

• 93 percent of pregnant women tested
• 80 percent of umbilical blood in their babies, and
• 67 percent of non-pregnant women

The study authors speculate that the Bt toxin was likely consumed in the normal diet of the Canadian middle class—which makes sense when you consider that genetically engineered corn is present in the vast majority of all processed foods and drinks in the form of high fructose corn syrup. They also suggest that the toxin may have come from eating meat from animals fed Bt corn, which most livestock raised in confined animal feeding operations (CAFO, or so-called “factory farms”) are.

These shocking results raise the frightening possibility that eating Bt corn might actually turn your intestinal flora into a sort of “living pesticide factory”… essentially manufacturing Bt-toxin from within your digestive system on a continuing basis.

If this hypothesis is correct, is it then also possible that the Bt-toxin might damage the integrity of your digestive tract in the same way it damages insects? Remember, the toxin actually ruptures the stomach of insects, causing them to die. The biotech industry has insisted that the Bt-toxin doesn’t bind or interact with the intestinal walls of mammals (which would include humans). But again, there are peer-reviewed published research showing that Bt-toxin does bind with mouse small intestines and with intestinal tissue from rhesus monkeys.

Bt-Toxin Linked to Allergies, Auto-Immune Disease, and More

If Bt genes are indeed capable of colonizing the bacteria living in the human digestive tract, scientists believe it could reasonably result in:

• Gastrointestinal problems
• Autoimmune diseases
• Food allergies
• Childhood learning disorders

And lo and behold, all of these health problems are indeed on the rise… The discovery of Bt-toxin in human blood is not proof positive of this link, but it certainly raises a warning flag. And there’s plenty of other evidence showing that the Bt-toxin produced in GM corn and cotton plants is toxic to humans and mammals and triggers immune system responses. For example, in government-sponsored research in Italy , mice fed Monsanto’s Bt corn showed a wide range of immune responses, such as:

• Elevated IgE and IgG antibodies, which are typically associated with allergies and infections
• An increase in cytokines, which are associated with allergic and inflammatory responses. The specific cytokines (interleukins) that were found to be elevated are also higher in humans who suffer from a wide range of disorders, from arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease, to MS and cancer
• Elevated T cells (gamma delta), which are increased in people with asthma, and in children with food allergies, juvenile arthritis, and connective tissue diseases.

Rats fed another of Monsanto’s Bt corn varieties called MON 863, also experienced an activation of their immune systems, showing higher numbers of basophils, lymphocytes, and white blood cells. These can indicate possible allergies, infections, toxins, and various disease states including cancer. There were also signs of liver- and kidney toxicity.

Topical versus Internal Toxins

Farmers have used Bt-toxin from soil bacteria as a natural pesticide for years, and biotech companies have therefore claimed  that Bt-toxin has a “history of safe use in agriculture.” But there’s a huge difference between spraying it on plants, where it biodegrades in sunlight and can be carefully washed off, and genetically altering the plant to produce it internally.

Bt crops have the Bt-toxin gene built-in, so the toxin cannot be washed off. You simply cannot avoid consuming it. Furthermore, the plant-produced version of the poison is thousands of times more concentrated than the spray.

There are also peer-reviewed studies showing that natural Bt-toxin from soil bacteria is not a safe pesticide either:

• When natural Bt-toxin was fed to mice, they had tissue damage, immune responses as powerful as cholera toxin , and even started reacting to other foods that were formerly harmless.
• Farm workers exposed to Bt also showed immune responses .
• The EPA’s Bt Plant-Pesticides Risk and Benefits Assessment, created by their expert Scientific Advisory Panel, states that “Bt proteins could act as antigenic and allergenic sources.”

Do You Know what You’re Eating?

Did you know that two years ago, the American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM) called on all physicians to prescribe diets without genetically modified (GM) foods to all patients?

