THE FUTURE OF OUR FOOD SOURCE — PART TWO
April 28, 2004
Over the last decade or so our food sources
and the nature of our food are going through
drastic changes that are receiving very little
attention in a way that allows us to have input
into how we all feel about it. Yet our lack
of attention and passive acceptance of a situation
we may feel is out of our control can have
huge affects on our future health. Genetic
engineering has become more of the norm in
many communities and a fight has begun which
we need to pay attention to. We cannot depend
on our usual sources of media to keep us informed.
Reading and the Internet may be our main ways
to stay up to date and show us what we can
do to help.
Recently a study showed that the viral promoter
used in genetically engineered (GE) crops to "turn
on" certain genes have been found in the
tissue of test rats. According to Dr. Terje
Traavik, the same promoters could switch on
any number of viruses that normally lay dormant
within human DNA and/or change the activity
and structure of chromosomes, creating the
potential for inducing cancer and/or metabolic
changes.
California is the largest producer and exporter
of food in the United States with over 350
crops. All crops grown in California except
cotton are currently free from genetic engineering.
Monsanto Corporation, a large multinational
organization at the forefront of creating genetically
modified organisms (GMO), is targeting California
farms.
Mendocino County in northern California was
the first county in the U.S. to ban genetically
engineered crops and animals through a ballot
initiative March 2, 2004. Corporate agribusiness
and biotech industry spent $700,000 for a massive
barrage of misleading information attempting
to convince citizens to vote against the proposition.
Grassroots farmers and allies spent $100,000.
This is an important and precedent-setting
victory for farmers and consumers. The biotech
industry fear this uprising will spread and
have made it clear that they will do their
best to stop Mendocino's genetic engineering
ban using state legislation or legal action.
A number of groups have gotten together and
formed the BioDemocracy Alliance to spread
the word and organize to promote education
and other bans. They could use our help if
you are concerned about GE and GMO's and their
future impact on our health. Here are some
things you can do:
- Find out more about how this technology
will impact farmers, our environment, our
food, and learn how you can stop it by visiting
the Organic Consumers Association page
about keeping
Mendocino County GMO-free, and/or
join their BioDemocracy
News newsgroup.
- Let your local, state, federal government
and their agencies know how you feel about
the use of genetically modified foods.
- Click here to make
a secure donation to the Organic
Consumers Association. Or send
a check to "OCA/BioDemocracy Alliance" at
the national office:
Organic Consumers Association
6101 Cliff Estate
Little Marais, Minnesota 55614
In many ways, the future is in our
hands.
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