Currently viewing the category: "non-gmo project"

GMO LEGISLATION Genetically Engineered Food Right-to-Know Act Endorsed By COVVHA

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Genetically Engineered Food Right-to-Know Act

GMO HOUSE AND SENATE POPVOX WWW.COVVHA.NETTake Action and make your voice heard now!!!!!!

All Legislation Endorsed and/or Opposed Has Been Approved and Reviewed by Kelly L. Derricks

It has never been easier to write your State Representative and share your position on current legislation. C.O.V.V.H.A. has been making it even easier for members, fans and followers!! The days of getting your pens and papers out to send your letters are over!!!

An “action page” link has been set up for the Genetically Engineered Food Right-to-Know Act H.R.1699 & S.809 which takes you directly to the specific legislation as well as an area for your Name, Zip Code, and YOUR VOTE. That’s it!!! You hit enter and your information is sent directly to your State Representative in letter form which you will receive a copy of via email.

Your VOICE does count, PLEASE, use it!!!

Kelly L. Derricks (T.T.)

CLICK TO CAST YOUR HOUSE VOTE ON POPVOX NOW

CLICK TO CAST YOUR SENATE VOTE ON POPVOX NOW

I personally casted both of my votes and included the following statement to the United States House and Senate: I support H.R. 1699 (“To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to require that genetically engineered food”) because… GMO foods are engineered with health threatening compounds and chemicals and then sprayed with half of the chemical compound used in the production of AGENT ORANGE. The U.S. Gov’t killed my Father at the age of 37 after serving in the Vietnam War.  Agent Orange/DIOXIN was passed through his sperm mutating my DNA. I have to fight for my life every single day with more than 30 diagnosed illnesses at the age of 38 and so do tens of thousands of other Children of Vietnam Veterans who were exposed. Now the gov’t doesn’t care that we are being DOUBLE EXPOSED. That’s Capital Murder if you ask me. You’ll see me standing in a court room bringing charges of Murder against the United States Govt before you see me standing down on GMO.

Truth Teller
www.covvha.net

GMO Facts and Verified Product List

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GMO-Organic

What are GMOs?
GMOs, or “genetically modified organisms,” are plants or animals created through the gene splicing techniques of biotechnology also called genetic engineering, or GE). This experimental technology merges DNA from different species, creating unstable combinations of plant, animal, bacterial and viral genes that cannot occur in nature or in traditional crossbreeding.

Virtually all commercial GMOs are engineered to withstand direct application of herbicide and/or to produce an insecticide. Despite biotech industry promises, none of the GMO traits currently on the market offer increased yield, drought tolerance, enhanced nutrition, or any other consumer benefit.

Meanwhile, a growing body of evidence connects GMOs with health problems, environmental damage and violation of farmers’ and consumers’ rights.

Are GMOs safe?
Most developed nations do not consider GMOs to be safe. In nearly 50 countries around the world, including Australia, Japan, and all of the countries in the European Union, there are significant restrictions or outright bans on the production and sale of GMOs. In the U.S., the government has approved GMOs based on studies conducted by the same corporations that created them and profit from their sale. Increasingly, Americans are taking matters into their own hands and choosing to opt out of the GMO experiment.

Are GMOs labeled?
Unfortunately, even though polls consistently show that a significant majority of Americans want to know if the food they’re purchasing contains GMOs, the powerful biotech lobby has succeeded in keeping this information from the public. In the absence of mandatory labeling, the Non-GMO Project was created to give consumers the informed choice they deserve.

Where does the Non-GMO Project come in?
The Non-GMO Project is a non-profit organization with a mission of protecting the non-GMO food supply and giving consumers an informed choice. We offer North America’s ONLY third party verification for products produced according to rigorous best practices for GMO avoidance (for more info, click here). Our strategy is to empower consumers to make change through the marketplace. If people stop buying GMOs, companies will stop using them and farmers will stop growing them.

Do Americans want non-GMO foods and supplements?
Polls consistently show that a significant majority of North Americans would like to be able to tell if the food they’re purchasing contains GMOs (a 2008 CBS News Poll found that 87% of consumers wanted GMOs labeled). And, according to a recent CBS/New York Times poll, 53% of consumers said they would not buy food that has been genetically modified. The Non-GMO Project’s seal for verified products will, for the first time, give the public an opportunity to make an informed choice when it comes to GMOs.

How common are GMOs?
In the U.S., GMOs are in as much as 80% of conventional processed food. Click here for a current list of GMO risk crops.

What are the impacts of GMOs on the environment?
Over 80% of all GMOs grown worldwide are engineered for herbicide tolerance. As a result, use of toxic herbicides like Roundup has increased 1S times since GMOs were introduced. GMO crops are also responsible for the emergence of “super weeds” and “super bugs:’ which can only be killed with ever more toxic poisons like 2,4-D (a major ingredient in Agent Orange). GMOs are a direct extension of chemical agriculture, and are developed and sold by the world’s biggest chemical companies. The long-term impacts of GMOs are unknown, and once released into the environment these novel organisms cannot be recalled.

