Monsanto's Roundup disaster

[StRa]

GM food toxins found in the blood of 93% of unborn babies

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/a...ins-blood-93-unborn-babies.html#ixzz1P97uCQw7

GM firms claimed toxins were destroyed in the gut

Toxins implanted into GM food crops to kill pests are reaching the bloodstreams of women and unborn babies, alarming research has revealed.
A landmark study found 93 per cent of blood samples taken from pregnant women and 80 per cent from umbilical cords tested positive for traces of the chemicals.
Millions of acres in North and South America are planted with GM corn containing the toxins, which is fed in vast quantities to farm livestock around the world – including Britain.
However, it is now clear the toxins designed to kill crop pests are reaching humans and babies in the womb – apparently through food.
It is not known what, if any, harm this causes but there is speculation it could lead to allergies, miscarriage, abnormalities or even cancer.
To date the industry has always argued that if these toxins were eaten by animals or humans they would be destroyed in the gut and pass out of the body, thus causing no harm.
Food safety authorities in Britain and Europe have accepted these assurances on the basis that GM crops are effectively no different to those produced using conventional methods.

But the latest study appears to blow a hole in these claims and has triggered calls for a ban on imports and a total overhaul of the safety regime for GM crops and food.
Most of the global research which has been used to demonstrate the safety of GM crops has been funded by the industry itself.

GM: Ninety-three per cent of samples from pregnant women and 80 per cent from umbilical cords tested positive for traces of toxins.

The new study was carried out by independent doctors at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, at the University of Sherbrooke Hospital Centre in Quebec, Canada.
They took blood samples from 30 pregnant women and 39 other women who were not having a baby.
They were looking for residues of the pesticides associated with the cultivation of GM food.
These include so-called Bt toxins, which are implanted using GM techniques into corn and some other crops.

Fragile: It is not known what effect the toxins have on the unborn foetus

Traces of Bt toxin were found in the blood of 93 per cent of the pregnant mothers – 28 out of 30. It was also found in 80 per cent of the umbilical cords – 24 out of 30.
In the non-pregnant group, traces were found in the blood of 69 per cent – 27 out of 39. It is thought the toxin is getting into the human body as a result of eating meat, milk and eggs from farm livestock fed GM corn.

The Canadian team told the scientific journal Reproductive Toxicology: ‘This is the first study to highlight the presence of pesticides associated with genetically modified foods in maternal, foetal and non-pregnant women’s blood.’
They said the Bt toxin was ‘clearly detectable and appears to cross the placenta to the foetus’.
Calling for action, the team said: ‘Given the potential toxicity of these environmental pollutants and the fragility of the foetus, more studies are needed.’
The director of GM Freeze, an umbrella group for community, consumer and environmental organisations opposed to GM farming, described the research as ‘very significant’.
Pete Riley said: ‘This research is a major surprise as it shows that the Bt proteins have survived the human digestive system and passed into the blood supply – something that regulators said could not happen.
‘Regulators need to urgently reassess their opinions, and the EU should use the safeguard clauses in the regulations to prevent any further GM Bt crops being cultivated or imported for animal feed or food until the potential health implications have been fully evaluated.’
Biohazard: Millions of acres in North and South America are planted with GM corn containing the toxins, which is fed in vast quantities to farm livestock worldwide
The Agriculture Biotechnology Council, which speaks for the GM industry, questioned the reliability and value of the research.
Its chairman, Dr Julian Little, said: ‘The study is based on analysis that has been used in previous feeding studies and has been found to be unreliable.’
He said the toxins found are also used in other farming systems and gardening ‘with no harm to human health’.
Dr Little said: ‘Biotech crops are rigorously tested for safety prior to their use and over two trillion meals made with GM ingredients have been safely consumed around the world over the past 15 years without a single substantiated health issue.

 

[MrFista]

Outstanding work StRa, thank you. They're still trying to push GM in universities like it's the magic bullet for mankinds woes, the funding goes deep from these pricks, tainting the next generation of minds before they are released into the economy as 'experts' in their respective fields.

I've disrupted class a few times when the bullshit got too thick. Always worth it to tell the truth.

 

[StRa]

http://www.theecologist.org/News/ne...es_on_monsanto_over_pesticides_arms_race.html

Main ingredient of Monsanto's Roundup weed killer is being linked to cancer, birth defects and Parkinson's disease and should be banned, according to campaigners behind new report

The use of the popular weedkiller, 'Roundup', in public parks and on agricultural crops is a danger to public health, according to a new analysis of scientific evidence.

One of the main ingredients of Roundup, as well as several other herbicides, is a chemical known as glyphosate. A review of academic research, conducted by Greenpeace and the anti-GM campaign group GM Freeze, suggests exposure to it can cause cancer, hormonal imbalance, birth defects and neurological illnesses including Parkinson's.

