USDA: Friend or Genetically Modified Foe?
Bear with me, this is long but informative…read on if you dare.
It is do or let GMOs die time at the United States Department of Agriculture, and they are letting you weigh in on their decision. The USDA’s mission is to utilize public policy, science, and management to provide leadership on food agriculture, and natural resources. Yet organizations like the Center for Food Safety have not been satisfied with their leadership, as is the European Union among other large entities. The current debate revolves around Genetically Engineered (GE) crops that were previously approved by the USDA as safe. But after being sued in 2006 by the Center for Food Safety and with pressure from a multitude of organizations and farmers, they are reviewing their approval of Monsanto’s GE Roundup Ready alfalfa. Now is your time to send them your thoughts on GE crops and their process for approval, but your time to act ends tomorrow, March 3rd!
Genetically Engineered Crops aka “Frankenfood”
Genetically modified organisms have been growing exponentially in the United States since the early 2000s in the field of agriculture. Some argue that Mendel, who originally discovered hybridization and gene characteristics in plants, was in fact creating GE crops. Yet the majority of scientists in the field disagree, they suggest it is when laboratories started manipulating the specific genes within a plant and injecting foreign genetic material. For example, scientists input salmon DNA into tomato plants to increase their cold weather resistance. This type of gene manipulation is what the European Union has banned from their food system and US food exports, calling it “Frankenfood.” While in the US very little of this seething debate was heard and companies such as Monsanto were privately patenting a large variety of seeds they claim as their own.
What are the risks of GE Crops?
For the average consumer, first and foremost your health is at risk. Next is the integrity of our food system as a whole. And of course the larger underlying threat is our ecological system and the long-term irreversible impact GE crops have already had in North America. If you are a farmer, the risks are a hundredfold.
Health
Human health issues always get a great deal of attention, and are often the primary reason action is taken when ecological disaster arises. For GE crops, this is a sensitive issue in the United States. Scientific research originally studying the long-term health impacts of GE crops was put under intense scrutiny by GE crop companies, and ultimately their funding has been revoked or minimized. Their decisive response has been to align themselves with highly respected Universities across North America (since GE crops are not allowed in the majority of developed nations) and fund only GE crop research that would shed a positive light on its nutritional and ecological ‘value’ as the company deems appropriate and favorable. This type of controlled science is unlikely to produce a result that will benefit the general public’s knowledge base and health. The original studies and those conducted in Europe prior to banning GE crops demonstrated an increase in allergies, carcinogens and cancer rates, and an overall increase in chemical build-up in the body’s fatty tissue leading to a variety of health issues.
Food System
Our food system is and has been in great peril since the 1970s food crisis. The major issues such as intensive chemical dependency, unsustainable land use, and unjust farmer-company relationships have sprouted up in literature by Michael Pollan, Eric Schlosser, and Francis Moore Lappe and movies like Food Inc. Movements revolting against this system, that cry for something more just, such as Slow Food and Slow Money, are only seedlings relative to the extensive power the major corporations hold over our food system in the United States.
History of our Food System
Let’s take a quick look at history to help put the unraveling of our food system into context. In the 1970s the price of oil flew sky high, demolishing the savings of farmers across the Midwest, America’s breadbasket. Their reliance on petroleum to run their machinery and utilize pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers left many families broken and in debt. Major corporations took advantage of their downfall by purchasing their land and designing a deal that would lure debt-ridden farmers under the company’s control. The main strategy was to purchase the land, and then allow the farmer to stay on the land and ‘lease’ it from the company. In return, the farmer would grow the crops the company demanded in the method the company deemed appropriate. The seeds, machinery, and upkeep of the land were all on the farmer and still are today. The United States transformed from a land of opportunity filled with small and medium-sized farms to a privately-owned land that could be yours (partially via lease) for a price.