How do GMOs affect farmers?
Because GMOs are novel life forms, biotechnology companies have been able to obtain patents with which to restrict their use. As a result, the companies that make GMOs now have the power to sue farmers whose fields are contaminated with GMOs, even when it is the result of inevitable drift from neighboring fields. GMOs therefore pose a serious threat to farmer sovereignty and to the national food security of any country where they are grown, including the United States.

How can I avoid GMOs?
Choose food and products that are Non-GMO Project Verified!
Click here to see a complete list by category!

www.COVVHA.net
GMO Myths and Truths www.covvha.net

GMO Myths and Truths

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Genetically modified (GM) crops are promoted on the basis of a range of far-reaching claims from the GM crop industry and its supporters.
Based on the evidence presented in this report, there is no need to take risks with GM crops when effective, readily available, and sustainable solutions to the problems that GM technology is claimed to address already exist. Conventional plant breeding, in some cases helped by safe modern technologies like gene mapping and marker assisted selection, continues to outperform GM in producing high-yield, drought-tolerant, and pest- and disease-resistant crops that can meet our present and future food needs.
GMO Myths and Truths
http://earthopensource.org/index.php/reports/58

monsanto agent orange vietnam veterans gmo news

Agent Orange, Vietnam Veterans, Monsanto, GMO News – November & December 2012

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What is A.O.F.D, Agent Orange Food Disorder, and how many …

Agent Orange Food Disorder, AOFD, is an ongoing mutation of cells from …. suffering birth defects as terrible as those found in the Agent Orange contaminated …

‘Legacies of War’

Coeur d’Alene Press Dewey Parker worked on a flight line inspecting airplanes that sprayed the Agent Orange herbicide during the Vietnam War. Today, the Air Force veteran who …

Agent Orange, United States Military Veterans, And Myelodysplastic …

The MDS Beacon I often see Vietnam-era military veterans in my clinic who have been diagnosed with MDS, and they always ask me, “Could Agent Orange exposure have …

What Are GMO? What Is A GMO? What Foods Are Genetically Modified …

OpEdNews … PCB’s & Agent Orange), Dow (Agent Orange and Agent Blue – Arsenic), Bayer (CCD – Colony Collapse Disorder of Bees), BASF (GMO Potatoes), DuPont

AO Victims Grateful to British PM

Salem-News.Com … of Agent Orange, was asked by the Viet Nam Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin (VAVA) to present the gifts in person. The gifts comprised a selection of beautiful hand-embroidered linen and colourful hand-painted pictures made by….

Ten Top Reasons Why Food with GMO Ingredients Should Be So Labeled

Meridian Magazine In the past, Monsanto also assured us of the public safety of DDT and Agent Orange as household items, both of which were produced by Monsanto with devastating results. 7. GMO labeling has nothing to do with excessive government intervention and …

@DA NANG: Perception gap over Agent Orange is déjà vu after Fukushima

Asahi Shimbun Highly toxic dioxin, the main ingredient in Agent Orange, continues to be detected … is a Vietnam War veteran, and her mother was born with birth defects.

The pesticides you eat

Salt Lake Tribune Their answer to a failing Roundup system is now “Agent Orange Corn.” The corporate sales pitch is that GMOs increase crop yields and so are needed to feed …

A daughter faces demons of father’s war
CNN
“Yeah, because they’ve seen bad things,” Caitlin said. Christal had spoken with other grown children of Vietnam veterans. But this was the first time she saw herself in a child. Christal contained herself in front of Caitlin. But when she and her mom …

Tribute to Vietnam fallen helps keep Dad in her life
Tribune-Review
Rihn, a respiratory therapist, and about 70 other children of veterans went to Vietnam in 2003 to retrace the footsteps of their fathers. She and her husband, John, and their daughters, Megan, 20, and Alyssa, 17, make several trips a year to Washington …

Fifty years later, US, Vietnam deal with Agent Orange
USA TODAY
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs recently ruled that numerous ailments are presumed to have been caused by Agent Orange among the Vietnam veterans who have them. The ruling meant these veterans would qualify for certain benefits that had been …

Living With MDS: Why Did I Get Cancer?
The MDS Beacon
Dr. Steensma’s recent column about Agent Orange reminded me of the many months (or was it years?) I spent kicking myself over every poor decision I had ever made about my health. It also caused me to re-visit having lived near a dioxin superfund …

Agent Orange leaves lingering, costly aftermath
Reading Eagle
Some were casualties of Agent Orange. “A lot of them that were there had limbs … Tumors, rashes, miscarriages and birth defects were reported in the years …

Deadly rainbow: Veterans suffer from Agent Orange exposure
Montgomery Advertiser
The main dioxin in Agent Orange, 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin, or TCDD, is one of the most toxic. During the 1970s, veterans returning from Vietnam …

Air Force Vietnam veteran wants other vets to learn about Agent Orange Registry
ABC Action News
It did, it floored me,” recalled Bob Wood. When Wood suffered a heart attack two years ago, doctors at the Haley VA Hospital told him his exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam contributed to his heart disease. “This is unbelievable,” Wood thought at the…

A Battle Unending: The Vietnam War and Agent Orange
the Diplomat
By Simon Roughneen While the Vietnam War ended decades ago, its effects continue to linger on.Agent Orange haunts the lives of the people it has touched.

