“Dark Act” Hearing Scheduled

Posted on November 22, 2014 by gmoaction

Dark Act

 A hearing is scheduled to be heard in the Health Subcommittee of the Energy and Commerce Committee in Washington, DC either December 9 or 10, 2014.

IF YOUR CONGRESSMAN IS ON THIS LIST it is important to get to them now.

We the PeopleThe GMO labeling movement has not come this far only to have members of Congress, who have been paid off by Monsanto, to strip us of our constitutional rights. H.R. 4432 is designed to kill the GMO labeling movement once and for all. We can’t let that happen. We need thousands of people in order to get the attention of Congress and the media. Can you be one of them?

We have labels that tell us if our orange juices is frozen or concentrate, why can’t we know if includes ingredients from genetically modified crops? Legislation introduced by Rep. Mike Pompeo (Kan), “Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act of 2014” would deny Americans the right to know what’s in our food by prohibiting GMO labeling.

call or writeAsk your representative to join Peter DeFazio and the other 66 co-sponsors and support the DeFazio bill, HR 1699 the Genetically Engineered Food Right-to-Know Act, instead and provide labeling of GMO foods that maintain the threshold limits and other stipulations that the individual states have been lobbying for.  Pompeo’s “Dark Act” has 37 co-sponsors  and we want you to contact your representatives in Washington and tell them to support HR 1699,  introduced by Peter DeFazio and NOT the misleading HR 4432. Not one study has proven that GMOs are safe for humans to consume.

The so called “safety”studies that Pompeo and friends allude to actually show otherwise and raise some serious questions. As the Health Subcommittee of the United States here’s some facts to consider:  Genetically engineered crops, glyphosate and the deterioration of health in the United States of America

Look up to find your House Representative

We call it the “Dark Act” because it is intended to take away the state’s rights to labeling GMOs and leave us in the dark!  All the states that have worked and passed GMO labeling would be nullified if this passes.

Tell your representative we need toxicology studies and allergen studies the US is lax on requiring. Even the EU requires toxicology studies but even theirs have not been completed on combined stacked traits of these GMO crops. The government has not required studies on toxicity of the glyphosate and all the other chemicals used in the herbicide Round Up that most of the GMO crops are.

Independent studies show these “inert ingredients” aren’t inert at all and are 1,000 times more toxic than RoundUp alone.  How does this toxic combination affect our health when consumed in almost every processed food? Did you hear that glyphosates were found to bio-accumulate in human tissues, even in mother’s breast milk? Yes, the biotech companies mis-marketed their product to you when they told you it wouldn’t do that. I’m sure you can understand the implications of health and safety regarding bio-accumulating toxins.

When the decision was made to release GMOS to the public in 1992 without mandatory testing or labeling, it was the senior scientists at the FDA who objected to this. They were overridden by their non-scientist superiors. In part for this reason there is no mandated way to report problems with GMOs to the FDA as there is with drugs.

Why FDA Policy on GE Foods is Irresponsible and Illegal – Steven M. Druker, J.D.

OCA Dark Act RallyOrganic Consumers – Washington DC Rally Here’s the scoop. Pompeo’s DARK ACT is up for a hearing on December 9 or 10 (the date hasn’t been finalized yet, but we need to start planning). OCA is working with activists in many states, including New York, Vermont, Maine, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Maryland, to bus people in to Washington on the date of the hearing. What will we do there? We will fill the hearing room and line the streets with consumers and citizens who will make it clear to Congress, the media and the Biotech Bullies and Junk Food Giants that we will not sit quietly by while Congress allows Monsanto to trample on our Democracy and poison our food without transparency or accountability.

If you can fill a bus from your area, OCA will pay the transportation. We are also organizing an organic lunch with speakers and the press, following the hearing. SIGN UP

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Bah humbug! No Arctic Apples for Christmas

Posted on December 10, 2013 by gmoaction

Tell the USDA you don’t want biotech’s Christmas present – deregulation of the first GMO apples.  The public comment period has been extended for the Arctic Apple®, the first genetically modified (GM) apples.  The comment period originally scheduled through December 9, 2013 has been extended through December 16, 2013.

Please sign the Organic Consumers Association petition – DEADLINE DECEMBER 16: Tell the USDA You Don’t Want a GMO Apple!

OCA_Arctic Apple

You can also find information and a comment page on the government website for the USDA/APHIS comments for the Arctic Apple® below.  Please note the government is shut down today due to inclement weather.  Also note that links for the documentation (pdfs) on this site were accessible originally but seem to be having technical issues at the time of this blog post.  I provided both a link and the full URL for your convenience.

Environmental Assessments; Availability, etc.: Okanagan Specialty Fruits, Inc.; Determination of…  http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2012-0025

The Arctic Apple®

Neal Carter from Okanagan Specialty Fruits located in Summerland, British Columbia in Canada has introduced the Arctic Apple®, the first GM apple for deregulated status with the USDA.  The first varieties introduced are the Golden Delicious (GD743) and the Granny Smith (GS784) apples.  The apples, known as GD743 and GS784 are purported not to brown for 15-18 days.

Who or why would the market want a non-browning apple?  In a NY Times article, it was revealed that the commercial market had concerns that the technology wouldn’t benefit them in the market place.

As for the commercial market, John Graden, president of Crunch Pak, a leading supplier of sliced apples, said the Arctic technology might not keep the apples from turning brown for the required 16 to 21 days.

“We don’t think they’d hold long enough,” he said. Mr. Carter of Okanagan said the nonbrowning effect could last enough if the right additional steps were taken to control bacteria and fungi.