They sure did, although few doctors seem to have gotten the memo. They also called for a moratorium on genetically modified organisms (GMOs), long-term independent studies, and labeling, stating:

“Several animal studies indicate serious health risks associated with GM food, including infertility, immune problems, accelerated aging, insulin regulation, and changes in major organs and the gastrointestinal system.  …There is more than a casual association between GM foods and adverse health effects. There is causation…”

I couldn’t agree more. Avoiding genetically engineered foods should be at the top of everyone’s list—at least if you want a decent shot at optimal health.

The simplest way to avoid genetically engineered (GE) foods is to buy whole, certified organic foods. By definition, foods that are certified organic must never intentionally use GE ingredients, and must be produced without artificial pesticides or fertilizers. Animals must also be reared without the routine use of antibiotics, growth promoters or other drugs. Additionally, grass-fed beef will not have been fed GE corn feed.

You can also avoid genetically modified (GM) ingredients in processed foods, if you know what to look for. There are currently eight genetically modified food crops on the market:

Soy	Sugar from sugar beets
Corn	Hawaiian papaya
Cottonseed (used in vegetable cooking oils)	Some varieties of zucchini
Canola (canola oil)	Crookneck squash

This means you should avoid products with corn, soy, canola, and any of their derivatives listed as an ingredient, unless it’s labeled USDA 100% Organic. As of late last year, this also includes sweet corn, as Monsanto introduced a brand new genetically engineered sweet corn called Seminis®, which contains not just one but TWO types of Bt-toxin, PLUS the Roundup Ready gene for weed control! So besides containing the insecticide, their toxic Roundup herbicide will also accumulate in the kernels.

For a helpful, straightforward guide to shopping Non-GMO, see the Non-GMO Shopping Guide, created by the Institute for Responsible Technology.

Why We MUST Insist on Mandatory Labeling of GM Foods

Mandatory labeling may be the only way to stop the proliferation of GM foods in the U.S. because while GM seeds are banned in several European countries, in the U.S., certain states are actually passing legislation that protects the use of GM seeds and allows for unabated expansion! At present, no less than 14 states have passed such legislation. Michigan’s Senate Bill 777ⁱ, if passed, would make that 15. The Michigan bill would prevent anti-GMO laws, and would remove “any authority local governments may have to adopt and enforce ordinances that prohibit or regulate the labeling, sale, storage, transportation, distribution, use, or planting of agricultural, vegetable, flower or forest tree seeds.”

While legislation like this sounds like crazy nonsense to normal people, such bills are essentially bought and paid for through the millions of dollars Monsanto and other biotech companies spend lobbying the US government each year. In the first quarter of 2011 alone, Monsanto spent $1.4 million on lobbying the federal government — a drop from a year earlier, when they spent $2.5 million during the same quarter.

Their efforts of persuasion are also made infinitely easier by the fact that an ever growing list of former Monsanto employees are now in positions of power within the federal government.

Proof Positive that GMO Labeling WILL Change the Food Industry

Many don’t fully appreciate the strategy of seeking to have genetically engineered foods labeled in California. The belief is that large companies would refuse to have dual labeling; one for California and another for the rest of the country. It would be very expensive and a logistical nightmare. So rather than have two labels, they would simply not carry the product, especially if the new label would be the equivalent of a skull and crossbones. This is why we are so committed to this initiative as victory here will likely eliminate genetically engineered foods from the US.

Powerful confirmation of this belief occurred in early 2012 when both Coca-Cola Company and PepsiCo Inc. chose to alter one of their soda ingredients as a result of California’s labeling requirements for carcinogensⁱⁱ:

“Coca-Cola Co. and PepsiCo Inc. are changing the way they make the caramel coloring used in their sodas as a result of a California law that mandates drinks containing a certain level of carcinogens bear a cancer warning label. The companies said the changes will be expanded nationally to streamline their manufacturing processes. They’ve already been made for drinks sold in California.”

