Richmond, British Columbia, 22nd May 2012
For general release
The Richmond Food Security Society and the Society for a Genetically Free (GE) BC would like to warmly congratulate Richmond City Council on its courageous stand against GE crops and trees at its General Meeting on the 22nd May Continue reading
Lucy Sharratt from CBAN – Canadian Biotechnology Action Network and April Reeves of GE Free BC will be touring BC Canada this September. Look us up when we come to your area! See many of you at the Okanagan Organic Festival! Look for our table!
Posted in CBAN, Food Security, Take Action!
Tagged April Reeves, CBAN, Event, GE Alfalfa, GE Apples, GE Free BC, GE salmon, GMO Tour, Lucy Sharratt
Posted in Canadian Politics & Food, Food Security, Terminator Seed
Tagged April Reeves, GMO, Lecture series, September 9 2010, Terminator Seed, Van Dusen
By Richard BlackEnvironment correspondent, BBC News
6 August 2010
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-10859264
April: David Suzuki has been speaking out about this issue for years. Eventually “volunteer” GM plants will become part of the wild environment. Because the majority of them are Roundup Ready, meaning they can be sprayed with pesticides and survive, weed management will carry a new set of problems. Weed control on roadsides will cost more. It’s simple. And who will bear this cost? The taxpayer, likely. Not Monsanto. Dr. Suzuki has stated for years, that should Terminator plants spread into our forests and begin to destroy natural plants, who is responsible (to pay) for the damage? How can you even begin to control and eradicate the damage? Here in BC, we have been privy to the Japanese pine beetle, a small insect that bores into pine trees and kills them. We have not been able to manage the forests and keep up with the problem, so we now have millions of acres of dead forests and a logging industry that took the hit. We need to stop and think about the ramifications of GM plants and their technology in the wild environment. It has been proven, time and time again, that GM genes do indeed transfer to non-GM species. These stray GM plants also travel for miles, and move into Organic and non-GM fields, quietly altering the DNA of every crop. While it may appear fine and dandy for farmers to make higher yields, somewhere, somehow, there will be a price to pay. Look beyond the obvious: this is what we are fighting for. We see the future, and it’s not pretty…
Researchers in the US have found new evidence that genetically
modified crop plants can survive and thrive in the wild, possibly for
decades.
A University of Arkansas team surveyed countryside in North Dakota for
canola. Transgenes were present in 80% of the wild canola plants they
found.
They suggest GM traits may help the plants survive weedkillers in the
wild.
The findings were presented at the annual meeting of the Ecological
Society of America in Pittsburgh.
Over time, the build-up of different types of herbicide resistance in
feral canola and closely related weeds could make it more difficult to
manage these plants.
Posted in American Politics & Food, Biotech Companies, Canadian Politics & Food, CBAN, Food Security, Monsanto, World GE Politics
Tagged April Reeves, CBAN, Dr. David Suzuki, GM canola, GM potatoes sugar beet soy cotton corn oilseed, Herbicide Resistant Weeds, Lucy Sharratt, Monsanto, North Dakota, Professor Alison Snow, Terminator Plants, Volunteer
This is a GMO Workshop for active Activists! Here’s an opportunity to learn, take action and meet like-minded people. Join us this Thursday!
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — When the weed killer Roundup was introduced in the 1970s, it proved it could kill nearly any plant while still being safer than many other herbicides, and it allowed farmers to give up harsher chemicals and reduce tilling that can contribute to erosion.
But 34 years later, a few sturdy species of weed resistant to Roundup have evolved, forcing farmers to return to some of the less environmentally safe practices they abandoned decades ago.
The situation is the worst in the South, where some farmers now walk fields with hoes, killing weeds in a way their great-grandfathers were happy to leave behind. And the problem is spreading quickly across the Corn Belt and beyond, with Roundup now proving unreliable in killing at least 10 weed species in at least 22 states. Some species, like Palmer amaranth in Arkansas and water hemp and marestail in Illinois, grow fast and big, producing tens of thousands of seeds.
April: This is my biggest pet peeve of the GMO seed industry: any idiot or black market can get their hands on this stuff. It’s that easy. This leads to a world full of GMO plants, insects and God knows what – where. This is why it is so incredibly important that we speak out – we have the potential to lose this planet or save it. Ever wondered why there are no GMO seeds in the Norway Seed Vault?
If there are no law suits from Big Biotechs, then is it reasonable to assume that they played a role in the distribution? I hope the farmers sue over this one…
The NK603 variety has been planted in seven states. The seed supplier, US firm Pioneer Hi-Bred, called the level of contamination “minute”.
It is not clear how the mistake occurred, but it could cost farmers millions of euros, as crops will now have to be destroyed.
The EU is currently reviewing its tight rules on the cultivation of GM crops.
Pioneer Hi-Bred, based in Buxtehude near Hamburg, says NK603 has been planted on “just under 2,000 hectares (4,940 acres)” of land. The environmental group Greenpeace put the area as high as 3,000 hectares.