Interesting research information about the process used for this GM apple which is referred to as PPO (Polyphenol oxidase) suppression.  Research shows that there are concerns for this technology, using PPO in plants.

Did I mention the biotech companies have attempted a similar non-browning GMO trait unsuccessfully in the past?  Three times in tomatoes and once in cantaloupe and none of these are on the market.

Food manufacturers and restaurants have indicated that they don’t want this GM apple.

Gerbers (Nestle) and McDonald’s indicated they aren’t interested in using the GM Arctic Apple in their products.  The companies responded to a letter initially sent by Friends of the Earth in regards to the development of the GM apple known as the Arctic Apple®.

The farmers don’t want it.

BC Fruit Growers Association, US Apple Association and other apple organizations don’t want it according to the Fruit Growers News.  The Packer, a website for “Everything Produce” posts a letter from the US Apple Association President, Nancy Foster to the USDA outlining the concerns by the US Apple Association.

Her letter shares the association concerns.  The rejection of the GM apples as exports to other countries who ban or label GMOs is of concern when $1 out of every $3 dollars in the apple business is revenue derived from exports.  Why would they want to lose one-third of their business to countries that have banned GM foods?

Consumers don’t want it. 

How do you know if it’s safe to eat?  The current methods are good enough for me.  A little lemon juice always work great for grandma and for me.  When do you know if the apple’s rotten if it doesn’t brown?  Even in the paperwork submitted for the deregulation they admitted the following:

One of the most common methods is the application of a reducing agent such as ascorbic acid (vitamin C) in combination with calcium chloride (firming agent) (Chiabrando and Giacalone, 2012).

The biotech/chemical companies want the Arctic Apple, but why?

According to the documentation from Okanagan Specialty Fruits to the USDA for the deregulation status it was determined:

GD 743 and GS784 were also observed to be no more resistant to pest and diseases of apple compared to GD and GS under highly managed orchard conditions (with the possible exception of the relatively minor pest, Tentiform Leaf Miner, for GD784).

also noted in the same report…

A significant difference in the incidence of Tentiform Leaf Miner (TLM) between GS784 and GS was observed in 2005 at the Washington field trial with a higher incidence of TLM being observed on GS784.

HOW DID THE COMPANY ENGINEER THE APPLE?

The company silenced a gene in the apple (that controls browning) by inserting modified apple DNA along with genetic sequences from three different species:

1 A regulatory gene switch from a plant virus (Cauliflower Mosaic virus promoter: CaMV 35S);

2 A terminator sequence from a bacterium (Agrobacterium tumefaciens taken from its Nopaline synthase gene: nos); and

3 An antibiotic resistance marker gene from a bacterium (Streptomyces kanamyceticus) here the nptII gene (which confers resistance to the antibiotic kanamycin).

The technology was developed in Australia and licensed by Okanagan Specialty Fruits.

http://www.cban.ca/Resources/Topics/GE-Crops-and-Foods-Not-on-the-Market/Apple

NOW ASK WHY?  

Or better yet….do something about it – let yourself be heard!

OCA_Arctic Apple

 

Please take a moment and sign the Organic Consumers Association petition to let your voice be heard.

For more information you can find Fact Sheets on the Arctic Apple® on the following websites:

Friends of the Earth – Fact Sheet on the Arctic Apple
Canadian Biotechnology Action Network - information about the Arctic Apple and Fact Sheets

 

 

Posted in Call to Action, Holidays | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Act NOW to Save Your Local Food!

Posted on November 16, 2013 by gmoaction

FDA extends Food Safety Modernization Act public comments until Nov. 22, 2013

Make your voice heard while you still have time!

When Congress passed the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) in 2010, it gave the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) significant new powers. For a couple of years, the agency did very little with its new authority. But now the FDA has proposed rules that fulfill some of the worst predictions of what the agency might do. The proposed rules address two key provisions of the FSMA:

  • On-Farm Produce Standards Rule: Creates requirements for every aspect of growing and harvesting fruits, vegetables, and nuts. Download the FDA document.
  • Preventative Controls / HARPC Rule: Requires businesses (including farms) that pack, store, or process foods to do hazard analysis and risk-based preventative control (HARPC) plans. Download the FDA document.

The requirements of FSMA apply to foods within the FDA’s jurisdiction: fruits, vegetables, nuts, dairy, and all sorts of processed foods. FSMA does not address foods within USDA’s jurisdiction, namely meats.

It is important to realize that these are proposed rules and nothing is final yet. The FDA is accepting public comments until November 22, 2013. It’s vital that everyone who is concerned with the survival of sustainable agriculture and the local food movement submit comments and contact their legislators to urge Congress to limit the agency’s power.red hanging phone

It is vital that your elected officials know how you feel about your food!

  • Find out who represents you by going to www.house.gov and www.senate.gov or by calling the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121.
  • Call and ask to speak to the staffer who handles agricultural issues. Explain that you’re a constituent and that high-quality food is very important to you. Ask your Congressman to contact FDA directly on behalf of you and other constituents.
  • Get the staffer’s email address and follow up by sending them a copy of your comments to FDA.

More information about the Food Safety Modernization Act and to find out what YOU can do!

Organic Consumers Online Petition – Tell the FDA: Don’t Impose Unfair Burdens on Local, Organic & Sustainable Vegetable Farms

Posted in Call to Action, FDA | Leave a comment

Call Congress to Stop the TPP NOW!

Posted on November 12, 2013 by gmoaction

Urge Congress to STOP the TPP trade deal

There’s a trade deal under consideration—the Trans-Pacific Partnership (also known as the TPP)—that would allow corporations to overrule U.S. laws.

