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MUST-READ: A New Class of GMOs that Doesn’t Need Government Approval

Just when you thought that GMOs, as we know them today, were bad enough, get ready for something potentially worse to deal with.

In a recent New York Times article, it was reported that biotech companies have discovered and exploited a loophole in government regulation that allows them to create a different breed of GMOs and market them to the public without needing approval from the USDA.

They are doing this by inserting genetic material from a plant, instead of genetic material from a plant pest (GMOs are often inserted via a bacterium, which contains a genetic “on” switch from a plant virus). So, if it is material from a plant but not a plant pest, companies can circumvent the laws and avoid regulation, something which the USDA has confirmed.

As a result, there are several new crops using this methodology that are now in development and can go directly to market.

They include:

– A new herbicide-resistant canola

– A corn that would create less pollution from livestock waste

– Switch grass tailored for biofuel production

– An ornamental plant that glows in the dark.

Another example of this was something that I shared on Facebook the other day – a genetically-engineered grass by Scotts that does not need USDA approval.

While the EPA and FDA could potentially intervene and require this method to come under government regulation, don’t hold your breath. After all, the EPA just approved new GM-corn and soy crops resistant to the super-toxic 2,4-D.

The bottom line is that this new methodology is still genetic engineering and must be regulated by our government. Let’s hope Congress gets involved and does its best to make sure regulations keep pace with technology.

The potential environmental and health risks are too great to ignore.

A message from Tradin Organic

How Tradin Organic is Helping Coconut Farmers in The Philippines

For more than a decade, Tradin Organic has been working with local partners in The Philippines to bring a diversified range of organic products to the market, such as coconut oil, tropical fruits and even cocoa.

The company is helping to support local farmers by assisting them with technical support and organic certification, in addition to paying Fairtrade premium on top of the organic premium.

Learn more.

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Living Maxwell

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Why Organic Food is a MUST for Men — Pesticides Have Been Linked to Lower Sperm Count and Quality

As someone who has eaten close to 100% organic since 2001, my personal experience is that women are more concerned than men about the quality of food they are putting into their bodies.

While this is based on anecdotal evidence, there are a few data points to back this up.

The Pew Research Center’s recent report called The New Food Fights: U.S. Public Divides Over Food Science concluded that women are more likely to care about GMOs than men.

According to Google Analytics, approximately 2/3rds of Living Maxwell readers – people reading about organic – are women.

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A message from Tradin Organic

Why Tradin Organic is Prioritizing Regenerative Organic Farming

At Tradin Organic, we believe that regenerative organic farming is key to growing healthy and nutritious food ingredients — for now and for future generations.

And in Sierra Leone, we have grown the world’s first Regenerative Organic Certified cacao.

Learn more.

Living Maxwell

Must-Read

Another Reason to Eat Organic – Higher Levels of Antioxidants in Onions

When people ask why they should be eating organic, there are several answers.

First, organic prohibits the use of super-toxic pesticides, such as glyphosate.

Not only is glyphosate the primary ingredient in Monsanto’s Roundup and the most widely-used chemical in the world, but the State of California has said that glyphosate causes cancer!

Even more shocking is that 93% of Americans have tested positive for glyphosate. So, we need to be doing everything we can to avoid ingesting this dangerous chemical.

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Organic Insider

Must-Read

The FDA/USDA/EPA launch a GMO Website, But the Bigger Plan is Much More Worrisome

This post originally appeared in Organic Insider. If you would like to receive Organic Insider every other Wednesday, you can sign up for it HERE.

If consumers are seeking fair and balanced information about GMOs, they certainly will not find it on the new FDA/USDA/EPA website called Feed Your Mind.

This site is part of the Agricultural Biotechnology Education and Outreach Initiative, which was funded by Congress, and is intended “to share science-based information that educates, informs and broadens understanding about agricultural biotechnology for consumers.”

Not surprisingly, it presents a very one-sided view of GMOs.

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