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April 27th, 2009 by Annie
Thanks to the Union of Concerned Scientists for doing a study with a conclusion many of us already knew.
For all these years, Big Biotech has tried to tell us that all this “novel” technology would feed the world. Well, when you really study the track record, it’s just not true.
Read the full story about how genetic engineering has failed here.
April 24th, 2009 by Annie
Good news for milk drinkers in Kansas. Governor Kathleen Sebelius vetoed a bill that would have prevented dairies from saying on their label that they didn’t use the genetically engineered growth hormone rBST (rBGH).
Before she vetoed HB 2121, she said, “The milk labeling provisions negatively impact a dairy producer’s ability to inform consumers that milk is from cows not treated with recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBST).
“Supporters of the bill claim it’s necessary to protect consumers from false or misleading information. Yet there has been overwhelming opposition by consumer groups, small dairy producers and retailers to this proposed legislation.
“Furthermore, I am concerned that patchwork labeling requirements that differ from state to state will make it too expensive, in an already troubled economy, to provide consumers with information regarding the dairy products they purchase.
“Therefore, pursuant to Article 2, Section 14 of the Constitution of the State of Kansas , I veto HB 2121.”
March 9th, 2009 by Annie
Surprising as it may seem, the answer could be “yes!”
In
the waning months of the Bush Administration, the U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA) released a proposal to completely overhaul its
regulation of genetically engineered crops, significantly weakening its
oversight. No longer would USDA start from the assumption that a new
GE crop must be regulated; and some could be exempted altogether. The
proposed rule would virtually ensure that contamination of organic and
conventional crops will become even more frequent, and even excuses the
Agency from taking any action to remedy such contamination. And, the
rule would continue to allow the dangerous practice of producing drugs
and industrial chemicals in food crops grown in the open environment.
In short, if implemented, the proposed rule would allow the wholesale deregulation of the agricultural biotechnology industry.
February 27th, 2009 by Annie
I know you’re lurking…reading and not commenting. That’s okay. This morning we heard from Paul Roberts, author of The End of Oil and his newest book, The End of Food. Well, neither one of his books is very positive so the room was rather glum hearing about the scale of change that needs to occur in our food system in order to reach sustainability. It’s all about how we frame the discussion about this needed change when we talk to consumers who have not yet made the leap to local, healthy and organic food. That framing is something I’ll put my mind to in order to reach more people, so I don’t really have much to say about that now. I will in the future, though.
Next up for me was a workshop about the contamination of organic seed and food. This should be of great concern to you, our owners, shoppers and colleagues. But there is hope, I assure you. More on this later. My lovely lunch is sitting in front of me and I am hungry!
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