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Default ORGANIC BYTES #29

ORGANIC BYTES #29
Food and Consumer News Tidbits with an Edge!
3/9/2004 By Organic Consumers Association

Please forward this publication to family and friends, place it on
websites, print it, and post it. Knowledge is power!

---------------------------------

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

"These multi-billion dollar corporations underestimated the savvy and
determination of Mendocino County voters," said Els Cooperrider of
Ukiah, California, a retired medical scientist and Ukiah business owner
who helped spearhead the citizen-led initiative. "This is just the
beginning of the revolution," she said. "We're the first county in the
U.S. to prohibit the growing of genetically altered crops and animals --
but we won't be the last." Press Release March 3, 2004 by citizen group
GMO Free Mendocino

---------------------------------

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED - MENDOCINO COUNTY BANS GE CROPS!
It's official! Mendocino County (CA) has passed a ballot initiative
making it the first county in the U.S. to ban genetically engineered
crops and animals. This is an important and precedent-setting victory
for farmers and consumers, particularly given the fact that corporate
agribusiness and the biotech industry spent over $620,000 attempting to
convince citizens to vote against the referendum (grassroots supporters
of the referendum had only $100,000 to work with, including $11,500
from the Organic Consumers Association). Organic and non-GMO farmers in
Mendocino say the new law will help protect their crops from potential
contamination from neighboring GE fields. The success of the initiative
is already proving to be highly contagious. Humboldt County (CA) claims
it's next in line for passing a similar referendum, while farmers in the
U.S. Midwest see it as evidence that they may be able to resist the
release of Monsanto's new GE wheat. Grassroots activists across
California and the nation will be meeting in San Francisco this weekend
to discuss launching similar initiatives. Similarly Prince Edward Island
in Canada is now considering becoming a "GMO Free Zone." Meanwhile, the
biotech industry has made it clear that it will do its best to snuff out
Mendocino's GE ban with state legislative or legal action. Informed
sources have told the OCA that the California Farm Bureau and the Gallo
wine company are spearheading an effort to introduce a bill in the
California Senate that will nullify the Mendocino GMO ban and make it
illegal for other California counties to pass similar laws. OCA and its
allies are planning a major campaign to stop or defeat this legislation.
Stay tuned to Organic Bytes and the OCA website for forthcoming news on
this front...
http://www.organicconsumers.org/mons...cino030804.cfm

---------------------------------

HYDROSOL SCHEME RUNNING OUT OF STEAM
It's been a week full of victories! One year after the Organic Consumers
Association (OCA) launched the Coming Clean Campaign to establish strong
labeling standards for "organic" cosmetics, the Organic Trade
Association's Personal Care Task Force (PCTF) rejected a scheme of
counting ordinary water as "organic" in body care products. In a 13 to 2
vote on Saturday (3/6) at the Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim,
California, the task force of natural body care companies condemned the
practice of counting as "organic" water added during the steaming of
botanicals to make hydrosol water extracts. The task force
subsequently voted 10 to 5 to not count any amount of hydrosol water
extracts as organic until the minority percentage of water from plant
material versus added from steam can be determined. The OCA will
continue to drive this campaign ahead, until meaningful organic
standards are established for body care products.
http://www.organicconsumers.org/bodycare/

---------------------------------

MAD COW UPDATE: U.S. GOVERNMENT UNDER CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION
A criminal investigation is underway to determine whether the U.S.
Government falsified documents pertaining to the recent case of Mad Cow
Disease in Washington. Specifically, the Department of Agriculture
reported that the beef that tested positive for the disease came from a
"downer" cow (a cow too ill to walk). Three key eye-witnesses at the
slaughterhouse argue otherwise, saying the cow was walking and appeared
to be healthy. The U.S. Government used the potentially altered
documents to assuage concerns that cattle are not tested sufficiently
for this deadly disease in the U.S.
http://www.organicconsumers.org/madc...sify030404.cfm