The glyphosate within weedkiller can also be damaging to wildlife and rivers, when it spreads through the soil and into watercourses with run-off.

As the Ecologist reported recently, the pesticide industry and regulators have been accused of repeatedly misleading the public with claims that glyphosate is safe.

In reality, academic studies including one commissioned by one of the main manufacturers Monsanto, showed as long ago as the 1980s that glyphosate caused birth defects in laboratory animals.

Despite more recent evidence of the health risks, including reports of escalating levels of birth defects and cancers in areas of South America where glyphosate is heavily sprayed on crops, the EU Commission followed the US and other countries in approving the use of the chemical as a weedkiller.

The approval has allowed Monsanto to claim that 'regulatory authorities and independent experts around the world agree that glyphosate does not cause adverse reproductive effects…or birth defects.'

Resistance is spreading

The new Greenpeace campaign, backed by the report, is targeting Monsanto in particular because of the spread of its GM crops, genetically engineered to be tolerant to glyphospate. This allows farmers to spray the chemical over the top of the crop, killing almost all weeds without affecting the crop.

The campaign-launch comes as US officials began investigating claims Monsanto provided cash incentives to farmers to use its glyphospate products between 2009 and 2010.

As well as the potential human health and environmental impact of the use of glyphosate, it is also presenting a growing weed-resistance threat.

Far from reducing the cost of weed control for farmers, the heavy use of glyphosate herbicides by farmers is seeing a rise in the number of weeds becoming resistant to the chemical.

According to Greenpeace, resistance to glyphosate has now been confirmed in more than 20 weed species, with over 100 resistant strains identified, covering nearly 6 million hectares, primarily in Argentina, Brazil and the US. It fears Monsanto and other chemical companies want to use even more toxic chemicals to combat the resistance, creating a 'pesticide arms race'.

'Whether we like it or not, we all receive exposure to herbicides: sometimes from aerial spraying, sometimes through chemical residues in our food and sometimes because of chemical run off from agricultural land that pollutes nearby fields, seas or rivers,' Greenpeace sustainable farming campaigner Lasse Bruun, said.

'There are no winners in the war against superweeds - but human health, the environment, farmers and you, the consumer, all the losers.'

Useful links
Herbicide tolerance and GM crops: why the world should be Ready to Round up glyphosate

 

[cyat]

Thanks Stra! was just playing the world according to monsanto for a friend, who had no idea.
This shit is being put into effect( or already has) and has blended into the food supply so smoothly. Almost every major brand and every premade product contains mostly gmos mmmm. quaker granola bars nice and healthy
keep up the good work, spreading awareness

 

[elmanito]

U.S. researchers find Roundup chemical in water, air

By Carey Gillam
KANSAS CITY, Missouri | Wed Aug 31, 2011 4:01pm EDT

(Reuters.com) - Significant levels of the world's most-used herbicide have been detected in air and water samples from two U.S. farm states, government scientists said on Wednesday, in groundbreaking research on the active ingredient in Monsanto Co's Roundup.

"It is out there in significant levels. It is out there consistently," said Paul Capel, environmental chemist and head of the agricultural chemicals team at the U.S. Geological Survey Office, part of the U.S. Department of Interior.

Capel said more tests were needed to determine how harmful the chemical, glyphosate, might be to people and animals.

The study comes on the heels of several others released recently that raise concerns about the rise of resistant "super weeds," and other unintended consequences of Roundup on soil and animals.

Capel said glyphosate, the key ingredient in "Roundup" herbicide, was found in every stream sample examined in Mississippi in a two-year period and in most air samples taken. Tests were also done in Iowa.

"So people are exposed to it through inhalation," said Capel.

The research did not look at the impact of the glyphosate in the air and water; the purpose was purely to determine exposure.

More research is needed, Capel said, to analyze the implications.

It is difficult and costly to test for the presence of glyphosate, a popular herbicide used around the world to control weeds on farm fields, golf courses and in residential yards. As a result, little research has been done on the implications for waterways and the air, according to Capel.

"This study is one of the first to document the consistent occurrence of this chemical in streams, rain and air throughout the growing season," said Capel. "It is used so heavily and studied so little."

Capel said researchers looked at samples from Mississippi, a key agricultural area for corn, soybeans, cotton and rice. Many farmers of those crops use large quantities of glyphosate when growing to combat weeds. Researchers also took samples from areas in Iowa.

Monsanto Co. introduced glyphosate to the world in 1974 branded as Roundup, and has made billions of dollars over the years from Roundup herbicides as well as from the "Roundup Ready" corn, soybeans and cotton the company has genetically engineered to survive dousings of glyphosate.

