In the News
In the News
GE Free Zones in BC
Powell River (2004) — Salt Spring Island (2004) — Denman Island (2004) — Nelson (Nov 2008) — Kaslo (Jan 2009) — New Denver (Sept 2009) — Rossland (May 2009) — Richmond (May 2012) — Saanich (Nov 2012) — Metchosin (Nov 2012) — Cherryville (March 2013) — Telkwa (March 2013) — City of North Vancouver (June 2013) — Roberts Creek (Sep 2013)
Cherryville (AREA 'E' of RDNO) and Rural Lumby (AREA 'D' of RDNO) both voted over 92% to be GE FREE (Spring 2013).
Why was the Seralini Study on GMO Toxicity retracted?
As the Corporation invades scientific publications, the controversial Seralini paper on the toxicological effects of Monsanto GM corn (it caused cancer in lab rats) was retracted. Here is the story behind the retraction, and a detailed response and analysis of this situation by a group of independent scientists who oppose GMOs. Finally, here is an analysis of the retraction decision and the reasons why it took place.
Index (latest first) to news around the world about GMO and the corporations that market them.
News
News
Index of News items
99% of Pregnant Women in Study Tested Positive for Glyphosate
99% of Pregnant Women in Study Tested Positive for Glyphosate
Bio-Based Plastics Aim to Capture Carbon. But at What Cost?
Bio-Based Plastics Aim to Capture Carbon. But at What Cost?
Growing crops to make plastic could theoretically reduce reliance on fossil fuels and even pull carbon out of the atmosphere, but at an enormous environmental cost.
Bioplastics [...] use carbon extracted from crops like corn or sugarcane, which is then mixed with other chemicals, like plasticizers, found in traditional plastics. Growing those plants pulls carbon out of the atmosphere, and locks it inside the bioplastic—if it is used for a permanent purpose, like building materials, rather than single-use cups and bags.
At least, that’s the theory. In reality, bio-based plastics are problematic for a variety of reasons. It would take an astounding amount of land and water to grow enough plants to replace traditional plastics—plus energy is needed to produce and ship it all. Bioplastics can be loaded with the same toxic additives that make a plastic plastic, and still splinter into micro-sized bits that corrupt the land, sea, and air. And switching to bioplastics could give the industry an excuse to keep producing exponentially more polymers under the guise of “eco-friendliness,” when scientists and environmentalists agree that the only way to stop the crisis is to just stop producing so much damn plastic, whatever its source of carbon.
Chemicals Added to Herbicides to Reduce Drift Actually Drift Themselves
Chemicals Added to Herbicides to Reduce Drift Actually Drift Themselves
Glyphosate used as desiccant contaminates plant pollen and nectar of non-target plant species
Glyphosate used as desiccant contaminates plant pollen and nectar of non-target plant species
Merchants of Poison: How Monsanto Sold the World on a Toxic Pesticide
Merchants of Poison: How Monsanto Sold the World on a Toxic Pesticide
States' Taxpayers Stuck With Bill to Clean Up Water
States' Taxpayers Stuck With Bill to Clean Up Water
Glyphosate found in 80% of US urine samples
Glyphosate found in 80% of US urine samples
Chlormequat found in popular oat-based products
Chlormequat found in popular oat-based products
BC's War Zones
BC's War Zones
Health Costs from Chemical Exposures May Exceed 10% of the Global GDP
Health Costs from Chemical Exposures May Exceed 10% of the Global GDP
Pesticide Residues Difficult to Wash Off Food
Pesticide Residues Difficult to Wash Off Food
Skulduggery
Skulduggery
Hijinks and criminal behaviour by agribusiness
Secret “Paraquat Papers” reveal corporate tactics to protect weed killer linked to Parkinson’s disease
Secret “Paraquat Papers” reveal corporate tactics to protect weed killer linked to Parkinson’s disease
Buzz off, Monsanto
Buzz off, Monsanto
Documents detail effort to refute scientific research into paraquat
Documents detail effort to refute scientific research into paraquat
4 giant Chemical Companies control Global Food System
4 giant Chemical Companies control Global Food System
CA Supreme Court Upholds $87M Award in Glyphosate Damage Lawsuit, Bayer/Monsanto Challenge Fails
CA Supreme Court Upholds $87M Award in Glyphosate Damage Lawsuit, Bayer/Monsanto Challenge Fails
Monsanto Agrees to Plead Guilty to Illegally Using Pesticide [...] and to Pay Additional $12 Million
Monsanto Agrees to Plead Guilty to Illegally Using Pesticide [...] and to Pay Additional $12 Million
Jury awards $289.2million in Monsanto Roundup verdict.
Jury awards $289.2million in Monsanto Roundup verdict.
Industrial Agriculture: Fragile System Propped up by Myths and Hidden Costs
Industrial Agriculture: Fragile System Propped up by Myths and Hidden Costs
Vermont Passes GMO Labeling Law
Vermont Passes GMO Labeling Law
Maine passes second GMO label law in the U.S.
Maine passes second GMO label law in the U.S.
Farmers Abandoning GMO Seeds
Farmers Abandoning GMO Seeds
U.N. Report Promotes Democratic Control of Food
U.N. Report Promotes Democratic Control of Food
Girl asks Guides to live by group’s own motto
Girl asks Guides to live by group’s own motto
Appeals Court Binds Monsanto to Promise Not to Sue Organic Farmers
Appeals Court Binds Monsanto to Promise Not to Sue Organic Farmers
A three-judge panel at the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled yesterday that a group of organic and otherwise non-genetically modified organism (GMO) farmer and seed company plaintiffs are not entitled to bring a lawsuit to protect themselves from Monsanto‘s transgenic seed patents “because Monsanto has made binding assurances that it will not ‘take legal action against growers whose crops might inadvertently contain traces of Monsanto biotech genes (because, for example, some transgenic seed or pollen blew onto the grower’s land).’”
Honey Bee Collapse: A Lesson in Ecology
Honey Bee Collapse: A Lesson in Ecology
Mystery deepens on how genetically modified U.S. wheat landed in field
Mystery deepens on how genetically modified U.S. wheat landed in field
(Reuters) - The Oregon field in which a farmer found sprouts of unauthorized genetically modified wheat was never used to study altered varieties, a lawyer for the grower said on Tuesday.
The farmer has "no idea" how the altered wheat made it into his 125-acre field, said Tim Bernasek, a partner at the Portland law firm Dunn Carney.
GM Crops and Water - a Recipe for Disaster
GM Crops and Water - a Recipe for Disaster
Genetically modified foods are a threat to our dwindling water supplies; they are less water-efficient and contaminate fresh water. by Dr Eva Sirinathsinghji
Genetically Modified (GM) crops are widely recognised for their potential to damage both human health and the environment. Evidence is now accumulating of the contamination of streams, rivers, rain, as well as groundwater with GM-associated chemicals including Monsanto’s glyphosate-based herbicide, while genetic elements such as antibiotic resistant genes are emerging in water-borne microbes.
GM salmon's global HQ – 1,500m high in the Panamanian rainforest
GM salmon's global HQ – 1,500m high in the Panamanian rainforest
Supersized genetically modified salmon grown fast and fat and after years of wrangling, are ready for market – but is the market ready for them? And why is the firm hidden away in Panama?