(http://www.cbsnews.com)According to a study published August 25 in Nature Geoscience by researchers from the University of Michigan, mercury produced by coal-burning plants in China and India travel thousands of miles through the air before falling as rain to the ocean floor around Hawaii. From there, it's absorbed by fish that pass it on to humans.
The toxic form of mercury found in fish is called methylmercury. When consumed, it can damage the heart, central nervous and immune system and human fetuses. Scientists previously believed that microbes at the ocean surface were responsible for converting mercury into methylmercury. However, the scientists found that this was not true; they discovered that 80% of methylmercury is produced at depths of about 165 to 2,000 feet, likely by bacteria that cling to sinking organic matter.
The bacteria is consumed by fish and the methylmercury enters the food chain. Fish that live in deeper waters, like swordfish, generally have higher mercury levels. The researchers say that as countries like China and India continue to develop, mercury levels will go up. Dr. David Agus said regarding the study, "[W]e need to push for international controls of mercury in these plants and ways that we can actually degrade the mercury so it doesn't cause a problem to all of us."
(http://www.bolenreport.com)Stephen Barrett and the Board Members of both The National Council Against Health Fraud (NCAHF) and Quackwatch Inc. continue to desperately fight a legal battle in the Federal Court case, Doctor's Data v. Barrett.
The plaintiff, Doctor's Data, a laboratory that tests for chemicals in human hair and blood is suing over claims brought against it by Barrett. While Doctor's Data has three expert witnesses, Barrett will act as his own witness. Based on the way things are going, the defendant will likely have to pay tens of millions of dollars.
Stephen Barrett and Robert S. Baratz have been working the healthcare system for years. They would file a complaint against a health practitioner, then arrange a lawsuit against that practitioner and offer their services as paid "expert" witnesses. Unfortunately for Barrett, this is illegal in most states. In a previously published court decision, Barrett was described as "biased, and unworthy of credibility."
The current lawsuit being fought in court was filed on June 18, 2010 against Barrett, the NCAHF, Quackwatch, Inc., and Consumer Health Digest, accusing them of restraint of trade; trademark dilution; business libel; tortious interference with existing and potential business relationships; fraud or intentional misrepresentation; and violating federal and state laws against deceptive trade practices.
(http://www.natureworldnews.com)The Occupational Safety and Hazard Administration (OSHA) issued a proposed rule Friday that would dramatically limit permissible levels of crystalline silica, a known carcinogen. Silica, a basic component of soil, sand, and other naturally occurring resources, becomes airborne when concrete, brick and stone products are sawed, drilled or crushed, as well as during operations using sand products.
Crystalline silica kills hundreds of workers and sickens thousands more every year, according to Dr. David Michaels, assistant secretary of labor in charge of OSHA. The agency estimates that the newly proposed rule would save around 700 lives annually and prevent a total of 1,600 new cases of silicosis, a chronic disease caused by inhaling silica, each year.
Since the current standards were set, back in 1971, silica has been recognized by the scientific community as a human carcinogen. Michaels explains that the current standards, based on information from the 1960s, don't match up-to-date scientific research and should be updated.
Methods of reducing exposure to silica include using a vacuum to collect dust before it can be inhaled by workers or keeping the material wet to prevent the silica from becoming airborne. OSHA will accept written comments on the proposal over the next 90 days before proceeding with public hearings.
(http://www.abc.net.au)Japan has once again banned fishing off its coast in the wake of hundreds of tons of irradiated water leaks.
Test catches have shown that some species, especially bottom-feeders, have already been affected by the contamination, though scientists say it is too early to tell how marine life will be affected.
As reported by Mark Willacy for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, many fishermen feel like Tokyo Electric Power Co. has lied to them for months and the situation just keeps getting worse. "[T]here's a feeling that TEPCO just cannot be trusted and that these fisherm[e]n probably don't really feel like they have a future anymore," he said.
Willacy reported that Japanese fishermen were planning to start commercially catching fish again next month. With the ban now in place, they are unable to do that and feel like their future and their industry are hopeless.
(http://www.businessweek.com)Last week, the Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) announced that it would seek help from outside of Japan to clean up the Fukushima nuclear disaster, prompting Russia to once again offer its assistance.
Vladimir Asmolov, first deputy director general of Rosenergoatom, the state-owned Russian nuclear facility, says that in order for the cleanup to be successful, Japan will have to change its current approach and incorporate technologies developed outside of Japan.
Japan's decision to seek outside help comes after 29 months of trying to contain radiation from Fukushima's molten atomic cores and letting more than 100 times the annual norms of radioactive elements leak into the ocean.
After 300 metric tons of irradiated water were discovered to have recently leaked from the facility, Japan's nuclear regulator decided to label the incident "serious" and called TEPCO's ability to deal with the situation into question. Zengo Aizawa a vice president at TEPCO, made an international call for help on August 21 at a press briefing in the nation's capital.