Bavaria, Baden-Wuerttemberg and Lower Saxony are among the states where it has been sown.
Information delayed
Supporters of GM crops argue that they deliver higher yields and resistance to pests, requiring less fertiliser and pesticides.
April: this has to be the most disgusting thing I’ve come across in my GMO “career”. As you read this remember one very important issue: Drug companies have NO intention of finding “CURES” for anything. It’s in their interests to find drugs that sustain the sick people, not cures. God help them if someone actually DID find a cure for these diseases they continue to make billions on. You can change it: eat organics, exercise and stay healthy. If there were no diseases, or at least a whole lot less, these drug idiots may have to be accountable somewhere, sometime.
Another thought for you all: what happens if one of these sick pigs gets out and breeds (I’m not talking about the drug scientists….).
London, June 17 (ANI): Scottish scientists, who created Dolly the cloned sheep, have now produced pigs that are genetically modified to suffer from incurable human diseases – so they can be used by drug companies to test new therapies for human diseases.
The highly controversial research is being carried out at the Roslin Institute in Edinburgh, famous for creating Dolly the cloned sheep.
If the team is successful, the diseased animals would be used by drug companies to test potential new gene therapies for the conditions.
The technique involves the use of viruses to carry chosen genes into fertilised eggs.
Once altered, the eggs are then implanted in surrogate females, so that theoretically animals are born with the genetic conditions.
The resulting pigs are a type of what is known as a transgenic animal – creatures that have inserted DNA that originated in a different species.
Already, to prove genes could be successfully inserted into animals using the technique, pigs have been produced at Roslin that carry a green fluorescent protein gene found naturally in jellyfish.
The animals have a greenish tinge in normal light and when viewed in blue light they glow.
This was done to provide the scientists with a genetic marker – a physical manifestation of how the pigs had been modified.
The cutting-edge research raises major ethical issues about harming animals intentionally for the benefit of humans. It has led to outrage from animal rights organisations.
In an interview, Dr Bruce Whitelaw, head of developmental biology at the Roslin Institute, admitted he had struggled with the idea of creating diseased animals purely to try to benefit humans.
“We are saying we will make these animals sick purely for our benefit,” the Scotsman quoted him as saying.
However, he believes his team has a “moral right” to give the technique a try.
His work will be the subject of a debate at Edinburgh Zoo on the ethics of genetically modifying animals.
Whitelaw said the pigs would be used as “models of the human diseases” to provide a better way to test potential treatments.
Existing options involve using mice, which he said were “inadequate”.
He believes there are theoretical reasons why pigs should be good models for human disease – because of many physical similarities, such as similar eye size.
However, he acknowledged that creating the diseased animals would “not necessarily” allow treatments to be developed.
But he said that, since the Roslin had managed to develop the techniques to modify the animals in this way, they should find out if it could help to find cures.
“We have this technology. It’s really important to try to see if it can help. It may not, in which case we should stop,” he said.
“I don’t think we should use this technology for something we can currently treat just so we can make the treatment slightly better, but we should use it for diseases that we don’t have treatments for,” he added.
Whitelaw believes it will take at least two years to produce the genetically modified pigs, and another two years to find out whether they could be treated. (ANI)
By April Reeves, June 2, 2010
Another pathetic response from Health Canada. I have had many emails suggesting a class action suit against them, and I think it’s time to change them out, however we plan to do it.
My email:
April Reeves, June 1, 2010
I am on the bandwagon with the Enviropig. It stinks. Literally. So I asked Maple Leaf Foods, one of Canada’s largest hog producers, what their position was on Enviropig, and this was their answer:
May 21, 2010
Case #622843
Dear Ms. Reeves,
Thank you for your recent inquiry.
We are monitoring the situation and no decision has been made at this time. If we can be of further assistance, please feel free to contact us at our toll-free number of 1-800-268-3708.
Sincerely,
Jackie Verdez
Consumer Response Representative
– – –
Wow, how amazing, to get a response from a customer rep! I feel honored, Maple Leaf.
So, I am going to continue with my quest for information, and I am urging you to follow along. Below are emails and names of those in Maple Leaf who may actually answer us from Canada with something intelligent to say.
Please contact these nice folks with your question: “What is Maple Leaf’s response to the Enviropig? Will Maple Leaf allow the Enviropig into our food chain?”
And let them know that Canadians don’t want it!
CBAN’s link to Minister of Health: http://www.cban.ca/Resources/Topics/Enviropig This is easy to follow and do, so please take a minute to do this.
Maple Leaf:
Contact Maple Leaf: http://www.mapleleaf.com/en/corporate/contact-us/request-form/
Investor Relations: singerdi@mapleleaf.ca (they really need to hear you)!
