Wednesday, January 31, 2018

Monsanto Trying To Hide GMO Foods Under The Term “Biofortified”

GMO foods biofortified
By Heather CallaghanEditor
Do genetically engineered crops and their pesticides make you think of the term “biofortified”? Chances are, the term biofortified makes you think of vitamins in kids’ cereals.
Mega corporations are no strangers to propaganda and public relations. Did you know that much of our non-organic crops are grown with human sewage sludge? No? That’s because the practice is called “biosolids” to keep you in the dark. You are probably aware of the sneaky disguises that sweeteners like aspartame and high fructose corn syrup were attempted to be concealed in. (“Corn sugar,” anyone?)
There are no power grabs out of reach for Monsanto – they are now attempting the most ridiculous propaganda scheme of all. They are attempting to manipulate definitions under Codex Alimentarius that would allow GMOs to fall under the classification of “biofortified” foods.
Codex is a collection of guidelines, codes and other recommendations relating to foods, food production, and food safety – that were created under the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization. If you are thinking this is arbitrary and wondering why our country should pay any attention to such guidelines, you are heading in the right direction… In the late 1990s, consumers feared that their vitamins and supplements would move to prescription-only under Codex guidelines.
According to National Health Federation (The NHF is the only natural health advocate that gets a seat at Codex, by the way!):
It all started out innocently enough several Codex Nutrition committee meetings ago when an international nongovernmental organization (INGO) named the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) (and sponsored by Harvest Plus) had one of its country contacts introduce a proposed new work at Codex. (Only member countries may introduce new work at Codex, not INGOs.) Harvest Plus’ method of increasing certain vitamin and mineral content of basic food crops consists of the time-honored, conventional way of cross-breeding, not genetic engineering.  Harvest Plus, for example, will increase the vitamin or iron content of sweet potatoes so that malnourished populations in developing nations will receive better nutrition.
The new work at the Codex Alimentarius Commission’s Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses (CCNFSDU) was simple: Craft a definition for Biofortification. That definition could then be used uniformly around the World to apply to those foods conventionally fortified with higher levels of nutrients and everyone would be on the same page whenever the term “biofortified” was used. Indeed, the National Health Federation (NHF) was an early supporter at Codex of this definition.

Poisoned in the Womb

This year’s CCNFSDU meeting – hosted by the German Health Ministry in Berlin, Germany the first full week of December 2017 – witnessed a lively debate about not only how to define Biofortification but also whether or not the very word “Biofortification” should be used at all. However, this was not the beginning of the debate. The NHF had two delegates there.
At the 2016 CCNFSDU meeting, the Chairwoman Pia Noble (married to a former Bayer executive) had started off the Biofortification-definition discussion by giving her incorrect personal opinion that the definition should be as broad as possible and that recombinant technology should be included. Her statement, though, directly contradicted Australia’s admission at the 2015 meeting that if the Committee were to refer to the original 2012 document on the scope of Biofortification, we would see that Biofortification only refers to conventional breeding and so we should clearly exclude GM techniques. At last year’s CCNFSDU meeting, however, Australia was silent on the issue.
In other words, the original mandate for creating the Biofortification definition was that it was to be defined as a process by which the nutritional quality of food crops is improved through conventional plant breeding with the aim of making the nutrients bioavailable after digestion. Not surprisingly, though, soon enough, the Monsanto minions got their grubby little hands on the definition through influence peddling with Codex delegates and the Chairwoman, and the definition began changing into one that would include genetically modified “biofortified” foods. So, the battle is on at Codex as to whether or not GM foods will be included within the definition of Biofortification. I am sure that Monsanto would be thrilled to be able to market its synthetic products under a name that began with the word “Bio.”
As of 2017, the definition of “biofortification” – including GMOs – under Codex has morphed into:
…the process whereby any nutrients or related substances of all potential source organisms (e.g. animal, plant, fungi, yeasts, bacteria)of]/[and] foods are increased by a measurable level [and/or] become more bioavailable for the intended purposes. The process applies to any method of production [and excludes conventional fortification].” [footnotes excluded]
We're Monsanto: Still Feeding the World, Lie After Lie
Not only is the term “biofortified” for GMO foods confusing here in the U.S., but in European countries the prefix, bio, is used to denote “organic.”
NHF took opposition with the term biofortified falling under these vague parts of the definition:
  1. ‘all potential source organisms’
  2. ‘The process applies to any method of production’ and
  3. Footnote 4 (‘Method of production should be determined by National/regional authority’)
Dr. Noble retired, so hopefully her “heavy-handed” and crafty tactics of dictating the meeting to get the term biofortification to apply to GMOs will have left with her.
According to NHF,
Monsanto’s attempt was recognized by many delegates for what it was and denounced in the meeting. The fight, however, will carry over to next year’s meeting to be held in Berlin in November 2018. And that meeting will be chaired by the Committee’s new chairwoman, Ms. Marie-Luise Trebes.
As always, Big Biotech will be back to try again.
To be privy to the backstory and even drama that went on these meetings, hop on over to the National Health Federation!