We need to stop this bad deal before it becomes the law of the land!

No more pollution protection

This trade deal would give polluters unrestricted access to our land, air, and water, if they see a profit opportunity. Environmental toxins pose the greatest risk to children. We need to be able to challenge polluters that want to enter and pollute our communities!

This bad deal would give polluters rights to our land, air, and water.

No right to label GMOs

Citizens across the U.S. have been working hard to make labeling of genetically engineered foods the law. We’ve seen allergies and other health problems in our own children and know we need full disclosure about what’s in the food we buy.

This bad deal would likely make the labeling of genetically engineered foods illegal because it could interfere with the profits of giant chemical companies.

Too many secrets

The text of this deal is secret, making it the first-ever trade deal with classified language. Members of Congress are only allowed to see the language one section at a time, and only if they promise not to tell anyone about it!

This bad deal has been worked out in secret by the president and hundreds of the world’s most powerful corporations.

We need an open debate

The President wants to “Fast Track” this deal—get Congress to limit debate and to “take or leave” the whole deal with an up or down vote.

Fast Track Authority would mean this bad deal could become the law with almost no debate!

call or write

Contact YOUR state Reps (202) 224-3121,
urge to Vote NO to TPP Fast Track!!

The vote could come up at any time, we need to STOP TPP FAST TRACK.
Congress listens to us when we stand together.

Top 10 Reasons to Call Our State Reps to Urge a ‘Vote No to TPP Fast Track’:

  1. The TPP would allow the GMO lobby to go global — meaning increased biotech farming acreage across the U.S., forcing unlabeled GMOs on populations of participating countries;
  2. Food labels, country or origin labels, or genetically modified food labels, would be eliminated as ‘trade barriers’ that impede corporate profits;
  3. All TPP member countries would be required to standardize sanitary measures, meaning the lowest food safety and environmental standards will be the standards adopted in compliance with the lowest minimum-wage laws;
  4. The TPP would flood the U.S. with unsafe and unlabeled imported food and seafood from countries like Vietnam; we will not be able to control what we eat, or even know what is in the food we eat;
  5. The TPP would allow foreign corporations to sue governments in offshore tribunals for unlimited cash compensation for almost any domestic environmental or other law that the corporation believes is hurting its ability to profit;
  6. The TPP would allow liquid natural gas export permits to be automatically approved without any review or consideration, meaning there would be an explosion of fracking across the U.S., potentially reversing local fracking laws;
  7. The TPP will replace small family farms with corporate agribusinesses meaning CAFOs will increase too polluting our local waterways with antibiotic resistance;
  8. The TPP will destroy heirloom seed brands and biodiversity because farmers will not be able to sell non-‘standardized’ crops, access to ‘local grown’ food will end;
  9. Big Ag has already started a ‘land grab’ to consolidate its control over both production and distribution of genetically modified crops; and
  10. The TPP would allow Monsanto to add other crops to the line of its ‘RoundUp Ready’ products, drastically increasing the amount of RoundUp pesticides in our nations soil and pesticide runoff into our groundwater and rivers, creating environmental devastation.

 

 

FB TPP Twitterstorm 11_12_13Twitter Storm and YOU are invited!

Join our GLOBAL Day of Action to raise #TPP awareness on Nov. 12 by uploading #VoteNoTPPFastTrack photos to social media EVERYWHERE, then STORM together at 9pmEDT/6pmEST.

Activist ToolKit

So, the most important message right now is to contact Congress (focus on Reps more than Senators) and urge to Vote No to TPP Fast Track.  Use this interactive state map to find out how your legislators plan to vote:  www.PDAmerica.org/tpp; when you click on this link, you have to scroll down to see the map, it’s already set on Alabama (alphabetical order/first state); so just scroll down to your state & click.

Flyers you can print and hand out
1) http://wetlands-preserve.org/phpUpload/uploads/Monsanto_Flier_Oct_2012.pdf
2) http://www.sierraclub.org/trade/downloads/TPP-Factsheet.pdf

Call Congress (emphasis on the House, not Senate) to Oppose TPP Fast Track

Protect our freedom.  Protect our democracy.  Protect our future.

Posted in Call to Action | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Trans fat and GMOs

Posted on November 10, 2013 by gmoaction

On November 7, 2013, the FDA issued a preliminary determination that trans fats are not “generally recognized as safe“, which was widely seen as a precursor to a reclassification of trans fats as a “food additive,” meaning they could not be used in foods without specific regulatory authorization. This would have the effect of virtually eliminating trans fats from the US food supply.[126][127]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans_fat

transfat labelMore than decade ago, a sea change began in the American diet, with consumers starting to avoid foods with trans fat and companies responding by reducing the amount of trans fat in their products.

This evolution began when FDA first proposed in 1999 that manufacturers be required to declare the amount of trans fat on Nutrition Facts labels because of public health concerns. That requirement became effective in 2006.

However, there are still many processed foods made with partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs), the major dietary source of trans fat in processed food.  Trans fat has been linked to an increased risk of coronary heart disease, in which plaque builds up inside the arteries and may cause a heart attack.

Keefe says that even though the FDA requirement that trans fat be listed on the Nutrition Facts label took effect in January 2006, consumers took the health warnings to heart early. They started turning away from foods with trans fat soon after publication of FDA’s final rule in 2003. Taking the lead from consumers, many processed food manufacturers followed suit and voluntarily changed their food formulations to reduce or eliminate trans fat.

