ORGANIC BYTES #143
Health, Justice and Sustainability News Tidbits with an Edge!
Alert of the Week:
FDA OKs Irradiated Lettuce and Spinach
Rather than dealing with the problems inherent in a disease-ridden
factory-farmed food system, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
announced in mid-September it will allow the irradiation of lettuce and
spinach. Food irradiation is the controversial practice of bombarding
food with high levels of x-rays (ionizing radiation) in order to
destroy disease causing pathogens. Unfortunately, in the process of
irradiation, other hazards arise, like the creation of toxic free
radicals, vitamin and nutrient loss, and the formation of carcinogenic
chemicals.
While
irradiated lettuce and spinach must be labeled in supermarkets, there
are currently no labeling requirements whatsoever for restaurants,
schools, hospitals, or nursing homes serving irradiated produce or
other nuked foods such as beef. Over the past decade, OCA and our
allies in the organic community have prevented corporate agribusiness
and the nuclear industry from contaminating organic standards. Food
irradiation is prohibited on any product labeled as "organic." There is
currently a 30 day comment period for the FDA's new rule.
Tell the FDA to clean-up industrial feedlots instead of irradiating our food
Hopeful News of the Week:
Obama Backs OCA & UFW's Call for "Natural Beef" Supplier to Recognize Workers' Rights
Following alerts and petitions circulated by the Organic Consumers
Association (OCA) and the United Farm Workers (UFW) union, Barack Obama
has sent a letter urging Beef Northwest Feeders in Oregon to engage in
collective bargaining and contract negotiations with its farm workers.
Beef Northwest is refusing to acknowledge a vote its workers took
earlier this summer to form a union. Obama called on the company to
recognize the desire of the employees' rights to form a union and to
negotiate with them in good faith.
The
OCA has pressured Beef Northwest to recognize the rights of its workers
to form a union, and has asked Whole Foods Market (WFM), the major
purchaser of "natural beef" that is finished at the Beef Northwest
factory farm, to intervene. Unfortunately, the head of WFM, John
Mackey, has been vocal over the years in his opposition to unions, in
spite of company PR expressing support for Fair Trade.
Learn more and take action here.
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readers, like you, who make tax deductible donations to further our
work. Without your donations, OCA's work would not possible. In
today's economic and political climate, nonprofit organizations, like
the OCA, need your support, more than ever. With your support we'll
continue, not only to write about problems and their solutions, but
move pro-actively to make positive change a reality.
Donate Now!
Essay of the Week:
Victory Gardens Symbolize a New Age
"We have had enough of the old ways of thinking, and we are here to
take back control of our lives, our health, our resources, and our
futures. We are resisting the control of destructive governmental and
corporate forces. We are developing an energy and enthusiasm that
characterizes new values, new ways of living, new survival techniques,
and new experiences."
"A
garden that symbolizes our part in this evolution is a challenge and a
source of immense hope. If a family or group is able to achieve this,
others will follow, and the movement will grow. In a time of famine for
many and threatened famine for many others, the victory garden is an
indication of a new way the earth can be made more fruitful. We must
have a vision."
Read Barbara L. Minton's full essay here.
Government Plunder of the Week:
EPA Sued for Bee Colony Collapse Cover-Up
Over the past two years, beekeepers have reported an alarming and
potentially catastrophic loss of bees from their hives ranging anywhere
from 30-90 percent. This "Colony Collapse Disorder" (CCD) isn't just a
problem for beekeepers and farmers, but for consumers as well, since
bee pollination is essential for crop production. The USDA claims that
one out of every three mouthfuls of food is dependant on bee
pollination. Experts have been researching CCD and have linked the
die-off to a number of likely culprits.
One
of the likely killers is a new pesticide, clothianidin, approved by the
EPA in 2003. Germany and France have banned this type of pesticide to
protect their bee population. In the U.S., clothianidin was approved
after Bayer CropScience, the chemical's maker, submitted required
studies to the EPA regarding the chemical's impact on bees and the
environment. Now the EPA is suspiciously and illegally refusing to
release these public documents. To expose this cover-up and hopefully
to save the bees, last week the Natural Resources Defense Council filed
a lawsuit against the agency.
Learn more here.
Tip of the Week:
How Do You Know Which Sweet Corn is Genetically Modified?