Manipulation of our Food System
The food system that these companies have manipulated to their best profit margin is dependent upon their crops, their specialized fertilizers, their herbicides, and their desired management practices. GE crops made the monopolization of agriculture all the easier for these companies. Now a company, for example Monsanto, designs a seed that has a special mutation to fight disease and pests. They also design a special herbicide that will kill everything except that special seed. The farmer is now locked into part of the company’s system. They must purchase Monsanto seed, as Monsanto has dictated or aligned with land owners to dictate, and then purchase the Monsanto herbicide since it is the only product on the market that will work with their seed. Did I mention that Monsanto has designed the majority of these seeds to be “terminator” seeds, meaning they only last one season and cannot be saved to be replanted the next summer? This fact alone led to a revolt across all of India. They were outraged that they could not practice seed saving. A practice in the US that gets you on Monsanto’s notorious “Blacklist”, where they block you from customers, other farmers, and buyers of your crop, not a pleasant place to be for farmers who work with large risks of debt in their business.
Profiteers of our Food System Hint: its not you.
These companies also failed to mention two other major factors that will determine a farmer’s profit margin, other than the requirement to be locked into purchasing their products. First, the farmer’s relationship with the land is permanently altered. The companies will dictate the seeds based on desired stocks, their own Research and Development (which they test on farmers, not at their own testing facilities), among other ‘confidential’ factors. Meaning a farmer may be required to grow soy for 10 years straight with no regard to the land’s natural nutrient cycle or capacity. Soy, the one of the largest monocultures in the United States, requires a 5 year replenishment cycle for soil. If you have ever driven through Iowa, you will see miles and miles of soy, year after year. This requires the farmer to pay for large quantities of fertilizer to simulate the land’s nutrient cycle every year. So farmers have not escaped from their main source of vulnerability in the 1970s; the price of oil.
The second major factor is the power companies hold over the grain silos and the price of a crop on particular days. The unethical nature of this initially sounds like a conspiracy theory, but after speaking with farmers in company-infested farm towns, it turns out that it is more than true, it is deeply disturbing. They will purposefully manipulate the price of a crop based on the farmer and their relationship or lack their of with the company, a collaboration among industry giants that keeps farmers out of the marketplace who do not concede to their ‘rules of the game’.
Ecology
GE crops impact on the environment is not understudied, despite companies such as Monsanto’s best efforts. GE crops have been proven to mate with other plants, are not contained by 15 foot high wind barriers (previously deemed suitable by Monsanto, Dupont, and after closed door discussions the USDA), and leave an array of chemicals, unusual residue and genes in the soil beyond conventional agriculture’s significant impact on the land. The most important fact to keep aware of is that GE crops are capable of contaminating organic agriculture, meaning unless every plant is tested there is no way to determine if certified organic food in the US is free from GE crops. Farmer’s have sued Monsanto for contamination and Monsanto has sued farmers claiming patent infringement, every case to date Monsanto has won. Most often because the legal fees and barrage that they throw at the farmers literally put them out of business. The US has not determined sufficient containment procedures, resulting in the contamination of an entire portion of an island in Hawaii. This also means that GE crop seeds are spreading to plants in the wild. Since not all of their seed are terminator seeds, it is an unseen and unknown issue that is slowly creeping through our road ditches and grain spills.
This article’s intent is not to scare you, it is to make you aware of a major issue within our food system. Unfortunately, the budgets of large companies has consistently overridden the concern for the well-being of the general public. GE crops were originally touted as the cure for world hunger and a source for alternative fuel sources to eliminate the need for oil. To date, they have accomplished neither, and in the majority of cases made each issue worse. Mexico’s farmers did not appreciate the US’s ‘aid’ of goodwill terminator seeds when their rural communities tried to harvest their corn crop the following year. Farmer’s to date are more reliant on oil as is their supply chain, than in the 1970s.
The wonder and awe of our scientific games is long gone in the world of GE crops.
Current Debate – Act by March 3rd
If this has you concerned, than I encourage you to review and decide if you would like to take action. You may do so by telling the USDA that you support the Center for Food Safety’s position that GE crops, specifically Monsanto’s GE Roundup Ready alfalfa should not be grown in the United States. Please review the True Food Network’s write-up and sign by tomorrow, March 3rd if you would like to support their efforts. Their website has an overview of the debate and a pre-written letter that you can email through their website.
