[cgfc-discuss] [Biodemocracy]Organic Bytes #19

Mon Aug 25 11:11:44 CDT 2003

ORGANIC BYTES
Organic & Food News Tidbits with an Edge 
Issue #19   8/25/2003

By Organic Consumers Association

IN THIS ISSUE:
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
CANCER COKE & PESTICIDE PEPSI
KEEP YOUR FRANKENSEEDS OUT OF OUR COUNTY
MONSANTO FINED $700 MILLION
MONSANTO'S BULLYING IN MAINE BACKFIRES
GOVERNMENT WITHOUT A BRAIN
GOVERNMENT WITH A BRAIN
FOOD REVOLUTION ON WHEELS
HOT, HOT, HOT!
TAKE ACTION

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"Mexicans are being forced to swallow the destruction of our number one
food source [corn], and the health and environment of the people who
depend on it, because governments around the world stand back and allow
the US to force their trade and biotechnology corporations' interests on
other countries." Lisa Covantes, Mexico Greenpeace, part of a group of
activists blockading a shipment of US corn entering Mexico August 18,
2003 
http://www.organicconsumers.org/ge/ge_maize_protest.cfm

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CANCER COKE & PESTICIDE PEPSI
Pepsi and Coca Cola are under fire in India, since a consumer watchdog
group discovered dangerous levels of pesticides in the companies'
beverages. New Delhi's Center for Science and the Environment tested 12
Pepsi and Coca Cola products and released a report stating that "each
sample had enough poison to cause --- in the long term --- cancer,
damage to the nervous and reproductive systems, birth defects and severe
disruption of the immune system." The report has stirred consumer
resentment to the point where citizens are taking part in "smash the
bottle" street protests. Hoping to ease the concerns within their $1.2
billion market in India, the two companies have shifted the focus of
their advertising campaigns, including full page newspaper ads reading
"The safest thing you are likely to drink today is a Pepsi."
http://www.organicconsumers.org/foodsafety/pepsi_pesticides.cfm

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KEEP YOUR FRANKENSEEDS OUT OF OUR COUNTY
Looking to be the first GMO-free zone in the nation, residents of
Mendocino County in California have launched a ballot initiative that
would ban genetically engineered crops in the county. Stores will still
be allowed to stock foods with GE ingredients, but keeping the county
clean of GE crops will protect local conventional and organic farmers
from being contaminated by drifting GE pollen. The initiative will
likely appear on the ballot in March 2004. 
http://www.organicconsumers.org/ge/mendocino_gmo_free.cfm

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MONSANTO FINED $700 MILLION
Monsanto has been fined a hefty $700 million in a class action lawsuit
against the company for poisoning Alabama residents with PCBs. The fine
will be used to clean up the land and water around one of Monsanto's
former chemical facilities in Anniston, Alabama. It will also provide
money and prescriptions to over 20,000 people, most of them low-income
African-Americans, who have developed negative lifelong health impacts
from the toxic pollutants. Monsanto's PCBs have caused everything from
severe brain damage to cancer and death.
http://www.organicconsumers.org/Toxic/monsanto_pcbs.cfm

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MONSANTO'S BULLYING IN MAINE BACKFIRES
Support is growing for the small family owned Oakhurst Dairy, which is
being sued by the $5 billion Monsanto Company for labeling their
products as rBGH-free. Realizing that the results of the lawsuit could
set a precedent for rBGH labeling on a national scale, dairy producers,
concerned consumers and even Ralph Nader are donating time and money to
the lawsuit. Oakhurst says they have the right to let their consumers
know that there are no artificial growth hormones in their milk.
Monsanto claims consumers shouldn't need to know whether or not the
company's chemicals are in their milk or not.
http://www.organicconsumers.org/rbgh/monsanto_sues.cfm

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GOVERNMENT WITHOUT A BRAIN
The USDA has announced an interim rule that will allow for controversial
"biopharm" crops, genetically engineered to create industrial chemicals
and/or pharmaceuticals, to be grown as close as a mile from food crops
such as corn. According to the Campaign to Label Genetically Engineered
Food, since corn pollen is known to be able to travel well over a mile,
"the USDA's rules will inevitably lead to industrial chemicals and
pharmaceutical drugs contaminating the food supply." The Organic
Consumers Association is actively involved in addressing these issues
via dialogue with the USDA. Take action by signing the petition for a
global moratorium on GE Foods.
http://www.organicconsumers.org/petition1.htm

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GOVERNMENT WITH A BRAIN
As economic disparity in the U.S. continues to increase, so does the gap
between those that have access to organic and locally grown produce and
those that do not. Low-income urban areas are becoming notorious for
their lack of fresh produce. Corner convenience stores prefer to stock
dry and canned goods, which have much longer shelf lives. The state of
Connecticut is demonstrating one way in which these problems can be
mitigated. Connecticut's Farmers Market Nutrition Program provides food
coupons to low-income residents that can only be used at local farmer's
markets. This program insures a strong state agricultural economy while
bringing healthy produce to those who don't have access or can't afford
it.
http://www.organicconsumers.org/organic/low_income_organic_foods.cfm

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FOOD REVOLUTION ON WHEELS
In West Oakland, CA, the nonprofit group People's Grocery is
demonstrating another way of bringing fresh, local organic produce to
inner city neighborhoods. Dubbed the "Mobile Market", volunteers drive a
solar powered refrigerated truck through inner city neighborhoods,
selling fresh organic produce to residents in low income neighborhoods.
Grants to the group help pay for the truck and offset the higher prices
of the organic produce.
http://www.organicconsumers.org/organic/low_income_organic_delivery.cfm

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HOT, HOT, HOT!
Predictions of how climate change will damage global agriculture are
already proving true. So say scientists working on an advance crop yield
forecasting system through the European Commission. Thanks to this
year's relentless heat wave in Europe, crop losses have been eerily
fitting those predicted by computer models. "It's dangerous to push
these things under the carpet because we need to start planning now for
the impacts of climate change," said Dr. Jorgen Olesen of the Danish
Institute of Agricultural Sciences.
http://www.organicconsumers.org/corp/climate_change_crops.cfm

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TAKE ACTION
If any of the issues above spark your desire to take action, please
visit OCA's Action Center for instant faxes, petitions, volunterring and
donation opportunities. http://www.organicconsumers.org/action.htm

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FOR MANY MORE FOOD ISSUE DAILY HEADLINES:
http://www.organicconsumers.org/log.html

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NOTE TO CO-OP AND NATURAL FOOD STORE SUBSCRIBERS: Organic Bytes is a
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ORGANIC BYTES is a publication of:

ORGANIC CONSUMERS ASSOCIATION
6101 Cliff Estate Road
Little Marais, MN 55614
Phone: (218) 226-4164
Fax: (218) 353-7652

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