"It was clear for a long time that TEPCO was not adequately coping with the situation," Asmolov said. "It looks like TEPCO management were the last to realize this," he said. "Japan has the technologies to do this, but they lacked a system to deal with this kind of situation."
TEPCO's method of dealing with the problem so far has been to pour water over the melted nuclear rods to cool them and prevent them from critically overheating, which has left more than 330,000 tons of irradiated water. Dealing with that vast quantity of water is one of the major challenges faced by TEPCO; some of the radiation gets filtered out, but the filters become contaminated and corroded, and much of the water leaks into the ground or into the sea.
Asmolov said that the idea of pumping water to cool the reactors was good for nothing other than as a "machine for generating radioactive water." He suggested the use of other methods, such as using special absorbents to clean the contaminated water and introducing air cooling.
Russia had previously sent Japan a 5 kilogram (11 pound) sample of an absorbent that could be used at Fukushima and formed working groups ready to help the country on health effect assessment, decontamination and fuel management, among other things that Japan never took advantage of. Hopefully, Russia will now be able to help out in this growing global disaster.
(http://www.regulations.gov)On July 26, 2013, Regulations.gov posted a notice advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has prepared a preliminary determination regarding a petition from GENECTIVE SA, seeking a determination of nonregulated status of maize designated as VCO-01981-5, which has been genetically engineered for resistance to the herbicide, glyphosate. They have also made available for public review their plant pest risk assessment (PPRA), environmental assessment (EA), and preliminary finding of no significant impact (FONSI) for the preliminary determination of nonregulated status.
The notice states that 7 CFR part 340, "Introduction of Organisms and Products Altered or Produced Through Genetic Engineering Which Are Plant Pests or Which There Is Reason to Believe Are Plant Pests," of the Plant Protection Act regulates, among other things, the introduction of organisms and products altered or produced through genetic engineering that are plant pests or that there is reason to believe are plant pests.
The notice then goes on to state how APHIS has received a petition from GENECTIVE SA to determine the status of their GE maize, VCO-01981-5, as nonregulated. The petition states that the maize is unlikely to pose a plant pest risk and should therefore not be a regulated article under APHIS' regulations in 7 CFR part 340.
In a notice published in the Federal Register on July 13, 2012, APHIS accepted public comments on the petition for a period of 60 days, ending on September 11, 2012. During that time, APHIS received 79 comments on the petition. Issues raised during the comment period include outcrossing and cross-pollination concerns and effects of herbicide use, such as the development of herbicide-resistant weeds and effects on non-target organisms. APHIS has evaluated the issues raised by the comments and provided a discussion of appropriate issues in their environmental assessment.
From the notice on Regulation.gov:
"Based on APHIS' analysis of field and laboratory data submitted by GENECTIVE SA, references provided in the petition, peer-reviewed publications, information analyzed in the EA, the PPRA, comments provided by the public, and discussion of issues in the EA in response to those public comments, APHIS has determined that maize event VCO-01981-5 is unlikely to pose a plant pest risk. We have therefore reached a preliminary decision to make a determination of nonregulated status of maize event VCO-01981-5, whereby maize event VCO-01981-5 would no longer be subject to our regulations governing the introduction of certain GE organisms."
They then state that they have made available a 30-day review period of APHIS' preliminary regulatory determination of the GE maize, along with their PPRA, EA, and preliminary FONSI for the preliminary determination of nonregulated status. After the 30-day period closes on August 26, 2013, APHIS will review any new information that they have received. If they do not receive substantive new information warranting a change in its decisions, the public will be notified through an announcement on their website. If, however, they do receive substantive new information warranting further review of VCO-01981-5, then they will notify the public and the petitioner and conduct additional analysis.
(http://www.momsrising.org)There is a lot of information out there about breastfeeding and how important this natural practice is to a baby's health. Benefits to breast feeding include helping good bacteria colonize the baby's gut and giving the infant the right nutrition that it needs to grow.
Now, a new YouTube parody video posted by TaNefer Lumukanda on August 2, 2013, aims to introduce this wonderful practice to young women who might otherwise not be informed. On her blog, Lumukanda writes that the video, "Teach Me How To Breastfeed," was inspired by breastfeeding classes she taught at WIC. Lumukanda is a hospital-based Lactation Consultant, and the information she provides in her video is consistent with what she tells her patients.
Lumukanda writes: "I wanted to provide accurate and positive information about breastfeeding in a way that would capture people's attention and brighten up their day. I know how hard breastfeeding can be in the first few days, but I also know it can get better with support. If a new mom anywhere in the world can relate and find this song helpful then I have done my job a thousand times over. In the African American community breastfeeding rates are lower than other ethnic groups. Breastfeeding also reduces the risks of many health disparities that are prevalent among African Americans. By doing this song and video not only does the world get to see Black mothers who are passionate about breastfeeding, but it also helps to diversify this specialty in healthcare that has been traditionally filled by white women. Hopefully this will inspire a new generation of mothers to provide their baby with the very best start in life."