Monsanto and Genetically Engineered Food: Playing Roulette With …
Truth-Out
Is Monsanto the most pernicious global corporation when it comes to GMOs, … They lied to us about the safety of PCB’s, DDT and Agent Orange, …

Sister of Agent Orange victim says battle for recognition far from over
GlobalNews.ca
Bertrand was one of about 30 people who got compensation from the federal government after it overturned a decision to deny claims for people diagnosed with Agent Orange-related illnesses past a June 30, 2011 deadline. Timeline: The fight for Agent …

WMU professor’s book analyzes effects of Agent Orange
Western Herald
Ed Martini, Associate Professor of History and Associate Dean in the College of Arts and Sciences, recently published Agent Orange: History, Science, and the Politics of Uncertainty, a book that better explains the chemical used during the Vietnam War.

Dioxin, TCE Drums, U-235 and El Toro’s Panhandle
Salem-News.Com
We do know that one El Toro Marine who never served in Vietnam died from Agent Orange exposure, Dr. Chuck Bennett over 12 years ago cited two Orange County experts who examined soil samples from the panhandle and found weapons grade U-235 …

Vietnam Veterans Memorial 30 years later | Invisible Children Blog
Three decades ago, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington DC was officially dedicated on Nov. 13th 1982. Consisting of two reflective walls that span …

Veterans Corner: Vietnam service ‘presumptive’ disability benefits
Hanford Sentinel
Certain conditions are also recognized for the children of Vietnam veterans. Covered birth defects include a wide range conditions. Eighteen defects are specifically included and others not specifically excluded are covered. Vietnam veterans who served…
****COVVHA HAS RESPONDED TO THE ABOVE ARTICLE****

THE INFORMATION INCLUDED IN THE ARTICLE IS MISLEADING AND INCORRECT

“VA does this because of the unique circumstances of their military service. If one of these conditions is diagnosed in a veteran, VA presumes that the circumstances of his/her service caused the condition and disability compensation can be awarded.”

Let’s start with using the term, Agent Orange Dioxin. This is the “unique circumstance” our military members were exposed to, by their own government.

I think it’s totally disrespectful to not mention what the disability compensation is connected to.

The government used a chemical herbicide nicknamed Agent Orange (due to the orange stripe on the barrel). They used 22 million gallons on Southeast Asia to kill the vegetation, and deny the enemy cover. This chemical was also used along the Korean DMZ. Our government told our military was safe. What our troops were unaware of is that it contained Dioxin the most poisonous chemical known to man. Well, they found out, alright. Years later, our Vietnam Veterans began becoming seriously ill. Many died young, many young men acquired “old man” diseases with no prior family history all while our government denied their poison had any role in harming them.

The government waited till 1991 to help our veterans, prior to that they were called crazy or faking. The process has been so slow to help our Vietnam Veterans that even after they started to “Presume” a few illnesses, many Vets succumb to their illnesses leaving their families with only more questions and no support. There are claims dating back to the early 1980’s for Ischemic Heart disease (Added only to the presumptive list in 2010) still in appeal. This is not an easy process no matter what you may be led to believe. It is a tragedy.

Secondly, this article is disseminating incorrect information about the Children of Vietnam Veterans. After coming home from war, Veterans tried to move on with their lives and start their families. They soon discovered their children were being born with horrifying deformities, cleft Palate, Club foot, hip dysplasia, rare disorders, and strange illnesses. Our Government again turned it’s back.

“Certain conditions are also recognized for the children of Vietnam veterans. Covered birth defects include a wide range conditions. Eighteen defects are specifically included and others not specifically excluded are covered”

“Vietnam veterans who served in the Republic of Vietnam between Jan. 9, 1962 and May 7, 1975, and later contracted any of these conditions, or have children with birth defects, should apply for disability compensation benefits.”

This is very frustrating especially if this is supposed to be by someone knowledgeable in this field. There are not 18+ birth defects covered in the children of Male Vietnam Veterans. There is only one Spina Bifida. From the VA website:

Children who have spina bifida (except spina bifida occulta) and meet the following requirements may be eligible for VA compensation, health care, and vocational training:

  • Are biological children of Veterans who served:Were conceived after the date on which the Veteran first entered Vietnam or the Korean demilitarized zone during the qualifying service period
    • In Vietnam during the period from January 9, 1962 through May 7, 1975, or
    • In or near the Korean demilitarized zone between September 1, 1967 and August 31, 1971 and were exposed to herbicides. Veterans who served in a unit in or near the Korean demilitarized zone anytime between April 1, 1968 and August 31, 1971 are presumed to have been exposed to herbicides.
  • If you are the child of a Male Vietnam Veteran you are NOT eligible for compensation unless you have Spina Bifida (NOT OCCULTA- the most common form)

There is no help for the thousands and thousands of children of male Vietnam Veterans that are suffering from congenital deformities, Cancers, Autoimmune Diseases, Reproductive Problems and other rare illnesses. There were 2.8 million people that served in Vietnam.  Six to eight thousand of them were women.

