5/05/2014

Talk on GMO with Dave Murphy Founder of Food Democracy Now!





This talk was given at Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Co. Festival  May  4 th  2014


How to learn about GMO's.
Dave Murphy is the founder and executive director of Food Democracy Now!, a grassroots movement of more than 650,000 American farmers and citizens dedicated to reforming policies relating to food, agriculture and the environment. Murphy has been called "the most crucial and politically savvy actor in the on-going efforts to help move American agriculture into the 21st century" as a result of his "Sustainable Dozen" campaign, which resulted in four candidates being placed in high level positions at the USDA and his efforts to reform food and agriculture under the Obama administration.

In 2006, Murphy moved back to Iowa to help stop a factory farm from being built near his sister's farm. After seeing the loss of basic democratic rights of rural Iowans, Murphy decided to stay in Iowa to fight for Iowa's farmers and rural residents and expose the flaws of industrial agriculture to help create a more sustainable future for all Americans.

In 2007, Murphy organized the Food and Family Farm Presidential Summit, where 5 of the 6 Democratic candidates pledged their support to help save family farm agriculture and he filmed then Senator Barack Obama's now famous promise to Iowa farmers to label genetically engineered foods.

Previously, he has worked as an environmental and food policy lobbyist and political strategist. His writing has appeared in the Nation, the Hill, Huffington Post and the New York Times. Dave is known as the "big dude from Iowa" by friend and foe alike and is a board member of the Iowa Organic Association.





While on the campaign trail in 2007, Barack Obama promised to label GMO foods if elected. Now's the time! Today, an estimated 80% of processed foods contain GMOs. Tell President Obama you agree that the U.S. needs GMO labeling "because Americans should know what they're buying".


For the past 20 years, Americans have been denied the right to know what's in their food. Help make this the Change We Can Believe In: http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/sign/label_gmos_now/


Stop Monsanto’s secret plan to Kill GMO labeling

Right now Monsanto and giant food companies are scheming behind the scenes to introduce a bill in Congress that would kill mandatory state GMO labeling efforts and replace it with a gutted version of a bill to preempt states' rights and give the illusion of serious regulation.
This plan is so devious that it radically speeds up the approval process for new GMO crops, limits the FDA and USDA’s ability to extend premarket safety reviews, declares GMO foods “safe” and redefines genetically engineered foods as “bioengineered” in order to sanitize this deeply flawed technology to the American public.
Even worse, the proposed bill only requires a federal GMO “label on any products” from GMO plants “if those ingredients present a health or safety risk” - something the U.S. government has refused to admit for more than 20 years! Think they’re going to start telling the truth about GMOs now?
This is a blatant power grab to deny Americans their basic right to mandatory GMO labeling and protect flawed GMO products - and we can’t allow them to get away with it. We need your help today. Every voice counts!



Seeds Of Death - Full Movie:  A Must SEE VIDEO!


Take a stand for Organic Farmers around the World!

Right now an important case is being heard halfway around the world in Western Australia about organic farmer Steve Marsh, whose organic field was contaminated by his neighbor’s genetically engineered canola. As a result, Steve lost his organic certification and as much as 70% of his Steve’s farm has been contaminated with Monsanto’s patented genes.
With clever fine print in their seed contracts, Monsanto is not legally liable for their patented genes contaminating an organic farmer’s field due to their "no liability" agreement farmers are forced to sign when they plant Monsanto's GMO seeds.
As a result, Steve’s family’s livelihood has been put at risk. He could literally lose everything.
Please stand with organic farmer Steve Marsh to protect the rights of organic farmers everywhere! Every voice counts!

http://www.fooddemocracynow.org/campaigns/


Don't Let Monsanto's GMOs Contaminate Organics!

Right now the U.S. Department of Agriculture is working with biotech lobbyists to finalize a plan so Monsanto’s GMO crops can contaminate organic and non-GMO farmers crops at will. Even worse, the USDA’s new plan could force these farmers to pay for crop “contamination” insurance to protect themselves against unwanted contamination by Monsanto’s patented genetically engineered genes.
When Monsanto says “coexistence”, what they really mean is: “We will contaminate organics”.
Despite claims by Monsanto and the USDA, nobody can overrule the laws of biology and dictate how plants reproduce. Patented GMO pollen is spread by wind, insects, birds and animals and no matter how much Monsanto denies it, their GMO crops will contaminate and destroy the integrity of farmers’ organic and non-GMO crops.
Even worse, if the USDA's new AC21 guidelines are adopted, organic farmers may lose the right to sue Monsanto, DuPont, Syngenta and the biotech bullies for economic loses resulting from GMO contamination of their organic crops!
Please stand to protect the rights of organic farmers everywhere! Every voice counts!



Divest Monsanto Now!

As the manufacturer of Agent Orange, DDT, PCPs and dioxin, Monsanto’s toxic legacy of harm to the environment and human health is without parallel. Now Monsanto owns patents on life and is genetically engineering the food that we eat. In the past 2 years alone, Monsanto has helped fund massive misinformation campaigns to the tune of $70 million to defeat GMO labeling.
Monsanto claims that GMOs and their weedkiller Roundup are perfectly safe. So why are they fighting GMO labeling in the U.S.? Unfortunately, if you have a retirement fund, 401K or mutual funds you could be profiting from Monsanto’s toxic products.
Tell your friends and family it’s time to divest from Monsanto’s toxic products! Friends don't let Friends invest in MonsantoClick here to learn more about Monsanto Stock Plunge National Day of Action - Divest Monsanto Now!


Tell Starbucks to Support Organics and Stop Fighting GMO Labeling!

Right now, Starbucks is serving milk to millions of customers every day from factory farms along with baked good products chock full of GMOs.
As if that weren’t bad enough, as a dues paying member of the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA), Starbucks has helped lead the charge in fighting against common sense GMO labeling in the U.S.
In the past 2 years alone, Starbucks has been a part of a GMA-led coalition that has donated more than $70 million dollars to defeat GMO labeling efforts in California and Washington State.By opposing GMO labeling, Starbucks has willingly climbed in bed with Monsanto and the GMA and is intentionally misleading customers about their commitment to “sustainability” and “ethical sourcing”.
Tell Starbucks to stop fighting against GMO labeling and commit to serving the most sustainable dairy option - organic milk - at all of its locations. Every voice counts!



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