people vs biotech - (formerly nm urban) homesteader -...
TRANSCRIPT
People VS Biotech
GMO Labeling - Battleground New Mexico 2013
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We all remember the November 2012 failure of California’s Prop 37 and we all know it was because
of the millions of dollars of anti-Prop 37 campaigning by the big Biotech firms. Well now it seems that
New Mexico is going to be the next battle ground on GMO labeling.
Have you noticed the recent commercials by “Family Farmers”? They are not only sponsored by
Monsanto, they are the same commercials that ran in California last year! Yes, sirree – the battle
has begun … (and died January 31, 2013)
GMO Labeling - Battleground New Mexico 2013
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On December 17, 2012 New Mexico Senator Peter Wirth (D-Santa Fe) introduced and prefilled SB
18, which is an amendment to sections of existing NM commerce laws on Food and Commercial
Feed. This will be taken up by the legislature when the regular session begins on January 15, 2013.
Basically this amendment will require GMO ingredient labeling on food, raw or processed and
livestock feed.
Food & Water Watch, which worked with Senator Wirth on the wording, issued a press release on
December 20, 2012 about this new battle and it can be view at
http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/pressreleases/amendment-to-label-ge-food-pre-filed-for-new-
mexico-senates-consideration/
SB 18 can be viewed at:
http://www.nmlegis.gov/lcs/_session.aspx?chamber=S&legtype=B&legno=%20%2018&year=13
You can download the amendment @
http://www.nmlegis.gov/Sessions/13%20Regular/bills/senate/SB0018.pdf
The two key contacts to this New Mexico battle are:
Eleanor Bravo, Food & Water Watch, 505-730-8474
NM Senator Wirth, 505-988-1668 ext. 104
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OK New Mexicans, it is time to go to the Round House; time to write, email and call your state
senators and spread the word!
I for one am 100% behind this amendment as I have a ton of food allergies and some of them are an
allergic reaction to chemically bleached grains and RoundUp, along with RoundUp resistant food
products. I have been living with these allergies for several decades and am a bit tired of having to
get sick in order to find out if the product I am eating contain these allergens – and that is on top of
then having to throw it out!
For some rather scary information on what is done to our “unlabeled” food see The 6 Creepiest Lies
the Food Industry is Feeding You at http://www.cracked.com/article_19896_the-6-creepiest-lies-food-
industry-feeding-you.html
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Folks, this is on top of the fact that the FDA recently approved GM salmon, so now that salmon you
eat may not only be dyed, it will most likely be GM too.
So New Mexico the ball is in our court. Let’s show the rest of the U.S. that when it
comes to important issues we are concerned with the bottom line and not politics.
For an interesting video on GMO foods sponsored by Just Label It! see
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ep4uxbhsvI , better still sign their petition while you are there.
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Additional information on GMO foods can be found at the sites listed above and:
Center for Food Safety http://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/
Cornucopia Institute http://www.cornucopia.org/
Natural Society http://naturalsociety.com/
Non GMO Project http://www.nongmoproject.org/
Organic Consumers Association http://www.organicconsumers.org/
Natural News http://www.naturalnews.com/
Just Label It http://JustLabelIt.org/
How Much Will Labeling Genetically Engineered Foods Really Cost? http://documents.foodandwaterwatch.org/doc/GELabelCost.pdf
Taking on Corporate Power in the Food Supply Factsheet http://documents.foodandwaterwatch.org/doc/Antitrust-CorporatePower-web.pdf
Comprehensive list of all the brands owned by corporations that donated to the No on 37 campaign
http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_26638.cfm
GMO Products Lists FAQs (Information on Genetically Modified (GM) foods including a list of GM foods with DNA changes and the pros and cons of GM food today.) September 22, 2009
http://www.disabled-world.com/fitness/gm-foods.php
GMO Dangers http://www.responsibletechnology.org/gmo-dangers
Non-GMO Shoppers’ Guide http://truefoodnow.org/shoppers-guide/ & download @ http://truefoodnow.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/cfs-shoppers-guide.pdf
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How to Identify & Avoid GMO Ingredients, Antibiotics & More-GMO Free Shopping Guide
https://products.naturalsociety.com/purchase/GMOFreeShoppingGuide.pdf
GMO Boycott Guide to Natural & Organic Traitor Brands (pocket guide)
http://organicconsumers.org/label/gmo-boycott.pdf or poster size http://organicconsumers.org/label/gmo-boycott-poster.pdf
How to boycott all the brands that helped kill Prop 37 http://www.naturalnews.com/038112_Prop_37_boycott_brands.html
GMO Our Right To Know (infographic) http://www.nongmoproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Non-GMO-Right-to-Know-We-are-WINNING.pdf
Citizens Start Labeling Themselves After GMO Labeling is Shot Down http://naturalsociety.com/gmo-labeling-shot-down-citizens-labeling/
50 percent of people falsely believe 'all natural' means no GMOs http://www.naturalnews.com/038206_food_labels_GMO_natural_foods.html
Americans Consume Nearly 200 Pounds of GMOs Each Year http://naturalsociety.com/americans-consume-nearly-200-pounds-gmos-annually/
8 Health Foods That Are Bad For Your Health http://www.cracked.com/article_18549_8-health-foods-that-are-bad-your-health.html
5 Horrifying Food Additives You've Probably Eaten Today http://www.cracked.com/article_15982_5-horrifying-food-additives-youve-probably-eaten-today.html
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Does '100 percent Natural' Mean 'GMO-Free'? No! Natural Regulators Side with Monsanto
http://naturalsociety.com/does-100-percent-natural-mean-gmo-free/
Many 'natural' foods are loaded with GMOs http://www.naturalnews.com/033780_natural_foods_GMOs.html
Whole Fraud: Exposing the Myth of So-Called Natural Foods http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_24844.cfm
Natural foods are not organic often contain GMOs and other toxins - Know the difference
http://www.naturalnews.com/035238_natural_foods_GMOs_organic.html
Natural vs Organic and GMO Cereals http://www.cornucopia.org/2011/10/natural-vs-organic-cereal/
Exposing fake organic eco-friendly companies against GMO labeling http://naturalsociety.com/fake-eco-friendly-corporations-millions-gmo-labeling/
Tell the NPA to Stop Putting the "Natural" Seal on Products that Contain GMOs!