 The eighteen, plus birth defects you talk about in this article are only covered in the children of WOMEN Vietnam Veterans NOT in the children of Male Vietnam Veterans even though the children of Male veterans suffer greatly with the same illnesses!

Anyone else who have the birth defects listed whose mother was not a Vietnam Veteran WILL BE DENIED. 

Covered birth defects include, but are not limited to, the following conditions: NOT COVERED IN THE CHILDREN OF MALE VIETNAM VETERANS!!!!!!!!!!

  • Achondroplasia
  • Cleft lip and cleft palate
  • Congenital heart disease
  • Congenital talipes equinovarus (clubfoot)
  • Esophageal and intestinal atresia
  • Hallerman-Streiff syndrome
  • Hip dysplasia
  • Hirschprung’s disease (congenital megacolon)
  • Hydrocephalus due to aqueductal stenosis
  • Hypospadias
  • Imperforate anus
  • Neural tube defects
  • Poland syndrome
  • Pyloric stenosis
  • Syndactyly (fused digits)
  • Tracheoesophageal fistula
  • Undescended testicle
  • Williams syndrome

If you are confused over what is or isn’t covered for the Children of Vietnam Veterans feel free to email us at COVVHA@gmail.com

© Heather A. Bowser – (COVVHA) Children Of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance INC

 

Medical History Should Include Military History, Doctor Says
New York Times (blog)
So he was surprised to learn not long ago — from reading a newspaper article — that at least one of those ailments, ischemic heart disease, has been linked to exposure to the defoliant Agent Orange, which was used widely in Vietnam. It dawned on him …

Over 200000 veterans exposed to Dioxin
VietNamNet Bridge
VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnam currently has more than 200000 veterans exposed to Agent Orange/Dioxin and infected with some diseases identified by the US …

Agent Orange remains big health concern
Herald Palladium (subscription)
JOSEPH – A vestige of the Vietnam War is present front and center at the Berrien County Veterans Service Office. Dozens of veterans of the war, which ended in 1975, call or visit to get help in filing claims for illnesses and conditions attributed to …

Monsanto On Verge of $40 Million GMO Bailout in Europe: Report
DeathRattleSports.com
Monsanto GMO Bailout in Europe A Sign of Things to Come? … a company that moved from producing Agent Orange during the Vietnam War to using their …

Conditions recognized as related to exposure to Agent Orange
Journal Times
The following presumptive conditions are recognized by the Veterans Affairs as related to Agent Orange exposure for veterans who served in county in Vietnam during Jan. 9, 1962, through May 7, 1975. • AL Amyloidosis — A rare disease caused when an …

Vietnamese still fighting for recognition of Agent Orange impact
Toronto Star
They are, she believes, victims of the Agent Orange dumped on Vietnam’s … found “compelling evidence” linking a rise in birth defects and miscarriages in …

A toxic disaster
The Korea Herald
Authorities estimate that 4.8 million were exposed to Agent Orange dioxin in … causing men exposed to Agent Orange to father children with birth defects.

Children Of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance | AGENT ORANGE
Memories of the Vietnam War are dimming, but veterans and Vietnamese nationals who were exposed to Agent Orange and other dioxin-laced defoliants are …

 

 

 

agent orange gmo monsanto children of vietnam veterans www.covvha.net

Agent Orange, Children Of Vietnam Veterans, Monsanto, GMO – The Video That Explains Everything

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On October 16, 2011, Kelly L. Derricks (TRUTH TELLER) traveled to New York City where she gave a public speech about Agent Orange after being invited by Millions Against Monsanto to participate in the rally event for World Food Day.  Below is the video recording of that speech.

Kelly has battled severe health issues since she was born that continue today. Some of her illnesses, presumed to be associated with the inter-generational effects of Agent Orange, include but are not limited to the following:

• Chronic kidney disease
• Crohn’s disease
• Addison’s disease
• Congenital adrenal hyperplaysia
• Intersticial cystitis.

*Her complete list of illnesses staggers to 30 different things.

