Posted April 17, 2019
The “dirty dozen.” No, we’re not talking about the 1960s movie staring Lee Marvin. This dubious nickname is given to the top kinds of conventionally-grown produce that are loaded with harmful pesticides. But, the big surprise, for those following the dirty dozen list (each year) is the number 3 spot – earned by kale. Read more.
Get Informed on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)
Scientists Found Worrisome New Evidence About Roundup and Cancer
Posted April 12, 2019
The long-simmering debate about whether the world’s most widely used herbicide causes cancer has bubbled up anew. Glyphosate is the key component of weedkillers such as Monsanto’s Roundup. On March 12, attorneys made closing arguments in San Francisco on the first phase of a closely watched lawsuit against German chemical giant Bayer, which acquired Monsanto last year. Plaintiff Edwin Hardeman claims his use of Roundup caused him to develop non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), a type of cancer. Read more.
Frankenfish Coming to a Store Near You
Posted April 12, 2019
And you might not even realize you are serving it to your family. Action Alert! The FDA has removed the last roadblock to genetically engineered (GE) salmon hitting supermarket shelves. The GE salmon will have to follow the labeling guidelines spelled out in the GMO labeling law passed by Congress in 2016—meaning that the only indication consumers will have that the salmon is genetically engineered may be a scannable QR code. We must support legislation that calls for stronger labeling requirements for GE salmon. Read more.
After Beating Monsanto, Lawyers Call for Cancer Warnings on Roundup
Posted April 5, 2019
The second Roundup cancer trial concluded Wednesday with a unanimous jury verdict that ordered Monsanto to pay roughly $80 million in damages for failing to warn plaintiff Edwin Hardeman of the cancer risks of Roundup herbicide. Read more.
Report Uncovers Prevalence of Glyphosate in Restaurant Foods
Posted April 5, 2019
Nonprofit organization GMO Free USA today published the report, “Eating Out: A Date with Glyphosate.” The report details the results of food tests for glyphosate residue, across fifteen popular fast food and casual restaurants in the U.S. A sample from Panera Bread, whose primary marketing claim is, “100% of our food is 100% clean,” had the highest level of glyphosate of all 44 restaurant foods tested. Other restaurants tested include Chili’s Grill & Bar, Domino’s Pizza, Dunkin’ Donuts, IHOP, Le Pain Quotidien, McDonald’s, Olive Garden, Outback Steakhouse, Papa John’s, Pizza Hut, Pret a Manger, Subway, Taco Bell, and Whole Foods Market. Read more.
Jury Finds Bayer’s Roundup Weedkiller Caused Man’s Cancer
Posted March 21, 2019
SAN FRANCISCO—A jury found that a man developed cancer from exposure to Roundup weedkiller he used in his yard, in the second case to go to trial over the alleged harms of the popular Bayer AG product. Read more.
Restaurant in the Midwest is the first in the US to use Gene-edited Food
Posted March 21, 2019
A restaurant in the Midwest has become the first to use gene-edited food in the United States. According to Calyxt, a company making cooking oil from gene-edited soybeans, their oil is currently being distributed and used by a midwestern restaurant chain. While Calyxt cannot reveal the name of the restaurant, the Minnesota-based company is hoping the news will spark interest in the oil, which contains no trans fat and has a longer shelf life than other cooking oils. Read more.
Monsanto Article Retracted
Posted March 15, 2019
A meta-analysis of glyphosate, the most widely used herbicide in the world and the active ingredient in Monsanto’s Roundup, found the chemical increases the risk of Non-Hodgkin lymphoma by 41 percent in those with the highest exposure levels.1 Read more.
Genetic Editing of Animals Could Have Unintended Side Effects
Posted March 15, 2019
Would you eat a burger made from a cow with lab-altered DNA? How about a potato or a piece of salmon that was similarly tweaked? Gene-editing technologies are here, and they’re already being used to alter the food supply. For instance, gene-edited crops, in which DNA is tweaked or snipped out at a precise location, include soybeans with altered fatty acid profiles, potatoes that take longer to turn brown and potatoes that remain fresher longer and do not produce carcinogens when fried. Read more.
How America’s Food Giants Swallowed the Family Farms
Posted March 15, 2019
When the vast expanse of rural Iowa was carved up for settlers in the 19th century, it was often divided into 160-acre lots. Four farms made a square mile, with a crisscross of dead-straight roads marking the boundaries like a sprawling chess board. Read more.
