Of particular interest to us in Iowa is the following:
"GROWING CORN WITH E.COLI
A variety of corn genetically engineered to contain an E.coli gene has
been approved for test plots in several undisclosed locations in
Colorado."
If genes from E. coli spread to other corn, as well could happen by means of
pollen drift, it would not bode well for the future of corn as a farm crop.
Tom Mathews
=============================================================
Subj: [Biodemocracy] Organic Bytes #35 - Food and Consumer News Tidbits
with an Edge!
Date: 6/23/04 3:54:00 PM Central Daylight Time
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ORGANIC BYTES #35
Food and Consumer News Tidbits with an Edge!
6/23/2004 By Organic Consumers Association
Please forward this publication to family and friends, place it on
websites, print it, and post it. Knowledge is power!
---------------------------------
ROCKET FUEL FOUND IN MILK
The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) has discovered
perchlorates in the state's milk. Perchlorates are a toxin that leaches
into the groundwater from military sites and rocket fuel manufacturing
plants. CDFA found perchlorates in 31 of 32 milk samples taken.
http://www.organicconsumers.org/foodsafety/rocketfuel062304.cfm
---------------------------------
DAILY RECOMMENDED SERVING OF DEEP FRIED JUNK FOOD
A USDA rule change last week offered yet another example of how the
current federal government decision making process is no longer "for the
people by the people," but rather is "for industry by industry". After
intense corporate lobbying, the USDA officially determined that French
fries should be classified as a "fresh vegetable". Children or adults no
longer need an apple or a carrot to take care of one of their USDA
recommended daily servings of fresh fruits and vegetables, but instead
can just say "Supersize Me" at their local fast-food outlet.
http://www.organicconsumers.org/school/frenchfries061604.cfm
---------------------------------
GENETICALLY ENGINEERED CIGARETTES
Philip Morris/Kraft recently gave North Carolina State University $17.6
million for research into genetically engineering tobacco. The company
would have sole rights to the results of these studies but has not yet
announced what "benefits" it is seeking in a genetically engineered
cigarette.
http://www.organicconsumers.org/ge/quest062204.cfm
---------------------------------
LONG DISTANCE NOMINATION
Each year, Working Assets Long Distance Company donates a portion of its
revenue to national non-profits doing exceptional work to improve the
environment. If you are a current Working Assets customer, you can help
the Organic Consumers Association receive a portion of these funds by
sending a quick online fax, nominating the OCA for donations. Thanks!
http://www.organicconsumers.org/wald.cfm
---------------------------------
USDA AGAIN UNDERMINING ORGANIC INTEGRITY
Although the USDA, under tremendous pressure from the organic community,
announced on May 26 they were reversing four recent directives that
would have significantly degraded national organic standards, on June 10
they partially reversed themselves, telling the National Organic
Standards Board that one of the controversial directives, the "scope"
directive, would still remain in effect. Basically this means that the
USDA National Organic Program is refusing to monitor or police organic
label claims on what they have narrowly and erroneously defined as
non-food or non-agricultural products (i.e. body care products,
vitamins, nutritional supplements, fertilizers, and even seafood),
giving the green light to unscrupulous companies to call their products
"organic" even if they are not.
In the case of abdicating responsibility over body care products,
vitamins, and nutritional supplements, the USDA bureaucrats used the
excuse that the Food and Drug Administration, notorious for its cozy
relationship with cosmetic companies and drug giants, has legal
jurisdiction in this sector. But of course, since the FDA has neither
the desire nor the expertise to administer an organic program for
supplements and body care products, this potential multi-billion dollar
industry will be allowed to operate in a regulatory void, opening up the
door for rampant consumer fraud in the marketplace. As the OCA has
repeatedly pointed out, the natural products marketplace is already
flooded with body care products fraudulently labeled as organic. Stay
tuned to OCA's "Safeguard Organic Standards" campaign.
http://www.organicconsumers.org/sos.cfm
---------------------------------
GROWING CORN WITH E.COLI
A variety of corn genetically engineered to contain an E.coli gene has
been approved for test plots in several undisclosed locations in
Colorado. Proponents say the new "biopharmaceutical" mutants could
eventually help create inexpensive E.coli vaccines. Consumers, farmers,
and public health specialists are concerned the crop could spread far
and wide, as pollen "injected" with an E.coli gene drifts in the wind
towards neighboring farms and natural ecosystems.
http://www.organicconsumers.org/ge/colorado061504.cfm
---------------------------------
GENETICALLY ENGINEERED FOODS BEING FLUSHED OUT OF CALIFORNIA
Citizens and farmers in Butte County California have successfully
gathered enough petition signatures to place a measure on the ballot
that would ban genetically engineered (GE) crops in the county.
Mendocino County (CA) passed a similar measure earlier this year and
Humboldt, Marin, San Luis Obisbo, Sonoma, and others will likely place
this issue on their November ballots as well. Join OCA's "GE Free Zones"
campaign to help support these efforts.
http://www.organicconsumers.org/ge-free.htm
---------------------------------
COKE MADE BY EIGHT YEAR OLDS
Human Rights Watch has revealed that Coca-Cola is knowingly purchasing
sugar grown on plantations in El Salvador where child labor laws are
blatantly being violated. As many as 30,000 children, some as young as
eight years old, are wielding machetes on sugar cane plantations.
Salvadoran law dictates that workers must be at least 18 years old in
such "dangerous work environments". Consumers are being advised not to
purchase Coca-Cola products until the company ends these business
practices. http://www.organicconsumers.org/corp/coke061304.cfm
---------------------------------
STARBUCKS EXPANSION CONTINUES
Starbucks is set to invade Southeast Asia by opening coffee shops in
Singapore. "Singapore represents a strategic gateway into Southeast Asia
for Starbucks," said Pedro Man, president of Starbucks Coffee Asia
Pacific. Although Starbucks claims to support its coffee farmers with
fair pay, less than one half of 1% of Starbucks coffee sales are Fair
Trade. Starbucks is now the largest coffee retailer in the world.
http://www.organicconsumers.org/starbucks/asia062204.cfm
---------------------------------
MONSANTO FAKES REPORT
A new report on the success of Monsanto Corporation's genetically
engineered (GE) cotton is spreading quickly through India, fueling a
black market for the seeds. The report claims farmers who grew the GE
cotton experienced better yields, lower pesticide use, and increased
profits. This report comes as a surprise to the farmers who witnessed
the complete failure of this crop the first year it was released in
India (2002-2003). At the end of that disastrous growing season, dozens
of financially ruined cotton farmers committed suicide. According to
Andhra Pradesh Coalition in Defense of Diversity, the GE cotton didn't
do much better this year. In reality, what explains the positive slant
of the new report is the fact that it was paid for by Monsanto, who
supplied partial and misleading data.
http://www.organicconsumers.org/clothes/india061004.cfm
---------------------------------
WE NEED TO TALK
Interested in sharing your thoughts and ideas with thousands of other
like-minded folks locally and around the world? Check out OCA's online
web forum. http://www.organicconsumers.org/chat/index.php
---------------------------------
Help others learn about food safety, organics, and related topics. Place
a link on YOUR website to http://OrganicConsumers.org
Banners for your use - http://OrganicConsumers.org/logos.htm
-------------------------------
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Organic Bytes #35 - Food and Consumer News Tidbits with an Edge!
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