Kelly continues to fight for the Children of Vietnam Veterans as well as Vietnam Veterans and their families. In January of 2012 She Co-Founded The Non-Profit Organization (COVVHA) Children Of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance INC

Visit The Main Website At WWW.COVVHA.NET

https://www.youtube.com/user/teppnme?feature=watch

CBD17

COVVHA BY DESIGN CUSTOM CLOTHING LINE

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WE ARE PROUD TO ANNOUNCE OUR NEW AGENT ORANGE AWARENESS CHILDREN OF VIETNAM VETERANS HEALTH ALLIANCE CUSTOM CLOTHING LINE “COVVHA BY DESIGN”  SPONSORED BY
 RED ZONE GRAPHIC EMBROIDERY 

Check out some of our photos for our different brand lines like :

COVVHA SPORT FOR WOMEN

COVVHA GEAR FOR MEN

COVVHA COMFORT SLEEP LINE

COVVHA VETERANS & MILITARY

COVVHA LAPEL PINS

R2M CUSTOM 

For Ordering and product Information Please Contact
PMASON@COVVHA.NET
 

To View Photos, please Click HERE

Agent Orange News Children Of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance 2012

Agent Orange Dioxin & GMO News September – October

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One veteran’s story about fighting Agent Orange
Ruben Rosario: Did this veteran’s service cost him his life?
Ken Blum: Focus on Agent Orange before victims are all gone
John Bury: Victims of Agent Orange must band together to push …
Despite knowing Agent Orange, Parkinson’s link some veterans still have …
France May Issue Call for Europe-Wide Ban on GM Corn
Red Fridays – Burn Pits, the new Agent Orange
Genetically Modified Organisms No Answer to Food Shortage
Treatment of veterans is totally disgusting
Federal Judge Dismisses Agent Orange Case in NY
Agent Orange in Okinawa: the Smoking Gun
Prop 37: 8 Reasons for Voting Yes for Labeling GMO Foods
New method of cleaning Passaic River fails test in Lyndhurst
Promise made, promise kept: Son takes father’s fight about Agent …
Agent Orange wrecks future generations’ too?
Corpus Christi Army Depot’s safety history sometimes spotty
Letters: A veteran’s take on his healthcare
After military service, veterans next battle V.A.
Vietnamese, Korean dioxin victims on epic bike trip
Homeland Security is Working for Monsanto
US says to help clear dioxin from Da Nang airport by 2016
War veterans’ children supported by scholarships
Over VND2.5 billion raised for disadvantaged children
Agent Orange consequences to be overcome by 2020
Vietnam Veteran Remembered As Kind, Proud American
SEARCH TIME.COM
US, Vietnam join hands to deal with AO consequences
Agent Orange chemical in GM war on resistant weeds
Agent Orange cleanup effort stirs questions about responsibility
Mag Links Romney To Monsanto
Remember Vietnam,Continuing Birth Defects Caused By Agent …
Massive Attack on GMO Labeling Proposal in California
Monsanto: One of Romney & Bain’s Earliest Clients
Andrew G. Reiter: Questions on efforts to clean up Agent Orange
Oregonians Fear Harmful Effects From Timberland Herbicides
AGENT ORANGE Rainbow Herbicides A Bioforming Pandemic Killing Some …
Feds May Acknowledge Ground Zero Cancer Link
FRA | Legislative Update: Agent Orange Reform
Debate over genetically modified food gets political with Prop. 37
Agent Orange’s shameful legacy
U.S. and Vietnam looking to improve trade relations
American student asks justice for AO victims
Birth defects caused by Agent Orange : WTF
Dow denies succour to Bhopal despite new-found enveronmentalism
Navy veteran says Agent Orange is still a concern
Dow Chemical still blamed for deaths and birth defects and under …
Laos still in the dark on Agent Orange impact
United States and Laos yet to deal with Agent Orange legacy
I look to the positives rather than the ifs or the buts’
United States Embarks On $43 Million Effort to - Birth Defect Lawyer …
Da Nang: 62 people infected with dioxin
VA Harnesses Big Data For Broader Impact
McNair researcher to use Vietnam’s toxic aftermath for realistic theatre
Craig Wehrle: War supporter Grothman should look at birth defects
The Terrible Legacy of Agent Orange
Vietnam forgotten, more than a ‘Lost Generation’
150, 000 Vietnamese children born with birth defects - Agent …
He’s telling the other side of war
Veterans For Peace: U.S. just beginning Agent Orange cleanup in …
Cleaning Agent Orange - Video Library – The New York Times
Behind the front line
The Toxic Effects of Agent Orange Persist 51 Years After the …

Vietnam Vets Pushing for More Research on “Agent Orange Corn”

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Moms and food activists have been fighting genetically modified foods for years. Now, they have a new ally.

Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) sent a letter to President Obama just before Memorial Day asking for his assistance in delaying approval of a new breed of corn that’s genetically modified to resist heavy applications of the herbicide 2,4-D, one of the two active ingredients in the infamous Vietnam-era defoliant Agent Orange.

The corn and 2,4-D are both being manufactured by Dow Agro Science, which has named its new corn “Enlist,” a name the veterans said in the letter was “a slap at all Vietnam veterans.” Multinational seed company Monsanto also manufactures 2,4-D.