An Organic Bytes reader sent us the following question:
"It's
harvest time, and corn is everywhere, including my local farm stand. I
asked the farmer's wife if their corn was non-GMO, and she didn't seem
to know. Could you shed some light on this in the next
newsletter--whether most sweet corn for human consumption is GMO or
not? "
OCA's Response:
More than 70% of the corn grown in the U.S. is now genetically
modified, but the overwhelming majority of this corn is grown for
animal feed and ethanol. Among the marketing problems for the biotech
companies is the fact that GMO "sweet corn" doesn't taste very good.
The bottom line is that there is very little genetically engineered
sweet corn being grown in the U.S. at the present time, so it is highly
unlikely you will be running into this "Frankencorn" at your local
farmer's market or natural food store.
Most
farmers who grow GMO crops that re-seed, like corn, are aware that they
are growing genetically engineered varieties, because Monsanto and the
other GMO seed giants require a legal contract to be signed which
prohibits the farmer from saving their seeds. And of course we can all
be thankful (and vigilant) that genetic engineering is prohibited under
national organic standards. In short, support your local and organic
farmers and enjoy this year's sweet corn harvest!
Post your comments and questions about Organic Bytes in the OCA web forum.
Top Headlines of the Week:
-
Transition Culture: Beyond the Gloom & Doom of Peak Oil, Permanent War, and Climate Chaos
-
Food, Fuel and Water Crises Converging
-
How Cities Across the World Are Promoting Urban Agriculture
-
Exposure to Certain Pesticides During Pregnancy Increases the Risk of Overweight Children
-
Monsanto's Roundup & GE Cotton Spawn Pigweed Epidemic in America's Cotton Fields
Let
OCA sift through the media smog and bring you the top new and analysis
of the day. The OCA website has 20 or more news articles posted each
day, covering issues including health, justice, food and farming,
politics, and the environment. With over thirty thousand visitors per
day, OrganicConsumers.org is a valuable resource for consumers, activists, and journalists.
GNA Alert and Video of the Week:
Green Jobs Now
On September 27, 2008, the Organic Consumers Association is taking part
in Green Jobs Now: A Day to Build the New Economy. We'll be doing Green
Jobs Now actions at organic farms, farmers markets, community gardens,
food co-ops, and community supported agriculture projects to show
elected officials and 2008 candidates that we're ready for green jobs
in organic food and farming now!
Check out the Organic Consumers Association's Polar Bears for Green Jobs video and take action!
U.S. Film Debut:
The World According to Monsanto
This must-see film exposes why Monsanto-who races to genetically
engineer (and patent) the world's food supply-has become the world's
poster child for malignant corporate influence in government and
technology. This landmark documentary plays Friday through Monday,
August 29-Sept 1, at the Roxie Theater in San Francisco (www.Roxie.com).
Screening hosted by Jeffrey M. Smith, international bestselling author
of Seeds of Deception and Genetic Roulette, who will also premiere his
short film about Monsanto's genetically engineered bovine growth
hormone,
Your Milk on Drugs-Just Say No!.
Learn more here.
Mobilizing Organic Consumers In WI
Through the
Organic Consumers Fund's Grassroots Netroots Alliance project, voters
are pressing the politicians to support strict organic standards,
mandatory labels for genetically engineered food, and the conversion of
U.S. farmland to organic. Find out who's answering the call in WI here.
*Learn more about OCA related action alerts and other news in WI here.
*Join WI discussion groups in our forum.
*Post events in WI on our community calendar
ORGANIC VALLEY: 1,266 FAMILY FARMS STRONG
We
think it's a simple truth. The earth's most delicious, most healthful
foods are made when farmers work in harmony with nature. That's how
this farmer-owned co-op produces organic milk, organic cheese, organic
butter, organic eggs, organic juice, organic soy beverages, organic
produce, and organic meats. Working with nature is what inspired our
original seven farmers to form an organic farming cooperative in 1988.
Today our membership has grown to over 1200 family farms, and our high
standards shine through in our delicious, award-winning, certified
organic foods.
Explore our website and join Farm Friends to become part of the organic movement!
http://www.organicvalley.coop/
ORGANIC BYTES is a publication of:
ORGANIC CONSUMERS ASSOCIATION
6771 South Silver Hill Drive
Finland, Minnesota 55603
Phone: (218)- 226-4164 Fax: (218) 353-7652