However, Mical E. Honigfort, a consumer safety officer at FDA, says that trans fat can still be found in such processed foods as:

 

  • crackers, cookies, cakes, frozen pies and other baked goods
  • snack foods (such as microwave popcorn)
  • frozen pizza
  • vegetable shortenings and stick margarines
  • coffee creamers
  • refrigerated dough products (such as biscuits and cinnamon rolls)
  • ready-to-use frostings

http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm372915.htm

 

Soybean Farmers Respond to FDA Ban on Trans Fat

In response to today’s notice by the FDA, Mississippi soybean farmer and ASA President Danny Murphy issued the following statement: “The vast majority of soybean oil consumed is not partially hydrogenated and is free of trans fats, so consumers can be assured of the continued safety and healthfulness of soybean oil and the many food products that contain it. It’s also important to remember that soybean oil is a very healthy oil that is high in poly-unsaturated fats and has high levels of heart-healthy Omega-3 fatty acids.”

Murphy pointed out that since 2003 the soybean industry has been aggressively developing soy oil that contains no trans fats, “According to the FDA’s own analysis, average consumer consumption of trans fats has fallen by more than 70 percent in the past decade. We’ve replaced the functional characteristics that some baking and frying applications needed from partially hydrogenated oils through blending of various oils, the blending of fully hydrogenated soybean oil (which does not contain any trans fats) with liquid soybean and other oils, and other processes that reduce or eliminate trans fats.”

Murphy added that seed and technology companies within the soybean industry have developed soybean varieties that are high in heart-healthy high oleic fatty acids and eliminate the need for partial hydrogenation. These high-oleic soybean oil varieties enable food companies to get the functionality they desire for flavor stability, texture, and other important characteristics while avoiding the tradeoff to higher saturated fat or trans fat levels that comes with using palm oil or partially hydrogenated oil for stability. “The soy checkoff is working closely with these companies to accelerate the commercialization of these high oleic soybean varieties, and we expect to have significant quantities of high oleic soybean oil available in the marketplace by 2016,” he said.

http://www.hoosieragtoday.com/fda-proposal-ban-on-trans-fat/

 

Soybean Oil: One of the Most Harmful Ingredients in Processed Foods – Dr. Mercola

Besides the health hazards related to the trans fats created by the partial hydrogenation process, soybean oil is, in and of itself, NOT a healthy oil. Add to that the fact that the majority of soy grown in the US is genetically engineered, which may have additional health consequences. When taken together, partially hydrogenated GE soybean oil becomes one of the absolute worst types of oils you can consume.

Are Low-Linolenic Soybeans the Answer?

We now also have other Monsanto-made soy crops to contend with. Responding to the growing demand for healthier diets, Monsanto launched Vistive low-linolenic soybeans in 2005. Most soybeans contain roughly seven percent linolenic acid. The new varieties contain one to three percent. As explained by Monsanto:

“The oil from these beans can reduce or virtually eliminate trans fat in processed soybean oil… Vistive low-linolenic soybeans have lower levels of linolenic acid. Because of these lower levels, which were achieved through traditional breeding practices, the oil produced by Vistive low-linolenic seeds does not require hydrogenation, the process that is used to increase shelf life and flavor stability in fried foods, baked goods, snack products and other processed foods.”

Yet another soybean variety created by Monsanto is the high stearate soybean, which also has the properties of margarine and shortening without hydrogenation. But are these soybeans any better or safer than either conventional soybeans or Roundup Ready soybeans, even though they don’t have to go through partial hydrogenation, and therefore do not contain trans fat? No one knows.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/01/27/soybean-oil.aspx

The other GMO alternative is canola oil –

Canadian Canola Council

The healthiest commodity oil available today

Canola oil contains the least amount of saturated fat of any common edible oil on the market. At least 93% of the fats in canola are the healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated varieties.

  • Canola has high levels of monounsaturated fatty acids, which have been shown to reduce blood cholesterol levels.
  • Its polyunsaturated fats are essential omega-3s – which may help prevent heart attacks and strokes – and omega-6s – which are important for the brain and essential for the growth and development of infants.
  • It is a rich source of vitamin E.
  • Like all vegetable oils, canola oil is cholesterol-free.

http://www.canolacouncil.org/oil-and-meal/canola-oil/

 

The Great Con-ola

How is the consumer to sort out the conflicting claims about canola oil? Is canola oil a dream come true or a deadly poison? And why has canola captured so large a share of the oils used in processed foods?

Even the dogma that monounsaturated fatty acids are good for the heart is at risk. According to a 1998 report, mice fed a diet containing monounsaturated fats were more likely to develop atherosclerosis than mice fed a diet containing saturated fat.29 In fact, the mice fed monounsaturated fats were even more prone to heart disease than those fed polyunsaturated fatty acids.

This means that the type of diet recommended in books like The Omega Diet–low in protective saturates, bolstered with high levels of omega-3 fatty acids and relying on monounsaturated fatty acids, whether from olive or canola oil, for the majority of fat calories–may actually contribute to heart disease. Such diets have been presented with great marketing finesse, but we need to recognize them for what they are–payola for the food companies and con-ola for the public.

http://www.westonaprice.org/know-your-fats/the-great-con-ola

 

So What Oils Do You Think the FDA Are Going to Suggest?

Canola, soybean and corn oil

5 Cooking Oils You THINK Are Healthy…But AREN’T

 

So What Oils ARE Healthy?

