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[biodemocracy]Organic Bytes-- Organic Food and News Tidbits with an

Edge

 

ORGANIC BYTES

Organic & Food News Tidbits with an Edge

Issue #20 9/17/2003

By Organic Consumers Association

 

IN THIS ISSUE:

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

FARMERS AND CONSUMERS DERAIL THE WTO

HOLD THE WATER

GE COTTON BITES

WEIRD FUN NEWS OF THE WEEK

THE WHEAT, THE WHOLE WHEAT, AND NOTHING BUT THE WHEAT

KRAFTY KRAFT RUNNING SCARED ON GE CORN

TOO MUCH OF A BAD THING

KUDOS TO YOU AND YOU AND YOU AND YOU!

SEEDS OF DECEPTION

TAKE ACTION

 

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK

" Although I go before you, please comrades, maintain firm in the

struggle. " Last written message from Lee Kyung Hae, a Korean farm

leader, who stabbed himself and died after climbing to the top of a

police barricade in Cancun Mexico on September 10 with a sign that read

" WTO Kills Farmers, " part of a mass demonstration against the World

Trade Organization.

 

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FARMERS AND CONSUMERS DERAIL THE WTO

As the Fifth Ministerial meetings of the World Trade Organization in

Cancun Mexico come to a close, media outlets around the world are

broadcasting the news that little to nothing was accomplished, thanks to

a rightfully belligerent coalition of developing nations known as the

G23. Led by African nations who staged a walkout from the talks, Brazil,

India and China and the 23 nation coalition essentially refused to

negotiate, in protest of the $1 BILLION PER DAY that the wealthy nations

of the North spend on farm subsidies---subsidies, mainly to corporate

agribusiness and factory farms, that are making it impossible for

farmers in the poor nations of the world to compete in the global

market. The lack of consensus among WTO member nations themselves

resulted in extra media attention on the protesters outside, including

the OCA and its 20 person delegation of organic farmers and consumers.

Many of the rallies and street marches this past week were dedicated to

Lee Kyung Hae, a Korean farm leader who sacrificed his life on the

Cancun police barricades to bring global attention to the fact that

thousands of farmers and rural villagers are literally dying all around

the world due to the policies of the WTO.

http://www.organicconsumers.org/corp/cancun_winning.cfm

 

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HOLD THE WATER

The OCA spearheaded a major press event in Washington DC last week as

members of the natural products industry gathered at a national trade

show called Expo East. OCA's press conference focused on the fraudulent

practice of a number of leading body care corporations who are

advertising their products as " organic " by including water as an organic

ingredient. Covered by a variety of media, including the Washington

Post, Indy Media, and Mothering Magazine, the press event preceded a

meeting of the Personal Care Task Force (PCTF), a committee of industry

leaders that are slowly hammering out organic body care standards for

recommendation to the USDA. OCA was also in attendance at the PCTF

meeting, announcing that it is currently working with Rutgers University

on a scientific analysis of diluted hydrosols. The results of the study

will finally reveal specifically how much added water is being included

as a so-called " organic " ingredient in these products. Stay tuned.

http://www.organicconsumers.org/bodycare/

 

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GE COTTON BITES

In India the financial figures for the 2002 cotton growing season have

finally been crunched. Although Monsanto convinced many of India's

farmers that buying the more expensive GE cotton seeds would result in

higher yields and better cotton, the reverse is actually true. Crop

yields for GE cotton were 5 TIMES LESS than traditional Indian cotton

and the income from GE cotton was 7 TIMES LESS than conventional cotton

due to Monsanto's cotton having lower quality short fibers. As a result

of the insurmountable deluge of debt accrued from paying more for the GE

seeds and having a cruddy crop, more than 70 Indian farmers have

committed suicide in the last three months.

http://www.organicconsumers.org/ge/bt_cotton.cfm

 

-----

 

WEIRD FUN NEWS OF THE WEEK

How does a farming community protect itself from becoming another urban

suburb? Ask the Ottawa County Planning Commission in Michigan. In order

to protect themselves from urban sprawl, the county is now distributing

brochures to potential new residents with scratch 'n' sniff stickers

that smell like...well...uh...er...manure. Mark Knudsen, director of the

county's planning and grants department said, " The whole purpose is that

people should not move into a rural area unless they're willing to

accept and embrace the practices that happen on a farming operation. "

Apparently the county has been receiving an annoying number of calls

from new residents who have moved into this rural farming area from the

city, complaining about the sound of tractors and the smell of animals.

(Source: Holland Sentinel 9/17/2003)

 

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THE WHEAT, THE WHOLE WHEAT, AND NOTHING BUT THE WHEAT

Japan has announced to the US that if GE wheat is approved here, it is

likely they will completely discontinue importing wheat from American

farmers. This makes up a total of 2.5 million tons of US grown wheat

each year---enough to put thousands of family farmers out of business.

