Science and scientists for hire to lie to the public? Tracy Malkan has done a meticulous sleuthing job to expose the layers covering Monsanto’s capture of academics and their “contrived industry PR -driven science”substituting for authentic science in agricultural food biotechnology. Her recent piece, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/stacy-malkan/monsanto-fingerprints-fou_b_10757524.html exposes the farmer and consumer deception since 2010 in a report titled “Academics Review” and passed off as an independent source from a nonprofit industry organization. Ms. Malkan had to employ the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to get access to the information.
“Academics Review has no conflicts-of-interest associated with this publication, and all associated costs for which were paid for using our general funds without any specific donor’ influence or direction.What was not mentioned in the report, the news release or on the website: Executives for Monsanto Co., the world’s leading purveyor of agrichemicals and genetically engineered seeds, along with key Monsanto allies, engaged in fund raising for Academics Review, collaborated on strategy and even discussed plans to hide industry funding, according to emails obtained by U.S. Right to Know via state Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests.
Monsanto’s motives in attacking the organic industry are obvious: Monsanto’s seeds and chemicals are banned from use in organic farming, and a large part of Monsanto’s messaging is that its products are superior to organics as tools to boost global food production.”
If there is a glimmer of hope, it is that Monsanto is choking on its own pesticide-dependent GMO technology , employed since the 1990’s, and fostered by a mostly captured and compliant US regulatory framework. However, as Monsanto has been working on a merger with German Bayer to spread its global influence and profits, there are growing problems of more weed and pest resistance to the chemical crop technology.
F. William Engdahl, a strategic risk consultant recently authored an article in NEO: Will Superweeds Choke GMO to a Timely Death in USA? As nature revolts with chemical resistant weeds, and farmers choke on the endless cost path to using more and more chemicals to try to kill the super weeds, their soils health and fertility declines. As a consequence the nutritional content of crops and foods produced from this GMO chemical dependent agriculture has been declining and human health and fertility issues have been on the upswing. Additionally chemical toxins from Roundup, 2,4-D, Dicamba and pre-harvest dousings with more Glyphosate mount on the way to consumers’ food plates. An alarming study from University of Illinois researchers found 75% of fields contain resistant weeds. Coupled with USDA’s November 2016 deregulation action to a runaway resistant GMO bent grass, more GMO infiltration of organic crops is inevitable and containment cost burdens are being shifted from the federal government to states at an inopportune time. More and more farmers are shifting back to sustainable and organic farming methods as the GMO cost affordability and weed problems have exposed GMO as a flawed, failing, and unsustainable agricultural technology.
“It seems that the lies of Monsanto-Bayer, Dow-Dupont, ChemChina-Syngenta are coming back to haunt them. Far from their widely advertised claim that their patented GMO seeds need far less chemical weed-killers, USA farmers are finding out, over a period of years, that their crop acreages sprayed with ample doses of Roundup or other glyphosate-based weed-killers are fostering the growth of toxic Superweeds. Those superweeds are “glyphosate-resistant” meaning the Monsanto and other glyphosate weed-killers are useless. Farmers are forced to pour on other toxic weed-killer options to salvage their crops.”
What can you do to expedite the end of GMOs in our food ? Contact food companies such as with Nestle in this link . Current federal law allows food labeling and companies listen to consumers to protect their brands.
