6 New GMO Crops That May Soon Hit Your Dinner Table
Lisa Garber, NaturalSociety
Apples that won't brown are among the crops being fast tracked to the market. (photo: Natural Society)
emember when the USDA gave Monsanto's new GMO crops the fast track to approval? Regardless of the numerous accounts of organ damage, pesticide-resistant weeds, and unintentionally mutated organisms like resistant insects, our own government is manipulating the game to let "biotech bullies" like Monsanto get speedier regulatory reviews. Consequently, the environment, livestock, and consumers will be exposed to even greater danger.
As stated in their press release, the Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, envisions transforming the USDA "into a high-performing organization that focuses on its customers." We'd like to think that we, the consumers, are those customers. The likes of Monsanto, Dow, and Syngenta, however, would probably disagree.
Here's your chance to tell the USDA otherwise. The first two crops on this list have been on the old, slower-track approval process, which allows 60 days for the public to comment. The remaining four are new additions but are on the fast track, meaning we still only have until September 11th of 2012 to have our say before these seeds hit the soil and, maybe, your dinner table.
6 New GMO Crops to Act Against.
- Dow 2,4-D and Glufosinate Tolerant Soybean - Since the US first began using GM crops, our herbicide usage has been boosted by 300 million pounds, despite claims by biotech behemoths that other plants like weeds would not grow resistant to glyphosate – commonly known as RoundUp. And now, we have "superweeds." Of course, biotech (and seemingly the USDA) doesn't care, and they plan on adding the 2,4-D herbicide and dicamba (see number 4) to the list. Take action here.
- Syngenta Corn Rootworm Resistant Corn - Plenty of nations have banned Syngenta's GM Bt crops - but not the US. This type of corn produces its own pesticides and kills all bugs, good or bad, which also means livestock can get sick from eating it. Research says that 80% of pregnant women have Bt toxins in their blood. Take action here.
- Okanagan Non-Browning Apple - Conventional apples are covered in pesticides. That's why we buy organic, but Okanagan has produced the first GM apple. Take action against genetically modified apples right here.
- Monsanto Dicamba Tolerant Soybean - Take action here.
- Dow 2,4-D, Dlyphosate and Glufosinate Tolerant Soybean - Take action here.
- Genective Glyphosate Tolerant Corn
GM foods are bad news for the earth and all of us who live on it. Have your voice heard while you can.