"The National Organic Program Final Rule does not allow the use of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), including genetically engineered crops. Because of extensive trialing worldwide of about 2 dozen GMO crops, many scientists assert that no crop seed can now be guaranteed 100% GMO-free. Tolerance levels and acceptable testing methods have yet to be spelled out by the National Organic Program. Such determinations will presumably be finalized by October 20, 2002. Companies are already using various methods of testing (especially for grains and soy) and will provide this information to customers upon request."
I know deep in my soul that the use of genetically engineered food degrades my connection to spirit and it upsets me greatly that the great beast Monsanto is about to unleash its brand of filth on another staple of our diet. The only way I can think of to get these people to stop doing what they are doing is for humans with higher functioning to infiltrate these companies and slowly change their direction. Otherwise I do not believe that they are going to wake up enough to stop what they are doing. Even with things like the Mississippi river dead zone, an area the size of New Jersey spreading out into the Gulf of Mexico that is devoid of life. Staring them right in the face.
Thanks for reading this Peace Eric
On Wednesday, January 29, 2003, at 11:18 AM, Barry Carter wrote:
Dear Friends,
Thought that this might be of wide interest on this list:
News Update From The Campaign to Label Genetically Engineered Foods
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear News Update Subscribers,
Posted below are two articles of significant interest.
The first article from Reuters is titled "U.S. wheat industry wrestles
with GMO wheat issues." The wheat industry is meeting this week in their
annual meeting and the issue of genetically engineered wheat is a major
topic of discussion and debate.
Monsanto is actively attempting to get approval of both the U.S. and
Canadian governments to sell genetically engineered wheat. Monsanto
claims that even if they get government approval, they are not going to
begin selling the genetically engineered wheat until the wheat industry
is ready for it to be introduced. But we only need to look at Monsanto's
track record to know that their credibility and motives are highly
suspect:
http://www.thecampaign.org/monsantofiles.php
Many U.S. and Canadian wheat growers do not want any genetically
engineered wheat to be grown because they have seen what has happened to
exports of corn and soy since the introduction of the biotech varieties.
The 15 European Union nations and other countries around the world
refuse to purchase North American corn and soy because of concerns about
contamination from GMOs. The loss of exports has cost our farmers
hundreds of millions of dollars.
If genetically engineered wheat is permitted to be planted in the U.S.
and Canada, it will inevitably contaminate the non-genetically
engineered varieties. So if genetically engineered wheat begins to be
commercially grown here, Europeans, Australians and consumers worldwide
are likely to demand wheat from other sources.
And speaking of exports to Europe, this leads us to the second article
which is titled "EU calls for U.S. restraint over biotech complaint."
The United States is considering filing a complaint with the World Trade
Organization (WTO) in a effort to force our genetically engineered foods
on European citizens.
In the article below, David Byrne, European Commissioner for Health and
Consumer Protection, states, "If consumers see that something is done to
force a situation which they do not want, I think the effects would be
adverse."
A couple weeks ago, The Campaign to Label Genetically Engineered Foods
issued an ACTION ALERT to President Bush, U.S. Trade Rep. Robert
Zoellick, and Iowa Senator Charles Grassley asking them not to raise a
WTO challenge on the European Union moratorium on genetically engineered
foods. If you have not yet participated in our ACTION ALERT on this
matter, you can do so at:
http://www.thecampaign.org/alert-WTO.php
Craig Winters
Executive Director
The Campaign to Label Genetically Engineered Foods
The Campaign
PO Box 55699
Seattle, WA 98155
Tel: 425-771-4049
Fax: 603-825-5841
E-mail: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Web Site: http://www.thecampaign.org
Mission Statement: "To create a national grassroots consumer campaign
for the purpose of lobbying Congress and the President to pass
legislation that will require the labeling of genetically engineered
foods in the United States."
***************************************************************
U.S. wheat industry wrestles with GMO wheat issues
By Carey Gillam
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., Jan 27 (Reuters) - U.S. wheat industry meetings this
week will be dominated by fierce debate over genetically modified wheat
produced by Monsanto Co., a biotech crop pioneer.
The annual gathering of industry groups, including the National
Association of Wheat Growers and U.S. Wheat Associates, the growers'
marketing arm, opened in Albuquerque on Sunday.
Monsanto completed final regulatory submissions last month in the United
States and Canada for what would be the world's first transgenic wheat,
and now the company is primed to add "Roundup Ready" wheat to its stable
of biotech crop offerings.
Some wheat farmers may be warming to the prospect of a new tool to help
them grow more robust and profitable wheat, engineered to withstand
Monsanto's popular glyphosate-based Roundup herbicide.
But widespread evidence of opposition to GMO wheat from overseas buyers,
particularly in Europe, still makes it unclear when -- or if -- GMO
wheat will make it to market.
"It is not a given," said NAWG chief executive Darren Coppock. "Our
intent and the goal is to introduce it, but right now...customer
acceptance is a big obstacle."