This is minimal effort with maximum effect: there is a poll on this website that asks if you want Richmond BC to be a GE Free zone – cast your vote asap before the poll disappears. There is power in the YES vote: scroll down the page and the poll is on the left hand side 2/3 of the way down. Thanks – in advance – to everyone that votes yes!
http://www.bclocalnews.com/richmond_southdelta/richmondreview/
April: There just wasn’t enough time in the day to post the really good stuff in full, so I am going to start listing the links to articles I think you may want or need.
HRAC members decide to boycott Genetically Modified foods
French Wine to Be Modified Genetically
Prisoners turn over a new leaf with eye on environment
Orwell-Speak Award Goes to Canada’s GM “Enviropig”
Protesters Block Monsanto in the Netherlands – Demanding End to GMOs
Facebook Page (Arzeena Hamir, GE Free Steering Committee) on Roger’s Sugar: asking us to send Roger’s an email on GMO Sugarbeets. Please let Roger’s know that you will not buy their products anymore.
Chemtrails and Monsanto’s New Aluminum Resistance Gene – Coincidence?
Posted in American Politics & Food, Animal Health and GMO, BioFuels, Biotech Companies, Canadian Politics & Food, CBAN, Food Security, GE Corn, GE Flax, GE Soy, Herbicides, Monsanto, Pesticides, Take Action!, World GE Politics
Tagged April Reeves, Ban GM crops, Bayer CropScience, Biotech Companies, Center For Food Safety, Dow AgroSciences, Food Security, GM Alfalfa, GMO, Monsanto, Roger's Sugar, Roundup Ready, Small Farmer, Take Action!, USDA
By April Reeves, May 7 2010
I read it across the ‘ticker’ on CNN yesterday: US farmers deal with super weeds: single worst production threat in the history of agriculture we have ever seen. Strong words. Now, CNN often is a bit ‘expressive’ in their dialogue, but this time I have to agree.
What surprises me are the people who are surprised. Really, it was a matter of time, like many of the issues of GM crops that will eventually surface. We have said for how long now – it’s not sustainable to mess with Mother Nature. But no one listened. 3 of the big GM crops have super weeds: corn, cotton and soy.
So we ‘heretics’ and ‘fear mongers’ once again shake our heads and laugh. It was evident to anyone with any thread of common sense and vision that this day would come. And it came fast.
You can only sustain healthy agriculture through diversity in your crop choices. Monocrops (single plant crops) will eventually fall prey to either disease or in this case, resistance. I’m sure the bugs will be a tough one to destroy this year as well. Climate change as well, demands a biodiversity in order to survive. It’s the old way, but it’s THE way. While man runs around trying to fix everything, even that which is not broken, eventually it will bite him in the butt.
Farmers are curious: if they have to work longer hours (pulling weeds), do the same things they were doing before GM crops (tilling, changing chemicals), then why spend the extra money on GM seeds? While corn and some soy and cotton may prove higher yields, that should not be a concern any more: what matters is profit, and commodity crops are losing their value as junk food processors demand lower and lower prices to compete.
It’s a treadmill that’s almost impossible to get off of. We have been fed a promise that’s now leading us into chemical dependency.
So what does all this mean?
Unless Monsanto can either engineer another type of plant, or create stronger, nastier chemical pesticides, they have succeeded in taking out mass amounts of shareholder value. Creating new crops take millions of dollars. If these crops have a short duration before they implode and turn useless, the value is just not there for investors. So by subjecting farmers to stronger chemicals is the answer? No wonder young people have no interested in going int0 mass agriculture. They are moving into organics and traditional farming instead. Children are growing up much smarter than many of the older folks…
Farmers will incur additional costs trying to maintain what was suppose to be an easy, infallible system. Those costs will be passed on to the consumer, unless the tab is picked up by government subsidies (that would be you, the taxpayer).
Maybe we should take a page from our antibiotics book for super germs. Don’t we learn anything from history? Especially recent history.
From the Western Producer paper, May 6 2010
Farm income predictions grim
Projections 91 percent below 2009
Posted in American Politics & Food, Biotech Companies, Canadian Politics & Food, Food Security, Monsanto, Pesticides, Take Action!, World Food Politics, World GE Politics
Tagged 2004 Report, April Reeves, Biotech Companies, Canadian farmers, Canadian Food Politics, Food Security, GMO, Grow Vegetables, Heirloom Seeds, Heritage Seeds, Monocrops, Monsanto, Non-GMO Foods, Pesticides, Small Farmer, Superweeds, Support Bill C-474, Sustainability, Take Action!
Written by April Reeves, Director, GE Free BC
I was forwarded this email today from a colleague. It’s a response from Conservative MP Alice Wong regarding their stance on Bill C-474. This response clearly states how little the Conservative party thinks about our rights, freedom, and intelligence. Read on:
Dear Alice Wong, MP, Richmond, Conservative Party,
On April 28, 2010, you sent a response to a fellow named ‘Bruno Vernier’ regarding Bill C-474. I would like to remind you of this email, and I have a few comments about your response you should hear. Your email:
Dear Bruno,
You are absolutely correct that we are to represent the citizens of Richmond,
and that most of the e-mails we received asked us to vote for C-474. However,
our Parliamentary system isn’t totally based on referendum or constituency
majority wishes. An MP isn’t just elected to a “puppet” of the electorate.
