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LABEL IT NOW e-Book: The Most Important $3 You Can Spend
The reason I do this is the because genetically-modified foods (GMOs) are an extremely serious threat to both the long-term viability of organic and the health of our fellow citizens.
Furthermore, it is a topic that does not receive accurate or adequate coverage in mainstream media.
The unfortunate reality is this.
A very high percentage of the U.S. population does not know what GMOs are and does not understand the very grave health risks that GMOs pose. Even worse, they don’t realize how our government is not protecting our health nor upholding our rights as American citizens.
For those of us who live in the U.S., we have a fundamental right to know if the food we are eating is genetically-modified or not.
GMOs present serious dangers and no increase in yields, as were promised, and people have a right to know what they are putting into their bodies.
While many of my past blog posts cover particular components of the GMO issue, the topic is too big and requires too much explanation to do it in 900 words or so.
That is why I encourage everyone to purchase the e-book called LABEL IT NOW: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT GENETICALLY-ENGINEERED FOODS.
It is a spectacular book and needs to be read by everyone.
A FEW HIGHLIGHTS
Here are a few pieces of information from LABEL IT NOW that I wanted to share with you.
– It has been estimated that 41% of the U.S. population will get cancer, and most of these illnesses are food-based and preventable.
The President’s Cancer Panel recommends that people eat food which does not contain toxic chemicals or artificial growth hormones.
(Ironically, the recommendations of this independent commission go completely against the health and agricultural policies that the Obama administration and the USDA/FDA implement.)
– According to scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey, glyphosate, the active ingredient in the herbicide Roundup, produced by Monsanto, is now a common component of the air and raindrops in the Midwest.
– The areas that have been infested with weeds completely resistant to Roundup, which have now sprouted “superweeds“, has expanded from 2.4 million acres in 2007 to 13 million acres in 2011.
– The USDA has bowed to industry pressure and has allowed dicamba and 2,4-D, the active ingredient in Agent Orange, to be sprayed on our crops.
One study in Ontario, Canada found that exposures to 2,4-D and dicamba increased the risk of spontaneous abortions by 50%.
– Babies born 6-9 months after the heavy herbicide-spraying period in agricultural production areas were 47% more likely to be diagnosed with one or more birth defects, compared to babies born in the same period but in non-agricultural areas.
– The Centers for Disease Control examined 5,000 people and reported finding a total of 212 different chemicals in the subjects’ blood, bones, and tissue.
– The federal government approved the first genetically-engineered seeds in the 1990s based on “voluntary” safety consultations and presumed “substantial equivalence” with non-GE seeds.
The governmental authorities did not require evidence-based research to determine whether GE-foods might be harmful to human health.
– Doug Gurian-Sherman, a senior scientist with the Union of Concerned Scientists, an independent science-based non-profit that advocates for a healthier environment, scrutinized all major yield studies of the past two decades.
He found that “no currently available transgenic (GE) varieties enhance the intrinsic yield of any crops.”
WHY I LIKE THE BOOK
I really like this e-book for several reasons.
1) It is short, quick, easy-to-read, inexpensive, and provides everything that you need to know.
The e-book is about 60 pages and can be read in 30-40 minutes.
2) The e-book provides some great pictures, many of which I had never seen before.
3) The authors are leading voices in the organic movement and have dealt with the huge growth in GE-crops on a very personal level.
The three authors are:
– Gary Hirshberg, Co-Founder and Chairman of Stonyfield.
– Charles Benbrook, PhD, Chief Scientist at The Organic Center.
– Britt Lundgren, agricultural policy expert and Director of Organic and Sustainable Agriculture at Stonyfield.
4) LABEL IT NOW is only $2.99 and all proceeds will go to the Just Label It campaign.
The e-book can be purchased on Amazon, iTunes or at iBookstore.
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We have a long, long fight ahead of us to protect organic food and to get GMOs labeled in this country.
If you haven’t done so already, I strongly urge you to read the following articles that I have written recently.
Every American Needs to be Involved in California’s Ballot Initiative – Read Why
Just Label It campaign secures 1 million signatures. Now what?
The U.S. is Set to Approve a GM-Corn Resistant to 2,4-D, a Primary Ingredient in Agent Orange
Another Reason to Buy Organic – The Link Between Fertility Problems and GMOs