Shopping Tips
For those of you who would still like to eat your food in good conscience here are some important shopping tips for selecting food.
1) Numbers matter! Check for these hints on your produce at the grocery store:
If it begins with a…
9 = Organically Grown
4 = Conventionally Grown
8=Genetically Engineered
2) The EU has banned GE crops, so although I encourage you to shop locally, seasonally, and to get to know your farmers and food system, EU products outright state that they are not made with GE crops. So feel free to use this as a good guideline. Many companies based in the US have different EU and US brands, selling the GE crops to US markets, so finding EU approved companies isn’t enough. Check the product for information.
3) The Shop non-GMO App for IPhones and consumer guides can be found at The Institute for Responsible Technology
Of course local, organic, seasonal food choices will always help, but you may be surprised (possibly horrified) to learn how GE crops have infiltrated your diet. So I encourage you to read about it, speak out about it, and continue to take an educated stand on this issue. Please note that the US had a national discussion about labeling GE food, but after significant publicity efforts and closed door discussions, the government decided there were no additional dangers. The opposite conclusion the EU reached after their extensive scientific research into the issue.
The United States Department of Agriculture is in the midst of a discussion that will ultimately determine its stance on food safety. What will be your role?
Taking the ‘Ugly’ Out of Flowers
I will be the gladdest thing
Under the sun!
I will touch a hundred flowers
And not pick one.
va~Edna St. Vincent Millay, “Afternoon on a Hill”
Flowers can symbolize love, thank you, sorry, and goodbye yet behind this sentimental gesture is an extensive global supply chain that is often anything but beautiful.
The cut flower industry is worth over $40 billion dollars, the majority of which are imported from Latin America if you are living in the United States. According to Amy Stewart’s book Flower Confidential, an Ecuadorian flower farmer earns $150/month, totaling less than 4 cents per rose sold. This is on top of the extensive chemicals used to manipulate the plants including pesticides, herbicides, and “growth” sprays. The cut flower industry is anything but personal, and has a significant impact for a one-time use product.
Here are five things to consider when giving flowers to the green at heart:
Plants
Bouquets can be beautiful, yet during the winter months local, organic, or fair trade flowers can be hard to come by. By giving the gift of a plant, you can provide them with something to nurture, that can have positive effects on their health, and hopefully something to add to their spring garden! These will last longer than cut flowers, even with the miracle grow they come with these days, and can beautify their living space. Keep in mind though that not everyone with a green heart has a green thumb, so for those of us with black thumbs perhaps there are other options.
Plant -able Cards
Perhaps one of my favorite ideas that has sprouted up (pun intended) over the years, are cards that can be shredded and then watered, turning into indoor wildflower gardens. This gives it an element of surprise since you never know what will pop-up and makes the card not only compostable, but an instant nutrient. Flower card artisans each have their own approach, so make sure that the flowers are native to your region, then plant away.
The Symbol of the Flower: Not only roses
Cultures have developed special relationships with their native plants. Roses, tulips and carnations make up the majority of cut flower sales in the US, but what do these flowers symbolize? In some regions of China, the carnation symbolizes marriage, while in Western cultures the rose is connected to love, psychic powers, and protection. You can make your gift more personal by not only selecting based on local, seasonal, organic, and native flowers but also what the plant itself signifies. Here are a few ideas taken from China and the Western World, these resources are based more on suggestion than extensive research.
| Plant | Symbolism | Culture |
| Apricot | Beauty, Beautiful woman, Spring, Good Fortune | China |
| Bloodroot | Love, Protection, Purification | Western World |
| Gardenia | Love, Peace, Healing, Spirituality | Western World |
| Passion Flower | Peace, Sleep, Friendship | Western World |
| Peach Petals | State of an intense trance of love | China |
| Tangerine | Abundant happiness | China |
| Willow Branch | Able to bend/adapt but not break | China |
| Violet | Luck, Wishes, Lust, and Faith | Western World |
To learn more, please follow these links:
China’s Plant Symbology
Western World’s Plant Symbology
Eco-Friendly Plants
As mentioned earlier, selecting flowers or plants from an eco-friendly perspective can include the following combination of factors:
- In season
- Local
- Organic
- Fair-Trade
- Transferable to your own garden
Of course come spring time, any flowers cut from your own garden meet much of this criteria, so snip and then compost away.
