Do we have the right to know what is in our food?
According to the U.S. Senate, the answer is a resounding “no”. A few days ago, an announcement stated, “Senate Agriculture Committee Leaders Strike Deal on Agriculture Biotechnology Compromise.” The article went on to describe how U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts (R-Kan) and Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich) released a bipartisan agreement which would establish a national disclosure standard for GMO food. GMO stands for genetically modified organisms found in many commercially produced food. The actual bill can be found here:http://www.agriculture.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Ag%20biotech%20compromise%20proposal.pdf
When I go to the grocery store to purchase food, I want to know what is in the product I am purchasing. In fact, we should all know what is in the food that we purchase. If this bill passes, it would result in the complete banning of GMO labelling. Why would this bill be rushed through our Congress? It is being rushed through because a handful of states have voted to make mandatory labelling of GMOs in food. This bill would over-rule those states that passed mandatory labelling. Also, the bill states that no foods shall be labelled for two years and any food with less than 50% GMOs could be considered non-GMO. After two years, the USDA would require a food company to place a scannable label in the form of a food disclosure under this section be a text, symbol, or electronic or digital link… The label will most likely look like this:
Finally, if that is not enough, food derived from GMO-fed animals would be considered non-GMO with no labelling necessary.
You would think that our elected leaders would fight for our right to know what is in our food that we ingest. Well, you would think wrong.
Unbelievably, Senators Stabinow (MY Senator!) and Roberts crafted a bill that would keep us in the dark about what GMOs are in our food. In the announcement that I cited above, the Senators jointly state, “This bipartisan agreement is an important path forward that represents a true compromise. Since time is of the essence, we urge our colleagues to move swiftly to support this bill.”
Move swiftly? I say we need to move swiftly. If you want proper labelling of our food, tell your Senators and Representatives to vote no on this ridiculous bill.
I am not happy with our political system. We have two parties who cannot work together on most issues. That is generally a bad thing as our elected politicians cannot complete their business. However, in this case, this bipartisan agreement is a disaster.
There is an election coming up. These politicians need to understand who they work for. It is time to make your voice heard. It is time for our representatives to hear us.
Call your Senators now and tell them we want to know what is in our food supply. The U.S. Capitol Switchboard number is (202) 224-3121. Call now and ask to speak to your Senators.
DrB
Parts of this article were reproduced from naturalnews.com. http://www.naturalnews.com/054489_GMO_labeling_US_Senate_Monsanto_puppets.html
If lobbyism was eliminated from government business,
none of this would be a problem.
I’m worried not just about what’s in but what’s ON my food. Lettuce, other green leaves… Water rinse just doesn’t remove many sprays.
I have been signing the petitions and supporting EWG and other organizations to get the mandatory labeling being required. It’s a slap in my face that the DARK Act has passed. Quality of our food is one factor of quality life. I want to know what I am buying. It’s said and scary the direction this is going.
Dr Brownstein,
I cannot believe the DARK Act , has passed both the senate and house. Is there any way you could do a new update blog to this , letting your readers know and encouraging readers to contact Preseidents office and request he veto this bill that is damaging to the transparency in food movement? I know there are several organizations pasing around information, and including pre populated emails , or white house phone numbers to beg the white house to veto the bill. I woudl assume you have this information in your network and perhaps could include one you are comfortable with in the updated blog so your readers could participate in requesting this veto? As you say it will overrule great legislation that was already passed in states like Vermont. The first lady has a passion for health perhaps somehow we can appeal to Michelle Obama aslo? I don’t know but I am just sickened that this bill has passed in our legislative braches. .
Dr B, Not labeling and not putting ingredients on labels is disastrous for me and anyone with food allergies. That would mean there are a lot of things I would not buy. As it is I don’t eat anything with more than 4 ingredients. Why does the government want to make things more difficult than they already are? Betty Murphy
American farmers will soon be left behind and not able to meet the exploding world demand for non-gmo food.
Americans need to wake up find some courage before its too late, or they will utterly destroy everyone, the US Constitution, and have the UN running the world through the criminal crony-capitalists.
Take not how the English just took back their country from the EU- it can be done!
Politics??? It’s about the strangle hold Monsanto has on these two states!!! They ignore our people’s wishes and 64 countries who stand up to American corporate poisons! Thank you.
Thank you Dr. Brownstein
I thank you so much for sharing this. I live in Illinois, and more than likely any call to my senator will fall on deaf ears. However, is there any other way we can get the word out?
D,
Call your Senators–that is the best way! I know it is painful, but that is the best we can do.
DrB
The only way to be absolutely sure of what you are eating is to grow an organic backyard garden with non GMO seeds. Traditional seeds can be found at organic farmers markets and on the web. Books are available on the web to tell you how to do it. A very small garden can produce a lot of food . Some of the food can be preserved over winter by freezing, drying or canning. I have been doing this for years . My ultimate goal is to have a garden as good as the one in my grandmother’s small backyard where she grew all sorts of vegetables, raspberries and cherries.
Food produced this way tastes better than anything you can buy. Traditional seeds that you grow can be saved for planting next year. Friends visiting at dinner time get sent to the garden with a bowl and scissors. Then dinner includes whatever is gathered from the garden.
Yet, as Jeffrey M. Smith brought out in his book “Genetic Roulette: The Documented Health Risks of Genetically Engineered Foods”, the Obamas had an organic garden planted for their use in the White House, and the Bushes also had an organic kitchen policy that Laura Bush was ‘adamant’ about. He also mentions Monsanto employees in-the-know refuse to eat GMO foods. Despicable hypocrites.