(http://www.nationofchange.org)Scientists will tell you that GMOs are good for you and are necessary to keep the world from starving, even though, up to 60 years ago, there was more than enough food for everyone. Health conscious people and responsible companies around the world have been rejecting GMOs for their harmful side effects. As compiled by the Non-GMO Project, here is a list of companies that are committed to ensuring the availability of non-GMO products:
365
479 Degrees
A. Vogel
Adams Vegetable Oils
Agrana
Agricor Inc.
Ah!Laska
Alexia
Alter Ego
Alverado Street Bakery
Amande
Amelia
Among Friend's
Amy's Kitchen
Andalou Naturals
Angie's Artisan Treats
Annie's
Ariven Planet
Arrowhead Mills
Artisan Bistro
Artisan Bistro Home Direct
Atlantic Organic
Atlantic Rose
Attune Foods
Autumn Sky wild
Back to Nature
Bainter Extra Virgin Sunfllower Oil
Bakery On Main
Barbara's
Barlean's Organic Oils
Barnana
Barney Butter
Basic Food Flavors, Inc.
Beach Bum Foods
Beanfields
Beanitos
Bearitos
Berlin Natural Bakery
Better Bean
BetterStevia
Bhakti Chai
Biad Chili Products
Bites of Bliss
Blue Diamond
Blue Print
Bold Organics
Bora Bora
Boulder Canyon Natural Foods
Brad's Leafy Kale
Brad's Raw for Paws
Brad's Raw Chips
Brad's Raw Crackers
Brad's Raw Onion Rings
Braga Organic Farms
Bragg
Brand Aromatics
Bridgewell Resources
Bubbies
Blue Natural
Cabo Chips
Cadia
Cal-Organic Farms
Cafia Farms
California Olive Ranch
Canfo Natural Products
Canyon Bakehouse
Cape Cod Select
Catania
Cave Chick
Cedar's
Central Market Organics
Chappaqua Crunch Granola
Cheweco Organics
Chez Marie, Inc.
ChiaRezza! OMG Foods Inc
Choice Organic Teas
Chosen Foods
CHS Oilseed Processing
Chunks O' Fruti
Ciao Bella Gelato
Ciranda
CleanVia
Coconut Secret
Cocozia
Cool Cups
Coral LLC
Country Choice Organic
Crispy Cat
Crofters
cruncha ma•me
Crunch Master
Curtie's Juice
Dave's Gourmet
David's Unforgettables
Deli-catessen
Della
Desert Essence
Doctor in the Kitchen
Doctor Kracker
Dr. Arenander's BrainGain & Oral Care
Dr. Bronner's Magic
Dream
Drew's LLC
Dulsweet
Earth Balance
Earth's Best
EatPastry
Eatsmart
EcoTeas
Edazen
Eden
Edward & Sons
Eighth Wonder
Emerald Cove
Emile Noel
Emmy's Organics
Emperor's Kitchen
Endangered Species Chocolate
Ener-G Foods
Engine 2
Enjoy Life Foods
Envirokidz
EO
Erewhon
Essential Living Foods, Inc
Everyday Superfoods
Fairfield Specialty Eggs
Familia
FanciFood
Fantastic World Foods
Farm to Table Foods
Farmer's Market
Farmhouse Culture
Field Day
Field Roast Grain Meat Company
Fillmore Farms
Fiordifrutta
Flamous Organics
Flax USA
Flora
Follow Your Heart
Freekeh Foods
Freekehlicious
Freeline Organic Foods
Fresh & Easy
Frey
Frontier
Froovie
Fruit Bliss
Fruit Chia
Fry Group Foods
Fungi Perfecti, LLC
Funky Monkey Snacks
Garden Bar
Garden of Eatin'
Garden of Life
gimMe
Gin Gins
Gingras XO
Giving Nature
GL Soybeans
Global River
GlucoLift
Gluten Free Pantry by Glutino
Glutino
Gnu Foods
Go Raw
Golazo
GoMacro, Inc
Good Health Natural Foods
Good Karma
GoodBelly
GoOrganic/GoNaturally
GoPicnic
Grain Place Foods
Grains of Wellness
Green Gem
Green Island Rice
Green Mountain Gringo
Green Mustache
Grimmway Farms
Growing Naturals
Guayaki
Guiltless Gourmet
Haig's Delicacies
Haiku
Hail Merry
Hapi Foods Group Inc.