Flowers are Dead to Me
Now for some of us, the thought of spending money to show someone that we care isn’t our chosen route. There are plenty of remedies beyond flowers, but hopefully this will help when flowers feel appropriate.
And now to leave you with a little sarcastic humor:
Why do people give each other flowers? To celebrate various important occasions, they’re killing living creatures? Why restrict it to plants? “Sweetheart, let’s make up. Have this deceased squirrel.”
~The Washington Post
For more information on the cut flower industry, I highly recommend Amy Stewart’s Flower Confidential. Here is a link to her fact sheet with information, statistics, and tips for maintaining cut flowers . She has also printed other books about floriculture and other garden-related pieces that can be found on her website.
Shopping Local Made Etsy, I mean Easy
Did anyone make a New Year’s Resolution revolving around eco-friendly gifts? For those of you who are time or talent ‘lacking’ there are several ways to locate local shops that support your economy and local entrepreneurs. My favorite site to shop local is Etsy. Etsy’s vision is to create a platform for inventive individuals to sell their work and connect them with potential buyers, thus creating a new economy where people support people in place of global supply chains.
We all know that shopping local feeds dollars into our region’s economies, bolstering their viability during tough economic times. So Etsy’s addition of a ‘Shop Local’ feature allows you to enter your location and viola! local artists in your City pop-up. Since there are no brick and mortar stores to support, the costs of production and exhibition are greatly minimized, including their environmental impacts. This is an easy way to better manage your own supply chain of goods that flow out of your house, so your gifts can match your ideals.
Instead of braving markets in the cold winter months, you can support local artists from your own home. And for those of you with crafting genius waiting to be discovered, you can create your own webpage and start sharing your work today. Who knows, you may find the perfect gift!
Click here to see what local artists are up to in your neighborhood on Etsy.
Baltimore City Considering Plastic Bag Tax
This is a local news story out of Baltimore, MD that could affects all shoppers. In an attempt to clean up the streets of Baltimore of plastic bags, the Baltimore City counsel is proposing 25¢ tax on every bag used in stores. Councilman Bill Henry is the bill’s sponsor and had this to say about the bill:
Those bags end up in our trees, in our fences, eventually in our gutters, in our storm drains, and in our harbor. It would just be easier if people didn’t take them
This comes after Washington D.C. levied a 5¢ on all non-reusable bags. There are some hurdles that councilman Henry faces including objections from several members of the council including the president.
This bill seems really great on the surface: let’s tax a product so that people won’t use it and in turn help our environment. That picture seems really cheery, but the problem is that people should not have to pay for it. It may encourage people to use less plastic bags, but why not start a program to distribute reusable bags or ban plastic bags all together like in Westport Connecticut. Why must we get taxed to help save our environment?
The truth behind bills like these are that the government is trying to get more tax money from people and use the “green” movement as a cover up. In my opinion, lawmakers are acting just as bad as businesses making false green claims just to make a larger profit. They may have better intentions than businesses, but it still ends up hurting the consumers in the end.
Share Your Thoughts
How do you feel about taxing plastic bags and any alternatives (if any) that you may feel are better than a tax.
Loading ...Farmer’s Market Season Has Begun
It’s one of my favorite times of the year, Farmer’s Markets are either starting up again or beginning to carry more and more fresh produce. It’s wonderful that we can finally begin to buy fresh local produce that is much better than horrible produce you find in grocery stores over the winter or canned/jarred preserved items. When I visit the farmer’s market, I’m always excited to find the latest produce that’s in season. There is such a huge difference in the prices and quality you will find there that it will keep you coming back every week. Also, who could forget about the great atmosphere where you get to meet the farmer’s who grew the produce.