They are elected for their ability to lead as well as for their willingness to
follow consensus. Yes, a good MP works hard at listening to his or her
consitutents and representing them well. But by electing an MP, constituents
are also placing on them a mantle of authority, a “trust quotient” if you
will, to go to Ottawa and vote as they see best on issues of national
importance. This may not always be the “popular” position and ultimately each
MP faces accountability for that at the election booth. But they will also
run for reelection on their expertise and skill, not just on being a “puppet”
of constituents’ wishes. Parliamentary democracy has a lot of nuances to it
and there are some grey areas in how it plays itself out on the daily
political arena. The main objective of both sides was to support Canadian
farmers, and we listened to the large number of farmers who asked the
government to defeat this bill.
Voting against the C-474 was not an attempt to stifle debate over the issue.
Back in October 27, 2009, the Agriculture Committee passed a motion to study
genetically modified organisms, and the first hearing on the subject was held
on December 3. We agree that we should have a debate on the issue of GMOs in
committee; approving the substance of the bill in principle was not necessary
to facilitate that debate.
Although we have two differing opinions on the issue, I wish to thank you for
your civility and sharp grasp of the issues you advocate. We receive many
generic e-mails asking for support for different issues, but only a few take
the time to share their personal views and articulate them so well. Thank you
for dialoguing with us.
All the best,
Micah Au, Constituency Office of Alice Wong, MP for Richmond
– – –
Lets start at the beginning.
First off, you DO in fact work for the people who voted you in. It’s called Democracy, a term the Conservatives have forgotten about.
Posted in Biotech Companies, Canadian Politics & Food, CBAN, Food Security, Herbicides, Monsanto, Non-GE foods, Organic Growers & Seeds, Pesticides, Take Action!, Terminator Seed, World Food Politics, World GE Politics
Tagged Alice Wong, April Reeves, Ban GM crops, Biotech Companies, Canadian Food Politics, CBAN, Conservative Party, Democracy, Food Security, GM Alfalfa, GM crops, GMO, James Lunney, Monsanto, NDP, Non-GMO Foods, Organic farmers, Propaganda, Richmond MP, Ron Canna, Small Farmer, SmartStax Corn, Support Bill C-474, World Hunger
You can RSVP at: aprilreeves@shaw.ca or show up at the door. All RSVP seats will be reserved.
Guest Panel includes: April Reeves, Director, GE Free BC: Arzeena Hamir, Steering Committee, GE Free BC, Richmond Food Security, Farmland Defense League and other organizations (plus she’s an agrologist): Larry Tolton, Richmond Food Security, multiple generation farmer.
Donations will be accepted. They go towards stamps, paper, toner, envelopes and other materials. All members are volunteers. Sponsor donations include food and coupons: every participant will go home with ‘goodies’.
Hope to see you all there!
CBAN (Lucy Sharratt) sent this: we all need to move on this today!
Bill C-474 was voted down but not out!!
Your letters have a strong influence! We are making great headway with this approach; the biotech firms are lobbying heavily to counter us. We must protect our farmers or lose our export markets and our ability to grow our own food.
Bill C-474 would support Canadian farmers by requiring that “an analysis of potential harm to export markets be conducted before the sale of any new genetically engineered seed is permitted.”
April 1 Update: Loud “nays’ from Conservative MPs registered the provisional but not official defeat of Bill C-474 on April 1 in the oral vote – however your letters convinced the Liberal Agriculture Critic to recommend the Bill to Committee rather defeat it. On April 14 there will be an official, registered vote of all MPs present in the House at that time – the Liberal Party needs to make sure that all Liberal MPs vote for Bill C-474 on April 14!
You can write to the Liberals directly: CBAN has set up a page to make it easy for you: Letter to Michael Ignatieff.
Write your local MP here: Letter to my MP
Thank you to everyone who has done this, and an extra huge thanks for those that have forwarded this! It’s in our hands – we have the power!!
April Reeves, Director, GE Free BC
I ran across this article that talked about a new revolutionary way to eat that prevents disease and is tailored specifically for you. It’s called Nutrigenomics, and begins with garden grown vegetables that you ‘encode’. This is NOT a GMO project.
I have been doing this for years, so to hear it’s “new” was rather humorous. Here’s how it works:
You take the seeds you want to plant and eat, and place them under your tongue for at least 9 minutes. This allows the plant to “assume” your particular needs for your body. Plants can heal us if we let them. I use heritage and heirloom seeds only, from sources I trust (they are on this site). I then take water that I have washed my hands and feet with, and water those new seeds with it. Your hands and feet shed toxins and garbage from your system daily. The plants take this new data and create the foods you need to fix the problems in your own body.
This year we have added friends seeds to our personal garden. It will be interesting to see how their foods work for them.