The following list will present 6 of the healthiest cooking oils. I’ll also list the smoke point of each oil, which is the highest temperature that an oil can be heated before becoming dangerous (oxidized or carcinogenic). Knowing the smoke point of each oil will help you determine whether to use it in low or high temperature cooking.

The amount of evidence that links saturated fats and cholesterol to heart disease is slim to none. Unfortunately, the medical world is slow to come around to this evidence and continue to prescribe unhealthy and ineffective low-fat diets and cholesterol lowering drugs to those with heart disease. Even world renowned heart surgeon Dr. Dwight Lundell has spoken out against the vilification of saturated fats:

Animal fats contain less than 20% omega-6 and are much less likely to cause inflammation than the supposedly healthy oils labelled polyunsaturated. Forget the “science” that has been drummed into your head for decades. The science that saturated fat alone causes heart disease is non-existent. The science that saturated fat raises blood cholesterol is also very weak. Since we now know that cholesterol is not the cause of heart disease, the concern about saturated fat is even more absurd today.” – Dr. Dwight Lundell, MD Cardiologist (source)

To put it simply, the evidence that links heart disease to inflammation caused by processed foods like white flour, white sugar and chemical additives is much stronger.

Dr. Lundell goes on to explain:

What you can do is choose whole foods your grandmother served and not those your mom turned to as grocery store aisles filled with manufactured foods. By eliminating inflammatory foods and adding essential nutrients from fresh unprocessed food, you will reverse years of damage in your arteries and throughout your body from consuming the typical American diet.”

http://www.healyrealfoodvegetarian.com/healthiest-cooking-oils/

This is the article I read with the movie that started me thinking.

November 10, 2013 

Saturated Fat and Cholesterol Myth Exposed in Mainstream Media in Australia

http://healthimpactnews.com/2013/saturated-fat-and-cholesterol-myth-exposed-in-mainstream-media-in-australia/

I think it is interesting regarding the content about cholesterol and statin drugs and how it fits into the “business model” of the FDA’s announcement.  The other part of the “business model” will be to push GMO derived oils as a “safe” alternative to trans fats.  It’s also interesting to note the similarities to the industry funded studies for the pharmaceutical industry (in the movie) to the industry funded studies for GMOs.

Heart of the Matter Part 1 – Dietary Villains

 

Heart of the Matter Part 2 – Cholesterol Drug War

 

Posted in FDA | 1 Comment

Yes on I-522 Needs YOU

Posted on October 29, 2013 by gmoaction

I522 phone bankOnly ONE week before Washington voters decide on GMO labeling.

What happens in Washington could ultimately effect labeling for all of us.  WE need to step up and help them win the Yes on I-522 ballot initiative.

Phone calls need to be made to reach those remaining undecided voters before election day on Nov. 5th.  Come on everybody, roll up your sleeves and get started.  The opposition is pushing hard…we need to push harder.

I’m ready, so tell me what to do…. 4 Easy Steps to Get Started

What’s this phone banking system and how does it work?

Call Fire Demo – a quick demo of the phone program is provided.  Read through the quick steps outlined below and then try it out.

Read these next three steps first:

  1. First, enter your phone number and email where requested.  You can leave all the other info as it is and then click NEXT.
  2. Your phone will ring, so answer it.  You will be asked to press # on your phone. So go ahead and follow along.
  3. The system will give you an Agent ID number to enter on your screen.  Enter the number on your computer and click LOGIN.  Sit back and listen to the demo which shows you how easy the phone system is.  The demo will instruct you to click on items, go ahead…that’s what a demo is for.

Try it out and see how easy it is.  It’s THAT easy!

Still have questions….we’ve got answers….

Some of the top questions people ask about volunteering for phone-banking:

1.  Do you have to live in Washington state to make calls?  No you can live anywhere in the US and help out.  Washington and Yes on I-522 needs all hands on deck.

2.  I can’t make long distance calls, won’t I have to call people in WA state?  You don’t have to call out, the system will call you.

3.   What are you supposed to say?  Prepared materials are available.  Here’s the script.  Here’s the FAQs.

4.  Is there training for this?  Yes the next training is OCTOBER 30 at 5 PM Pacific Time, sign up now!

I’m ready, so tell me what to do…. 4 Easy Steps to Get Started

 

Posted in Call to Action | Leave a comment

Non-GMO Halloween

Posted on October 26, 2013 by gmoaction

halloween handout small

More non-GMO Halloween handouts available  – Institute For Responsible Technology

GMOs and Processed Foods

bee costume

Did you know…?

More than 75% of processed food on our grocery store shelves today contain at least one genetically modified ingredient? The top culprits are sugar beets (95% of sugar beets are GM), soy (94% is GM), canola (90% is GM) and corn (88% is GM).

Children are more vulnerable to the dangers of GMOs

  • Infants and young children are more sensitive to chemicals or toxins.
  • Their immune systems and blood brain barriers are not fully developed.
  • They eat more and metabolize their food at higher rates.
  • Infants are three to four times more prone to food allergens, even tiny amounts.

We want you to enjoy a healthy Halloween with your little “bees” and “goblins”. So we’ve put together some links to resources and ideas to have fun and stay healthy.

We’ve marched against Monsanto, we sign petitions and we contact our legislators to label GMOs.  However, did you know the most effective way to get rid of GMOs is to stop buying the products that contain them?  That’s right….if we don’t buy them, they won’t sell them anymore.  The only thing the corporation cares about is their bottom line. Not our health, not the environment, not what’s best for the planet or how to feed the world….but their profit margin is what get’s their attention.

jackolantern

You can do your part of boycotting GMOs this Halloween and offer non-GMO alternatives by choosing either organic or Non-GMO Project verified treats.

