March Against Monsanto - Updates

[Natural Citizen]

Monsanto to respond to the citizens of Maui with a lawsuit. This is similar to what we'll see with the TPP whereas multinational corporations have penned legislation that would allow them to sue sovereign nations whose laws they contend would affect their future profits.

Monsanto released a statement Wednesday saying it plans to take steps to ask the court to declare that this initiative is legally flawed and cannot be enforced. Shaka Movement members say this is about future generations and they're ready for the long fight.

Maui County says it is obligated to carry out the voters' will, but first needs to get council budget approval and will check the bill for any legal inconsistencies.

[Natural Citizen]

2 developers sue Hawaii county to halt GMO law...

HONOLULU

Two leading developers of genetically engineered corn have sued Maui County to stop a new law banning the cultivation of genetically modified organisms.

The lawsuit filed by Monsanto Co. and a Dow Chemical Co. unit in federal court in Honolulu asks a judge to immediately prevent the law from taking effect. It also seeks to invalidate the new law, which voters narrowly adopted during last week's election after an intense campaign featuring $8 million in spending by the seed companies against the initiative.

Both companies research and develop new varieties of corn in the county. Hawaii's warm weather enables the seed companies to grow more crop cycles each year, accelerating their research. Conducting the work in a U.S. state also helps the seed companies protect their intellectual property.

The law, which doesn't apply to crops in mid-growth cycle, goes into effect when officials certify the election results. That's expected to happen late this month.

The Maui initiative's authors sued the county in state court Wednesday to ensure the county implements the law.
About 90 percent of all corn grown in the U.S. is genetically engineered and has been developed partially at Hawaii farms.

Thursday's lawsuit said "a significant percentage of the corn seed planted in the U.S. have originated from Monsanto's facilities in the county."

Continued - 2 developers sue Hawaii county to halt GMO law

[Natural Citizen]

Dr. Thierry Vrain, a biotech scientist, and former GMO supporter appears to completely repudiate the "science" that led him to support GMO in the first place.

Ready? Let's go...

Former Pro-GMO Biotech Scientist Admits GMOs Aren’t Safe, Refutes Claims by Monsanto "Vrain thinks the public is being swindled. He believes we should all demand that government agencies replicate tests showing that GMOs are safe rather than rely on studies paid for by the biotech companies.

He continues:

"The Bt corn and soya plants that are now everywhere in our environment are registered as insecticides. But are these insecticidal plants regulated and have their proteins been tested for safety? Not by the federal departments in charge of food safety, not in Canada and not in the U.S.

There are no long-term feeding studies performed in these countries to demonstrate the claims that engineered corn and soya are safe. All we have are scientific studies out of Europe and Russia, showing that rats fed engineered food die prematurely.

These studies show that proteins produced by engineered plants are different than what they should be. Inserting a gene in a genome using this technology can and does result in damaged proteins. The scientific literature is full of studies showing that engineered corn and soya contain toxic or allergenic proteins."

"This science is actually only about 40 years old. It is all based on a theory of genetic manipulation hypothesized around 70 years ago – of the ONE GENE meaning that each gene codes for one single protein. The Human Genome project proved this totally wrong."

　
Monsanto openly admits "after 30" whole "years of research" that they are convinced GMOs are safe. Just one type of pine tree lives more than 5000 years, but yea – Monsanto has all of Mother Nature figured out in its 30 years of tinkering with genes."

What they appear to acknowledge here is that there has not ever been any genuine long term study of the effects of GMO toward human health or other areas to include animals and ecology. This is important to consider given open acknowledgement of nations abroad that they're going to be actually testing this stuff in the long term. And international lawsuits involving every country against these biotech companies isn't out of the question either.

Former Pro-GMO Biotech Scientist Admits GMOs Aren’t Safe, Refutes Claims by Monsanto

　
Relevant reading...

37 Million Bees Found Dead in Canada After Large GMO Crop Planting

End of Organic? Report Says GMO Crop Contamination Cannot Be Stopped

Some thoughts on the rule of law... http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthr...=1#post5702943

I suppose the point that I'd make in the long term here is that we'd do well to pay attention to the international scheme of things and any lawsuits that arise. An international standard with regard to agriculture isn't something that is too awfully far out of the question. Comparable to what we saw in the days of Kennedy with regard to a so called Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.

[Natural Citizen]

Rising suicide rate for Indian farmers blamed on GMO seeds...

Monsanto, which has just paid out $2.4 million to US farmers, settling one of many lawsuits it’s been involved in worldwide, is also facing accusations that its seeds are to blame for a spike in suicides by India farmers.