Most of the health problems caused by Agent Orange during the Vietnam War have been attributed to unintended dioxin contamination of the two active ingredients, 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T. Dioxin builds up in the fatty tissue of humans and animals and can cause damage for years after exposure. The government continues to add to the known health conditions related to Agent Orange’s dioxin poisoning, but currently they include diabetes, neuropathy, Parkinson’s disease, heart disease, liver dysfunction, numerous cancers, and birth defects in the children of exposed soldiers and Vietnam residents. Studies in recent years have found that 2,4-D is just as likely to be contaminated with dioxin when used alone as it was when used in combination with 2,4,5-T.

Adding to that danger, 2,4-D itself has been linked to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, cell damage, hormonal disruption, and reproductive problems, according to the nonprofit Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), which petitioned the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) earlier this year in an effort to ban the substance permanently. The EPA denied the NRDC’s petition.

“Although there is a lot that science has learned about the effects of dioxin on the human organism, there is still a lot that science has yet to learn,” writes VVA. “Now, Dow and Monsanto wish to release genetically modified corn that has increased resistance to 2,4-D. What will this mean to Vietnam vets, who have already been exposed to this chemical through our military service? To our progeny?”

The group’s letter went on to state that the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) conclusion that 2,4-D–resistant corn would have no “significant” impact on the environment was inaccurate and “raises more questions than it answers.” The vets are asking President Obama to push for more research by independent scientists, not those affiliated with Dow Agro Sciences.

“We are not calling for a complete ban of this new product at this time,” the group writes. “We are simply not willing to be lied to or withheld information from again. Vietnam veterans were lied to about our exposure to chemicals which claimed many lives long after our troops left Southeast Asia.”

The VVA isn’t alone in its attempts to get Obama’s attention. Children of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance, another group made up of veterans’ children who were impacted by dioxin poisoning and Agent Orange, is endorsing the California ballot initiative that would require labeling of genetically modified ingredients. That initiative will be voted on in the November 2012 election.

The USDA has closed the public comment period on Dow’s 2,4-D–resistant corn, but the nonprofit Center for Food Safety continues to pressure the EPA to ban 2,4-D altogether. Take a minute to sign the center’s petition and to protect your family from the potential for more toxic pesticide exposure.

Originally Posted On Infinitymuscle.com

http://www.infinitymuscle.com/showthread.php?15187-Vietnam-Vets-Pushing-for-More-Research-on-quot-Agent-Orange-Corn-quot

GMO label movement faces hurdles in Vermont

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GMO label movement faces hurdles in Vermont

Terri Hallenbeck

MONTPELIER — Jeff Weinstein runs a small Montpelier company called Two Guys in Vermont that makes soups that are sold in area stores.

Weinstein said he uses as many local, wholesome ingredients as he can find. He packages the soup in glass jars to steer clear of the chemicals in cans. He would love it if his soups could stand out on the supermarket shelf as not containing genetically engineered foods.  “For people who buy my soup, GE-free is important,“ Weinstein said.

Weinstein recently urged the House Agriculture Committee to pass a bill requiring foods that contain genetically engineered ingredients to be labeled as such. That means some of Weinstein’s competitors’ soup might come bearing a prominent label that reads: “This product may be partially produced with genetic engineering.”

Legislators have heard a drumbeat of support for labeling. Some 300 people turned out for an April 12 public hearing at the Statehouse. More that 100 addressed the House Agriculture Committee, all speaking in favor of labeling genetically engineered foods.

“We have a right to uncontaminated agriculture in this state,” Peggy Luhrs of Burlington told the committee at the hearing, echoing a common sentiment of uneasiness with the science of genetically engineered seeds. Many noted that 50 other nations require some sort of labeling.  “There is a desire to know what’s in their food,” Rep. Carolyn Partridge, D-Windham, chairwoman of the House Agriculture Committee.

Despite the clamor, labeling appears to be a long ways off in Vermont. Legislation that emerged from the House Agriculture Committee on Friday afternoon comes too late in the legislative session for there to be any hope of it making its way through the full House, the Senate and into law. In addition, the resistance that the legislation ran into highlights the chasm that can exist between the goals of a burgeoning political movement and the pressures legislators face as they seek to fashion laws.

The bill faces powerful opposition, and not only from the biotechnology industry that manufactures and defends its genetically engineered seeds. Some of the very people one might assume would be for the bill are also against it.

What’s at stake

• THE BILL: The House Agriculture Committee voted 9-1 on Friday for a bill, H.722, that would require products containing genetically modified foods to be labeled as such, but delays implementation until a year after California and at least two Northeastern states pass similar laws.
• LABELING ADVOCATES: Supporters in Vermont of labeling genetically engineered foods have formed a consortium: www.vtrighttoknow.org.
• LABELING OPPONENTS: The Bio Technology Organization, a trade group representing biotechechnology companies that include seed manufacturer Monsanto Corp., opposes labeling legislation: www.bio.org.
• FDA: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has rejected efforts to require labeling nationally and considers genetically engineered foods safe:www.fda.gov/food/labelingnutrition/default.htm.
• NON-GMO PROJECT: The California-based group has a verification process for labeling products as free of genetically engineered ingredients,www.nongmoproject.org.