Non-GMO Project verified candy and Non-GMO Project verified snacks are great treats without the GMOs.  Organic treats are another good option for those goblins at your door.

Join a GMO-Free Halloween event on Facebook to get ideas of how you can celebrate the holiday without all the GMOs.

 

Posted in Holidays | 1 Comment

GMO Mini Summit October 25-27, 2013

Posted on October 19, 2013 by gmoaction

Have You Heard About the GMO Mini Summit coming October 25th?  It’s free and it’s online for everyone.

vertical bannerFrom October 25-27 the GMO Mini Summit, hosted by John and Ocean Robbins along with Jeffrey Smith, will be broadcasting 3 riveting interviews each day.

The general schedule of each days’ Summit interviews is a sequence airing on the Internet and via teleconference at 8AM, 9AM, and 10AM Pacific Time.  The finale will be on October 27th at 11:00 AM Pacific.  Each call will be roughly 30+ minutes long, and available on 24 hour replay.

Then starting on November 3 and continuing each Sunday for five weeks, an additional feature, the “Second Wave Expert Presentations” will be available. Those will also be on 24 hour replay.

You can listen to the interviews at the scheduled times – AND also for up to 24 hours afterwards on our website.  They will be broadcast via teleconference, if you want to call in by phone or via Skype, also on the broadcast page of our website.

The GMO Mini Summit is free for the public so register now so you don’t miss this great opportunity to learn more about GMOs.   There is an Empowerment Package offered for those who wish to purchase the entire package.   However the GMO Mini Summit event is free to attend.

The Speakers for the GMO Mini Summit are all the “Who’s Who of Non-GMO”

Thierry-VrainThierry Vrain, Ph.D
The Former Pro GMO Scientist Speaks Out

In his 35 years as a leading research scientist for the Canadian government, Dr. Thierry Vrain was paid to reassure the public that genetically engineered foods were safe to eat. But now, this insider will lift the veil and expose the truth that Monsanto doesn’t want you to know.

As the former head of biotechnology at Agriculture Canada’s Summerland Research Station, Thierry knows the science of GMOs inside and out… And he’s sounding the alarm.

Get Thierry’s thoughtful, credible, and deeply informed take on the real health and environmental impact of genetically engineered foods. This is a presentation you’ll want to share with everyone you know.

 

Vandana-ShivaVandana Shiva, Ph.D
Food Security In A Global Community

Dr. Vandana Shiva is founder of Navdanya (“nine seeds”), a movement of thousands of Indian farmers promoting biodiversity and use of native seeds. Vandana is a recipient of the Right Livelihood Award, often called “The Alternative Nobel Prize”, and the director of the Research Foundation on Science, Technology, and Ecology. She is author of many bestselling books, including Stolen Harvest: The Hijacking of the Global Food Supply. Forbes named Vandana “one of the 7 most influential feminists in the world,” and Time selected her as an “environmental hero.” Vandana will inform you of the real global impact of GMOs and inspire you to consider the deeper implications of seed patenting and ownership.

 

Claire-RobinsonClaire Robinson, MPhil
The Science, The Spin, & The Truth

Claire Robinson is research director at Earth Open Source and editor for GMWatch. She is the former managing editor of SpinProfiles (now Powerbase.org), and is an investigative reporter on public health, science, and environmental issues. Claire is not only up-to-date on events relative to GMOs, she is often the root source for where many in the movement get their information. If you want to know the political, socio-economic, scientifically proven, historically accurate, and up-to-date facts about GMOs, this interview is not to be missed.

 

Ken-CookKen Cook
Sustainable Agriculture for a Hungry World

Ken Cook is president and co-founder of the 1.3 million-member Environmental Working Group (EWG). He is one of the environmental community’s most prominent and effective experts on chemicals, pesticides, and U.S. farm and food policy.

Ken’s work helped to catalyze the landmark Food Quality Protection Act that required the EPA to consider the dietary risks of pesticides on children’s health. EWG researchers later discovered hundreds of industrial chemicals in umbilical cord blood. By proving that contamination began in the womb, they changed the debate over chemical exposures.

Ken will show you how to protect your family and to take informed action on the issues that matter most to you.

 

Dr-Michael-HansenMichael Hansen, Ph.D
What Does The Science Tell Us?

Dr. Michael Hansen is a Senior Staff Scientist with Consumers Union (CU), the publisher of Consumer Reports. Dr. Hansen has served on the USDA Advisory Committee on Agricultural Biotechnology, and on the California Department of Food and Agriculture Food Biotechnology Advisory Committee. He represents Consumers International, a federation of more than 250 organizations in 110 countries, at Codex Alimentarius and other international forums, and he has testified in dozens of hearings. As a globally recognized scientist who values peer reviewed published data, and with a responsibility to stand independent of special interest agendas, Dr. Hansen will give you fact-based insight on GMO science.

 

Robyn-OBrienRobyn O’Brien
Fighting Food Allergies

Robyn O’Brien was a financial and food industry analyst whose life was turned upside down by her daughters’ sudden allergy-induced illness. Robyn’s love of her kids led her to take an honest look at our food system. What she discovered changed her life forever. She went on to found AllergyKids, and to become one of the most formidable forces in the food movement today. With her wildly popular TED talks, books, magazine columns, and her online advocacy, Robyn has become what the New York Times called “food’s Erin Brockovich“. What she’s uncovered about food allergies – and GMOs – will rock your world!