The accusations have not transformed into legal action so far, but criticism of Monsanto has been mounting, blaming the giant company for contributing to over 290,000 suicides by Indian farmers over the last 20 years.

The author of a documentary on Indian farmers’ suicides, Alakananda Nag, who has interviewed dozens of the relatives of those who have taken their lives, links the rise in the suicide rate to the use of GMO seeds. She believes small farms are particularly vulnerable.

The legalization of GMO in 2002 has only added to the stress experienced by Indian farmers, according to the head of the Council for Responsible Genetics, Sheldon Krimsky.

“The people would give out the loans if they believed these seeds would give the greatest yields,” Krimsky told RT. “So they are not going to get a loan if they don’t go with the GMOs. And many of them felt coerced to take the GM seeds. The GM crops have not done as well in all regions of India... [That has led to] much greater indebtedness with the GM crops that did not perform as well.”

The US company cites several studies to support its claim, including a 2008 report published by the International Food Policy Research Institute, a Washington-based think tank. The study argues that there is no evidence for an increased suicide rate following the 2002 introduction of biotech cotton.

Monsanto, which is the world’s largest producer of genetically engineered seed, has been involved in high-profile lawsuits globally over its products.

A number of human rights advocates have warned that GMOs have not been studied thoroughly enough to evaluate their potential risks.

Continued - Rising suicide rate for Indian farmers blamed on GMO seeds

[Natural Citizen]

Activists Prepare for 4th Global March Against Monsanto...

For the fourth time since 2013, the March Against Monsanto will take place in cities around the world. On May 23, 2015, concerned activists, urban farmers, and environmental activists will hit the streets of 428 cities spread across 38 countries.

The MAM movement was started in late 2012 in an effort to raise awareness to the dangers surrounding Monsanto’s genetically modified seeds, as well as the carcinogens present in the company’s top pesticide, Round-Up.

Indeed, in September 2013 Ben Swann reported on Monsanto and Crony Capitalism.

Also, Truth In Media recently reported on a group of scientists blowing the whistle on corruption at the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“On May 5, 25 organizations representing farm workers, environment, and food safety organizations sent a letter to officials with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Environmental Protection Agency calling for an investigation into claims that scientists are facing pressure and retaliation for research that presents the controversial neonicotinoid insecticide in a negative light.

Earlier this year the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) published a report in The Lancet Oncology detailing evaluations of organophosphate pesticides and herbicides. The report concluded that there was “limited evidence of carcinogenicity in humans for non-Hodgkin lymphoma.” The evidence for this conclusion was pulled from studies of exposure to the chemical in the US, Canada and Sweden published since 2001.

The researchers found “convincing evidence that glyphosate can also cause cancer in laboratory animals.” The report points out that the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) had originally classified glyphosate as possibly carcinogenic to humans in 1985. The IARC Working Group evaluated the original EPA findings and more recent reports before concluding “there is sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in experimental animals.” Despite the WHO’s findings, the EPA approved Monsanto’s use of glyphosate as recently as 2013.

In 2014 Anti-Media reported on a study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health which claims to have found a link between glyphosate and the fatal Chronic Kidney Disease of Unknown origin (CKDu), which largely affects rice farmers in Sri Lanka and other nations. In response Sri Lanka has banned glyphosate and Brazil is considering doing the same.

Sri Lanka’s Minister of Special Projects S.M. Chandrasena stated that President Mahinda Rajapaksa issued a directive to ban glyphosate sales in the country. “An investigation carried out by medical specialists and scientists have revealed that kidney disease was mainly caused by glyphosate. President Mahinda Rajapaksa has ordered the immediate removal of glyphosate from the local market soon after he was told of the contents of the report.”

There is a growing resistance to Monsanto. Following the revelations from the WHO, a union of 30,000 doctors and health professionals announced efforts to eliminate the use of glyphosate-based herbicides.

Continued - http://truthinmedia.com/activists-pr...inst-monsanto/

[Natural Citizen]

RT’s Ben Swann discusses 4th Global March Against Monsanto with activist Adam Eidinger. This Saturday, hundreds of thousands of people will gather across 38 countries and 428 cities.

Hundreds of thousands are expected to rally across the world on Saturday in protest of agri-giant Monsanto and its practices of manipulating the genes of produce. Now an annual event, the global demonstrations draw awareness to the supposed health risks of GMOs, as well as Monsanto’s near monopoly on food.

[GunnyFreedom]

RT's Ben Swann?

RT's Ben Swann?

RT's Ben Swann?

[Danke]

Should I short their stock?

