Save Organic Food

Remember, they made these statements based on the history of democracies. Democracies do not last and are subject to constant change, chaos and political revolution.

Instead, our nation's founders decided to form a republic. And they built some very interesting things into the Constitution in an attempt to establish a solid republic, including the Electoral College. They realized the stability a republic would bring to our government. And it has lasted for more than 200 years.

When Benjamin Franklin was leaving the building after signing the Constitution, a woman asked him, "What kind of government have you given us?" Benjamin Franklin relied, "A republic if you can keep it."

Franklin realized that if the government the founders formed was to work properly and not be taken over by special interests, it would be essential for people to vote and communicate with their elected officials.

In a republic, we turn over our governing rights to our elected officials.

Unfortunately, more than half of all Americans who are eligible to vote are not voting. And few Americans take the time to write or call their elected officials. If Benjamin Franklin were alive today, he would likely be upset that the majority of citizens are not engaged in the political process.

QUESTION: If the elected politicians and appointed regulatory agents are not listening to the public (mainly because the public is not attempting to communicate with them), who are they listening to?

ANSWER: They are listening to the corporations and special interest groups. And so we have it that biotech companies such as Monsanto are able to get permission from our government agencies to more or less regulate themselves. The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) says the biotech companies do not even need to notify them if they are bringing out a new product. The USDA approves virtually every request to plant genetically engineered crops and ignores the contamination of organic agriculture. And the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) ignores evidence that shows biotech crops are causing environmental damage.

For our government to again start working properly, we would be wise to listen to the words of George Washington in 1789: "The...destiny of the republican model of government (is) justly considered as deeply, perhaps as finally stacked, on the experiment entrusted to the hands of the American people."

For this "experiment entrusted to the hands of the American people" to work, we must vote and communicate with our elected officials. That is why we want you to send e-mails and letters to your U.S. House Representative and your two Senators.

Checks and Balances
Another brilliant safeguard our nation's founders incorporated into the Constitution is the three branches of government -- the executive branch, the legislative branch and the judicial branch. This system provides checks and balances on each branch.

In order to keep any one of these branches from becoming too strong, they have authority over each other. So if one branch is not doing its job properly, the other branches can step in and put pressure on it to act according to the law.

The USDA, the FDA and the EPA are the three federal agencies that oversee genetically engineered foods and they are all part of the executive branch of government. However, there are committees in Congress that have oversight authority over these agencies. These legislative committees can hold hearings to find out why the executive branch agencies are not acting on behalf of the public or following the law.

The judicial system also can be used when government agencies are abusing the law. Lawsuits can be brought against executive branch agencies such as the USDA, the FDA and the EPA if the law is not being followed or implemented property.

How this applies to Save Organic Food
We want to see the U.S. Congress (the legislative branch) investigate why the USDA (an agency of the executive branch) is not doing its job properly.

The USDA knows that organic crops, especially corn, are being contaminated by cross-pollination from genetically engineered crops. Yet the agency is turning a blind eye to this problem, pretending it does not exist.

(Note: Genetically engineered soybeans do not pose a cross-pollination threat to organic soybeans because soy is a self-pollinating plant.)

One of our primary goals is to get the U.S. House Agriculture Committee and the
U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee to hold hearings on the contamination of organic crops from GMOs (genetically modified organisms).

We want to see the Secretary of Agriculture, Ann Veneman, called on the carpet by the House and Senate Agriculture Committees and asked why she is allowing this contamination of organic crops to take place.

Is Agriculture Secretary Veneman showing favoritism to the biotech industry since she used to work in that industry?

(Note: Ann Veneman used to be on the board of directors of Calgene, the company that introduced the first commercially grown genetically engineered crop, the Flavr Savr tomato. Calgene was later sold to Monsanto.)

We do not think the USDA can justify allowing genetically engineered crops to contaminate organic crops. The policy, or lack of a policy, that is allowing the situation to exist and continue is indefensible in our opinion.

Hopefully the pressure on the USDA from these hearings will be strong enough that the agency will put a moratorium on the outdoor growing of any more genetically engineered corn. We do not see a way for genetically engineered corn and organic corn to co-exist when grown outdoors, where pollen can drift for miles.

After the hearings, if the USDA still refuses to place a moratorium on the outdoor growing of genetically engineered corn, then we will move to get legislation introduced before the U.S. Congress that would require the USDA to implement such a moratorium.

What about the Courts?
We also hope the Save Organic Food coalition will be able to bring together parties to facilitate a class action lawsuit so that organic farmers can sue the USDA and the biotech companies that are contaminating organic crops.

The United States is a nation of laws. Our founding fathers and mothers did a marvelous job of forming the best system of government ever created in the history of mankind. However, for our republic to work properly, citizens need to be engaged in the political process.

We must vote, and we must communicate our desires to the politicians we elect and the government agents they appoint and oversee.

With the continued pollution of organic crops from GMOs, the USDA is being derelict in their duty. Concerned citizens such as you must demand that Congress exercise oversight authority in this matter.

Please join us in putting pressure on Congress to hold Agriculture Committee hearings as soon as possible.

Take action today!