Happy Baby Pouches
HappyTot
Harvest Bay
Haute Cuisine
Health is Wealth
Health Warrior
Heavenly Organics
Herbal Zap
High Country Kombucha
Hiland Naturals
Hilary's Eat Well
Himalania
HimalaRose
HimalaSalt
Hodgson Mill
Hol-Grain
Home Appetit
HomeFree
House Foods
Houweling's Tomatoes
Ian's
Imagine
Immaculate Baking
Immortality Alchemy
Imperial Gourmet
Indianlife
Intiyan
It Tastes Raaw
Jaali Bean
JaynRoss Creations LLC
Jeff's Naturals
Jessica's Natural Foods
Jolly Llama
JustFruit
Kamut
Keller Crafted Meats
Kettle Foods
Kettlepop
Kiji
KIND Healthy Snacks
Kiwa
Konriko
Koyo
Kur Organic Superfoods
La Reina
La Spagnola
La Tolteca
La Tourangelle
Lafiya Foods
Lassens
Laughing Giraffe Organics
Laurel Hill
Lekithos
LesserEvil
Let's Do
Licious Organics
Lillabee Allergy Friendly Baking
Little Duck Organics
livingNOW gluten-free
Loeb's
Louts Foods
Lucy's
Luna & Larry's Coconut Bliss
Lundberg Family Farms
Mac-n-Mo's
Made in Nature
Madhava
Mamma Chia
Manitoba Harvest
Marconi Naturals
Maria & Ricardo
Marinelli's True Italian Pasta Sauce
Mariner Biscuit Company
Martha's All Natural
Marukan
Marukome USA
Mary's Chicken
Mary's Gone Crackers
Mary's Little Garden
Mary's Organic Chicken
Mary's Organic Turkey
Mary's Pasture Raised Chicken
Maui Maid
Mediterranean Organic
Mediterranean Snacks
MegaFood
Melt Organic
Metabolic Response Modifiers (MRM)
Mighty Mustard
Mighty Rice
Mighty-O Donuts
Mindful Meats
Minsa
Minsley
Miracle Noodle
Miso Master
Modesto WholeSoy Co.
Momo's
Montana Specialty Mills, LLC
Mori-Nu
Mt Vikos
Muesli Munch
Multiple Organics
MXO GLOBAL INC.
My Chi Delights
Naked Coconuts
Naosap Harvest
Napa Valley Naturals
Nasoya
Nathan's
Native Forest Distributed by Edward & Sons
Natural Directions
Natural Habitats
Natural Nectar
Natural Sea
Natural Tides
Natural Vitality
Naturally Splendid Enterprises Ltd
Nature Built
Nature Fed
Nature Way
Nature's Express
Nature's Path
Navitas Naturals
Nejaime's
Nest Fresh
New Chapter
New England Naturals
New Organics
New York Superfoods
Nexcel Natural Ingredients
Nexcel Soy
Niagara Natural
NibMor
Nordic Naturals
North Coast
NOW Foods
NOW Healthy Foods
NOW Real Food
NOW Real Tea
Nu Life Market
Numi Organic Tea
Nummy Tum Tum
NurturMe
Nutiva
NutrigoldR
Nuts About Granola
Oh Baby Foods
Old Wessex
Oleicus/Oleico
Once Again
One Degree Organic Foods
One World
Organic Baby
Organic Planet
Organic Valley
Organicville
Oriya Organics
Ozery Bakery
Pacific Natural Foods
Pacific Northwest Farmers
Paisley Tea Co
Palo Root Tea
Pampas Rice / Organic Latin
Pan De Oro
Pascha
Pastorelli Food Products Inc
Peace Cereal
PEACOCK
Peanut Butter & Co.
Peeled Snacks
Peggy's Premium
PJ's Organics
Planet Rice
Plum Organics
Popcorn, Indiana
Popcornopolis
Powbab
President's Choice
PROBAR
PuraSource
Pure
Pure Country Pork
Pure Eire
Purely Decadent
Purely Elizabeth
Pyure Brands
Q.bel
Qrunch Foods
Quinn Popcorn
R.W. Knudsen
Rainbow Light Nutritional Systems
Rapunzel
RAU
Red Hat Co-operative Ltd
Reese
Revive
RiceSelect
Righteously Raw
Rigoni di Asiago Honey
Rishi Tea
Rising Moon Organics
Risodipasta
Rivara
ROBE and Riverina Natural Oils LLC
Roots Route 11
Royal Hawaiian Orchards
Rumiano Family Cheese
Runa
Ruth's Foods
RW Garcia
Sacha
Saffron Road
Sage V Foods
Sainthood Herbs
Salba Smart
Sally's Smart Foods
Salute Sante!
Sambazon
San-J
Santa Cruz Organic
Scratch and Peck
SeaSnax
Secret Squirrel
Seven Stars Farm
Sharkies
Shortstacks
Silk
Silver Hills Sprouted Bakery
Simple Origins
Simply Soy Yogurt
Simply Suzanne
Sir Kensington's
SK Food
Skout
Snyder's of Hanover
So Delicious Dairy Free
Sol Cuisine
Somersault Snack Co.
