AND THE MASS SPRAYING
OF NEIGHBOURHOODS AND PLAYGROUNDS
WITH ROUNDUP
The United States government approved a new GMO grass last week. The new grass GMO is modified with foreign genes via an injection gun; the grass has been engineered to withstand the herbicide Roundup. Yes, that is the same Roundup known by the scientific and health professional community to cause birth defects, asthma, autism, and infertility.
Commercial animals are already grazing on GMO corn, alfalfa, and soy; this one of the reasons why GMOs are having such a hard time being labeled; because almost ALL commercial food is GMO (livestock feeds on GMO crops, people eat those animals).
Commercial animals are already grazing on GMO corn, alfalfa, and soy; this one of the reasons why GMOs are having such a hard time being labeled; because almost ALL commercial food is GMO (livestock feeds on GMO crops, people eat those animals).
GMO crops are already known to be hazardous to the environment, insects, animals, and human beings. People are struggling and demanding that GMOs be labeled ~ so they can avoid them. Companies know that labeling would be like a kiss of death for their poisonous goods. And we know there are MANY reasons for these goods being enforced upon the nation, international genocide being just as much a part of the programme as corporate greed.
GMO grass will affect ALL animals, grazing and otherwise, it will affect all insects, aquatic life, and mammals on a larger and greater scale.
Just as “Roundup Ready” corn, soy, canola, etc. have contaminated organic crops, “Roundup Ready Kentucky Bluegrass” will trespass and assault native species, and the herbicide Roundup will be doused on residential lawns. The consequences are being ignored. We all must do all that we can do!
Despite a farmers lack of control of aggressive GMO contamination. If Monsanto claims to own farmers crops because GMO seeds end up on their land through wind or insect pollination, as they are famous for doing, how can any U.S. citizen know they will not be held liable for Scotts Miracle-Gro patented Kentucky Bluegrass ending up on their property? Get your pocketbooks ready.
Once the entire country is GMO everything our entire 100% food supply is patented (OWNED) by a handful of huge corporations; including the obvious Monsanto and Bayer CropScience.
These mega-corporations want to, and are succeeding in, and will continue to pursue OWNING EVERYTHING.
We STILL have a FEW options:
1. Wake up. Contact your lawmakers, friends, relatives, and strangers. Try to make sure that they stick to traditional methods of seeding, using traditional materials.2. Move to a different country. Wait! That might be pretty hard to do since these bullies are everywhere.
3. Stop having children because at this rate their ‘food’ and their very own genes will be owned.
COMING IN 2012:
GENETICALLY MODIFIED FRONT LAWNS
Mike Adams
Natural News
Natural News
Thanks to a recent admission by the USDA that it does not have the regulatory framework to even regulate GMOs, the world of biotech is set to unleash a tidal wave of genetically modified seeds upon the United States.
This is the upshot of Scotts Miracle-Gro challenging the USDA over its GMO grass seeds, to which the USDA threw in the towel and essentially announced it can't technically regulate many GMOs at all.
Welcome to the new world order of GMO self regulation, where the companies that produce the GMO seeds now get to regulate their own behavior! (http://motherjones.com/tom-philpott...)
Scotts Miracle-Gro is now moving full speed ahead on its GMO yard grass product, which could theoretically be introduced into the marketplace as early as 2012. This is a home consumer yard grass seed which, of course, resists glyphosate (RoundUp), and its introduction into the marketplace would almost certainly result in millions of homeowners across America planting these seeds in their yard and then spraying RoundUp across their entire lawn as a "treatment" for eliminating weeds.
RoundUp, in other words, may be coming soon to a neighborhood near you.
And it's not just the lawns, either: This combination of Scotts GMO grass and RoundUp chemicals could be used on playgrounds, schoolyards, community centers and parks. Once this goes into production, there will be virtually no place your family can go in America that isn't contaminated with genetically modified grass seeds and toxic glyphosate chemicals.
Welcome to the new world order of GMO self regulation, where the companies that produce the GMO seeds now get to regulate their own behavior! (http://motherjones.com/tom-philpott...)
Scotts Miracle-Gro is now moving full speed ahead on its GMO yard grass product, which could theoretically be introduced into the marketplace as early as 2012. This is a home consumer yard grass seed which, of course, resists glyphosate (RoundUp), and its introduction into the marketplace would almost certainly result in millions of homeowners across America planting these seeds in their yard and then spraying RoundUp across their entire lawn as a "treatment" for eliminating weeds.