This is a PERFECT example of the national impact a California GMO labeling mandate can, and no doubt WILL, have. While California is the only state requiring the label to state that the product contains the offending ingredient, these companies are switching their formula for the entire US market, rather than have two different labels. According to USA Today:

“A representative for Coca-Cola, Diana Garza Ciarlante, said the company directed its caramel suppliers to modify their manufacturing processes to reduce the levels of the chemical 4-methylimidazole, which can be formed during the cooking process and as a result may be found in trace amounts in many foods. “While we believe that there is no public health risk that justifies any such change, we did ask our caramel suppliers to take this step so that our products would not be subject to the requirement of a scientifically unfounded warning,” Garza-Giarlante said in an email.”

Educational Sources

To learn more about GM foods, I highly recommend the following films and lectures:

• Hidden Dangers in Kid’s Meals
• Your Milk on Drugs – Just Say No!
• Everything You Have to Know About Dangerous Genetically Modified Foods

Important Action Item: Support California’s Ballot Initiative to Label GMO’s!

In 2007, then-Presidential candidate Obama promised to “immediately” require GM labeling if elected. So far, nothing of the sort has transpired.

Fortunately, 24 U.S. states have (as part of their state governance) something called the Initiative Process, where residents can bring to ballot any law they want enacted, as long as it has sufficient support. California has been busy organizing just such a ballot initiative to get mandatory labeling for genetically engineered foods sold in their state. The proposed law will be on the 2012 ballot.

Since California is the 8th largest economy in the world, a win for the California Initiative would be a huge step forward, and would affect ingredients and labeling nation-wide. A coalition of consumer, public health and environmental organizations, food companies, and individuals has submitted the California Right to Know Genetically Engineered Food Act to the State Attorney General. Now, they need 800,000 signatures to get the Act on this year’s ballot.

I urge you to get involved and help in any way you can. Be assured that what happens in California will affect the remainder of the U.S. states, so please support this important state initiative, even if you do not live there!

• Whether you live in California or not, please donate money to this historic effort
• Talk to organic producers and stores and ask them to actively support the California Ballot. It may be the only chance we have to label genetically engineered foods.
• Distribute WIDELY the Non-GMO Shopping Guide to help you identify and avoid foods with GMOs. Look for products (including organic products) that feature the Non-GMO Project Verified Seal to be sure that at-risk ingredients have been tested for GMO content. You can also download the free iPhone application that is available in the iTunes store. You can find it by searching for ShopNoGMO in the applications.
• For timely updates, please join the Organic Consumers Association on Facebook, or follow them on Twitter.
• Look for in-depth coverage of the issue at the Institute for Responsible Technology, subscribe to Spilling the Beans, and check out their Facebook or Twitter.

Source:
 http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/05/29/genetically-modified-crops-insects-emerged.aspx?e_cid=20120529_DNL_art_1

BT Pesticide Found In Humans; Coming From GMO Corn?
http://agreenroad.blogspot.com/2012/05/bt-pesticide-found-in-humans-coming.html

Photo taken from trueactivist.com

Corn Derivatives/Foods:

• corn flour
• corn meal
• corn syrup
• fructose & fructose syrup (unless specified)
• malt, malt syrup, malt extract, maltodextrin
• baking soda (corn starch often used as filler)
• monosodium glutamate (MSG)
• sorbitol
• mono- and di-glycerides
• starch, food starch, modified food starch
• confectioner’s sugar
• dextrin, dextrose
• vegetable oil
• margarine
• shortening

Soy Derivatives/Foods:

• Edamame
• Miso
• Mono-diglyceride
• Natto
• Soya, soja, soybean, soyabeans
• Soy protein (isolate/concentrate), vegetable protein
• Tempeh
• Textured soy flour (TSF), textured soy protein (TSP), textured vegetable protein (TVP)
• Tofu (soybean curds)
• Yuba
• Tamari
• Soy Sauce
• lecithin, soy lecithin
• soy beverages

Common products that may contain GM forms of corn or soy:

• infant formula
• salad dressing, gravies, sauces, marinades
• candy
• bread
• cereal
• hot dogs/hamburgers
• cookies
• candy
• baked goods and mixes
• crackers
• beverage mixes
• processed/prepared meats
• seasonings/spices
• cooking sprays/margarines/vegetable oil
• soups/broths
• spreads/dips/mayo/peanut butter
• chocolate
• fried foods
• meat substitutes/cheese substitutes
• powdered sugar
• baking powder
• thickening agents
• vegetarian dishes
• frozen yogurt/ice cream
• vitamins