Here is the article on Nutrigenomics.
April: In a very long and comprehensive report, Vanity Fair has blasted Monsanto and “friends”. In this lengthy article you will get a wide scope of the issues and history behind the giant. Don’t be alarmed at the end: we can take this company out in less than a year if only 10% of us pull together (see at article end).
Monsanto’s Harvest of Fear
Monsanto already dominates America’s food chain with its genetically modified seeds. Now it has targeted milk production. Just as frightening as the corporation’s tactics–ruthless legal battles against small farmers–is its decades-long history of toxic contamination.
Gary Rinehart clearly remembers the summer day in 2002 when the stranger walked in and issued his threat. Rinehart was behind the counter of the Square Deal, his “old-time country store,” as he calls it, on the fading town square of Eagleville, Missouri, a tiny farm community 100 miles north of Kansas City.
The Square Deal is a fixture in Eagleville, a place where farmers and townspeople can go for lightbulbs, greeting cards, hunting gear, ice cream, aspirin, and dozens of other small items without having to drive to a big-box store in Bethany, the county seat, 15 miles down Interstate 35.
Everyone knows Rinehart, who was born and raised in the area and runs one of Eagleville’s few surviving businesses. The stranger came up to the counter and asked for him by name.
“Well, that’s me,” said Rinehart.
As Rinehart would recall, the man began verbally attacking him, saying he had proof that Rinehart had planted Monsanto’s genetically modified (G.M.) soybeans in violation of the company’s patent. Better come clean and settle with Monsanto, Rinehart says the man told him—or face the consequences.
Rinehart was incredulous, listening to the words as puzzled customers and employees looked on. Like many others in rural America, Rinehart knew of Monsanto’s fierce reputation for enforcing its patents and suing anyone who allegedly violated them. But Rinehart wasn’t a farmer. He wasn’t a seed dealer. He hadn’t planted any seeds or sold any seeds. He owned a small—a really small—country store in a town of 350 people. He was angry that somebody could just barge into the store and embarrass him in front of everyone. “It made me and my business look bad,” he says. Rinehart says he told the intruder, “You got the wrong guy.”
When the stranger persisted, Rinehart showed him the door. On the way out the man kept making threats. Rinehart says he can’t remember the exact words, but they were to the effect of: “Monsanto is big. You can’t win. We will get you. You will pay.”
Posted in American Politics & Food, Biotech Companies, Canadian Politics & Food, Food Security, Lawn care, Monsanto, Pesticides, Take Action!, World GE Politics
Tagged April Reeves, Ban GM crops, Biotech Companies, Control of nature, Food Security, GE Foods, GMO, Grow Vegetables, Monsanto, Sustainability, Uncontrolled Technology
February 23, 2010
By embargoing Bt brinjal, Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh may have done a greater service to democracy than he intended, says Praful Bidwai.
April: Why can’t our governments take a page from India? Although North America is fairly entrenched in GM crops, this story does offer hope to those of us that actively march against GMO. India is fighting for their right to choose what to grow, and won’t allow the government to cease their voices. Bt Cotton’s failure was good timing….
India has done something unusual in defying the long-established trend of capitulating to corporate power.
Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh must be complimented for imposing a moratorium on the commercial release of genetically modified (GM) brinjal (or baigan, also called aubergine and eggplant) developed by Mahyco-Monsanto in collaboration with two Indian agricultural universities.
He deserves encomiums for consulting stakeholders in major brinjal-producing states like West Bengal, Orissa and Andhra Pradesh. This public consultation approach sets a good precedent. It deserves to become a model for governmental decision-making on all issues that concern people’s livelihoods.
To appreciate the moratorium rationally, one need not go as far as former director of the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology P M Bhargava did in euphorically describing it as “the single most important decision taken by any minister since Independence”.
Yet, it couldn’t have been easy to take in the face of feverish lobbying by Monsanto, one of the world’s most powerful multinationals.
Monsanto, which controls 84 per cent of the global GM seeds market and has a long reach in the United States and Indian governments, lobbied for Bt brinjal in league with other biotechnology companies and groups of plant breeders with a stake in developing GM foods.
They were backed by major sections of the corporate media which fervently campaigned for Bt brinjal and celebrated all GM technology as safe and unproblematic and as the key to India’s food security.
Posted in American Politics & Food, Biotech Companies, Canadian Politics & Food, Food Security, World GE Politics
Tagged April Reeves, Ban GM crops, Biotech Companies, Bt Brinjal, Canadian Food Politics, Food Secure, GE Foods, GMO, India, Indian Environment Minister, Jairam Ramesh, Monsanto, Small Farmer, Sustainability, World Hunger
Here is a good article on just how connected people in BC are (and growing) to their local farmers. BC is unique in that most people here are awake when it comes to food and the quality of it. We are fit on the inside and the outside. We educate ourselves. We get off the couch. We move, we communicate, we take action.