 

Rachel-ParentRachel Parent
How to Debate Biotech Industry Apologists

Rachel Parent is a 14-year old Canadian activist and founder of the organization, Kids Right To Know, which raises awareness about urgent environmental issues affecting youth. Pro-GMO CBC business news co-host Kevin O’Leary invited Rachel on his show for a debate. The segment has been seen by more than 1.8 million people, and launched Rachel into the international spotlight.

Rachel has since been lauded as the youngest rising star of the anti-GMO movement. Rachel will share her insights on helping kids understand GMOs, and how to debate the topic with anyone who disagrees with you.

If you have kids or know any, this is an inspirational interview not to be missed!

 

Andrew-KimbrellAndrew Kimbrell
Your Right To Know

Andrew Kimbrell is a leading public interest attorney and the founder and director of The Center for Food Safety. He fights to protect people and the environment from the threats of chemical-dependent industrialized agriculture.

Andrew is often called on to testify before the United States Congress, and his work has been featured in numerous publications and documentaries. His most recent book is Your Right to Know: Genetic Engineering and the Secret Changes in Your Food.

The Guardian recognized Andrew as one of the 50 people who could change the planet. We think he’ll change your life!

 

Dr-Joseph-MercolaJoseph Mercola, D.O.
Reclaim Your Health And Your Democracy

Will we ever see genetically engineered foods labeled? What good would that do, and what’s it going to take to get there? Get the inside story from one of the world’s leading advocates for the labeling of genetically engineered foods, Dr. Joseph Mercola. Joseph is a 1982 graduate of the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine, and a former Chairman of Family Medicine at St. Alexius Medical Center.

He is the author of two New York Times bestselling books, and founder of one the most heavily trafficked health websites on the Internet, mercola.com.

Find out Joseph’s take on the labeling issue, campaign strategy, and how we can reclaim our democracy from big agribusiness.

 

John-Jeffrey-finalJohn Robbins & Jeffrey M. Smith
Protect Your Family and Make a Difference

Join John Robbins and Jeffrey Smith, globally renowned experts and bestselling authors on food, health, and GMOs, for a special hour-long presentation hosted by Ocean Robbins.

They will inspire and galvanize you with the insights and inspiration you need to put all you’ve learned into action for your health and the health of those you love.

This is a rare opportunity to hear these two maverick food movement leaders at the SAME TIME, as they share their experience and top insights.

 

Your 10 “Second Wave” Expert GMO Presentations

Don-HuberDon Huber, Ph.D
The Trouble With Roundup

Dr. Don Huber is a former consultant to Monsanto. Now he’s exposing the dramatic dangers of their herbicide, Roundup. He knows what he’s talking about! Don is Professor Emeritus of Plant Pathology at Purdue University.

For the past 55 years, his agricultural research has focused on the epidemiology and control of soil-borne plant pathogens with an emphasis on microbial ecology. Don is an active scientific reviewer and a consultant to academia, industry, and government. He has authored or co-authored over 300 journal articles, 3 books, and 84 special invitation publications.

Dr. Huber will give you scientifically rigorous insights on the chilling effects of Roundup on livestock, on the environment, and on your health.

 

Rick-PalmquistRick Palmquist, DVM
Are Your Pets Suffering from GMO-tainted Food?

Do you have animal companions in your life? It turns out that genetically engineered food doesn’t just affect humans. Just ask Dr. Richard Palmquist, a highly respected veterinarian who has found extraordinary results when he prescribes GMO-free diets for pets. Richard is chief of integrative health services at Centinela Animal Hospital in Inglewood, California and a past president of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association

He is also author of Releasing Your Pet’s Hidden Health Potential. You’ll find about recent discoveries in pet health, including how GMOs could be linked to itching, diahrrea, allergies and fatigue.

And you’ll find out about alternatives that could make a huge difference to the animals you love!

 

Jeremy-Seifert140Jeremy Seifert
GMO OMG!

Jeremy Seifert, film director-turned-activist, speaks on humanitarian and environmental issues around the world. He began his quest to understand the GMO issue after having learned that Haitian farmers burned seeds offered by Monsanto. He travelled to Haiti to understand what these seeds were and why an impoverished country, further devastated by an earthquake, would reject them. Thus began Jeremy’s life-changing journey, documented in the new hit film, GMO OMG.

Jeremy is raw, authentic and earnest in his pursuit of sanity in a crazy agricultural maze. Find out about his unique story, and what he learned about the food he was feeding his children.

 

Gottfried|Dye-2282Sara Gottfried, M.D.
How GMOs Affect Your Hormones

Dr. Sara Gottfried teaches men and women how to reset their hormones naturally with food. She is a Harvard-educated physician, speaker, and author of the NY Times bestseller The Hormone Cure: Reclaim Balance, Sleep, Sex Drive and Vitality Naturally with The Gottfried Protocol

Sara has been regularly featured in the media, from O Magazine to 20/20. Known for quoting Top 40 lyrics and effortlessly blending serious health matters with playfulness and humor, Sara is a systems-based functional medicine coach, MIT-trained bioengineer, mom/wife, and certified yoga teacher.

She will share the science of how GM foods may hijack your energy, weight, mood, fertility, and sex drive.

 

Michael-AntoniouMichael Antoniou, Ph.D
GMOs: Separating Myth From Truth

With all the information and misinformation out there on the GMO topic, it can be hard to sort out what the scientifically proven facts really are. That’s why you’ll appreciate Dr. Michael Antoniou’s grounded and potent presentation.