RoundUp, in other words, may be coming soon to a neighborhood near you.
And it's not just the lawns, either: This combination of Scotts GMO grass and RoundUp chemicals could be used on playgrounds, schoolyards, community centers and parks. Once this goes into production, there will be virtually no place your family can go in America that isn't contaminated with genetically modified grass seeds and toxic glyphosate chemicals.
A WHOLE NEW WAVE OF SUPERWEEDS
The upshot of all this is not merely the astonishing lack of regulation now being admitted by the USDA (which always sided with the biotech industry anyway, so what's new?), but the cause-and-effect results we may soon see. We could be looking at a wave of superweeds spreading across America.
These superweeds will be the baddest, toughest and most chemically-resistant weeds our world has ever seen. They develop as mutant derivatives of the mass spraying of RoundUp chemicals across lawns. In much the same way that superbugs develop in the presence of widespread antibiotics abuse, superweeds, develop in the presence of widespread glyphosate abuse (http://www.businessinsider.com/gene...).
And of course once these superweeds take over America's sidewalks, driveways and lawns, there will be cries for newer, stronger chemical products to kill those superweeds, too. And who will come to the rescue? Monsanto, of course... the very same company that produces RoundUp and thereby contributed to the problem in the first place.
These superweeds will be the baddest, toughest and most chemically-resistant weeds our world has ever seen. They develop as mutant derivatives of the mass spraying of RoundUp chemicals across lawns. In much the same way that superbugs develop in the presence of widespread antibiotics abuse, superweeds, develop in the presence of widespread glyphosate abuse (http://www.businessinsider.com/gene...).
And of course once these superweeds take over America's sidewalks, driveways and lawns, there will be cries for newer, stronger chemical products to kill those superweeds, too. And who will come to the rescue? Monsanto, of course... the very same company that produces RoundUp and thereby contributed to the problem in the first place.
Let the boycott of Scott's Miracle Grow begin!
Join NaturalNews in boycotting Scotts products beginning today. We will maintain this boycott until Scotts announces it will no longer pursue GMO seeds. Remember: GMO Kentucky bluegrass will cross-pollinate with other grasses in the wild, leading to widespread GMO contamination of lawns across our nation!
Join us in sending complaints to Scotts about their pursuit of GMOs.
Click here to send Scotts an email.
Then call them by phone at 888-270-3714 (during normal business hours). When you call, let them know you are strongly opposed to their pursuit of GMO Kentucky bluegrass and that you will stop buying all Scotts /Miracle-Gro products from here forward unless Scotts announces it will back away from GMOs.
You may also mail them a letter by sending it to:
Scotts Help Center
14111 Scottslawn Rd.
Marysville, OH 43041
WHY THIS MATTERS
Please join us in this protest against Scotts Miracle-Gro. And to once again summarize whythis action is important, remember these simple truths:
• Unleashing genetically modified Kentucky bluegrass in America, to be used across neighborhood lawns and playgrounds, will result in the mass genetic contamination of other types of grasses.
• There is absolutely no scientific evidence showing GMO Kentucky bluegrass to be safe for neighborhoods or the environment. The USDA simply refuses to regulate it.
• Scotts Miracle-Gro is extremely irresponsible in pursuing such a product, and the company could be guilty of crimes against nature if it unleashes these products into the wild.
• If this GMO grass is planted on lawns across America, it will spur the widespread use of Roundup herbicide (made by Monsanto), which will devastate the soils and contaminate the streams and rivers downstream. We are talking about potentially dumping tens of millions of gallons of RoundUp into the environment while boosting the profits of Monsanto!
• If Scotts Miracle-Gro pursues this genetically modified lawn seed, it will instantly place itself on the list of the top 10 most evil companies in North America, earning it widespread criticism, condemnation and boycotts from consumers (who, for the most part, have a positive image of Scott's right now).
Many gardeners who currently use Scotts Miracle-Gro products will boycott them instead.
Gardeners love the natural world, remember. And they do not like to see companies unleashing GMOs across that natural world.
• NaturalNews will continue to track and publicize Scotts' actions regarding GMO grass seed, and if the company insists in introducing this product, we will work with people like Jeffrey Smith (www.ResponsibleTechnology.org) to organize massive protests against such irresponsible business practices.
Spread the word. Boycott Scotts Miracle-Gro. This company is on the verge of releasing GMO seeds across out front lawns and neighborhoods ~ a move that would soon be followed by the mass-spraying of RoundUp pesticides by all your ignorant neighbors who know nothing of the dangers of GMOs and glyphosate.
