The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the United States has had a bad week and no one feels sorry for them. Begrudgingly confronting wave after wave of independent scientists, activists, chemists, biologists, bee keepers, farmers and others, the deeply flawed agency has been put on notice for their purposeful shortcomings and collusion with multinational agrochemical companies such as Monsanto, Dow, Bayer, Syngenta and others.
Why does the public battle so feverishly to halt the release of new genetically modified organisms (GMO) and their associated chemicals? Why do communities fight to ban herbicide and pesticide testing in their neighborhoods? Regulatory agencies continue to show that once an unproven or harmful drug, chemical or GMO gets the green light, turning back the clock to pull it from the market becomes nearly impossible no matter how bad the human damage becomes.
Such is the case with Monsanto’s flagship herbicide glyphosate — the active ingredient in its product Roundup. Glyphosate — officially a group 2A carcinogen — has more than lived up to its 2015 classification by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. However, scientists discovered new information that is linking Monsanto’s herbicide to America’s current “generation sick.” Recently, a delegation of independent (not influenced or funded by agrochemical companies) scientists and advocates from around the country held a morning Congressional Staff Briefing in the Cannon House Building, an afternoon meeting with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the O'Neill House Office Building and a Press Conference afterward. The historic testimonies and briefings were recorded to be included in an upcoming documentary.
The briefings and testimonies were sponsored by Congressman Ted Lieu with the purpose of presenting compelling evidence that glyphosate does not meet the regulatory standards necessary for EPA re-registration. The evidence is mounting at a feverish pace to prove glyphosate-based herbicides pose an unreasonable risk to humans, animals, and the environment.
More than 60 people, including Congressional staffers from the House and Senate, along with the public, packed the morning briefing room to learn about the runaway damage glyphosate is causing. Those in attendance, along with EPA officials — were put on notice that exposure to glyphosate is linked — with accompanying proof — to autism, cancer, birth defects, obesity, gluten intolerance, dead butterflies and bees, Alzheimers and much more. Among the presenters exposing the vital information were Thierry Vrain — PhD soil biologist who formerly worked for the Canadian Government, Dr. Stephanie Seneff — Senior Research Scientist at MIT, Dr. Anthony Samsel — expertise in environmental, organic and polymer chemistry, Zen Honeycutt — founder and director of Moms Across America, and Sterling Hill — DNA Research Scientist.
As far as the EPA representatives, they showed up late, appeared uninterested during the briefings and asked no questions. However, the EPA did go on record to state that it could take well into 2017 before a final decision is made.
One week after the DC briefing, the Keep the Hives Alive Tour brought beekeepers, farmers, farm workers, scientists and clean food advocates to Washington, DC to urge the EPA, the USDA, and Congress to take action on toxic pesticides. The attendees brought a truck full of 2.64 million dead bees killed by agrochemicals to make a statement as they rallied in front of EPA headquarters to deliver over 3 million petition signatures calling for immediate action.
A year has passed since Obama launched the National Strategy to Promote the Health of Honey Bees and Other Pollinators. In typical fashion, the strategy turned out to be a land/power grab “dedicating” millions of acres for honeybee and monarch butterfly habitats but does not propose curtailing agrochemical pesticides linked to plunging populations of pollinators. The revolutionary
American spirit has been pressure cooking as the people have watched massive genetic and chemical contamination of the food supply in addition to the bankrupting of farmers at the hands of agrochemical corporations willfully aided by underhanded government policy. The American people continue to regularly push their concerns into the face of their politicians and regulatory agencies. Appearing to fall on deaf political and regulatory ears, grassroots action and focused pushback at all levels is also increasing as policy makers continue to drag their feet to the people’s needs.
“Justice delayed is justice denied” -Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Russia has seized on America’s genetically modified Achilles heel announcing its intention to become the world’s largest exporter of non-GMO food. By selling out American agriculture to agrochemical corporations, the US now finds its food supply and national security in dire straits. The current and increasing practice of needing to import non-GMO produce and grains to meet American needs has handicapped a once robust US agricultural base. Bloomberg has recently reported that Russian billionaires are backing a blossoming organic, non-GMO food industry in the country.