Michael is a molecular scientist and genetic engineer, and the co-author of GMO Myths and Truths, which is one of the most-thoroughly researched and comprehensive books on GMOs ever written. He will shed light on the vast misconceptions that genetically engineered foods are increasing yield, reducing pesticide use, and offering a solution to climate change

After this presentation, you’ll be able to decipher facts from misinformation, and know the real story.

 

Miguel-AltieriMiguel Altieri, Ph.D
The Environmental Impact of GMOs

GMOs have been touted as an answer to everything from pesticide use to droughts to topsoil erosion. But are these claims justified? Find out from one of the world’s top experts on sustainable agriculture, Dr. Miguel Aliteri.

Miguel has been a Professor of Agroecology at UC Berkeley for more than three decades, and has served as General Coordinator for the United Nations Development Program’s Sustainable Agriculture Networking and Extension Program. He is author of more than 200 publications and books including Agroecology: The Science of Sustainable Agriculture and Biodiversity.

If you care about the planet, and you want the facts about sustainable agriculture, then this is for you.

 

Anthony-SamselAnthony Samsel
Is Your Illness Related to Roundup?

In his ground-breaking paper that was published in the peer-reviewed journal Entropy, independent researcher Anthony Samsel shows how the active ingredient in Roundup may be promoting cancer, infertility, diabetes, obesity, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, MS and many of the diseases associated with the modern Western diet.

During this presentation, you will find out which illnesses may be related to the active ingredients used in the very popular Roundup herbicide, and what you can do to avoid unintentionally ingesting foods that carry it.

 

Arran-StephensArran Stephens
The Marketplace Is Changing Everything

Sales of organic and natural foods are exploding, and non-GMO certified products are the fastest growing sector in the food industry. Now you will meet one of the foremost leaders of this burgeoning movement, Arran Stephens.

Arran is the CEO and co-founder of Nature’s Path Foods, which is North America’s largest organic and independent cereal company. He was a founding donor and board member of the Non-GMO Project, and he helped to develop the USDA National Organic Program. Get his keen insights, and his message of hope.

 

Howard-Vlieger140x174Howard Vlieger
Farming and GMOs

Howard Vlieger is a third generation family farmer. He coordinated and co-authored the only scientific study of its kind, in which identical groups of hogs were fed GMO and non GMO grain for the entirety of their lives. The results of his study have rocked the farming world.

Howard is an internationally recognized speaker on the topic of farming and GMOs, and serves on the board of directors for the Farm & Ranch Freedom Alliance and the Council for Healthy Food Systems. Get a first-hand, real-life account straight from the farmer’s mouth. If you’ve ever wondered what is really happening on the frontlines with GMOs and farming, this interview is a must!

 

Dr-Tom-ObryanDr. Tom O’Bryan
The Gluten Intolerance Connection

Millions of people are now going gluten-free. Is there a connection between GMOs and the recent massive rise in gluten intolerance? Internationally recognized celiac disease and gluten intolerance speaker Dr. Tom O’Bryan will give his stirring insights on this important question.

Dr. O’Bryan is a clinician renowned for his treatment of chronic disease and metabolic disorders from a Functional Medicine perspective.

Find out what this gluten expert has to say about the possible connection between GMOs and gluten intolerance.

 

Your Hosts

Jeffrey-Smith-Final-ZoomedJeffrey Smith is a leading consumer advocate promoting safe food and exposing the dangers of GMOs. He is founder of the 250,000 member Institute for Responsible Technology (IRT) and author of the international bestseller, Seeds of Deception: Exposing Industry and Government Lies about the Safety of the Genetically Engineered Foods You’re Eating.  His recently released, award-winning film, Genetic Roulette, has been seen by millions of people and helped to empower concerned citizens worldwide. Jeffrey has counseled leaders from every continent, lectured in 30 countries, and been a popular guest on programs like BBC, NPR, Fox News, and the Dr. Oz Show.

 

JR-relaxed1John Robbins could have inherited the Baskin-Robbins empire. But he walked away from the money and the power. Why? He simply didn’t want to devote his life to selling ice cream after realizing it makes people unhealthy. So he decided to make a change. Over the last 25 years, his books about healthy eating and healthy living (including bestsellers Diet for a New America and The Food Revolution) have sold millions of copies and have been translated into more than 30 languages. He is co-founder, with his son and colleague Ocean, of the 100,000+ member Food Revolution Network.

 

Ocean-Robbins2Ocean Robbins was born in a log cabin built by his parents, and grew up eating food they grew on the land together. At age 16, he co-founded Youth for Environmental Sanity (YES!), and went on to direct it for the next 20 years. Ocean’s work has taken him all over the world, where he has seen first-hand the powerful impact of the food we eat – not just on our health, but on people and economies everywhere. He is co-author, with his dad, John, of Voices of the Food Revolution, and CEO of the Food Revolution Network.

Make sure you don’t miss out –  register for the free GMO Mini Summit and don’t forget to share with your friends.

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March Against Monsanto

Posted on October 13, 2013 by gmoaction

Here we go again….taking it to the streets, all over the world to March Against Monsanto and say NO GMOs!  The first March Against Monsanto took place on May 25, 2013 where people took to the streets carrying signs and chanting “No Monsanto”.  We marched again on October 12, 2013, all over the world.

We’ll be back to March Against Monsanto again on May 24, 2014 and we will keep marching until we are heard!

MAM Oct 12 2013 Traverse City MI

In May mainstream media didn’t give the March Against Monsanto much coverage but as the food movement has grown it’s become harder to ignore over 90% of the population who want GMOs labeled.

In Dallas, Texas even the aliens won’t touch them!

Dallas TX

But seriously, this one sums it up….

Thank you

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