Most of the corn, soybeans and cotton grown in the United States are part of the Roundup Ready system.

The USGS said more than 88,0000 tons of glyphosate were used in the United States in 2007, up from 11,000 tons in 1992. The big increase in usage has spurred concerns on many fronts, most recently from farmers and environmentalists noting the rise of "super weeds" that are resistant to Roundup.

Fast-growing, glyphosate-resistant weeds are choking out crops in some areas, and some scientists say research shows harmful effects of glyphosate products on soil organisms, on plants, and on certain animals.

The Environmental Protection Agency is reviewing the registration for glyphosate and the data gathered by the U.S. Geological Survey has been submitted to the EPA, said Capel.

The EPA has set a deadline of 2015 for determining if glyphosate should continue to be sold or in some way limited. The EPA is working closely with regulators in Canada as they also assess the ongoing safety and effectiveness of the herbicide.

Monsanto spokeswoman Kelli Powers said the company was reviewing the study. The EPA had no immediate comment on the study.

(Reporting by Carey Gillam; Editing by David Gregorio)

Nice fresh air in the country

Namaste

 

[grapeman]

I like to stop in now and then just to check in on the sheer ignorance, fear mongering and outright bullshit posted up by the green crowd from sources that are dubious and loose with any fact checking.

I wasn't disappointed. It seems we have a new leader of the moronic masses named stra.

Good for you stra, you seem to be the new leader of a pack of clueless sheep.

I'll be happy when every tool at a farmer's disposal is limited by the agenda driven EPA and most of clueless cheerleaders here would blow a farmer in the back alley for a bag of apples with traces (parts per million) of roundup.

You idealists crack me up.

 

[StRa]

grapeman you are my favorite troll.......ahahahahahhahaha..........I'm sure u are the first sheep followin me!!! In fact you are here........ahhahahhahah........ have a nice week end antiorganic leader.........ahahhahahaha

 

[grapeman]

grapeman you are my favorite troll.......ahahahahahhahaha..........I'm sure u are the first sheep followin me!!! In fact you are here........ahhahahhahah........ have a nice week end antiorganic leader.........ahahhahahaha

Not trolling, just trying to bring some perspective to your "chicken little" views.

But just because you share the same moronic views as greenies without facts, that is no reason to give neg rep. Your socialistic views on farming and feeding the world are fatally flawed outside your bubble world.

 

[chefro420]

Not trolling, just trying to bring some perspective to your "chicken little" views.

But just because you share the same moronic views as greenies without facts, that is no reason to give neg rep. Your socialistic views on farming and feeding the world are fatally flawed outside your bubble world.

Where's the facts that it's not harmful?? I see lots of evidence that says otherwise.....

 

[Budley Doright]

This was from just yesterday....

==================================


Roundup kills weeds, but does it harm us?

Study: Key chemical found year-round in air, water on farms in warm areas



The world's most widely used herbicide has been detected in the air and water on some agricultural areas well beyond the times of year when it is applied, suggesting the potential for environmental and health impacts, two studies by the U.S. Geological Survey found.

The research focused on tracking glyphosate, the active ingredient in Monsanto's Roundup herbicide, in Mississippi and Iowa.

"The real significance of this study is the documentation that it is present in the streams year-round in warm areas like Mississippi where it is used on crops from spring to fall," Paul Capel, a study co-author and head of the agricultural chemicals team at the U.S. Geological Survey, told msnbc.com. "It is also present most of the time in the air and rain most of the time."

"The almost continual occurrence of the chemical suggests that subtle environmental impacts be considered and investigated," he added.

Capel said glyphosate was found in every stream sample examined in Mississippi in a two-year period and in most air samples taken.

"So people are exposed to it through inhalation," said Capel.

In Iowa, on the other hand, levels were not observed outside of the growing season. Capel attributed that to several factors, including a relatively shorter growing season and a colder climate.


"The direct toxicity of glyphosate to humans and animals is very low, so the direct effect is not significant," he said, but what's needed are more tests to determine if glyphosate might be harmful to people and the ecosystem over long-term, low-level exposure.

"The concentrations of glyphosate in rain and stream water is relatively high compared to most other conventional herbicides," Capel said, noting that glyphosate was commonly observed at concentrations about 10 times greater than the other herbicides. "But to put it into perspective, the concentrations are still 1,000 times lower than nitrate or sediment."

The study comes on the heels of several others released recently that raise concerns about the rise of resistant "super weeds," and other unintended consequences of Roundup on soil and animals.

It is difficult and costly to test for the presence of glyphosate, which is used to control weeds on farm fields, golf courses and in residential yards. As a result, little research has been done on its occurrence in waterways and the air, according to Capel.