[Danke]

RT's Ben Swann?

RT's Ben Swann?

RT's Ben Swann?

Ya, I was hoping he'd appear on MSNBC...

[Natural Citizen]

RT's Ben Swann?

RT's Ben Swann?

RT's Ben Swann?

Yeah, sorry, Gunny Freedom. I couldn't seem to find anything from the mainstream news entertainment programs about this what with the "We Ask, You Decide" thing they all do. Someone has to report, though. May as well be RT's Ben Swann.

If things go well, we'll maybe force some of these so called representatives to provide a position on science. Kind of sucks that we have to force them to do that but sometimes we have to do what we have to do. You know? I mean, if we don't, then, we'll continue to be fed mercantilism disguised as the free market and whatnot. Some other stuff...

I try to spread my sources out when it comes to relevant reporting on the issue as a whole, though.

Like this thread, for example. Monsanto in US Foreign Policy . There are all kinds of different sources and reporting in a broad and relevant way...

I like Ben, though. We don't often meet journalists who question more. Well...or journalists in the historic sense of the trade at all for that matter.

[GunnyFreedom]

Yeah, sorry, Gunny Freedom. I couldn't seem to find anything from the mainstream news entertainment programs about this what with the "We Ask, You Decide" thing they all do. Someone has to report, though. May as well be RT's Ben Swann.

If things go well, we'll maybe force some of these so called representatives to provide a position on science. Kind of sucks that we have to force them to do that but sometimes we have to do what we have to do. You know? I mean, if we don't, then, we'll continue to be fed mercantilism disguised as the free market and whatnot. Some other stuff...

Yeahhhh you totally missed the point of my anger there.

Ben Swann apparently had to take a job with RT because we suck.

[Natural Citizen]

Yeahhhh you totally missed the point of my anger there.

Ben Swann apparently had to take a job with RT because we suck.

It isn't that we suck, Gunny Freedom. We forgot who we were ultimately supposed to be representing. Is unfortunate. Is what it is. There are two kinds of people in the world, Gunny Freedom. The first kind is the kind that prefer to count their names. And the second kind prefer to leave their mark. We want to change the course of history, Gunny Freedom. And, so, counting our name isn't going to get that done.

[GunnyFreedom]

It isn't that we suck, Gunny Freedom. We forgot who we were ultimately supposed to be representing. Is unfortunate. Is what it is. There are two kinds of people in the world, Gunny Freedom. The first kind is the kind that prefer to count their names. And the second kind prefer to leave their mark. We want to change the course of history, Gunny Freedom. And, so, counting our name isn't going to get that done.

I honestly have no idea what any of that has to do with my disappointment that we were unable to fully support Ben Swann in his TruthInMedia project such to the point that he had to take a job with RT where a great deal of the conservative audience will now automatically discount anything he has to say, but...sure!

[Danke]

Yeahhhh you totally missed the point of my anger there.

Ben Swann apparently had to take a job with RT because we suck.

We? It is just like criticism that those get from being on Info War with Alex Jones. Attack the medium, not the message.

[GunnyFreedom]

We? It is just like criticism that those get from being on Info War with Alex Jones. Attack the medium, not the message.

It's irrelevant whether RT is good, bad, or indifferent. Swann's value to a large portion of the American Right is derogated on account of their perception of RT as an organization. It matters not what you, I, or anyone else here thinks. It is what it is. Rational, and logical people like us may recognize it as the ad hominem logical fallacy of "poisoning the well," but that truth will not stop Bubba Twelvepack from automatically disbelieving anything he says on account of the big green RT logo in the lower left.

[GunnyFreedom]

We? It is just like criticism that those get from being on Info War with Alex Jones. Attack the medium, not the message.

And yes, WE. WE did not spend enough money joining TruthInMedia or bringing new viewers or spreading the message or doing whatever else WE had to do to make his sole venture a success. Swann could not put enough food on the table through the organization that he created to serve US, so he had to take his skills elsewhere, because WE suck, and could not support him enough to make it happen.

[The Northbreather]

Why do they constantly say that Round Up is a pesticide. I mean Wtf.

[donnay]

Why do they constantly say that Round Up is a pesticide. I mean Wtf.

Should change it to "genocide."

[navy-vet]

Why do they constantly say that Round Up is a pesticide. I mean Wtf.

Maybe it's because most of these "genius critics" have bachelor degrees in music, art or philosophy?

[Ender]

Maybe it's because most of these "genius critics" have bachelor degrees in music, art or philosophy?

The #1 major accepted to Medical School is the music major. Arts connect the brain- just sayin'.
.