Sophie's Kitchen
Source
Soyatoo
Spectrum
Spectrum Ingredients
Spicely
Squarebar
Stahlbush Island Farms
Stahlbush Island Farms Ingredients
Stark Sisters Granola
Stash Teas
Stiebrs Farms Go-Organic Eggs
Stone Buhr Flour Company
Straus Family Creamery
Stretch Island Fruit Co
Suja Juice
Sun Cups
SunE900
Sunfood Superfoods
SunRidge Farms
Sunset
Sunset Kidz
Sunshine Burger
Superberries
Surf Sweets
Sushi Sonic
Sweet Sass Foods
Sweet Tree
Sweet Leaf
TAMBOR
Taste of Nature
Tasty Brand
TeaPops
That's It.
The Better Chip
The Chia Co
The Fresh Market
The Ginger People
The Pure Wraps
The Republic of Tea
The Scoular Company
The Simply Bar
The Solio Family
Theo Chocolate
Third Street, Inc.
Three Farmers
Tiny But Might
TOMMYS
Tonnino
Trace Minerals Research
Traditional Medicinals
Tree of Life
Tropical Traditions
Tru Joy Sweets
truRoots
truwhip
Turtle Island Foods
Two Leaves Tea Company
Two Moms in the Raw
TwoFold
Udi's
Union Market
Upfront Foods
Van's Natural Foods
Vegga
Veggie-Go's
Venus
VerMints
Veronica Foods
Viana
Victoria
Vigilant Eats
VitaV
Viterra
Watts Brothers
Way Better Snacks
Wayfare
Weetabix
Western Foods
WestSoy
Whole Alternatives
Whole Earth
Whole Harvest
Whole Pantry
Wholesome Chow
Wholesome Sweeteners
WholeSoy & Co.
Wild Veggie
Wildbrine
Wildwood
Willamette Valley
Wingfoot
Wisdom of the Ancients
Woodstock
XO Baking Co.
Yamasa
Yoga
Yogavivie
Zema's Madhouse Foods
Ziggy Marley Coco'Mon
Ziggy Marley Hemp Rules
Zing Bars
Zulka
Please note: Not all products sold by all these companies are non-GMO, however, the majority of them are. Always read the labels and learn the facts about the food you buy before eating it to ensure the best health for you and those you care about. More information about specific products sold by these brands may be found here.
Serbia has received plenty of attention for its ban on genetically modified organisms, especially from Monsanto , the United States and other groups that want it to accept GMOs and join the World Trade Organization. There is an ongoing debate about the best course of action to take, and many believe that the ban should be removed in favor of the kind of restrictions currently in place in Russia and Switzerland.
Despite this mounting pressure, the Serbian people care more for their health and fiercely oppose GMOs. On February 6, 2013, Aleksandar Veljic, a spokesperson for the Serbian Association of Medical Workers and an anti-GMO activist, spoke to the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia about the consequences of GMOs and the wishes of the people to ban their cultivation.
Viljec said he was glad that Monsanto had "given up, al least for now, on East Europe and has not received a loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development." He then states his concern that the Serbian "Parliament intends to amend the existing national law against the import of GMOs in order for Serbia to become a member of the WTO."
Viljec then announced news that was cause for applause throughout the public hearing: "On the proposal of the local parliament group, the local Parliament in Kula unanimously adopted a Declaration against the GMO cultivation in that municipality. Therefore, after Cack municipality, this is the second city in Serbia and the first city in the region of Vojvodina, which raised an anti-GMO bulwark." He then explains that the declaration is only against the cultivation of GMO food and excludes useful medicine.
At a previoius meeting, Viljec announced that the village of Pivnice had launched production of organic food. He then calls on parliament to support efforts for organic agriculture and make Picnice an example to other villages and municipalities. He warns of the dangers of GMOs, saying how, once GMO food consumption makes the Serbian people sick, pharmaceutical companies will come in to heal them for a fee, leading to an expensive vicious cycle. He calls on municipalities across the nation to follow in Kula's footsteps and "adopt a declaration against the cultivation of GMO in food industry."
"I therefore appeal to this highest authority in the Republic of Serbia to follow the same example and enact a national declaration against GMO. Thank you," Viljec concluded to the National Assembly to a round of applause.
(http://www.theepochtimes.com)A new type of Hamlin orange is set to be tested in field trials pending approval in Florida. The fruit, designed by scientists at Cornell University, has been genetically modified to create its own pesticide.
A large amount of crops, including soy, corn and cotton, have been similarly genetically modified and are grown throughout the USA, despite their long-term safety being disturbingly underevaluated. Other genetically modified organisms never made it that far though.
FlavrSavr Tomato
Take for example, the Flavr Savr Tomato, the first GMO to enter the US market. In the 1980s, researchers at Calgene, Inc. (now owned by Monsanto) invented this tomato to be able to withstand the rigors of transport, even after vine ripening, and still have a long, attractive shelf life.