Wanna clue on the scheme used? They said that 50 states and gazillions on other local regs would make it impossible to keep production going trying to meet those and hence *interstate* commerce would collapse. So Ohio’s Portman promoted a ‘compromise’ amendment to try to find a middle path BUT he was seriously disappointed that they couldn’t get the votes needed. The ‘bought’ contingent wouldn’t even consider solutions.
Our local store is labelling their stuff as non-gmo so we try to stay with them as they are their own customers )eat their own stuff) and helpfully answer questions from customers at their 800 number so you can get some details. Seems worth supporting. Labeling is customer servicing in some opinion.
Monsanto’s lobbying cost bucks that will not be paid back, b/c the smalltime operators and those who favor listening to customers will modify their labels and INTRA state will thrive instead of big time… who will cheer then… that’s my opinion… ttyl
This has been going on for the last 70+ years, right under our noses. And We let the food industrial complex do this to us, as they also own the pharmaceutical industry. What food you eat of theirs, right now, will require massive amounts of their medicine over your lifetime, if you adhere to their guidelines.
All blogs on my website can prove these accusations, as they’re more than just accusations, their legitimate claims that should be investigated.
Corporations responsible for your food should not be responsible for your medicine when the food they sell necessitates the future need for their medicine. If you can’t see the scam in this, you truly are blind to your sugar addiction.
Thank you for sharing this. I appreciate your efforts!
Over the past five years Stabenow received $500,000 from Monsanto, Dow and Coca Cola. Getting money out of politics must be our main focus. We need to call out every politician and expose them for their conflicts of interest. Demand they stop. Embarrass them. Whatever it takes.
Here’s some good news though!
http://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/health-care/item/22882-new-mexico-bans-forced-psychiatric-drugging-of-children
“I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore!” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwMVMbmQBug
Dr. B…does this Bill have a number yet? I can’t seem to locate that from the pdf link…good to have before we call our Senators.
Jen,
I am not sure what the proper name for the Bill is. I just told my Senators, including the one who sponsored it, to vote against the new Bill on GMO labelling. They both seemed to know what Bill I was referring to.
DrB
We need complete disclosure on what our foods contain. I also just learned that apples and blueberries are routinely sprayed with a form of antibiotic to prevent mould or fungus growth and these products can be used by organic producers. They can also in some cases use manure that will more than likely have antibiotics in it. It is getting more and more difficult to find pure food that has not been contaminated
We all know that there has to be something bad going on with these GMO foods. Otherwise the would not care if they were labeled.
Agree with the exception to the word ” food” which implies some nutritional value. This is clearly not the case with most substances people put in their mouths. The word food is a euphemism used as a marketing plow. The same can be said for the word “medication” which is a euphemism for ” drugs”. Doesn’t it sound so much better to say you are taking your medication as opposed to taking your drugs. Most things sold in the supermarket do not deserve to be called food. Its one thing if it has no benefits but it’s another if it’s harmful.
Warfare against the big corporations has so much to do with hitting them in the pocketbook. A great way to start is to stay away from processed, highly denatured foods. Making supermarkets irrelevant and knowing good local farm sources (as Brian said) is so important to getting democracy back into food and it’s empowering to boot.
Both sides in Washington DC are so owned it’s disgusting. they all need to be voted out.
Sue,
It is really pathetic. We have no one to blame but ourselves: We put them there. For Senator Stabenow to support a bill like this is particularly upsetting.
DrB
I called to ask both of my senators to vote no. Each female who answered the call knew exactly what I was calling about when I said I want him to vote no on the GMO bill. Hopefully this means word is out and they’re getting calls!
Deana,
I called mine as well. The people that answered the phone were less than helpful. Little do they know, that makes me mad. They will receive many more calls from me.
DrB
I agree with Brian. Most of our US representatives are ‘puppets” of the mega-corporations. They are bought out and campaign financed by these large corporations., hence they are going to vote the corporate agenda. This country is not a democracy, even though it parades around in the media like it is one.
Thank you Dr. B. Please stay safe. I also just read that it’s been found organic food is tainted with chemical pesticides. “Reports confirm certain organic foods are contaminated with Monsanto’s Roundup, but the FDA is too busy approving bad drugs to do anything about it.”
This is a true tragedy. it seems like nothing is safe to eat anymore.
All the more reason to know your farmer, buy direct from farmers and farm co-ops and make supermarkets as irrelevant to your life as possible. If you can find a good source for pasture-raised meat and eggs, start with that. In Michigan this is fairly easy. Most of the market for GMO grains and soy would go away if livestock were raised on pasture again.
Thank you for announcing this to those that follow you. I just now prior your email blog went to her web site and posted a letter to her about this very thing. EWG and Food Babe are on this as well right now. Kudos to all of you who make a big difference in our lives for the better. Folks in Government should be ashamed of hiding the facts about our food and giving people the wrong information about what they are eating or should be eating. It’s not our heritage necessarily or due to our age but what we eat that makes a difference in how we feel and live. Thanks for all you do Dr. Brownstein!
G-d forbid they should move swiftly to have hearings on vaccine issues, but to protect GMOs, now that gets them moving. Guess election money from Monsanto means more than votes from We The People to either side of the aisle.
Batsheva,
You are so right.
DrB