Please share this story and help get the word out. Scotts Miracle-Gro must go. Just Say No to GMOs (www.NaturalNews.com/music).
Spread the word. Boycott Scotts Miracle-Gro. This company is on the verge of releasing GMO seeds across out front lawns and neighborhoods ~ a move that would soon be followed by the mass-spraying of RoundUp pesticides by all your ignorant neighbors who know nothing of the dangers of GMOs and glyphosate.
Please share this story and help get the word out. Scotts Miracle-Gro must go. Just Say No to GMOs (www.NaturalNews.com/music).
ARTICLES RELATED TO THIS ARTICLE:
• Wikileaks cable reveals U.S. conspired to retaliate against European nations if they resisted GMOs
Learn more:
GMO KENTUCKY BLUEGRASS
Good Food 4 All
In a boost for the GMO industry, the USDA has approved the commercialization of the first genetically modified grass seed, Scott’s Miracle-Gro’s Kentucky Blue Grass. This is to become the first Roundup-resistant grass seed.
The USDA’s Animal, Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has jurisdiction over GMO plants because of the use of microbes, bacteria or fungi in their creation. This GMO Kentucky Blue Grass has its genes taken from rice, corn and the Arabidopsis plant, which is in the brassicaceae (mustard) family. It is not considered a pest by the USDA.
Kentucky Bluegrass is one of the most popular lawn grasses in the United States. Homeowners love it for its lush, dense growth. It is extensively used on golf courses, in parks and is prized for its growth in prairies. The tendency for reseeding and shade tolerance is a selling factor in differentiating grass blends.
There have been prior concerns for marketing this type of grass with the Round-Up Ready characteristics. Six years ago the Center for Food Safety petitioned the USDA to reject approval of the GMO Kentucky Bluegrass. The ability for it to withstand glyphosate (Round UP) could create another super weed.
The USDA has indicated that it views the GMO Kentucky Bluegrass essentially identical to the non-GMO Kentucky Bluegrass. This leaves one to wonder ~ HOW can this be so when genes have been inserted into the DNA of this plant to make it Round-Up resistant?
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack in his usual favoritism of GMO, chemical farming practices and Big Ag commented:
"USDA therefore strongly encourages Scotts to discuss these concerns with various stakeholders during these early stages of research and development of this GE Kentucky bluegrass variety and thereby develop appropriate and effective stewardship measures to minimize commingling and gene flow between GE and non-GE Kentucky bluegrass.”
My question would be: With the tendency of a grass to be invasive, how could this ever be accomplished? Grass is pollinated by wind and this could spread to other grasses, creating new Round-Up resistant grass.
Another concern looms in my mind. With homeowner’s love of the perfect lawn, this will make the use of Round-Up more prevalent. Groundwater is already contaminated with enough lawn chemicals, the leader being Atrazine and glyphosate (Round-Up) and is not far behind. Add to this that parks, golf courses and commercial landscaping in newly constructed office parks could become a vast Round-Up spraying market, the potential for widespread contamination of the water supply is certain.
Homeowners, please take note. This is not an Earth-friendly product even though it is somewhat drought resistant. When the product is finally marketed, don’t fall for the ploy that Scott’s will hand you. No, it won’t be better to spray your entire lawn with Round-Up to eliminate weeds.
Remember ~
YOUR continued support
of products like these
will further damage
the ecosystem of the Earth.
Say NO to GMO ~ everything…, even a lawn!
An organic Kentucky bluegrass lawn.
USDA POTENTIALLY DEREGULATES
ALL GMO CROPS
At the end of last week, the USDA deregulated a new genetically modified, RoundUp resistant grass created by Scotts Miracle Gro. Over the past 6 months, it has deregulated several genetically modified crops, so this isn’t really shocking or surprising. However, the real alarm comes when you read the USDA’s reasoning behind deregulation. Turns out, the same logic can be used to deregulate just about every new genetically modified crop out there.
But, you say, the USDA hardly even regulates the GMO crops it’s supposed to be regulating right now. So what’s so terrible about deregulating more crops? The difference is that because the USDA is supposed to be regulating these crops, we consumers have successfully taken the USDA to court (and WON!) in the ongoing public battle against GMOs. If the USDA steps out of the business of regulation, those hard-won verdicts have no teeth.