Ugh, the lists are long!  Make sure you are reading those labels and the list of ingredients.  The best way to know what you are putting in your body is to make as much as you can yourself from fresh, whole ingredients.  My challenge to you is two-fold, 1) look in your pantry and read the ingredients, how many products contain any of the derivatives listed above from non-organic sources?  2) next time you go grocery shopping think about buying less packaged and processed foods and look for ways of replacing your usual buys with homemade alternatives, you may be surprised how easy and affordable it can be once you get into it!  You can do it!

On a different note, with Mother’s Day coming up this Sunday I’d like to take the opportunity to send love to all the mommas out there, especially my AMAZING mom!!

Happy Weekend & Happy Mother’s Day!

With Love,

Kristin  XO

By Beth Stebner

PUBLISHED: 08:26 EST, 5 April 2012 | UPDATED: 08:52 EST, 5 April 2012

A judge sentenced a businessman to more than two years in jail for knowingly passing off more than 4.2million pounds of corn as organic.

Harold Chase, 55, doubled his profits by falsely labelling corn purchased from conventional corn growers as high-end, USDA-certified organic.

He admitted to pocketing nearly $200,000 in profits because of the improper labelling.

Ear-resopnsible: Harold Chase, 55, was sentenced to 27 months in prison for falsely selling corn as USDA-organic

Judge Ann Aiken told Chase on Wednesday that he ‘made a big mistake to commit this crime in Lane County.’

She noted the area’s strong interest in pesticide-free foods, and the community’s trust in the local Lane County Farmers Market to sell organic products.

US Attorney Amanda Marshall said in a news release that the crime Chase committed not only hurt the local community, but the organic industry as well.

‘This defendant intentionally undermined an entire regulatory scheme out of greed,’ she said in the statement.

‘Consumers are entitled to know what they are eating and feeding their families.’

Pesticides: Non-organic corn is usually grown with the use of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers, but is less expensive than its organic cousin

 

All ears: The area around Springfield, Oregon has strong interest in pesticide-free foods

Court documents say that Chase faked documents saying the corn was purchased from an organic farm in Milton-Freewater.

The non-organic corn was used in products that were sold to the public as USDA certified organic food.

Chase concocted the elaborate bait-and-switch beginning in November 2009, nearly doubling his profits, according to the Register Guard.

For corn to be certified as USDA organic, produce cannot be grown with pesticides, synthetic fertilizer, or grown through bioengineering.

Because of the high cost of farming, organic products often go for much more than their non-organic counterparts.

According to the Register Guard, Chase pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud tied to the case in December.

Springfield is about 100 miles south of Portland.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2125609/Springfield-businessman-Harold-Chase-gets-2-year-sentence-falsely-selling-non-organic-CORN.html#ixzz1r5YfRV9A

FSANZ acting Chief Executive Officer Melanie Fisher said that the application was received from Monsanto Australia Limited and seeks to vary Standard 1.5.2 – Food produced using Gene Technology, in the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code.”

“Approval of GM foods under this Standard is contingent upon completion of a comprehensive pre-market safety assessment,” Ms Fisher said.

“The safety assessment finds that there are no potential public health and safety concerns and that the corn is safe for human consumption.

“FSANZ welcomes comments from government agencies, public health professionals, industry and the community on issues raised in the report.”

The period for submissions closes on 27 February 2012.

More information

For full details about approvals and other standards matters see the FSANZ notification circular.

Application A1066 – Food derived from Herbicide-tolerant Corn MON87427

Opening or downloading a document file  including PDFs and zip files

Call for submissions – 16 January 2011  [ word 153kb | pdf 158 kb version ]

Supporting Document 1 – Safety Assessment Report [ word 852 kb | pdf  454 kb version ]

Administrative Assessment    [ word | pdf version ]

Application [ zip file ]

Information on how to make a submission