http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_26292.cfm
Natural Products Association allows GMOs in its Certified Natural Products
http://www.naturalnews.com/037271_natural_products_association_GMOs.html
Lawsuit Slams 'All Natural' Snack Makers for Containing Harmful GMO Ingredients
http://naturalsociety.com/lawsuit-slams-all-natural-snack-makers-for-containing-harmful-gmo-ingredients/
Incidence of gluten sensitivity skyrocketing in the U.S. Are GMOs to blame?
http://www.naturalnews.com/037923_gluten_sensitivity_GMOs_food_intolerance.html
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Majority of 'gluten-free' foods found to contain GMOs http://www.naturalnews.com/037494_gluten-free_GMOs_GM_corn.html
New Lawsuit Filed Over GMO Alfalfa http://naturalsociety.com/new-lawsuit-filed-over-gmo-alfalfa/
New Study Confirms GMO Crops Causing More Pesticide Use & Superweeds
http://naturalsociety.com/study-confirms-gmo-crops-causing-more-pesticide-use-superweeds/
'Biofarms' to Integrate Vaccines & Pharmaceuticals into GMO Crops http://naturalsociety.com/biofarms-vaccines-pharmaceuticals-gmo-biopharmaceutical-crops/
Biotech industry wants organic farmers to pay for GMO contamination of their own
http://www.naturalnews.com/038139_organic_farmers_GMOs_crop_contamination.html
Precedent has now been set for organic farmers to sue biotechnology companies whose GMOs contaminate their crops
http://organicfood.einnews.com/article/1088-organic-farmer-wins-1-million-suit-over-pesticide-contamination
To GMO or Not to GMO? http://www.scribd.com/doc/106962269/To-GMO-or-Not-to-GMO
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Who helped Kill Prop 37 In California in 2012?
PepsiCo (Donated $2.5M): Naked Juice, Tostito’s, Tropicana, Tazo, Loóza, Izze, Sabra, Smartfood, Stacy's, Mother's and Near East
Kraft, recently became Mondelez (Donated $2M): Boca Burgers and Back to Nature
Coca-Cola (Donated $1.7M): Honest Tea, Odwalla
General Mills (Donated $1.2M): Muir Glen, Cascadian Farm, Larabar
Kellogg’s (Donated $791k): Kashi, Bear Naked, Morningstar Farms, Gardenburger
Smucker’s (Donated $555k ): R.W. Knudsen, Santa Cruz Organic
Safeway (Member of Grocery Manufacturers Association, which donated $2M):“O” Organics
Unilever (Donated $467k): Ben & Jerry’s
Dean Foods (Donated $254k): Horizon, Silk, White Wave
Monsanto – $4,208,000 (dah)
Con-Agra (Donated $1.2M): Orville Redenbacher’s Organic, Hunt’s Organic, Lightlife, Alexia
GMO Labeling - Battleground New Mexico 2013
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Who was supporting CA’s GMO labeling Prop 37?
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What else is in or on or a part of our food?
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Keep in mind that in the United States:
• The term “Natural” does NOT have a legal description or any regulations for use.
• The term “Fresh” does NOT have a legal description or any regulations for use. However, the food industry
generally “accepts” that as long as only refrigeration (and air circulation, including gassing) was applied and the
item arrives at the point of sale in under 5 weeks, that the item is considered fresh.
• The term “Local” to the Fed generally means anything up to and including 400 miles from where it was
grown/raised and farmers generally consider up to 50 miles local.
• The term “Organic” in the US is the one of the most loosely defined by law of ALL the nations in the Codex
Alimentarius. IE: Much of what the US terms organic would not be considered so in many other nations.
• The terms “Natural” and “Organic” are NOT interchangeable.
• The average distance from the farm to your table is 1,500 miles for “fresh” produce and a typical carrot has to
travel 1,838 miles to reach your dinner table.
• In 1866; 1,186 varieties of fruits and vegetables were produced in California. Today, California's farms produce
only 350 commercial crops.