The FlavrSavr Tomato was approved for sale in 1994, but Dr. ArpadPusztai soon revealed that several test rats who ate GM potatoes developed stomach lesions and died. The subsequent public opinion, in addition to Calgene's inability to produce profits, led to the quick defeat of FlavrSavr
NewLeaf Potato
Monsanto's NewLeaf potato, a crop designed to ward off the Colorado potato beetle met U.S. regulatory requirements in 1995. The potato was expected to be a big success for fast food and junk food companies, but, after a study from the Institue of Nutrition was released in 1998, showing that rats consuming NewLeaf potatoes experienced substantial organ damage, the food industry lost interest. By 1999, farmers had planted about 50,000 acres of NewLeaf potatoes, but, by 2001, sales and marketing of the product was suspended.
Starlink Corn
88% of all corn grown in the U.S. is genetically modified, but this wasn't always so. One of the earlier strains of GM maize, Starlink Corn, released in 1998, has caused a lot of problems for farmers around the world. This strain of corn was developed to rupture the stomach cells of caterpillars,but showed a potential for allergic reaction in humans. As such, the EPA approved Starlink but restricted its use to animal feed and fuel.
Despite these restrictions, Starlink DNA was found to have spread across several corn varieties and make its way into the food supply. Its widespread contamination caused dozens of products to be recalled and production to cease. Despite this, Starlink contamination was found in the Saudi Arabian food supply in August 2013.
LibertyLink Rice
In 2011, Bayer AG paid $750 million to thousands of U.S. farmer after its LibertyLink rice contaminated conventional long grain rice. This devastating contamination not only caused a substantial drop in the value of rice, but an entire strain of rice was lost for good.
GM Wheat
In 2002, Monsanto submitted an application for a wheat strain modified to exhibit the same herbicide resistance found in its other crops. Wheat growers weren't interested in it though and feared that the crop would contaminate natural wheat. Foreign markets are vehemently opposed to GMO wheat, so any contamination could destroy a farmer's exports. When an unapproved GMO wheat strain was found in an Oregon field, many grew suspicious of America's wheat supply.
(http://www.insidermonkey.com)Constant news of harmful products and irresponsible practices has caused Monsanto tough luck with its stocks. Investors are picking up on the bad publicity and pulling hedge funds from the company.
In preparation for the third quarter, 59 hedge funds tracked by Insider Monkey held long positions in Monsanto's stock, down 6% from one quarter before.
Out of the hedge funds followed by Insider Monkey, Stephen Mandel's Lone Pine Capital held the most valuable Monsanto position at $613.3 million dollars. The second most valuable hedge fund is Andreas Halvorsen's Viking Global with $414.5 million.
Despite continuing hopefulness from such investors, other hedge funds have decided to take this opportunity to dump the controversial agricultural giant. Jeffrey Vinik's Vinik Asset Management and Sean Cullinan's Point State Capital dropped their stock for about $100.8 million and $54.7 million, respectively. Furthermore, over the past half-year, Monsanto has seen zero unique insiders purchasing and 10 insider sales.
This is important information as it gives possible clues about Monsanto's financial future, the way that it is handling its current situation, what insiders and investors expect from the company and, subsequently, the direction that it will have to take to keep its investors.
(http://blogs.desmoinesregister.com)Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey announced that he has hired former Monsanto lobbyist Michael Naig as Deputy Secretary for the Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.
Naig previously served as Monsanto's Regional Manager of Government Affairs, the Assistant Director of the Iowa Biotechnology Association, and Director of Public Policy for the Agribusiness Association of Iowa. He also represents Monsanto as the Second Vice President of the Iowa Seed Association.
"Mike will be a tremendous asset to the Department and I'm glad he agreed to join our team," Northey said. "His background and experience make him a natural fit for the Department."
"I look forward to supporting the important work of the Department to promote Iowa agriculture, serve Iowans and protect our natural resources," Naig said.
Naig's duties as Deputy Secretary will include assisting in managing the budget and personnel of the Department. His employment for the Department will begin on September 4.
(http://farmfutures.com)Citing the May, 2013, discovery of unapproved genetically engineered wheat in Oregon, a coalition of more than 150 groups, including food and farming organizations and companies and seed companies and producers, joined together Wednesday to call on the USDA to improve oversight for experimental trials of genetically modified organisms.
After GM wheat was discovered in Oregon, Japan banned the import of U.S. wheat, which struck a heavy blow to farmers who never even wanted to raise genetically engineered crops.
"The economic impacts of the GE wheat discovery in Oregon were immediate," says Clint Lindsey, an Oregon wheat grower who sells to a grain exporter that serves Japan. The coalition of agricultural groups blames the incident on "the inadequacy of current U.S. regulation of GE crop field trials." They also note that all U.S. export markets reject GE crops, necessitating more stringent regulation for these experimental plants.
Last month, Japan resumed wheat imports from the U.S., after the USDA announced that no new instances of GE wheat have been identified either growing or in commerce. Regardless, the threat of contamination is real and new measures need to be put into place to safeguard against it and protect farmers.
The coalition met with USDA Secretary Vilsack last week to give suggestions for improving oversight of GMO trials. The coalition asked the USDA to adopt the following recommendations:
Halting new approvals of GE wheat field trials at least until the Oregon contamination investigation is complete.