Be sure to check out these great resources to find a farmer’s market in your area:
If farmer’s markets aren’t your thing, you could always still join up to a CSA in your area. You can have fresh produce delivered to a location near your house every week. You get the great benefits of going to a farmer’s market without having drive the sometimes long distance to get to one.
University of Maryland Plans to Bulldoze Woods
The University of Maryland plans on bulldozing 9 acres of woods near the Comcast Center, the university’s basketball stadium. This really hits home for me because I went to the University of Maryland. I used to park in a parking lot right next to the wooded area in which they plan to demolish. The University says that it needs the area to relocate support facilities because of rapid development on campus.
This news comes right as the university is considered one of the top tree-friendly campuses in America. The campus just received the “tree campus” designation from the Arbor Day Foundation along with the college’s arboretum designation by the American Public Gardens Association. This really angers me because this is just a two-faced move by the university. What’s even worse is what Anne G. Wylie, vice president for administrative affairs had to say:
“This is a very complicated problem,” she said, adding that she sees no conflict between bulldozing woods and the university’s campaign to be rated one of the nation’s greenest schools. The overall aim is to develop a more compact, walkable campus and reduce the amount of driving by students, faculty and staff, she explained. “It’s not just about preserving trees.”
Bulldozing woods is not the reason you were named one of the greenest schools throughout the nation? That is so hypocritical that isn’t not even funny. Knowing the campus well, I cxan tell you that this will not help make the campus more carbon neutral at all. No matter what you do with this area of campus, it will not help reduce the amount of driving required on campus.
What’s even worse about this problem is that the fact that the eco-system in this small area of campus is unique for the area. It has a variety of soils and species and would be ashame to seem that all destroyed.
It’s obvious this move by the university is all about money. They would like to develop the campus further by building more campus apartments and shopping. The only way to do that is move the support facilities that are on the main part of campus to these woods that in which no students live or class buildings are located.
Family Farm Wins National Environmental Stewardship Award
The Yon Family Farm out of Ridge Spring, S.C. recently won the 2009 National Environmental Stewardship Award for their conservation efforts throughout their farm at this years Cattle Industry Annual Convention. The Yon family can be considered by many as everyday environmentalist like most of us and do their part in every aspect of their farm to make a difference.
National Environmental Stewardship Award
In order to reward land stewards such as farmers and ranchers for their conservation and environmental efforts, the Environmental Stewardship Program was created in the early 1990’s. The common goal of the winners of this award is to maintain the condition of the land in the same if not better shape for future generations to use. It also provides other cattle producers with ideas on how they can apply similar methods to their own farm. It’s great to see that cattle farmers are making a change and it shows. Greenhouse gases have decreased by 4% among agriculture and America now has 16 million more acres of forestland thanks to this organization.
The Yon Family
After reading about the great efforts this family has taken to lower their impact on the environment, I just had to share it on my blog. Kevin and Lydia Yon started their farm 12 years ago after both graduating from Clemson University. They wanted to start a farm that could be passed onto their kids. Their farm has expanded from 100 to 800 cows and they now own more than 1,500 acres of ground. Some of the things they have done in order to win this award include:
- Irrigating crops with pond-water using an efficient, low pressure watering system;
- Planting crops using a no-till, rotational sequence to improve soil fertility and reduce erosion;
- Sampling forage and soil to monitor proper fertilizer application;
- Reinforcing more than 34,000 square feet of high traffic areas around barns, water troughs and feed bunks to prevent erosion and protect water quality;
- Installing 28 water troughs and 55,352 feet of fencing to facilitate rotational grazing on pasture land; and
- Managing farm ponds to encourage healthy wildlife habitat.
I really hope that the recognition of this great family’s work spreads and other farms begin using similar methods to make a difference in this country.
