Genetically Modified
Genetical engineering has given us genetically modified (GM) food. It's supposed to be wonderful, and resistant to pesticides, but independent studies show that it may cause severe allergic reactions, or be toxic to humans and other life. Plants like corn, soy, cotton, and canola, are invaded with fish genes, bacteria, viruses, and antibiotics, and grow on over 100 mil. acres in the US. Oh, and the GM plants reproduce, like all plants do, and once released into the environment, cannot be controlled or stopped. Great!
But if you don't want to buy food with genetically modified organisms (GMO) in them, you don't have much choice about it. Testing or labeling is not required by the FDA or the USDA or the EPA, because Monsanto, the $15 bil. company that owns all the GMO seeds and the herbicides and pesticides they require, also owns a good chunk of the government. In their words:
"Monsanto should not have to vouchsafe the safety of biotech food, our interest is in selling as much of it as possible. Assuring its safety is the FDA's job."
Phil Angell
Director of Corporate Communication, Monsanto
New York Times, October 25, 1998
But they're the same people. Here are a few interesting examples:
Michael Taylor
Former Senior Counsel, Monsanto
Present Deputy Commisioner for Policy, FDA
Linda Fisher
Former Executive Vice President, Monsanto
Then Deputy Administrator, EPA
Now VP & Chief Sustainability Officer, DuPont (major chemical producer, and pollutant)
Justice Clarence Thomas
Monsanto's Lawyer for Regulatory Affairs
Supreme Court Justice
Micky Kantor
Board of Directors, Monsanto
Secretary of Commerce
Linda Watrud
Biotech Researcher, Monsanto
Research Ecologist, EPA
Anne Veneman
Board of Directors, Calgene, purchased by Monsanto
Secretary of Agriculture
Michael Friedman
Senior Vice President, GD Searle, a division of Monsanto
Acting Commissioner, FDA
William Ruckelshaus
Monsanto Board Member
Chief Administrator, EPA
Donald Rumsfeld
President of Searle, subsidiary of Monsanto
Secretary of Defense
and last but not least,
John Ashcroft
Attorney General of the United States
and the recipient of Monsanto's largerst campaign contribution in the 2000 election.
All that just so that they don't have to put GMO labels on our foods? Are they afraid that when we know what we eat, we will connect the dots and see that we are getting sick at the same times?
I'm going to go eat some food now.
This rant thing is based on class discussions and the factual stuff is based on a documentary, The Future of Food. For more infos, check out the Organic Consumers Association or many others: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8, and ask questions!