Tsutomu Shigeta, executive director of Japan's Flour Millers Association

told reporters this is strictly a " business matter " , based on Japanese

consumers' dislike of genetically engineered foods. Similarly, South

Korean officials gave the US similar warnings in May. In the meantime,

Monsanto continues to test its new GE wheat in fields across the US,

despite staunch farmer opposition throughout North America.

http://www.organicconsumers.org/ge/japan_wheat.cfm

 

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KRAFTY KRAFT RUNNING SCARED ON GE CORN

The OCA, along with the GE Food Alert (GEFA) network has just received

results from our laboratory analysis of Kraft foods. We've been watching

Kraft closely for more than two years, since we found illegal and likely

allergenic traces of Starlink corn in their Taco Bell products (a

genetically modified corn that the USDA has deemed unsafe for human

consumption). The most recent test results reveal Kraft is sourcing its

corn ingredients from GE-free suppliers. Of the 7 products we tested,

only one of them tested positive for GE ingredients at a level

unacceptable by European standards. The OCA and GEFA have been

pressuring Kraft to go GE free, based on its market influence as one of

the world's largest distributors of food products. Although Kraft has

not yet stated that they are going GE free, many of their ingredient

suppliers have, including Azteca, the world's largest corn mill.

Underlining the success of the global anti-GE foods movement, all major

food companies in Europe have already removed genetically engineered

ingredients from their foods, including Unilever, Nestle, Novartis,

McDonald's, and all major supermarkets. In the U.S. partial bans on

Frankenfoods have been announced by a number of companies including

Frito-Lay (corn), McDonald's (potatoes), and Gerber (baby foods).

Although Kraft is remmoving GE corn from its products, they are still

using milk in their dairy products from cows injected with Monsanto's

recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone. http://krafty.org/

 

-----

 

TOO MUCH OF A BAD THING

Scientists are trying to raise public attention about the fact that

global overuse of Monsanto's Roundup herbicide is leading to weed

resistance. " Farmers are planting too many Roundup Ready crops, " said

Stephen Powles, an expert on weed resistance at the University of

Western Australia. Mark VanGessel, a weed scientist at the University of

Delaware spoke of the Roundup (glyphosate) pesticides saying, " My gut

reaction is that we do need to limit the use of glyphosate-resistant

crops. " In response to the issue that farmers are purchasing and

applying a toxic chemical that is no longer working, Monsanto

spokesperson Greg Elmore said people are overreacting. In other Roundup

news, Denmark officially banned the pesticide this month, saying the

toxic chemical is not breaking down in the soil and, as a result, is

polluting their water at a level that is 5 times what is considered safe

for the environment and human health.

http://www.organicconsumers.org/ge/weed_resistance.cfm

http://www.organicconsumers.org/ge/monsanto_roundup_banned.cfm

 

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KUDOS TO YOU AND YOU AND YOU AND YOU!

While the GE market collapses, organics and Fair Trade are exploding!

Ben & Jerry's is testing a new line of organic ice cream in San

Francisco. The 7-Eleven store chain is now stocking organic chips. Price

Chopper Supermarkets is releasing a line of 20 of their own organic

products, including veggie burgers, chips, and soymilk. Dunkin' Donuts

will be selling Fair Trade espresso beverages at every one of its stores

(which is way more than Starbucks can say). It's true, money is power,

and the current market trends are revealing that consumers, like you,

are wielding their hard earned cash in an increasingly ethical manner.

Put simply, if you want to buy it, they'll provide it. The food

revolution is powered by two main fuel sources---your heart and your

pocketbook. Your ethics, intelligence and commitment are impacting

everything---from your family's health, to a clean environment, to a

strong and sustainable economy-----from the healthy worm in the

pesticide free soil to the small family farmers who can proudly help pay

for their kid's college tuition. In short, we're all making this a

successful and positive Movement together. Keep up the good work!

http://www.organicconsumers.org/organic/organic_growth.cfm

 

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SEEDS OF DECEPTION

More good news--- there's a great new book out, serving as a sort of

Silent Spring of GE foods. Although just freshly released, the book is

receiving a landslide of national acclaim and rave reviews. The most

effective activist/consumer is an educated one, so check out Jeffrey

Smith's " Seeds of Deception: Exposing Industry and Government Lies about

the Safety of the Genetically Engineered Foods You're Eating "

http://www.organicconsumers.org/ge/seeds_of_deception.cfm

 

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TAKE ACTION

If any of the issues above spark your desire to take action, please

visit OCA's Action Center for instant faxes, petitions, volunteering and

donation opportunities. http://www.organicconsumers.org/action.htm

 

 

 

FOR MANY MORE FOOD ISSUE DAILY HEADLINES:

http://www.organicconsumers.org/log.html

 

 

 

NOTE TO CO-OP AND NATURAL FOOD STORE SUBSCRIBERS: Organic Bytes is a

great tool for keeping your staff and customers up to date on the latest

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http://www.organicconsumers.org/organicbytes.htm

 

 

 

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ORGANIC BYTES is a publication of:

 

ORGANIC CONSUMERS ASSOCIATION

6101 Cliff Estate Road

Little Marais, MN 55614

Phone: (218) 226-4164

Fax: (218) 353-7652

 

 

 

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