Fully implementing recommendations made by investigative bodies and Congress to improve oversight of GMO trials
Publishing a final report that describes the department's investigation into the Oregon GE wheat contamination
Having the appropriate tools to test for unapproved GE traits before approving field trials
Requiring mandated containment protocols for all GE crop field trials.
"We are grateful that Secretary Vilsack is taking seriously our concerns and recommendations regarding the department's oversight of GE crop field trials," says Kristina Hubbard, director of advocacy and communications for Organic Seed Alliance.
"Protecting the genetic integrity of seed and crops must begin at the field trial stage. We hope the department moves forward in fully implementing necessary improvements to protect American farmers and the markets they serve. But these improvements will only be as strong as the department's oversight and enforcement."
"This is an issue that affects all farmers, regardless of convention and their markets," Hubbard says.
(http://www.foxnews.com)A Japanese watchdog, the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA), proposed at a meeting on Wednesday to raise the ongoing Fukushima crisis to Level 3, "serious incident," up from Level 1, "anomaly" on the International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale (INES). If the level is raised, it would be the highest since the plant suffered multiple meltdowns in 2011, earning a Level 7, "major accident," on the INES.
The Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO), the nuclear power plant's operator, said that the plant has leaked about 80,000 gallons of contaminated water. The company has stated that, although they aren't sure where the water has been leaking from, they suspect it has done so through a seam on a steel tank or a valve connected to a gutter around the tank.
The NRA plans to consult with the U.N. nuclear regulator agency over whether raising the event's level on the INES would be appropriate.
TEPCO claims that, at about 330 feet, the leak is too far from the sea to pose a contamination threat. However, NRA Deputy Secretary-General Hideka Morimoto says that water could reach the sea via a drain gutter.
Four other tanks of the same design have already had similar leaks since last year.
Much of the radioactive water leaks into the ground and contaminates ground water, then enters the Pacific Ocean at a rate of hundreds of tons per day.
One of the major problems with cleaning up the radiation is the sheer massive amount of contaminated water. Nearly 80 million gallons of water are stored across some 1,000 steel tanks across the Fukushima nuclear power plant complex. Another problem is that many of those tanks have rubber seams that are susceptible to leaks. As the volume of water grows by 105,000 gallons per day, TEPCO is struggling to find storage for all the radioactive water.
"We have no choice but keep building tanks, or there is no place to store the contaminated water," TEPCO General Manager Masayuki Ono said.
(http://www.sfgate.com)The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is considering taking action to lower the mice population of California's Farallon Islands. The plan currently under consideration involves dropping massive amounts of rodenticide pellets onto the island via helicopter.
The islands, which sit 27 miles west of San Francisco and are known as "California's Galapagos," are an ideal location for seabirds and marine animals to breed and rest. However, they have also become an ideal breeding ground for a booming population of an invasive species of mice, which threatens the island's ecosystem.
The federal government has been increasingly pressured to address this infestation, and as such, they have come up with a plan to shower the island with rodenticide pellets. While this seems like an effective solution, many critics fear that this would do just as much, if not more, harm to the island and its surrounding waters.
"Part of the concern is that rodenticides will get into the water," Kelle Kacmarcik, wildlife solutions manager at animal advocacy group WildCare, told the Marin Independent Journal. In addition to the rare birds that live on the island, the surrounding waters are also home to elephant seals and great white sharks.
"I don't want to see the suffering of countless other species, especially when we don't know what the long-term impact will be," former WildCare environmentalist Maggie Sergio told the San Francisco Chronicle.
Though the proposal details plans for distributing the poison safely and cleaning it up, it can contaminate the rest of the environment; there is always a grave risk involved with spreading poison into the environment.
A public hearing for the proposal will take place August 29 at Fort Mason.
(http://health.india.com)Arsh Singh, an infant who got polio after being administered the vaccine last month in India, has reportedly seen improvement and has been moved out of the ICU. Arsh is the fourth child in India to develop polio from the polio vaccine in a 17-month period.
The infant was on a ventilator for over a month, but is now able to breathe on his own.
Arsh has also seen improvement in mobility. His father, Tejbahadur said, "There is movement in his legs but upper body is still paralysed. Doctors say it will take a month or more for further improvement."
The cost of hospitalization and treatment is being paid for by the state government. Arsh was brought to the hospital on July 11, after his parents spent days administering him medicine in the wake of the polio vaccine's harmful effects.
According to civic records, Illthanpada, Navi Mumbai, where Arsh's family lives, has a 95% polio vaccination coverage. Despite the high vaccination rate and the adverse effects seen with the polio vaccine, Dr. Satish Pawa, the Director of the Directorate of Health Services, said, "We have intensified our polio vaccination programme in this area; that's the only key to win against the virus."
He then went on to say, "A polio drive will be undertaken in Navi Mumbai. If there are homes where children haven't been administered drops, officials will be told to do so."
