Could Senate Bill Passage Of S510 Change The Entire Food Industry by, Chris McQuerrey.
**Updated 11/29/10... S510 may be voted on this week during the "lame duck" session.**
“If people let government decide what foods they eat and what medicines they take, their bodies will soon be in as sorry a state as the souls of those who live under tyranny.” Thomas Jefferson, 1778
.
The next 41 words, are, the most powerful ever spoken in relation to the farming industry across the United States…. “Nothing in this Act (or an amendment made by this Act) shall be construed in a manner inconsistent with the agreement establishing the World Trade Organization or any other treaty or international agreement to which the United States is a party.” Excerpt from Senate Bill S510.
.
Those words would make the US subject to the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement that Canada’s farmers union wants scrapped. The Epoch Times noted “under provisions in the (CETA) using saved seed could result in a farmers land, equipment, and crops being seized for alleged infringement of intellectual property rights attached to plant varieties owned by corporations…” CNFU president Terry Boehm said “It includes freezing of bank accounts too, so you couldn’t even defend yourself in court, and this is for alleged infringement.”
.
In 1980 the US Supreme court allowed for seed patents in a 5 to 4 decision.
.
Monsanto has become a world leader in genetically modified crops; they hold at least 647 biotech patents, more than any other company in the world. It is reported that they spend two million dollars a day on research and development.
.
In the 1990’s Bill Clinton introduced the Hazardous Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP). Purportedly to control contamination in the meat industry. HACCP delighted the World Trade Organization meat packers because it allowed them to inspect themselves, eliminated thousands of local processors (with no history of contamination) and centralized meat into their control. Monsanto supported HACCP.
.
In 2008 Hillary Clinton Urged a powerful Centralized food safety agency as part of her presidential campaign, her advisor Mark Penn, CEO of Burson Marsteller, a PR firm representing Monsanto. Clinton lost but friends like Rosa DeLauro, whose husband lists Monsanto as a progressive client and globalization as an area of expertise, introduced early versions of the bill.
.
In its present form, S510 makes all food outside government control illegal. Possession of food illegally is considered smuggling even if there is no movement, because the US is described as a corporate entity not a place. The FDA considers seeds to be food if it will be used for human or animal consumption.
.
US Food & Drug Administration and US Department of Health and Human Services states, “ There is no right to consume or feed children any particular food; There is no generalized right to bodily and physical health; There is no fundamental right to freedom of contract.” 2010. These statements give an indication of how individuals are considered in the eyes of these agencies.
.
This bill paves the way for genetically modified crops to not only dominate the market as they do now, but to choke out all the small producers of food crops.
.
Since the year 2000, the percentage of GM corn crops has increased from seven to seventy percent, and ninety three percent of soybeans are GMO according to the FDA.
.
Cynthia Sagers, an ecologist at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, lead a research team that found feral populations of GM canola growing freely in North Dakota. These populations where found often at great distances from areas of cultivation. The varieties found exhibited resistance to two different herbicides, some found exhibiting resistance to both a trait found nowhere else.
.
The Cary Institute of Ecosystem studies conducted research concerning waterway contamination from GM corn crops at 217 sites in Indiana. At about one quarter of the locations the protein CRY1AB, the toxin expressed by so called BT corn, was found. Streams originating in the Corn Belt drain into the Missippi River and the great lakes. A significant point, these studies where conducted six months after the corn harvest indicating the pesticides linger in the environment. Approximately 85% of US corn was comprised of GM crops in 2009.
.
Monsanto claims to have no interest in the bill and they would not benefit from its passage.
But, they own the rights to and produce 90% of GMO crops grown around the world.
In 2005 Monsanto employed 75 people with a budget of 10 million dollars to investigate patent infringement. A 2007 report found thousands of investigations and nearly one hundred lawsuits filed against small producers by Monsanto. These investigations include non GMO crops contaminated by nearby GMO crops.
.
The connections of Monsanto to the agencies that govern them are well documented. In addition to the afore mentioned Michael Taylor some connection include; Anne Veneman, who became US secretary of agriculture after leaving the board of Monsanto, Margaret Miller, former supervisor for Monsanto, created report seeking approval to use GBH in milk industry. First assignment with the FDA was to approve her own report.
.
Supreme Court justice Clarence Thomas, former lawyer for Monsanto, helped approve GM alfalfa.
.
Donald Rumsfield Secretary of defense, former member of the board of Searl pharmaceuticals owned by Monsanto.
.
End Of Story...
.
Jack Swint-Publisher WV News
WestVirginiaNews@gmail.com
(304) 319-4011
.
Resources
.
http://www.politicalfriendster.com/showPerson.php?id=5580&name=Monsanto
http://www.opednews.com/articles/The-multiple-ways-Monsanto-by-Linn-Cohen-Cole-090203-854.html
http://www.nature.com/news/2010/100806/full/news.2010.393.html
http://poorrichards-blog.blogspot.com/2010/09/control-of-food-supply-to-be-handed.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/content/article/2010/09/18/AR2010091803520.html?wprss=rss_nation
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-09-28/toxin-from-biotech-corn-detected-in-u-s-streams-study-finds.html
http://foodfreedom.wordpress.com/2010/10/05/obama-taps-food-industry-exec-for-top-ag-research-post/
.
.
.
.
.
No comments:
Post a Comment