Why does the public battle so feverishly to halt the release of new genetically modified organisms (GMO) and their associated chemicals? Why do communities fight to ban herbicide and pesticide testing in their neighborhoods? Regulatory agencies continue to show that once an unproven or harmful drug, chemical or GMO gets the green light, turning back the clock to pull it from the market becomes nearly impossible no matter how bad the human damage becomes.
Such is the case with Monsanto’s flagship herbicide glyphosate — the active ingredient in its product Roundup. Glyphosate — officially a group 2A carcinogen — has more than lived up to its 2015 classification by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. However, scientists discovered new information that is linking Monsanto’s herbicide to America’s current “generation sick.” Recently, a delegation of independent (not influenced or funded by agrochemical companies) scientists and advocates from around the country held a morning Congressional Staff Briefing in the Cannon House Building, an afternoon meeting with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the O'Neill House Office Building and a Press Conference afterward. The historic testimonies and briefings were recorded to be included in an upcoming documentary.
The briefings and testimonies were sponsored by Congressman Ted Lieu with the purpose of presenting compelling evidence that glyphosate does not meet the regulatory standards necessary for EPA re-registration. The evidence is mounting at a feverish pace to prove glyphosate-based herbicides pose an unreasonable risk to humans, animals, and the environment.
More than 60 people, including Congressional staffers from the House and Senate, along with the public, packed the morning briefing room to learn about the runaway damage glyphosate is causing. Those in attendance, along with EPA officials — were put on notice that exposure to glyphosate is linked — with accompanying proof — to autism, cancer, birth defects, obesity, gluten intolerance, dead butterflies and bees, Alzheimers and much more. Among the presenters exposing the vital information were Thierry Vrain — PhD soil biologist who formerly worked for the Canadian Government, Dr. Stephanie Seneff — Senior Research Scientist at MIT, Dr. Anthony Samsel — expertise in environmental, organic and polymer chemistry, Zen Honeycutt — founder and director of Moms Across America, and Sterling Hill — DNA Research Scientist.
As far as the EPA representatives, they showed up late, appeared uninterested during the briefings and asked no questions. However, the EPA did go on record to state that it could take well into 2017 before a final decision is made.
One week after the DC briefing, the Keep the Hives Alive Tour brought beekeepers, farmers, farm workers, scientists and clean food advocates to Washington, DC to urge the EPA, the USDA, and Congress to take action on toxic pesticides. The attendees brought a truck full of 2.64 million dead bees killed by agrochemicals to make a statement as they rallied in front of EPA headquarters to deliver over 3 million petition signatures calling for immediate action.
A year has passed since Obama launched the National Strategy to Promote the Health of Honey Bees and Other Pollinators. In typical fashion, the strategy turned out to be a land/power grab “dedicating” millions of acres for honeybee and monarch butterfly habitats but does not propose curtailing agrochemical pesticides linked to plunging populations of pollinators. The revolutionary
American spirit has been pressure cooking as the people have watched massive genetic and chemical contamination of the food supply in addition to the bankrupting of farmers at the hands of agrochemical corporations willfully aided by underhanded government policy. The American people continue to regularly push their concerns into the face of their politicians and regulatory agencies. Appearing to fall on deaf political and regulatory ears, grassroots action and focused pushback at all levels is also increasing as policy makers continue to drag their feet to the people’s needs.
“Justice delayed is justice denied” -Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Russia has seized on America’s genetically modified Achilles heel announcing its intention to become the world’s largest exporter of non-GMO food. By selling out American agriculture to agrochemical corporations, the US now finds its food supply and national security in dire straits. The current and increasing practice of needing to import non-GMO produce and grains to meet American needs has handicapped a once robust US agricultural base. Bloomberg has recently reported that Russian billionaires are backing a blossoming organic, non-GMO food industry in the country.
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