News Update from The Campaign Thu, 22 Sep 2005

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" News Update from The Campaign " <newsupdate

Update on The Campaign activities + Jeffrey Smith in South Africa

Thu, 22 Sep 2005 23:13:06 -0700

 

News Update From The Campaign

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Dear News Update Subscribers,

 

Sorry about the lack of News Updates lately. Rest assured we have been

extremely busy behind the scenes working on projects that will soon be

bearing fruit. Please allow me to give you an update.

 

First, we have launched the revised version of The Campaign's web site.

We

invite you to take a look at the new graphic appearance. However, there

are

several aspects of the new web site that are still under construction.

They

will be completed by October 1. Thanks for your patience as we

implement the

new features:

http://www.thecampaign.org

 

Next, regarding the labeling legislation, we expect it to be introduced

before the House of Representatives during October. The sponsor of the

Genetically Engineered Food Right to Know Act, Representative Dennis

Kucinich, will be coming to Seattle in early October and I will be

spending

about five hours with him. This will allow us time to refine our

strategy to

get committee hearings on the bill -- an essential step in order to

advance

the legislation forward through Congress.

 

Besides The Campaign's new web site and the advancement of our

legislative

agenda, there are a couple other exciting developments. These involve

The

Campaign's sister organization, The Coordinating Council. (Note: The

Campaign is a 501©(4) political advocacy organization while The

Coordinating Council is a 501©(3) educational organization, Both are

non-profits, but donations to The Coordinating Council are

tax-deductible.)

 

The Coordinating Council is bringing two projects under our non-profit

umbrella. One is the " Institute for Responsible Technology " started by

Jeffrey Smith:

http://www.responsibletechnology.org/

 

As you may be aware, Jeffrey Smith is the author of the best-selling

book

" Seeds of Deception. " A primary focus of the Institute for Responsible

Technology will be to educate parents and teachers about the health

concerns

over genetically engineered foods. The goal of this education effort

will be

to eliminate GMOs from school meals.

 

Currently Jeffrey Smith is in South Africa where he is helping to

educate

their citizens and politicians about the many concerns over genetically

engineered foods. And it is exciting to see that his message is getting

media coverage.

 

Posted below is an article from a South African paper called the Cape

Times.

It reports on Jeffrey Smith's message in an article called " SA's

attitude to

GM foods 'unbelievable'. " Nice work Jeffrey!

 

The second project of The Coordinating Council is called " The Non-GMO

Project " and is being developed by The Natural Grocery Company in

Berkeley,

California. The Non-GMO Project will provide a economical way for

companies

to certify their products as non-GMO. The standards are being developed

along with a cost-effective testing program. A web site is being

developed

that will be an important part of the project. We will keep you posted

on

The Non-GMO Project in the coming months.

 

Through education and political action, we do have the ability to get

proper

regulation and labeling of genetically engineered foods. Thanks for

your

continued support of our efforts.

 

Craig Winters

President

The Campaign

PO Box 55699

Seattle, WA 98155

http://www.thecampaign.org

http://www.saveorganicfood.org

http://www.pharmcrops.com

 

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SA's attitude to GM foods 'unbelievable'

 

Cape Times - South Africa

September 22, 2005

By Melanie Gosling

 

It was " simply unbelievable " that the South African government had

allowed

maize, a staple food, to be genetically modified to contain a poison.

 

It was clear the government had no idea of the risk this posed to the

population.

 

This was said on Wednesday by best-selling US author Jeffrey Smith, who

is

visiting southern Africa to raise awareness about the health,

environmental

and financial risks of genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

 

" Maize has been genetically engineered with a poison designed to kill

pests.

What impact is there on human health from eating a pesticide? In the US

it

is simply assumed the pesticide is safe.

 

But mice fed on it developed an immune response equivalent to that of

cholera. And this is being put into mielie meal, which is a huge

percentage

of the diet here. In the US people get only 3% to 5% of their calorific

intake from maize, " Smith said.

 

Originally it had been said that the GM genes were destroyed in the

digestive system.

 

However, a study done in the UK last year on seven volunteers with

colostomy

bags, had found intact genetically modified DNA which had survived the

digestive system, Smith said.

 

The fear was that these GM genes would be transferred to bacteria in

the

human gut. Smith's best-selling book Seeds of Deception documents the

biotechnology industry's manipulation of research.

 

Scientists who raised questions about GM food were silenced by the

biotech

industry with threats of lawsuits or withdrawal of funding.

 

" There is clear industry manipulation of research and political

collusion.

If it were not for this clear deception, these foods would not be in

circulation, " Smith said.

 

The person in charge of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the

US,

who wrote the FDA's policy on GM foods, was the same person who had

been the

lawyer for Monsanto, the biggest producer of GM seed in the world.

 

" One company gave data to the FDA that rats fed on GM tomatoes

developed

stomach lesions. Seven of the 40 died. They approved the tomato, " Smith

said.

 

Twenty-five farmers who fed only GM maize to their pigs subsequently

found

problems with the pigs' productivity. Some were sterile and some gave

birth

to " bags of water " .

 

There were fewer than 20 peer-reviewed animal studies on GMOs, he said.

 

" GM foods have been an economic disaster for the US. The EU is refusing

all

but 1% of US corn (maize) because they don't trust that the US farmers

can

keep GM corn out of non-GM corn. Also meat and diary products are

endangered. We lost billions of dollars in exports, now we're trying to

push

open the doors in Africa.

 

" I've been told by politicians and officials in Africa that they're

under

enormous pressure by the US government and biotech industry to invest

in GM

food.

 

" South Africa is investing in products which will cut out export to

entire

countries, " Smith said.

 

 

 

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