FDA sued over lack of Nanotech oversight, labels

By Rady Ananda
Activist Post

The first ever lawsuit concerning risks of nanotechnology was filed in federal court last month when several groups jointly sued the US Food and Drug Administration for its lack of response to a 2006 petition demanding that products with nanomaterials be labeled and their affects tested for safety. [Image]

Whistleblowers win one; lose two

Drs. Gerard Lambert, Margaret Haydon and Shiv Chopra of Health Canada

In a long-running whistleblowing saga, two of three scientists fired by Health Canada (akin to the US Food & Drug Administration) have lost a bid to get their jobs back, though they protected food safety.

In the U.S., however, after a six-year legal battle, the Army Corps of Engineers has agreed to pay nearly $1 million to a former top contracting official who charged that she was demoted after she objected to a $7 billion no-bid contract granted to a Halliburton subsidiary to repair oil fields in Iraq.

Sebelius-backed biotech firm reorganizing under criminal probe

KBA urged Homeland Security to locate bioweapons lab in Tornado Alley

Kathleen Sebelius with Tom Thornton in this 2008 Topeka Capital-Journal image.

By Rady Ananda

The head of Health and Human Services not only denies that Americans have a right to bodily health and food of their choice, but Kathleen Sebelius is hell bent on spending taxpayer money to promote genetically modified food and drugs. One of her projects, Kansas Bioscience Authority, a publicly funded venture enterprise developed to promote biotechnology, is currently under criminal investigation. CEO Tom Thornton has resigned.

KBA also lobbied the Dept. of Homeland Security for the highly controversial bioweapons and cattle disease lab in the state, along with former Governor Sebelius, now President Obama’s Cabinet Secretary. Under her governorship and full support, the Kansas Economic Growth Act of 2004 passed, funding KBA’s mission with $581 million in tax revenue to develop a bioscience industry in Kansas.

Endgame Legislation: Lame Duck Session Ushers in Tyranny

By Eric Blair
Activist Post

When most of us think about “lame duck” Congressional sessions we think of a “do-nothing” government. However, this so-called lame duck session appears to be a time where legislation that has the most restrictions to individual rights is being rammed through.

It seems the members of government who have been recently voted out of office are vying for corporate jobs by pushing such legislation as the Food Safety Modernization Act and the Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act which are now on the fast track to becoming law. Both of these laws reek of tyranny for the citizens and a means of corporate consolidation for the big boys.

US pushing drugged, vaccinated, chlorinated chickens on the world

By Rady Ananda

After over half a billion eggs were recalled from two factory hen layer operations in Iowa,[1] New York lawmakers proposed mandating vaccines against salmonella. [2] Mainstream media then blasted this message across the globe. Home to the biggest pharmaceutical and chemical companies in the world, the US is fond of throwing drugs and chemicals at a problem instead of addressing the filth of factory farms.

Feds on GMO Labeling: Don’t Tell, Don’t Ask

The policy is a direct carry-over from the Bush years. Want fries with that “change?”

By Barry Estabrook, The Atlantic
Posted on April 28, 2010, Printed on May 11, 2010

If you were hoping there might be some change in the U.S. government’s official position on genetically modified and genetically engineered (GM/GE) foods under the Obama administration, tough luck.

Last month there was the appointment of big-time GM/GE advocate (and former Monsanto lobbyist) Islam Siddiqui to Office of the United States Trade Representative as the country’s chief agricultural negotiator. Now comes a position paper from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that opposes labeling for genetically modified food. The U.S. claims that letting consumers know whether or not food contains GM/GE products is “false, misleading, or deceptive.”

You read that correctly. In Obama Newspeak, telling the public the truth is false, misleading, or deceptive, while concealing facts is not. Incidentally, the language is identical to that used by previous administrations. How’s that for change?

Ex Monsanto Lawyer Clarence Thomas to Hear Major Monsanto Case

By D. Snodgrass
Celsias

In Monsanto v. Geertson Seed Farms, No. 09-475, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments in a case which could have an enormous effect on the future of the American food industry. This is Monsanto’s third appeal of the case, and if they win a favorable ruling from the high court, a deregulated Monsanto may find itself in position to corner the markets of numerous U.S. crops, and to litigate conventional farmers into oblivion.

Here’s where it gets a bit dicier. Two Supreme Court justices have what appear to be direct conflicts of interest.

Watching two scientific paradigms collapse: GMOs and vaccines

By Meryl Williamson

Those promoting genetic engineering have claimed it is the cutting edge of science. Those in opposition are treated as ill-informed. African scientists who reject genetic engineering are treated as a needy, backward underclass and “starved for science.” Vaccines are considered the greatest gift of modern medicine and those opposed are said to be putting others’ lives at risk.

But whatever high ground the biotech and vaccine industries have claimed for themselves scientifically is crumbling. Both paradigms are beginning to collapse.