"This study is one of the first to document the consistent occurrence of this chemical in streams, rain and air throughout the growing season," said Capel. "It is used so heavily and studied so little."

The USGS studies were published late last month in the journals Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, and Pest Management Science.

Monsanto introduced glyphosate to the world in 1974 branded as Roundup, and has made billions of dollars over the years from Roundup herbicides as well as from the "Roundup Ready" corn, soybeans and cotton the company has genetically engineered to survive dousings of glyphosate.

Most of the corn, soybeans and cotton grown in the United States are part of the Roundup Ready system.

The USGS said more than 88,0000 tons of glyphosate were used in the United States in 2007, up from 11,000 tons in 1992. The big increase in usage has spurred concerns on many fronts, most recently from farmers and environmentalists noting the rise of "super weeds" that are resistant to Roundup.

Fast-growing, glyphosate-resistant weeds are choking out crops in some areas, and some scientists say research shows harmful effects of glyphosate products on soil organisms and plants.

The Environmental Protection Agency is reviewing the registration for glyphosate and the data gathered by the U.S. Geological Survey has been submitted to the EPA, said Capel.

The EPA has set a deadline of 2015 for determining if glyphosate should continue to be sold or in some way limited. The EPA is working closely with regulators in Canada as they also assess the ongoing safety and effectiveness of the herbicide.

Monsanto spokeswoman Kelli Powers said the company was reviewing the study. The EPA had no immediate comment on the study.

 

[Budley Doright]

By the way I also saw that monsantos soybean patent runs out after the 2014 season....

However other patents on other plants have longer to run..... like corn...



At that time farmers may save their seeds and not have to buy soybean seeds from monsanto at a premium....


At that time the Roundup Ready soybean becomes a generic....

 

[chefro420]

The US is reactive to effects from all these chemicals . They wait till people get sick , then investigate .Seems in Europe they are pro-active , erring on the side of caution .

Heh , by the time the patents run out , I bet the weeds will be resistant .

 

[Kushed_]

Are any of the pesticides, insecticides, weed killers, etc. good for you? This includes chemicals sprayed on cannabis, chemicals at the pharmacy.....

 

[Budley Doright]

I dont really have a dog in this hunt....


But based on how successful monsanto is with their crop grains the farmers must like what they offer....


I do also know how patents work....



At minimum they protect the invention for 20 years....



If the soybean patents run out in only 3 years it means that they have been using roundup extensively for 17 years...

 

[chefro420]

Some chemicals/pesticides are worse . Worse is releaseing the shit all over before grasping it's effects down the road .

Mansanto's is so successful because farmers are almost forced to use their seeds . DO some research and look at all the lawsuits ......

 

[grapeman]

The US is reactive to effects from all these chemicals . They wait till people get sick , then investigate .Seems in Europe they are pro-active , erring on the side of caution .

Heh , by the time the patents run out , I bet the weeds will be resistant .

Europe errs on the side of stupidity. Just like Germany's closure of their nuclear plants a few months ago. There are now rolling blackouts projected in the coming months.

GM food kills people??? Phfft How stupid does one have to be to believe this shit?

 

[Babbabud]

Hmmm rolling blackouts vs a nuclear catastrophe .... so now which part of the "predicted " rolling blackouts sound so terrible ? hehe and you refer to Europe as stupid ? wtf

 

[rasputin]

GM food kills people??? Phfft How stupid does one have to be to believe this shit?

Humor me... what about rBGH?

 

[zymos]

Humor me... what about rBGH?

Probably cruel to the cows, no proven health effects on humans from consuming the milk. I avoid it anyway though, like I try to avoid all crap food.

Monsanto is the definition of evil in my book, just so you know where I am coming from...

 

[rasputin]

No proven health effects? It requires a bigger stretch to say that than to say it is unhealthy for human consumption. Please check some of the latest data available regarding, for example, lymphatic cancers and increased production in IGF-1. rBGH is an easy example, really. By now the results are largely in and it's hardly an issue like it was in the late 90s.

Along with some secondary effects like the mass amounts of antibiotics they feed the cows to treat mastitis. Beautiful cycle there. Cruel to the cows for sure. But not good for people, either.

Countries since 2000 that have banned it... Canada, Australia, NZ, Japan and all EU members. Only the USA still allows it.

Here's the nice thing... you don't have to try very hard to avoid rBGH. Most US retailers have dumped products containing it because consumers raised hell about it. The list is long and many companies on it have usually operate with no regard other than profit. To see them drop products says something. And I'm not so cynical to think that 'something' is just a knee-jerk PR reaction to pissed off customers though it's certainly worth considering.