Up until this past Friday, there were a couple semi-solid regulatory hooks that required the USDA to regulate new GMO crops. The first was by identifying GMO crops as a “plant pest.” Tom Philpott explains:
A ’50s-era law called the Plant Pest Act gave the USDA power to restrict the introduction of organisms that might, well, harm plants. Genetically modified crops technically qualified as “plant pests” because industry scientists used DNA “promoters” derived from natural plant pathogens, most notably cauliflower mosaic virus, to amplify the genetic traits they introduced into new crops. “These promoters ensure that the desired trait is always ‘on,’ that is, expressed,” Gurian-Sherman explains.
The second regulatory hook came by classifying new GMO crops as “noxious weeds.” The USDA has the authority, indeed the mandate, to regulate any engineered crop that could “go rogue” and
“become hard-to-control.”
On Friday, both regulatory hooks were dismissed out of hand by the USDA, despite a strong case for GMO grass being a potential noxious weed. According to Philpott:
The Center for Food Safety had petitioned the USDA to classify genetically modified bluegrass as a noxious weed. The case for this is strong: Gurian-Sherman explains that bluegrass has light pollen that can be carried for miles on the wind, meaning that genetically modified bluegrass can easily transfer its genes to established conventional bluegrass.
And like most grasses, bluegrass spreads rapidly. Anyone who has ever grown a garden can testify that it’s tough to get rid of unwanted turf grass. In fact, Scotts is also seeking deregulation of Roundup Ready bentgrass, another grass that has proven hard to control. In 2005, Scotts grew trial plots of its bentgrass in Oregon. It escaped the boundaries of the experimental plot and is still creating problems for homeowners miles away.
For homeowners, dealing with rogue Roundup Ready bluegrass may mean resorting to chemicals far more toxic than Roundup.
In one of the documents (PDF) released last Friday, the USDA conceded that, by its own reckoning, Scotts’ genetically modified bluegrass “can be considered for regulation as a Federally listed noxious weed that shows potential to cause damage to crops and natural resources of the United States.” But to avoid actually declaring it a noxious weed, the agency simply claimed that the weed risks posed by genetically engineered and conventional are “essentially the same.”
That’s highly debatable, since anyone who wants to address weed problems from conventional bluegrass can turn to Roundup, the nation’s most-used herbicide, whereas dealing with rogue Roundup Ready bluegrass means resorting to chemicals far more toxic.
Starting with the “essentially the same” premise, the USDA notes that conventional bluegrass is already widely planted across the country without causing much harm; from there it assumes that Scotts’ engineered bluegrass won’t be a problem either, concluding that it need not be declared a “noxious weed” after all. And if it’s neither a plant pest nor a noxious weed, the USDA has no right or obligation to regulate it.
The ramifications of this are mind-blowing, at least to me:
Well, if the USDA doesn’t regulate novel GMOs, then it has no obligation to perform environmental-impact or endangered-species analyses of new organisms in the biotech pipeline, including plants engineered as pharmaceutical substances and biofuel feedstocks. In an email exchange, a USDA press officer confirmed that the agency would not be conducting an environmental-impact statement on Roundup Ready bluegrass ~ and by extension, any other crops that don’t count as plant pests or noxious weeds.
And that means watchdogs like Center for Food Safety will no longer have a legal foothold to sue the USDA for regulating those things badly ~ which is usually how it’s done. In the wake of several recent deregulations ~ including Roundup Ready sugar beets, alfalfa, and bentgrass ~ federal courts have sided with Center for Food Safety and rebuked the USDA for failing to properly assess risks.
Ouch. I do not like where this is headed. Not one bit.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Unfortunately, under the current law, there’s little you can do to stop the deregulation of GMO crops. But that doesn’t mean you are powerless. You are still a consumer, and you can vote with your dollars.
1) Opt out of GMO-based agriculture. As much as possible, avoid products and so-called “food” made with GMOs. This is a handy shopping guide created for just such a purpose.
2) Support labeling of foods and products made with GMOs. That means contacting your representative and sharing your opinion that GMO foods should be labeled. According to the most recent surveys, 93% of Americans agree with you! If that’s not something bi-partisan that would offer immediate feel-good results for politicians, I don’t know what is.
3) Spread the message, so your friends and family can opt out of GMO foods, too. Even if they think you’re totally berserk when you pile that grass-fed butter on your plate, or call foods cooked in saturated-fat laden coconut oil “healthy,” they simply can’t argue with the science showing the dangers of GMOs.
Here is an Action Tool Kit to arm you with anything you might need to convince them ~ pamphlets, power point presentations, quizzes, letters to restaurants or grocery stores, you name it.
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