| Organic
Agriculture is under attack! |
Genetically
engineered crops are contaminating organic
crops and the U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA) is doing nothing about it.
So
the question we must ask is:
"What
are you and I going to do about it?"
Do
we sit back and let this contamination
continue? Or do we take action?
And if we take action, what kind of action
do we take? |
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This
web site will offer you are variety of ways
you can get
involved with the effort
to save organic crops from contamination by
genetically engineered crops. However, we want
to emphasis that there are a few key actions
that can bring much greater results than others.
You
may be surprised when you learn what the steps
are that are likely to have the greatest results.
But in order to understand why they are the
most effective we need to provide you with a
little history lesson about U.S. government.
If
you would like to discover why
contacting these specific government policy
officials is so important, please read the information
below. You will likely learn a few things about
the importance of citizens involvement in government
affairs.
If
you want learn more about the specific threats
genetically engineered crops pose to organic
agriculture, be sure to visit the Information
section of this web site.
| You
are invited to become a member of the Save
Organic Food coalition. Membership is
FREE and is open to consumers, organizations,
businesses, and farmers. You may also choose
to have your membership publicly
listed on this web site. Consumers listings
include your name, city, state, and country.
Organizations, businesses, and farmers may
include complete contact information, including
a 25-word description. Again, public listing
of your membership is optional. |
Before
we begin our history lesson, we wish to mention
our parent web site. Save Organic Food is a
project of The Campaign to Label Genetically
Engineered Foods. Please visit The Campaign's
web site at www.thecampaign.org
for in-depth information about the health and
environmental threats from genetically engineered
crops and why mandatory labeling of these experimental
foods is so important. You can also sign up
to receive
e-mail
newsletters The Campaign puts out weekly
and monthly.
One
additional note: In the process of reading the
information on the Save Organic Food and The
Campaign web sites, you may want to give us
your feedback or share some of your own thoughts
on these matters. That's great! We would love
to hear from you. You can probably teach us
and others involved in this effort a thing or
two! Please visit the discussion
forums we have set up for this purpose.
A
Brief History Lesson in U.S. Government
There
are many different types of political systems
that govern the nations of our planet. The United
States is young nation in the global scheme
of things. And it has proven to be a remarkably
stable nation because of the wisdom of our nation's
founding fathers and mothers. They had the opportunity
to look at all the other nations and empires
that had risen and fallen before the creation
of the United States of America.
With
this insight and knowledge, our nation's founders
decided NOT to form a democracy.
That
last statement may shock some of you because
many people think the United States is a democracy.
It is not. While there are some democratic principles
involved in our form of government, the United
States is a "republic," not a democracy.
Remember
the words of the Pledge of Allegiance:
"I
pledge allegiance to the flag of the United
States of America and to the republic
for which it stands..."
Our
nation's founders realized that democracies
are unstable and wrote about that fact extensively.
Here
are quotes about the problems with democracies
from three of the most famous architects of
our government, Alexander Hamilton, James Monroe
and John Adams:
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 for well
over 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 they formed
was going to work properly and not get hijacked
by special interests, it is 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 was alive today, he would
most likely be very 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:
The corporations and special interest groups.
And so we have it that the 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 can also 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 the U.S. Congress (the legislative
branch) investigate why the USDA (an agency
of the executive branch) is not doing their
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
our 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 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, the 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.
USDA
Public Comment Opportunity
A
unique situation and opportunity has recently
developed: The USDA has decided to develop an
Environmental Impact Statement on genetically
engineered crops. In this process, they are
requesting public comments.
Until
March 23rd, consumers, farmers, businesses,
organizations any any other interested parties
can submit comments to the USDA.
Make
sure you go to the USDA
Action Alert and submit your comments. And
please tell your friends to do the same. Thanks!