CSA’s (Community Supported Agriculture) are going to grow each year. This is a call for farmers to get organized and meet the challenge. More money can be made on small acreages growing for specific crops than the heavy overheads and loss of markets that big factory farming creates. It’s these small viable growers that will carry us and sustain us in the future. It IS the future. It is created by YOU, each one of you, asking, reaching for something better.
By April Reeves
It seems there is no where you can turn that you won’t find GMO’s in every food source now. But building Natural supplements with GM plants and herbs is a complete oxymoron. Of course it won’t be labeled. This article has some very good arguments and statistics. Please read on!
This article may not be GM but it does beg the question: will our grandkids be less contaminated than we are? This illuminates the insidious nature of big corporations to control what we put in our mouths, in every aspect. The fight against GMO’s is not just about GM’s: it’s also about choice and control.
Now our meat supplies are unknown. I will be launching a big campaign against this soon. Write, email, do all you can to let pork producers know you will stop eating anything pig if this goes through. Even if you don’t eat pig! They need to know we exist, and we need the masses to speak out! You can contact all local hog producers, write to the Western Producer newspaper, write all gov agencies, and protest around any hog producer’s buildings and/or events.
The following is a list of ideas you can implement in your own ‘sphere of influence’. Find one that works for you, and go for it!
Every child should learn to cook 10 meals before leaving grade 12. Jamie Oliver
Have every farmer in your area of 50 miles sign a pledge to not grow GMO’s. David Andrew Waymire, Facebook friend
Hold local movie showings for free: Monsanto, Pesticides, and other issues. Arzeena Hamir
Create ready-made letters for people to sign at movie showings and anywhere people group. Make it easy for people to write letters: have them sign it with full contact info. You stamp and mail it for them. Put these letters on a site somewhere. April Reeves
Go join every Non-GM facebook page. Make your voice heard. Get people moving. Trade ideas. April Reeves PS: every word here is a link to a Facebook page on food and Non-GMO’s.
Look into ways to make laws and bylaws work in your favor. Can GE’s be considered a ‘nuisance’? Can you lobby for a ‘nuisance abatement ordinance’? Does your country have stiff regulations and laws against product safety? Can you use that law to go after Monsanto? (Canada’s Bill C-6 and C-51) AR
Join NPO’s. Your money goes toward their campaigns. Many NPO’s are all volunteers, so your dollar goes right into campaign work, not pockets.
Posted in Monsanto, Take Action!
Tagged April Reeves, Ban GM crops, Biotech Companies, Canadian Food Politics, CBAN, Food Secure, GE Foods, GMO, Sustainability, Take Action!
By April Reeves
Anderson Cooper reports on a series by David Gewirtz, author of “How To Save Jobs“. David suggests the following:
From AC360: Next up was a look at grain consumption. Grain has always been an indicator of even the most basic of civilization, so a look at how the middle-classing of developing countries would affect the food supply based on grain usage seemed appropriate.
This time, I used data from the Economic Research Service of the United States Department of Agriculture Production. Worldwide, humans consume about 1.9 billion metric tons of grain each year.
Today, the United States consumes about 287 million metric tons of grain, or about 14.8 percent of the world’s total supply.
China consumes slightly more than we do, at about 406 million metric tons of grain, or about 21 percent of the world’s supply.
India has a lot of starving people, and that shows in its grain use. India consumes only about 196 million metric tons of grain, about 10 percent of the world’s total. You can see India’s ups and downs written in the numbers. Some years, like 1993, their grain consumption went up 5.6 percent. But other years, like 2001, their grain consumption dropped by 4.3 percent. Neither of these are big fluctuations, but it does show some years Indian citizens ate a little more and other years, they ate a little less.
What if they consume grain at the same rate as we do here?
Posted in American Politics & Food, Biotech Companies, Canadian Politics & Food, Food Security, Monsanto, World Food Politics
Tagged Anderson Cooper 360, April Reeves, Biotech Companies, David Gewirtz, Food Security, Grain consumption, How to save jobs, Monsanto, Small Farmer, Sustainability, USDA, World Hunger
By April Reeves
Monsanto is always trying to convince North Americans that Roundup Ready is safe and won’t create resistance, but in Australia, farmers sign on the dotted line to keep vigil over their use of the chemical.
“However, the ministry flagged the importance of farmers following procedures to avoid any threat of weedkiller resistance being spread to surrounding plants.
Is this not a direct admission to a problem? Those of us who protest these chemicals already know of Roundup’s hazards, yet our governments go on blindly approving it.
Now Monsanto is putting the responsibility onto the farmer. “It’s your problem if something goes wrong” seems to be the statement here.
Why would any farmer WANT to take this on? Does this now open up the farmer to potential law suits from anyone?
Please continue to eat Organic as much and whenever you can.
Here’s a link to a great little video about food. It’s loaded with information: quite ‘nutritional’.
Another video from Hellman’s: Eat Real. Eat Local. Facts in this video:
Ontario imports $4Billion more than it exports.
