Monsanto has a monopoly on the world’s genetically modified crops, owning and controlling approximately 90% of all the GMOs. This poses a huge problem.

Because they control the plants and the seeds, outside of their own labs there has been little if any research related to the safety of the foods produced by their genetically modified seeds.

However, over the past year, a number of very frightening things have happened.

If It Happened To Rats Can It Happen To You?

First, a study published in the International Journal of Biological Science 1related the disturbing results that rats were fed three varieties of Monsanto’s GM corn (MON 863, MON 810, and NK 6030) experienced.

After feeding on the corn for ninety days, the rats had extensive organ damage. This included “adverse impacts on kidneys and liver, the dietary detoxifying organs, as well as different levels of damages to heart, adrenal glands, spleen and haematopooietic system.”

1 de Vendômois JS, Roullier F, Cellier D, Séralini GE. A Comparison of the Effects of Three GM Corn Varieties on Mammalian Health. Int J Biol Sci 2009; 5(7):706-726. Available from http://www.biolsci.org/v05p0706.htm

 

Hundreds of foods that use these three varieties of GM corn can be found in tortillas, popcorn, corn on the cob, and the high fructose corn syrup that is used to sweeten a multitude of products on the shelves of supermarkets and convenience stores in the United States and Europe.

Judge Jeffrey White Rules Against Monsanto

For the first time in history, at the end of 2010 a federal judge ruled that a genetically modified crop should be destroyed.

In August 2010 US District Judge Jeffrey White of California ruled that all of the future plantings of Monsanto’s GM beets should stop until the United States Department of Agriculture could conduct an EIS (Environmental Impact Statement) that would prove the safety of the crop.

Not surprisingly, the USDA violated the ruling. They permitted Monsanto to plant the genetically modified beet crop.

Consequently Judge White ordered the crops destroyed.

Monsanto, which was used to getting its way, had the equivalent of a tantrum in November 2010. When they found that they could not manipulate the judge they unleashed a storm of propaganda about how the entire sugar beet industry would fall apart if they couldn’t grow their GM sugar beets. (What a huge problem for diabetics the world over).

They went so far as to petition the court to allow them to grow their plants so that they could protect their financial interests and not lose any of the money that they spent on the research and development of this potentially lethal technology.

White cited a large body of evidence relating to both the dangers of any unknown contamination as well as the “irreparable” damage that would be caused by cross-contamination. And he challenged the USDA for blatantly violating his ruling.

An attorney for the Center for Food Safety, George Kimbrell, said in an AP article that Judge White’s move was a “groundbreaking victory for farmers and the environment.” He added that “this is the first time ever a federal court ordered an illegal biotech crop destroyed.”

In the same Associated Press article, Paul Atchitoff of Earthjustice said, “The government’s conduct is really outrageous. The court had just said in August the beets could not be grown and the government turned around and gave the industry the opportunity to grow them.”

How To Find Non GMO Food

Unfortunately, it is very difficult to identify GMOs. Since genetically modified foods do not have to be labeled, it can be extremely difficult to ascertain which foods we are eating have been genetically modified. However, GMO corn is extremely common.

• If a company uses only non-GMO ingredients they usual say so in big bold letters on their packaging.

• Any organic ingredients haven’t been sprayed so they don’t include GMO food.

Non GMO Project Verified