Genetically modified wheat dominates the schedule at this year's
meeting.
The first general session, scheduled for Wednesday, is dedicated to the
debate on genetically modified products. One panel discussion, "Lessons
Learned on the Way to Commercializing a Biotech Product," includes
leaders of the U.S. corn and soybean growers' groups, whose members have
been growing genetically modified crops for several years. That panel is
followed by "Assuring Customer Acceptance," led by the chairman of the
groups' Joint Biotechnology Committee.
More than corn or soybeans, which are mostly used for livestock feeds,
wheat goes straight to consumer products -- and to consumer fears.
Anti-GMO groups in recent years have prompted many costly food product
recalls based on consumer doubts about including GMO ingredients in
foods.
PARTNERS AND PROMISES
Monsanto has spent the last few years pitching the benefits of its
Roundup-resistant wheat, which is designed to allow farmers to control
weeds by spraying the herbicide directly over entire fields, killing
weeds without harming the crops.
Roundup Ready varieties of corn and soybeans became popular with farmers
in the mid-1990s, and the company did not anticipate the outcry
surrounding its GMO wheat research.
But U.S. states that grow spring wheat, the first type of wheat for
which Monsanto has created a genetically modified version, threatened
moratoriums, and farmers fretted that even if they did not grow GMO
wheat themselves, customers opposed to biotech would shun them for fear
of getting contaminated grain.
To ease grower fears, Monsanto has pledged that it will not introduce
GMO wheat until the industry is ready. The company promised to wait for
regulatory approval in the United States, Canada and Japan as well as
agreements for major export markets and for grain handling protocols.
"We think that there are a series of milestones that if we can achieve,
we'll set up a responsible and successful introduction of biotech
wheat," Michael Doane, Monsanto's head of wheat industry affairs, told
Reuters.
Monsanto's apparent willingness to go slow has helped it win some
support among farmers. In North Dakota, which grows nearly half of the
United States hard red spring wheat crop, the state farm bureau in
November said it was moving away from earlier stringent opposition to
GMO wheat, adopting a policy to "support a cautious approach" instead.
Many farmers will be watching this week's meetings.
"There isn't a wheat producer out there who isn't affected by this,"
said Neal Fisher, North Dakota Wheat Commission administrator. "We know
there are a lot of challenges ahead for us. Certainly, the debate goes
on."
01/27/03 17:19 ET
***************************************************************
EU calls for U.S. restraint over biotech complaint
By Jeremy Smith
BRUSSELS, Jan 28 (Reuters) - The European Commission urged the United
States on Tuesday to show restraint before launching a trade dispute
over biotech foods, saying such a move would only anger sceptical
consumers.
Washington has made threatening noises about taking its frustrations
with a EU moratorium on new genetically modified organisms (GMOs),
including foods and pharmaceuticals, to the World Trade Organisation
(WTO).
"If consumers see that something is done to force a situation which they
do not want, I think the effects would be adverse," said David Byrne,
European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection.
"My advice would be: hasten slowly on this issue," Byrne told a news
conference after a meeting of EU farm ministers.
His comments were the latest EU defence of its GMO policy after top U.S.
trade officials branded it immoral, for prompting African nations to
reject biotech products even though they might be facing starvation.
U.S. farmers say the moratorium, in place for four years, costs them
hundreds of millions of dollars each year. They have urged President
George W. Bush to take the case to the WTO.
The Bush administration has not yet decided, although industry sources
have said senior U.S. officials are due to meet again on Tuesday to
discuss the issue.
In the meantime, EU legislation on permitted thresholds on GMO
traceability and labelling have slowly advanced through the bloc's
labyrinthine decision-making process.
Byrne has repeatedly called for an end to the moratorium and has tabled
tighter legislation which he says will provide enough control for EU
markets to be opened to new biotech products -- dubbed "Frankenstein
foods" by more sceptical consumers.
Only a handful of GM crops are allowed to be imported or grown in the EU
where there is widespread consumer concern about possible risks to
health or the environment.
Both sides have fought a war of words or months. Just last week, the
EU's overseas aid chief accused the United States of spreading "very
negative lies" about Europe's stance on GMOs. Byrne said he had spent
considerable time trying to explain the EU's position on GMOs to U.S.
government and industry officials, with only limited success.
"There has been a varying degree of understanding," he said. "That
decision (to file a WTO complaint) is not going to be taken in the near
future...but of course, any member of the WTO can seek to bring a panel,
it's their prerogative."
01/28/03 11:57 ET
--
With kindest regards,
Barry Carter
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
2319 Balm
Baker City, Oregon 97814
Phone: 541-523-3357
Web Pages:
Forest - http://www.subtleenergies.com/ormus/bmnfa/index.htm
ORMUS - http://www.subtleenergies.com/ormus/whatisit.htm
pleasure and pain are merely surfaces
(one itself showing,itself hiding one)
life's only and true value neither is
love makes the little thickness of the coin
-E.E. Cummings