Health Scandal of the Decade – Monsanto’s GMO Perversion of Food

By Byron Richards, CCN
Wellness Resources

In the 2010 growing season Monsanto plans to unleash its latest Frankenfood experiment on the American and Canadian public, a new version of genetically mutated corn with eight abnormal gene traits called Genuity SmartStax corn.  It is the culmination of an astonishing scandal that has been steadily building over the past decade.  During this time Monsanto’s mutated seeds have grown to 90% of the U.S. soy crop and 85% of the corn crop – and wheat is next on their agenda.  Their efforts have been marked by corporate bullying and have drawn the attention of the Justice Department who is conducting an antitrust investigation.  All the while they have been spending millions on lobbying to fast track their agenda before the American public even realizes what hit them.  Europeans are livid about the lack of safety testing for this newest Monsanto experiment.  Monsanto is making an ominous power play to corner the worldwide market on food and seeds.  In the process they are adversely altering the very nature of food itself.

NAIS Moves to the World Stage thru S 510

By Rady Ananda

Animal traceability is gaining governmental support in two key US beef markets, which may reinvigorate the US National Animal Identification System (NAIS), despite a recent funding cut. Japan and South Korea are now moving toward mandatory traceability on imports. South Korea plans to mandate animal monitoring by 2010, and Japan’s new prime minister vowed to mandate it for beef imports, according to a pro-NAIS report at Food Safety News.

Recommending aid for holiday giving

In a comment to a NY Times article by Nicholas Kristoff, there is a recommendation, 122, related to saving farming as part of our holiday giving. If people recommend 122, it will rise in the results rank and bring attention to the issues. Here’s the comment:

Bayer GMO contamination bites back

By Rady Ananda

A United States federal jury ruled this month that Bayer CropScience must pay $2 million to two Missouri farmers for contaminating their rice crops with illegal GMO rice. Farmers Ken Bell and Johnny Hunter, the first in a series of 1200 such litigants, lost sales overseas as a result.

Seeing the Pattern Before Copenhagen: Scientists Threatened in Four Essential Areas of Study

By T. Jefferson

Scientists (and thus science) are threatened in four central areas of human existence – agriculture, health, environment and peace. The threat comes from multinational corporations seeking absolute control over world resources and political power through national laws and international treaties based on false or incomplete science.

Monsanto Withdraws High Lysine GM Maize from Europe, Safety Concerns

Monsanto withdraws maize from regulatory approval citing commercial reasons

By Dr. Mae-Wan Ho and Prof. Peter Saunders

In a dramatic move, Monsanto has withdrawn its genetically modified (GM) maize, LY038, from commercial approval in Europe after safety concerns prompted the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to request further evidence from the company [1].

Is Eli Lilly Milking Cancer by Promoting AND Treating It?

By Jeffrey M. Smith

Breast Cancer Action and a coalition of consumer and health organizations have launched a campaign called Milking Cancer, where you can demand from Eli Lilly that they withdraw their dangerous bovine growth hormone from the market. For more on bovine growth hormone, see the 18-minute film, “Your Milk on Drugs” (below).

EPA approves complex GE crop behind closed doors

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved the most complex genetically engineered (GE) crop ever to enter the U.S. food supply

…without notifying the public or inviting public comment.

SmartStax, a variety of corn containing eight new genes—six for insect resistance and two for herbicide tolerance—is significantly different from the three-gene corn varieties that the agency previously approved. Monsanto and Dow Chemical, the joint developers of SmartStax, expect the new variety to be grown on three to four million acres next year, the largest launch ever of a GE crop.

A citizens ‘Memorandum of Understanding’ (MOU) with the Federal Government

PPJG Original Article ppjg.wordpress.com
Author: Marti Oakley (c) 2009

Greetings:

Consider this a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to all members of the Senate, all members of the House, and to President Obama. I am sure you are fully aware of the intent and implications of MOUs, as each of you, in one way or another, uses them to establish the outlining of agreements between yourselves, collectively or individually, concerning the agreements you have made with individuals acting as state’s representatives or agencies; generally to avoid Constitutional prohibitions on your intended actions and in avoidance of the Constitution. I am using it in quite another fashion as you will see in the following text.

You’re Appointing Who? Please Obama, Say It’s Not So!

By Jeffrey M. Smith

The person who may be responsible for more food-related illness and death than anyone in history has just been made the US food safety czar. This is no joke.

Here’s the back story.

When FDA scientists were asked to weigh in on what was to become the most radical and potentially dangerous change in our food supply — the introduction of genetically modified (GM) foods — secret documents now reveal that the experts were very concerned.  Memo after memo described toxins, new diseases, nutritional deficiencies, and hard-to-detect allergens. They were adamant that the technology carried “serious health hazards,” and required careful, long-term research, including human studies, before any genetically modified organisms (GMOs) could be safely released into the food supply.