Who opened the valve on GMOs? Wave after wave of fresh genetically modified foods and crops news have rolled over our news sensors in the past couple of weeks. Probably the most important is this announcement:
No Scientific Consensus on GMO Safety
Not a rumor. It’s a fact. The much bantered about scientists concur that GMOs pose not threat to the environment or people’s health? It’s a manipulative media message on the part of those whose interests are invested in the success of GMOs and their crop inputs. They created the myth that broad scientific approval supports all things GMO, when in fact, it’s a figment of their desired outcome.
A statement that there is no such consensus was published in the open access peer-reviewed journal, Environmental Sciences Europe on January 24th, 2015. This creates a citable, and credible piece of evidence against genetically modified crops and foods. To date it has been signed by over 300 esteemed independent researchers in the science and medical communities from around the world, many of which are from the United States. The paper’s abstract summary clearly states that the much touted consensus is proved to be an artificial construction falsely perpetuated – irrespective of contradictory evidence, when in fact:
“Rigorous assessment of GMO safety has been hampered by the lack of funding independent of proprietary interests. Research for the public good has been further constrained by property rights issues, and by denial of access to research material for researchers unwilling to sign contractual agreements with the developers, which confer unacceptable control over publication to the proprietary interests.”
The number of independents who concur that no scientific consensus on GMO safety exists is growing. The signatory is open. READ THE JOURNAL ENTRY — SIGNATURES
GMO Apples & Potatoes Approved
Genetic modification leaves fighting weeds and pests in the field behind in favor of cosmetic enhancements. They call this GMO twist gene silencing. By inserting a gene already in the plant/fruit/tuber they can stop it from exhibiting certain natural characteristics. Stuff that no one needed fixed! Claimed to be created to stop food waste, we now have apples and potatoes that don’t bruise. More plastic food coming right up.
Arctic Granny Smith, and Arctic Golden Delicious apples have also had the air oxidization traits removed. You’ll no longer be able to tell how long ago these fruits were sliced open, because these obaminations have flesh that won’t turn brown like real apples do. They say that you’ll be able to tell the GMO apples from natural apples at the store by the labeling. Can I sell you a bridge in Arizona? They don’t identify the apple cultivars used to make juice, applesauce, pie filling, to sweeten ‘sugar-free’ products, or any processed and prepared foods. Developed in Canada, but Canadian groups launched campaigns to get the fruit trees banned.
Innate Russet Burbank Potatoes have some people excited, but mostly GMO lovers and inventors. Don’t worry about them winding up in your Happy Meal soon though, McDonald’s doesn’t want anything to do with them. Smart thinking, Ronald. You’ve lost enough sales already. Frito-Lay also wouldn’t touch them with an 8-foot pole either, even though the GMO potatoes have had their acrylamide content heavily silenced too. The FDA is still working on the pre-approval testing on this one, so it won’t be released for crop planting yet. The apples though are ready to roll, but won’t hit the market for a few years.
GMO Pine for Lumber, Paper & Biofuel
Southern pine is a popular item in building centers all over the US. These boards are harvested from the Loblolly Pine, a native tree to Georgia, the Carolinas, and 11 other southeastern states. ArborGen has been working on perfecting this tree for years, and now that it’s ready for their idea of primetime, the USDA is bowing out of regulating it. This is the first genetically modified tree that escaped regulation, but we shouldn’t be surprised, because ArborGen has strong ties to Monsanto with most of the staff being ex-employees, and the international paper industry. ArborGen has locations in New Zealand, Australia, and Brazil too.
This tree can’t be recalled once let loose. It will be grown commercially in plantations around the world, and could destroy the natural Loblolly Pine population throughout the southern United States, not to mention what it can do in warmer climates globally. There’s a campaign to stop the release of this and other GMO trees growing HERE.
GMO Lawn Grass & 18 Others Escape Regulation
Scotts developed a Blue Grass that Roundup won’t kill. Not that the needy turf grass will thrive without lots of water, so put your worries of it getting out of control like glyphosate resistant weeds. The worrisome part of the short paragraph about it being excused from USDA regulation that I ran across while investigating everything above in today’s post is the list of new GMO food crops that were also excused. Sprinkled in with other lawn grasses and the Glowing Plant there is food, or things to be used in improving food crops. Sorghum – used for making a sweet syrup similar to molasses and gluten-free flour, grapes, and a biopesticide created for stopping Fusarium in tomatoes. Then there is the importing inquiries listed: GMO pineapples, cut flowers…
Like the title says – it’s a wave of incoming GMOs. THE USDA LIST