(http://www.huffingtonpost.com)According to an email obtained by The Huffington Post, Ohio Governor John Kasich (R) has given in to the demands of the coal industry and forced the head of a key division of the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency to step down.
George Elmaraghy has dutifully served the Ohio EPA for more than 30 years. He first took over as head of the Division of Surface Water, which oversees many of the permits required by coal companies, in 2005.
The email, which Elmaraghy addressed to the EPA, tells of "considerable pressure from the coal companies over the last year" demanding that his staff "accommodate the industry's needs by issuing permits that may have a negative impact on Ohio's streams and wetlands and violate state and federal laws." The email goes on to state that the governor and the agency's director, responding to the mounting pressure, asked him to resign effective September 13, 2013.
"George wouldn't say he was asked to resign because of their history with the coal companies unless that was absolutely the case," said Jed Thorp, who worked at the OEPA from 2007 to 2012. "He wasn't doing anything radical," Thorp said.
"Ohio EPA will not discuss personnel matters, but we will defend the integrity of the permitting process," an OEPA spokesman said in an email. "There are several checks and balances built into the regulatory process. Permits we issue must withstand scrutiny not only from U.S. EPA, but must stand up on appeal to the Environmental Review Appeals Commission and other courts. Those third parties ultimately determine if any action under appeal was issued lawfully and reasonably."
(http://macedoniaonline.eu)Thousands of Chileans rallied in over 10 cities Saturday to protest what is being called the "Monsanto Law." The Monsanto Law, formally known as the Plant Breeders Act, which is currently making its way through Chile's parliament, would give corporations like Monsanto the right to patent seeds.
Activists are concerned that this law would compromise food sovereignty, harm consumer health, and threaten farmers with fines for violating corporate seed patents.
"This law puts seeds into the hands of a few transnational companies," said Ivan Santandreu, a member of Chile Sin Transgenicos (Chile without GMOs) on Radio Universidad de Chile. "This measure does not contribute to the innovation and wellbeing of independent farmers at all. What it does is put food sovereignty at risk by making it dependent on big corporations."
Lately, Monsanto has become a growing target of protests around the world over their business practices and the safety of their genetically modified products. Activists protesting in Chile carried signs with slogans such as "Monsanto kills" and "Monsanto will patent your life." Others dressed up as bees and zombies to illustrate the consequences that the Monsanto Law will have if passed.
(http://www.counselheal.com)A study recently published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America by a team of researchers from the University of Rochester in New York shows that copper levels in the brain may influence the development of Alzheimer's disease.
The researchers fed mice water with low levels of copper to see what effects its accumulation would have. Previous studies have suggested that copper could benefit functions of the brain; however, the researchers for this study found that increased consumption of copper caused the mineral to build up in the brain's blood vessels. The study suggests that this accumulation of copper could inhibit the removal and increase production of amyloid-s, a protein that is often found in the brains of Alzheimer's disease patients and is thought to play a role in the disease.
"It is clear that, over time, copper's cumulative effect is to impair the systems by which amyloid beta is removed from the brain," Dr. Rashid Deane, the lead researcher said according to BBC News. "It's a double whammy of increased production and decreased clearance of amyloid protein."
Copper is commonly found in foods like shellfish, nuts, red meat, vegetables and fruits as well as drinking water. It is an essential part of the diet, and, as such, the researchers recommend that people simply try not to consume excess amounts of copper from items like dietary supplements.
"The key will be striking the right balance between too much and too little copper consumption," Deane explained according to the LA Times. "Right now, we cannot say what the right level will be. But diet may one day play an important role in regulating this process."
(http://www.storyleak.com)In a shocking display of the sort of excessive force that is becoming far too common across America, a group of police officers harassed, abused, and even threatened to tase a black youth pastor and firefighter for greeting them with a friendly wave.
George Madison, Jr. was riding his bike in Evansville, Indiana, when he saw the police officers and offered them a wave out of respect. According to the cops, they thought they saw Madison flip them off or give them the middle finger. The idea of this happening filled the cops with authoritarian rage and they began to harass the hapless pastor, a man who devotes his time to his community in a way that should inspire public servants and police forces.
Since Madison couldn't fathom why his peaceful greeting was being met with such hostility, he tried to call his friend, the local police chef, to see what was going on. This only infuriated the officers on the scene further. They demanded that he put away his phone and get on the ground. Madison insisted that they let him place the phone call, but to no avail, as one of the officers took out his taser and shoved it in the firefighter's face.
Madison immediately threw his hands into the air to show his complete compliance, though the officer continued to wave the taser inches from his face. Madison was then handcuffed and forced onto the ground. After learning that he was a firefighter who actually does know chief Billy Bolin, the police calmed down and subsequently released him. Thankfully, he had the connections he did so he could avoid what might have become an even worse incident.
The Evansville Police Department issued a statement on Wednesday that reads, "The investigation began this morning. In order to preserve the integrity of the investigation and to ensure fairness for all of the involved parties, the EPD will not comment on the incident at this time."
