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USDA Approves Genetically-Engineered Apples that Don’t Turn Brown

It seems like every day that passes, the USDA approves another very risky GMO crop, all to the benefit of biotech/chemical companies and to ZERO benefit for consumers.

This time, the USDA has approved a first-of-its-kind genetically-engineered (GE) apple that doesn’t turn brown after bruising or slicing.

The apple, developed by the company Okanagan Specialty Fruits, uses a relatively new form of genetic engineering called RNA interference, or gene silencing, which has raised numerous concerns from consumer groups, environmentalists, and the apple industry.

Like other GE products in the U.S., no mandatory labeling will be required. This approval allows commercial production of Granny Smith and Golden Delicious varieties of Okanagan’s non-browning “Arctic” apple, and the company has Fuji and Gala versions on the horizon.

Needless to say, the most important organic food watchdog organizations are up in arms over the decision made by the USDA.

“This product is completely unnecessary and poses numerous risks to apple growers, the food industry and consumers,” said Andrew Kimbrell, executive director for Center for Food Safety. “For USDA to turn a blind eye to these risks for such an inessential technological ‘advance’ is foolish and potentially costly.”

Here are a few things for you to know about this newly approved crop.

Does the apple industry want this GE-apple?

Absolutely not.

The U.S. Apple Association, Northwest Horticultural Council (which represents Washington apple growers, who grow over 60% of the apples in the U.S.), British Columbia Fruit Growers Association and other grower groups have already voiced their disapproval of these GE-apples due to the negative impact they could have on farmers growing organic and non-GE apples, and the apple industry as a whole.

Could these GE-apples contaminate nearby organic apple farms and other non-GE apple farms?

Yes.

And if this happens, these organic apple orchards will lose their organic certification, putting their owners in serious financial peril and decreasing the amount of organic apples in the marketplace.

Could these unlabeled GE-apples end up being consumed by innocent babies and kids?

Yes.

They could find their way into non-GE fruit slices, juice, baby foods or apple sauce at the processing level, products predominantly consumed by children and babies who are at increased risk for any adverse health effects.

How do we know that these apples are safe for human consumption? 

We don’t know that they are safe for human consumption. No long-terms studies on humans ever been conducted on these GE-apples.

Furthermore, a group of leading European scientists recently declared that there is “no consensus” on GMO safety, contrary to what the food industry would like us to believe.

Who benefits from a GE-apple?

The biotech company making this extremely unnecessary food product, Okanagan, and the chemical companies who are selling the toxic pesticides to be sprayed on it.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Unfortunately, many of us submitted comments over the last few years protesting this apple and the Center for Food Safety submitted its scientific concerns, but to no avail.

So, the best thing you can do is make sure you are purchasing USDA certified organic apples.

A message from E3Live

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The best testimonial that I can give is that I drink this every single day, as it impacts my mood in an incredibly positive way.

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Another Reason to Eat Organic – Conventional Meat Contains Twice as Many Superbugs

Aside from the fact that conventionally-raised animals can be pumped with synthetic growth hormones and can be fed genetically-modified grain that has been sprayed with super-toxic pesticides, there is now another scary reason to avoid conventional meat: superbugs.

In results from a just released study, Consumers Reports found that 18 percent of the ground beef samples from conventionally-raised cows contained dangerous superbugs resistant to three or more classes of antibiotics used to treat illness in humans. This is compared with just 9 percent of ground beef from samples that were sustainably produced.

Consumer Reports purchased 300 packages – 458 pounds – of conventionally and sustainably produced ground beef from grocery, big-box, and natural food stores in 26 cities across the country.

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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.

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An Illegal Fungicide Found in Conventional Orange Juice – Another Reason to Buy Organic

Stories about the toxicity of our food supply just keep rolling in.

As I wrote about recently, numerous samples of conventional apple juice were found to have unsafe and illegal levels of arsenic. And now orange juice is having its own set of problems.

Coca-Cola, which makes Minute Maid and Simply Orange, reported to the FDA on December 28th that some Brazilian growers of oranges that are used in the company’s juices and those of its competitors had sprayed their trees with carbendazim, a toxic fungicide.

As a result, the FDA temporarily halted all shipments of imported orange juice while it conducts field tests. Products already on supermarket shelves that have “low levels” of carbendazim (80 parts per billion) may still be sold.

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RE Botanicals Becomes the First National, Certified Organic CBD Brand for US-Grown Hemp

As you may have already realized, CBD (short for cannabidiol — a cannabis compound) is exploding in popularity and is showing up in an increasing number of food, beverage and personal care products.

Despite the explosion of CBD oils and CBD-infused drinks, almost all of these products do not contain the USDA organic seal.

Boulder-based RE Botanicals has bucked this trend and has become the first national CBD brand to receive USDA organic certification for U.S.-grown hemp. Given who is behind RE Botanicals, the fact that it has achieved this milestone should not come as a surprise at all.

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