Written by
Terri Hallenbeck - Burlingtonfreepress.com
Read The Full Article - http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20120423/NEWS03/120422010/1095/GMO-label-movement-faces-hurdles-Vermont-

Toronto Organic Delivery Company Outlines a GMO Avoidance Action Plan

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TORONTO, April 18, 2012 /CNW/ – Front Door Organics (FDO) is hard at work addressing the serious concern of GMO (genetically modified organism) contamination of organic food.

In response to customer queries about GMOs finding their way into organic food and the ever increasing presence of genetically engineered crops in North America, FDO has outlined a GMO Avoidance Action Plan.

A recent US poll showed that 92% of consumers want GMOs labelled.1  “Nobody wants to be a part of this science experiment and it is really important that we continue to voice this over and over again,” said Angela Donnelly, owner/operator.

By its very definition, certified organic food CANNOT be produced using GMOs – either on the farm or at the processing stage. The concern of GMOs in organic food lies in the simple and unarguable fact that ‘the wind will always blow’ – cross-pollination, or out-crossing, is one of the biggest concerns for non-GMO and organic farmers.  Large scale processing with multiple ingredients by manufacturers not exclusively producing organic food also leaves open opportunities for organic foods to be unknowingly contaminated.

“We see the increasing prevalence of GMO crops in North America as the most serious threat to our food security not to mention the ever growing organic food industry. FDO only sources certified organic products and we’re extremely concerned about maintaining the integrity of our organic food supply,” said JJ Sheppard, who regularly screens and selects the products FDO carries.

Here are the key steps to Front Door Organics’ GMO Avoidance Action Plan:

Front Door Organics has become a Supporting Retailer of the Non-GMO Project. The Non-GMO Project is a non-profit organization in Washington State, USA, that has developed the only third party independent testing based verification program for GMO contamination in North America using the European established threshold of 0.9%. Without legislated compulsory GMO labelling in Canada and the US, FDO believes the Non-GMO Projects verification program is the ‘next best thing’ for people seeking assurance they are not buying and consuming GMOs.

FDO has scrutinized its entire product list. For those products containing risk ingredients (soy, corn, canola or sugar), the manufacturer has been contacted directly regarding the source of that ingredient and their efforts to avoid GMO contamination. If no response or an unsatisfactory response was given, FDO has de-listed and re-sourced the product in question. Additionally, all manufacturers of the products that aren’t Non-GMO Project Verified have been contacted to suggest they submit their products to the verification program. This review process is now a part of FDO’s regular process of listing new products.

“Through our work so far, we have found that, like us, other organic businesses are very concerned about the increasing prevalence of genetically engineered crops and are also going to great lengths to prevent their products and farms from being contaminated. The certifying bodies and producers we have been talking to are all very rigid in their adherence to the standards in place (both in the US and in Canada).” – JJ Sheppard.

The words ‘Non-GMO Project Verified’ are now displayed in the online account section for those products that are enrolled in the above mentioned verification program. This is in addition to the labels Fair Trade, Kosher, Vegan and Wheat Free that are also currently in use in their online store.

FDO endeavours to provide its customers with clear and easy to understand information about GMOs: their policy regarding GMOs is outlined in the Our Buying Practices page (in the About FDO section) on their Web site and they have added a section of FAQs about GMOs in their Customer Service pages. They regularly discuss genetic engineering issues with their social media audiences and include information about GMOs in their newsletters.

“The future of our organic food really is under serious threat. FDO is only a tiny business in comparison to otherToronto food retailers but we are seeking to provide our customers with the cleanest and safest food – and we will do all that we can to this end,” said Donnelly.

FDO, owned and operated by partners, Angela Donnelly and JJ Sheppard, has been in business since 1997 and is one of Toronto’s first organic home delivery companies.

 

1 Center for Food Safety, Polls on GMO Labeling
http://gefoodlabels.org/gmo-labeling/polls-on-gmo-labeling/

http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/957539/toronto-organic-delivery-company-outlines-a-gmo-avoidance-action-plan

NON #GMO SHOPPING #AO2GEN

NON-GMO SHOPPING GUIDE

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Introduction & Overview      Page 3
Alternative Dairy Products  Page 4
Baby Food & Infant Formula Page 4
Beverages            Page 5
Body Care Products  Page 5
Breads & Baked Goods Page 5
Candy, Chocolate & Sweeteners   Page 6
Cereals & Breakfast Bars  Page 6
Condiments, Oils, Dressings & Spreads  Page 7
Dairy Products  Page 7
Feed & Seed  Page 8
Fruits & Vegetables  Page 8
Grains, Beans & Flour   Page 8
Herbs, Spices & Other Ingredients page 9
Meat, Fish & Eggs  Page 9
Mercantile   Page 9
Packaged/Frozen Meals  Page 10
Pasta     Page 10
Pet Products    Page 10
Snack Foods & Bars    Page 10
Soups & Sauces Page 11
Tofu, Tempeh & Alternative Meat Products Page 11
Vitamins & Supplements Page 12
Brands Enrolled—Not Yet Verified Page 12
Invisible GM Ingredients Page 14

