BioDemocracy Alliance

Creating GE-Free Zones Across the Americas

Essay

What is Bio-Democracy and Why Does it Matter?
-An essay by OCA National Director Ronnie Cummins

Alert

Take Action to Stop Monsanto's
Genetically Engineered Sugar Beets

Boycott Kellog'sOCA & Allies Call for a Consumer Boycott of Kellogg's Brands

American Crystal, a large Wyoming-based sugar company and several other leading U.S. sugar providers have announced they will be sourcing their sugar from genetically engineered (GE) sugar beets beginning this year and arriving in stores in 2008. Like GE corn and GE soy, products containing GE sugar will not be labeled as such.

sugar beet harvestSince half of the granulated sugar in the U.S. comes from sugar beets, a move towards biotech beets marks a dramatic alteration of the U.S. food supply. These sugars, along with GE corn and soy, are found in many conventional food products, so consumers will be exposed to genetically engineered ingredients in just about every non-organic multiple-ingredient product they purchase.

The GE sugar beet is designed to withstand strong doses of Monsanto's controversial broad spectrum Roundup herbicide. Studies indicate farmers planting "Roundup Ready" corn and soy spray large amounts of the herbicide, contaminating both soil and water. Farmers planting GE sugar beets are told they may be able to apply the herbicide up to five times per year. Sugar beets are grown on 1.4 million acres by 12,000 farmers in the U.S. from Oregon to Minnesota.

Meanwhile candy companies like Hershey's are urging farmers not to plant GE sugar beets, noting that consumer surveys suggest resistance to the product. In addition the European Union has not approved GE sugar beets for human consumption.

Take Action Today!

GET ACTIVE: Stop Bush's Biotech Bullying!

According to the Chicago Tribune, the White House is attempting to force famine stricken countries, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa, to plant genetically engineered (GE) crops, as part of a $770 million aid package.

Untested and largely unregulated GE crops are controversial, not only in Europe and other industrialized countries, but in the developing world as well. At least 40 countries around the world have restricted GE farming and ingreients in foods by requiring mandatory labeling, while a number of nations and regions have banned genetically modified organisms in agriculture altogether.

Beyond health and environmental concerns, GE crops have not proven to significantly increase yields, but rather force farmers to stop saving their seeds and instead buy toxic chemicals and highly priced patented seeds from biotech companies such as Monsanto, Syngenta, Bayer, Dupont, and BASF.

Please take action today and urge your members of Congress to reject the Bush Administration's force-feeding of biotech crops to impoverished nations.

Save BioDemocracy Monsanto Laws
Consumers and farmers from California to New England have been taking action over the past years to protect their local communities from genetic pollution by passing local, city, and county ordinances banning genetically engineered (GE) crops. Cities, counties and townships have passed such laws to assure the health, safety, and welfare of their communities, while exercising their democratic right to local control.

In response to these ordinances and resolutions, the biotech industry and corporate agribusiness are striking back with a vengeance. 15 states have recently passed "Monsanto laws" taking away the rights of cities and counties to ban GE crops. Now legislators in California, Missouri, Nebraska, and North Carolina are facing the lobbying power of the biotech industry and are threatening to pass controversial "preemption" laws that would take away local rights to regulate GMOs. The OCA is actively involved in trying to stop these "Monsanto Laws" from being passed .

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The GMO Trilogy

Host a BioDemocracy Alliance House Party with The GMO Trilogy

  • GMO TrilogyThe GMO Trilogy is a new DVD and CD set produced by best selling author Jeffrey Smith, which shows how genetically modified organisms (GMOs) put our health and environment at risk, may impact consumer perceptions and buying habits.
  • Click here to order The GMO Trilogy

The 3-disc set includes:

Disc 1, DVD: Unnatural Selection

  • This stunning European documentary made available for the first time in the US, reveals several harsh consequences of genetic engineering worldwide.
  • Awards: Best Film, CineEco, Portugal; Best Long Production, IEFF, Brazil; Best Journalistic Achievement IEFF, Germany.

Disc 2, DVD:
Hidden Dangers in Kids' Meals

  • The dramatic story of how student behavior in a Wisconsin school was transformed with a healthy diet provides added motivation to make a change.
  • Shocking research results, inadequate regulations and warnings from eminent scientists explain why GM foods are dangerous and should be removed from kids' meals.

Disc 3, Audio CD:
Y ou're Eating WHAT?

  • How biotech companies rigged research, hid health dangers and pressured government regulators to approve food that even FDA scientists said was unsafe.
  • "The most powerful presentation I have ever heard on the issue of genetically engineered foods." -Craig Winters, The Campaign to Label Genetically Engineered Foods

The GMO Trilogy is sponsored by:

  • Eden Foods, Nature's Path, Organic Valley, Frey Vineyards, Nutiva, NOW Foods, French Meadow Bakery, Organic Food Bar, Organic Consumers Association, Sweet Wheat, Seventh Generation, The Institute for Responsible Technology, and others.

Click here to order