Most of your tomato’s, cuc’s and peppers are imported.
For every pear we grow, 700 are imported. For every apple we export, we import 5.
Red meat imports grew 600%
Ontario paved over 49% of its prime farmland to build the greater Toronto area.
Over the past three years, more than 50 billion honeybees have died. Scientists understand the causes and now we need everyone to lend a helping hand.
The humble honeybee has been inextricably linked to humankind since prehistoric times. At first we were drawn to this remarkable creature because of its sweet honey. Honey is to a bee what electricity is for humans — energy. One teaspoon of honey weighing 21 grams contains 16 grams of sugar or 60 calories, and it took 12 bees their entire foraging lives, combined flying time of about 9,700 kilometres, to produce it.
Posted in Biotech Companies, Food Security, Lawn care, World Food Politics
Tagged April Reeves, Bayer CropScience, Honeybees
I just want to thank all the people who have shown up to this blog the last few days. We have had record numbers! Thank you a hundred times to those who told me they tweeted us and to those who passed on our information on their facebook pages. It all helps to support and move this organization forward. We all want to see a better world, with labels and choices when we shop. This show of people puts a HUGE smile on my face!
Yesterday, I heard Obama ‘mention’ that GM may be part of the reason why autism, allergies and cancer is on the rise. Interesting…
Posted in Canadian Politics & Food, Food Security
Tagged April Reeves, Food Secure, Food Security, GE Free BC, GMO
By April Reeves
This course encompasses the study of eating as it affects the health and well-being of every human. Topics include taste preferences, food aversions, the regulation of hunger and satiety, food as comfort and friendship, eating as social ritual, and social norms of blame for food problems. The politics of food discusses issues such as sustainable agriculture, organic farming, genetically modified foods, nutrition policy, and the influence of food and agriculture industries. Also examined are problems such as malnutrition, eating disorders, and the global obesity epidemic; the impact of food advertising aimed at children; poverty and food; and how each individual’s eating is affected by the modern environment. view class sessions >>
This is a brilliant series for anyone in any aspect of the food industry, especially the marketing videos. Each video is easy to load and all videos will have you thinking….
By April Reeves
Found an interesting study from The International Journal of Biological Sciences on their findings of how GM foods affect us:
We present for the first time a comparative analysis of blood and organ system data from trials with rats fed three main commercialized genetically modified (GM) maize (NK 603, MON 810, MON 863), which are present in food and feed in the world. NK 603 has been modified to be tolerant to the broad spectrum herbicide Roundup and thus contains residues of this formulation. MON 810 and MON 863 are engineered to synthesize two different Bt toxins used as insecticides. Approximately 60 different biochemical parameters were classified per organ and measured in serum and urine after 5 and 14 weeks of feeding. GM maize-fed rats were compared first to their respective isogenic or parental non-GM equivalent control groups. This was followed by comparison to six reference groups, which had consumed various other non-GM maize varieties. We applied nonparametric methods, including multiple pairwise comparisons with a False Discovery Rate approach. Principal Component Analysis allowed the investigation of scattering of different factors (sex, weeks of feeding, diet, dose and group).
Our analysis clearly reveals for the 3 GMOs new side effects linked with GM maize consumption, which were sex- and often dose-dependent. Effects were mostly associated with the kidney and liver, the dietary detoxifying organs, although different between the 3 GMOs. Other effects were also noticed in the heart, adrenal glands, spleen and haematopoietic system. We conclude that these data highlight signs of hepatorenal toxicity, possibly due to the new pesticides specific to each GM corn. In addition, unintended direct or indirect metabolic consequences of the genetic modification cannot be excluded.
By April Reeves
It is beyond my comprehension that any farmer would want to sow Monsanto seeds after this report on how many farmers they have sued, how much each farmer loses, and how every farmer in the world is exposing him/herself to this insane treatment from Monsanto whether they are aware of it or not! Why??????
This article is data from 2005. By now it’s likely ten times as bad, and this is bad enough for me to reconsider farming. (Except for the fact that I understand and use publicity and have no fear of Monsanto in that regards.)
INVESTIGATIONS
The Process
| Monsanto investigates at least 500 farmers each year for possible patent infringement. |
Monsanto has devoted significant resources to its prosecution of farmers accused of violating the company’s seed patents. It has built a department of 75 employees and set aside an annual budget of $10 million for the sole purpose of investigating and prosecuting farmers for patent infringement.28 Monsanto promotes a toll-free telephone number that allows farmers and businesses to place confidential calls to the company and to report suspected “infringement” activities by neighbors and customers. The company says it receives hundreds of calls and letters each year about these potential patent infringement cases.29 If Monsanto suspects someone, for instance, of planting saved seed, it will hire a private investigation firm, such as Robinson Investigations or Pinkerton, to pursue the farmer.30
By April Reeves
I responded to this article in the ‘editorial’ on their Nov. 26/09 publication. It was written by 5 people. I wonder if the Producer is writing ‘nice’ things about Monsanto in order to continue their advertising. I owned a publication once; I know what that’s all about…
GM Acceptance/Opponents Fading
Positive signs for greater acceptance of GM foods, by Bruce Dyck, Terry Fries, Barb Glen, D’Arce Mcmillan and Ken Zacharias
GREENPEACE’S European campaign against genetically modified crops has hurt Canadian farmers. The organization pressured European authorities to test Canadian flax for the presence of unauthorized genetically altered seed and pressured mustard processors to avoid Canadian mustard seed.