---------------------------------

STRAWBERRIES, TOMATOES AND THE OZONE HOLE
When the hole in the ozone layer and its causes were confirmed in the
1980s, nations around the world banded together to create one of the
most significant international environmental treaties in history. The
Montreal Protocol of 1987 was a global agreement to phase out the
production and use of chemicals that cause the depletion of the ozone
layer. Now George W. Bush has shocked the world (once again) by
threatening to pull out of this landmark treaty. Bush claims the U.S.
strawberry and tomato agriculture industry should be able to continue
using the pesticide methyl bromide, the most dangerous ozone depleting
chemical in use. Interestingly enough, the majority of growers who would
benefit from this violation of international treaty are situated in
California and Florida, critical states in the coming election.
http://www.organicconsumers.org/corp/ozone112403.cfm

---------------------------------

QUICK RELATED FACTS
-The Environmental Protection Agency classifies methyl bromide in the
most deadly category of substances (Category I), due to its ability to
cause neurological damage, reproductive harm, and fatal poisonings.

-Organic strawberry growers use a mix of safe alternatives, including
biological control, crop rotation, and pest-resistant root stocks, to
produce strawberries without the need for methyl bromide.

---------------------------------

INTERNATIONAL GE LABELING TREATY CONFIRMED
An international biosafety treaty has now been finalized in Malaysia,
where 87 countries from around the world have successfully negotiated a
protocol that establishes labeling and documentation regulations
regarding imports/exports of genetically modified organisms. Under the
new system, any international shipment containing genetically engineered
ingredients intended for food, feed or processing must be labeled as
such. Despite consensus between the attending nations, President Bush
has refused to sign the agreement.
http://www.organicconsumers.org/ge/biosafety-pact.cfm

---------------------------------

NEW STUDY INDICATES HEALTH HAZARDS OF GMOs
New scientific research has revealed some disturbing health implications
related to genetically modified foods. The viral promoter used in GE
crops to "turn on" certain genes has been found in the tissue of test
rats. The biotech industry has consistently claimed this is impossible.
According to Dr Terje Traavik, the study's results indicate that these
same promoters could switch on any number of viruses that normally lay
dormant within our own DNA and/or change the activity and structure of
chromosomes, creating the potential for inducing cancer and/or metabolic
changes. http://www.organicconsumers.org/ge/studies030404.cfm

---------------------------------

TAKE ACTION
The Department of Agriculture is currently accepting public comments
regarding the agency's plan to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement
for the introduction of genetically modified organisms. This is a great
opportunity for consumers to share their concerns about the spread of GE
crops. To send an email message to the USDA, go he
http://www.saveorganicfood.org/usdaalert.php

---------------------------------

WE NEED TO TALK
Interested in sharing your thoughts and ideas with thousands of other
like-minded folks locally and around the world? Register free for OCA's
new online web forum and chat center. The OCA website has been getting
4-6 million hits every month, so we decided it's time to open up the
communication channels and let everyone share their ideas, post
articles, comment on related issues, and come together with others who
share your concerns. Start talking with others in the organic consumers
community right now! http://www.organicconsumers.org/chat/index.php If
you are interested in being a moderator of one of these forums, please
contact

---------------------------------

Help others learn about food safety, organics, and related topics. Place
a link on YOUR website to
http://OrganicConsumers.org Banners for your
use http://OrganicConsumers.org/logos.htm

-------------------------------

NOTE TO CO-OP AND NATURAL FOOD STORE SUBSCRIBERS:
Organic Bytes is a great tool for keeping your staff and customers up to
date on the latest issues. Feel free to forward this email to your staff
and print for posting on bulletin boards and staff break tables. You are
also welcome to use this material for your newsletters. There's an
attractive print-friendly PDF version of this available for free
download at http://www.organicconsumers.org/organicbytes.htm

---------------------------------

To subscribe to Organic Bytes, send an email to:
with the word
"subscribe" in subject. To unsubscribe to Organic Bytes, send an email
to:
with the word
"unsubscribe" in subject.

---------------------------------

ORGANIC BYTES is a publication of:
ORGANIC CONSUMERS ASSOCIATION
6101 Cliff Estate Road Little Marais, MN
55614 Phone: (218) 226-4164 Fax: (218) 353-7652

---------------------------------

For additional daily environmental and political news, visit:
http://www.ens-newswire.com http://www.planetsave.com

---------------------------------

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http://lists.organicconsumers.org/listinfo/biodemocracy


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