To be listed in a category, brands must have at least one product verified by the Non-GMO Project.
This does not mean that all of their products are verified. 
To find out which products have qualified,

 

NON-GMO SHOPPING GUIDE

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Contents

To be listed in a category, brands must have at least one product verified by the Non-GMO Project.
This does not mean that all of their products are verified. 
To find out which products have qualified,
Introduction & Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . …….1
Alternative Dairy Products. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . …….. 2
Baby Food & Infant Formula . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . …….2
Beverages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . …… 3
Body Care Products. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ….. 3
Breads & Baked Goods. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ….. 3
Candy, Chocolate & Sweeteners. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . …… 4
Cereals & Breakfast Bars. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ….4
Condiments, Oils, Dressings & Spreads. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . …….5
Dairy Products. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ….5
Feed & Seed. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . … 6
Fruits & Vegetables. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . … 6
Grains, Beans & Flour. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . … 6
Herbs, Spices & Other Ingredients . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ….7
Meat, Fish & Eggs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Mercantile. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .7
Packaged/Frozen Meals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . …8
Pasta. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 8
Pet Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 8
Snack Foods & Bars. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 8
Soups & Sauces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 9
Tofu, Tempeh & Alternative Meat Products. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . …. 9
Vitamins & Supplements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . …10
Brands Enrolled—Not Yet Verified. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Invisible GM Ingredients. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..12

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GMO Facts and Verified Product List

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What are GMOs?
GMOs, or “genetically modified organisms,” are plants or animals created through the gene splicing techniques of biotechnology also called genetic engineering, or GE). This experimental technology merges DNA from different species, creating unstable combinations of plant, animal, bacterial and viral genes that cannot occur in nature or in traditional crossbreeding.

Virtually all commercial GMOs are engineered to withstand direct application of herbicide and/or to produce an insecticide. Despite biotech industry promises, none of the GMO traits currently on the market offer increased yield, drought tolerance, enhanced nutrition, or any other consumer benefit.

Meanwhile, a growing body of evidence connects GMOs with health problems, environmental damage and violation of farmers’ and consumers’ rights.

Are GMOs safe?
Most developed nations do not consider GMOs to be safe. In nearly 50 countries around the world, including Australia, Japan, and all of the countries in the European Union, there are significant restrictions or outright bans on the production and sale of GMOs. In the U.S., the government has approved GMOs based on studies conducted by the same corporations that created them and profit from their sale. Increasingly, Americans are taking matters into their own hands and choosing to opt out of the GMO experiment.

Are GMOs labeled?
Unfortunately, even though polls consistently show that a significant majority of Americans want to know if the food they’re purchasing contains GMOs, the powerful biotech lobby has succeeded in keeping this information from the public. In the absence of mandatory labeling, the Non-GMO Project was created to give consumers the informed choice they deserve.

Where does the Non-GMO Project come in?
The Non-GMO Project is a non-profit organization with a mission of protecting the non-GMO food supply and giving consumers an informed choice. We offer North America’s ONLY third party verification for products produced according to rigorous best practices for GMO avoidance (for more info, click here). Our strategy is to empower consumers to make change through the marketplace. If people stop buying GMOs, companies will stop using them and farmers will stop growing them.

Do Americans want non-GMO foods and supplements?
Polls consistently show that a significant majority of North Americans would like to be able to tell if the food they’re purchasing contains GMOs (a 2008 CBS News Poll found that 87% of consumers wanted GMOs labeled). And, according to a recent CBS/New York Times poll, 53% of consumers said they would not buy food that has been genetically modified. The Non-GMO Project’s seal for verified products will, for the first time, give the public an opportunity to make an informed choice when it comes to GMOs.

How common are GMOs?
In the U.S., GMOs are in as much as 80% of conventional processed food. Click here for a current list of GMO risk crops.

What are the impacts of GMOs on the environment?
Over 80% of all GMOs grown worldwide are engineered for herbicide tolerance. As a result, use of toxic herbicides like Roundup has increased 1S times since GMOs were introduced. GMO crops are also responsible for the emergence of “super weeds” and “super bugs:’ which can only be killed with ever more toxic poisons like 2,4-D (a major ingredient in Agent Orange). GMOs are a direct extension of chemical agriculture, and are developed and sold by the world’s biggest chemical companies. The long-term impacts of GMOs are unknown, and once released into the environment these novel organisms cannot be recalled.

How do GMOs affect farmers?
Because GMOs are novel life forms, biotechnology companies have been able to obtain patents with which to restrict their use. As a result, the companies that make GMOs now have the power to sue farmers whose fields are contaminated with GMOs, even when it is the result of inevitable drift from neighboring fields. GMOs therefore pose a serious threat to farmer sovereignty and to the national food security of any country where they are grown, including the United States.

How can I avoid GMOs?
Choose food and products that are Non-GMO Project Verified!
Click here to see a complete list by category!

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