Greenpeace got what it wanted in the Triffid flax situation, a trumped up “scandal” to rail against, to frighten consumers about the alleged dangers of GM crops and inadequate government regulation and oversight.
Canadian farmers got what they didn’t want, market disruption, lower prices and a costly new flax testing system.
But they might take hope in signs that European obstacles to trade in GM crops are eroding and Greenpeace’s anti-GM campaign will eventually fail.
By April Reeves, December 17 2009
The more research I do the more astounded I am that anyone has any sympathy for Monsanto (and the ‘others’). I’ve just unearthed a truth that shocked me.
I guess when Bush went into Iraq, they were interested in more than just oil. They went after food as well. Not sure why the media didn’t pick this up…
Order 81 cannot be overturned in any way for an indefinite amount of time. It is now illegal for Iraq farmers to plant seeds not ‘certified’ by some national authority. Original, traditional seeds cannot be cultivated anymore. This could be the real reason for so many suicides.
So it seems that the US is using Iraq as one big experiment. Clearly this is a case of ‘humans’ gone very wrong.
It seems to me, instead of savings bonds, we should start saving traditional seeds. They may be worth a fortune in the very near future. I know I have quite the little stash of heirloom seeds that I give away.
This is one of the best short videos I have seen: Monsanto’s reach even wider than we thought.
Additional resources:
Corporate Watch: IRAQ: CPA Order 81 Is Even Worse Than Originally Reported
Bremer’s Order 81
This is hilarious: Monsanto the ‘great crusader’ for switching opium fields for GM crops!
It’s unusual for me to add a non-GMO/GE issue to the blog, but this is one that caught my attention. While I am all for carbon reduction and offsetting climate change, something didn’t ‘smell’ right when I began to read about Copenhagen’s Climate Conference.
If you feel the same, check out this video by Annie Leonard. Annie is one of those people who really digs for her information, and like me, gets on the phone and talks to people until the REAL story comes forward. If it was all a blurr for you before, this video will spell it out in black and white.
So what does this have to do with GE? Well, our food, to put it bluntly. And darn, we humans need to eat, so by not being educated on this subject would be rather ironic, don’t you think? I truly believe in my lifetime, I will see one of the most influential shifts in humankind since Jesus. Of course it will be good, but sometimes, in order for us to fully understand what it is we want (clean air, healthy food, green planet) we will have to catch a glimpse of what we don’t want – much like not really understanding what white is until you see black.
Please comment all you want about this matter. It’s important that we realize we won’t solve the crisis with the same methods we used to collapse this country. We must change the way we think.
This goes hand-in-hand with our food production.
A look at how GE Corporate Policy can backfire from protectionism, and the chaos it creates in communities.by April Reeves
I’m not one to believe everything on the web so I usually pick up a phone and do my own research. However (news stories being true at this moment) it seems as though Monsanto may be in a GM pickle.
When you create any patent, you are now in constant vigil to protect the patent from theft, plagiarism, and misuse. Put that patent on one of the most vital industries known to mankind – food – and it’s a recipe for disaster. Damage control is a ‘corporate division’ in itself for the big biotechs, and that’s got to help drive up the cost of seeds.
By April Reeves
Camelina, known as wildflax or ‘gold of pleasure’ is getting more than just attention from producers of Biojet fuels.
As far as I can find, it has not been genetically engineered yet, so Monsanto, hands off this little gem. Leave the farmers alone to work their crops and fields the way they use to.
The way the majority of them want to.
The way we consumers want them to.
The low-input, high oil content feedstock, which can be grown in rotation with wheat in a substitute for the fallow period, continues to gain traction as a renewable fuel, and joins algae, jatropha, and salicornia as the renewable jet fuel feedstocks of choice. The lifecycle analysis was conducted for UOP, which manufactures drop-in jet fuel (1).
By April Reeves
So what is it about GE/GMO foods that we are so against? Why can’t we just all calm down and allow these big corporations to go merrily along their way and plant the world? Perhaps the following insights might give you some understanding as to why consumers are moving away from Genetically Engineered foods.
Testing
I pick up the phone, I email, and I ask questions. I talk to Monsanto and the governments. Problem is, I can never get a black and white, yes or no answer.
If there are studies out there on the long-term effects (that show no harm) then why, WHY are we not privy to them? Surely a company with this wonderful data would be more than willing to share it with the world?
GE Free BC 