Don’t Let Them Shove This Down Your Throat!

An estimated 75% of U.S. food possesses GMOs. That’s a scary number considering other countries have banned many GMOs linked to health problems, such as immune system dysfunction, allergic reactions and a deficient gut.

Yet we still aren’t waking up to the dangers of GMOs. In fact, the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) seems dead set on allowing this problem to continue.

GMA lobbying jumped by over 426% last year to $14.3 million. The trade group — which consists of heavy hitters such as ConAgra, General Mills, PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble and many others — is fighting to keep harmful GMOs in your food and outside of your notice.

Much of the world has banned GMOs, but Washington is refusing to get on board to protect you. However, there are ways to put the power back in your hands …

What Do Other Countries Have to Say?

Even though there are many contentious issues with genetic engineering … you can surely argue against GMOs based solely on health risks.

Germany, for example, has banned GMO corn containing Bt-toxin, which is known to impact the kidney function in human embryos. And when the toxin is combined with Monsanto’s Roundup herbicide, it can delay or prevent the human body from destroying cancer cells.

Last year, the active ingredient in Roundup, called Glyphosate, was discovered in the urine of people across 18 European countries, adding to the case against GMOs that’s led at least nine European countries, including France, Italy, Switzerland and Luxembourg, to enact a ban on genetically engineered products.

GMOs have also been found to affect your gut. Gut health is hugely important in maintaining your body’s homeostasis. The Glyphosate in Roundup is known to destroy the beneficial gut flora — in animals and humans — that helps the body detoxify. A German study believes it has led to a dramatically increased rate of botulism in cows.

Despite numerous studies on animals revealing significant harm to immune systems and toxicity in organs like the liver, kidneys, stomach and gut, plenty uncertainty remains. No GMO has undergone post-commercialization testing to determine its impact on human allergies, toxicity, carcinogenicity and birth defects.

Where we see countries have banned GMOs, it seems to make sense. But if other countries have banned GMOs, why hasn’t the United States?

U.S. Lobbying: It’s a Revolving Door

The heaviest hitters in the agribusiness sector maintain critical ties to government officials and politicians, including agencies such as the FDA and the USDA. In fact, the GMA had the gall to announce in December that it would petition the Food and Drug Administration to create a rule that would allow labeling genetically modified foods as “natural.”

To be clear: Genetically engineered crops are not natural. Something that is considered “natural” exists in nature and is not made or caused by people. That’s straightforward.

The FDA, however, has a slightly different take. It defines a substance as “natural” if “nothing artificial or synthetic (including all color additives regardless of source) has been included in, or has been added to, a food that would not normally be expected to be in the food.”

Wow. I’m no scientist, so I personally can’t expect certain genetic characteristics in my food. But genetic modification adds genes that are NOT normally expected in our food. There is quite a bit of wiggle room in there. And that’s something the GMA can take advantage of.

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The following are collectively considered the “Big 6” Biotech companies:

1. Monsanto is the world’s largest seed company, whose accompanying herbicide contains a chemical known to kill human cells. It spent nearly $7 million on agricultural-services lobbying in 2013, and its revolving-door history could make a politician blush.

2. Bayer is a significant player in chemicals, agriculture and health care. In 2006, the U.S. rice industry found out that Bayer’s unapproved GMO strain of rice had contaminated 30% of the U.S. rice crop. It spent well over $5 million last year on lobbying.

3. DuPont lurks quietly in the chemicals, materials and energy space. It spent $10.2 million last year on lobbying. During the 2012 election cycle, both Barack Obama and Mitt Romney were top recipients of DuPont’s political contributions.

4. BASF is the world’s largest chemical company and spent $2.26 million lobbying last year.

5. Syngenta produces insecticides and herbicides that include the weed-killer Atrazine of which traces can be found in roughly 95% of U.S. drinking water. It spent $1.47 million lobbying in 2013, and its lobbyists include some who served at the USDA and sat on the House Agriculture Committee.

6. Dow Chemical, producer of plastics, chemicals, hydrocarbons and agrochemicals, spent more than $10 million lobbying last year. Of their 33 lobbyists, 19 of them previously held government jobs.

I mention this to point out the glaring conflict of interest. I think it goes a long way to explaining why we’re inundated with foods that lack nutrition and pose legitimate health risks in the U.S.

The Growing Threat of Frankenstein Food

As early as 1998, Europeans developed a growing distaste for what the British originally dubbed as “Frankenstein food.” Among other uncertainties, genetic engineering represented a threat to industrialized European farms, which remain near and dear to Europeans’ hearts if not merely because of their relative close proximity. We as Americans, however, stay disconnected from our farmlands. Out of sight, out of mind, I guess.

So it’s not a matter of our regulatory agencies catching up with global counterparts. It’s a matter of American consumers catching up. It’s a matter of us putting the screws to industry giants whose influence appears to be the difference maker in labeling GMOs, banning GMOs, or at the very least honestly studying their long-term impact on animals and humans.

Because guess what happens when we’re empowered to make informed decisions and fight back?

We become a force to be reckoned with.

Case in point: A food ingredients commercial manager for Cargill, the company that cops a feel on almost every stage of our food production, released these comments on Monday after introducing a soybean oil made from identity-preserved (IdP), conventionally-bred (non-bioengineered) soybeans:

“Despite the many merits of biotechnology, consumer interest in food and beverage products made from non-G.M. ingredients is growing, creating opportunities and challenges for food manufacturers and food service operators.”

This is big! It’s acknowledgement by a huge player.

But it needs to snowball so that creating products in the interest of the consumer becomes the No. 1 priority.

If that’s not an option, then the FDA better require companies to stick a label on it.

You Can Take Control of Your Food

Last week, I asked you to raid your kitchen in an effort to eliminate processed foods, which tend to be packed with unhealthy additives and preservatives. Chances are that you came across foods that are full of genetically modified inputs that usually contain additives such as dyes and caramel coloring as well as antioxidants like BHT and BHA.

Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) are used to keep fats from going rancid, but studies suggest they cause cancer and/or disrupt hormones. BHA and BHT can be found in a host of foods including cereals, potato chips and salami.

Caramel coloring is made with ammonia and sulfites and is classified as carcinogenic. Its uses in food are widespread but perhaps most notably is its prevalence in sodas, drinks and adult beverages.

So here’s a simple rule of thumb: Buy organic. If it says “organic,” you can be sure the Big 6 hasn’t touched it.

Organic food aisles of the grocery store are growing, so you should be able to find worthwhile substitutes. At the same time, look for the Non-GMO Project stamp of approval — it signifies foods that have undergone voluntary testing and do not contain any GMOs.

As always, seek out local vegetables, dairy and meats if you can. You can find farmer’s markets, community supported agriculture or farms near you by using LocalHarvest.org. You can bypass the biotech corporations plus get food that’s fresher and, thus, more nutritious.

Next week, I plan to share how the pharmaceuticals industry in America is fostering a system of chronic treatment at the expense of consumers starved of real healing.

Until then, if you’re already working to eliminate the intrusion of Big Ag and Big Pharma in your life, we’d love to hear your story. You can email me at [email protected].

Thanks for reading.

Regards,

JR Crooks
Editor, Sovereign Living

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