This article (Monsanto Trying To Hide GMO Foods Under the Term “Biofortified”) was created by and appeared first at Natural BlazeIt can be reshared with attribution but MUST include link to homepage, bio, intact links and this message. 
favorite-velva-smallHeather Callaghan is a Health Mentor, Energy Healer, writer, speaker and food freedom advocate. She is the Editor and co-founder of NaturalBlaze as well as a certified Self-Referencing IITM Practitioner.
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First GM Rice Just Approved By The U.S. FDA


By Heather CallaghanEditor

Will the first ever GM rice from China make its way to the American table soon?

As we reported last summer, Big Agri pulled some maneuvers and made major inroads in China despite major opposition from China’s people. Readers may be surprised to learn that Chinese citizens reject the notion of GMOs but they do. In fact, there is such a demand for organic there, that China is buying up arable land in other countries and trumpeting health campaigns to discourage meat and dairy consumption. Not only has this demand for better food caused food shortages there because of their issues with pollution, but it has also created a bevy of “fake organics” and questionable foods flooding other countries. Are we about to receive a flood of GM rice, too?
Now the FDA has essentially approved a product based on some data turned in by Chinese researchers. It did not conduct its own experiments. Although cultivation of this GM rice is not officially legal, the FDA stamp of approval was meant to set the ball rolling, and garner approval from other markets.
GlobalTimes.CN reports:
A genetically modified (GM) rice product developed by a group of Chinese scientists has acquired the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval, the first such Chinese product allowed to enter the US market.
However, neither China nor the US has approved mass cultivation of the rice amid low acceptance from the Chinese public for GM food.
Huahui No.1 rice, developed by the Huazhong Agricultural University, is genetically engineered to resist a wide range of insects, thus reducing the use of pesticides.
Lin Yongjun, a professor at Huazhong Agricultural University and one of the scientists that developed the rice, told the Global Times on Monday that Huahui No.1 could not be grown in China as “the country has not conducted regional trials nor provided guidelines to examine genetically engineered rice.”
Lin said his team might consider growing Huahui No. 1 in Southeast Asian countries, “but our reach is limited and we hope the authorities can provide funding and legal support.”
Lin’s university received an email from the FDA on January 11 approving the rice.
The email, which was made public on FDA’s website, said, “Based on the safety and nutritional assessment Huazhong has conducted, it is our understanding that Huazhong has concluded that human and animal foods from Huahui No.1 rice grain are not materially different in composition, safety, and other relevant parameters from rice-derived human and animal food currently on the market, and that genetically engineered Huahui No.1 rice grain does not raise issues that would require premarket review or approval by the FDA.”
Huahui No. 1 was developed as early as 1998 and received a bio-safety certificate from China’s Ministry of Agriculture in 2009 – but the rice and other GMOs receive little acceptance by Chinese citizens. Commercial planting in China is restricted, so the university sought safety approval from foreign agencies since 2009 to prepare Huahui No. 1 for international markets.
Public reception of Huahui No. 1 is abysmal. Commenters allegedly said that the rice should be grown somewhere else or that if Americans approved it, then “sell it to the Americans.”
Luo Yunbo, an expert on GM products at China Agricultural University noted the Chinese Government’s hesitancy to work with GM cultivation due to the ire from the Chinese toward GMOs. He said,
The government wants to take its time on GM food for social stability reason. It has a three-step plan to gradually industrialize GM crops, first on inedible crops, then on vegetables and fruits and the last on staple food such as rice and wheat.
There is still a long way to go before the public accepts GM rice in the market.
So, while this rice is still in its preliminary stages, preparations for the international market are definitely being set in motion.
Please sound off below!

This article (First GM Rice Just Approved by the U.S. FDA) was created by and appeared first at Natural BlazeIt can be reshared with attribution but MUST include link to homepage, bio, intact links and this message. H/T: GMWatch
favorite-velva-smallHeather Callaghan is a Health Mentor, Energy Healer, writer, speaker and food freedom advocate. She is the Editor and co-founder of NaturalBlaze as well as a certified Self-Referencing IITM Practitioner.
Get a nifty FREE eBook – Like at  Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

How To Grow Vegetables Year-Round In Container Gardens

For many of us, our jobs dictate that we live near a city and, as a result, our yards are smaller and may not provide adequate space for a large garden. As well, those that are renting homes may also be limited to what they can do with a yard. For a short time, I lived in the sprawling outskirts of Houston, TX where my yard was not very big. I had to get creative in terms of where to grow my plants. I started dabbling in container gardening and got pretty good at it.
I utilized my lack of space with a patio garden where I had herbs, vegetables, and berries growing. As well, I had pots of fruit trees started and vertical gardening systems hanging so I could make use of as much space and lighting as possible.
When we don’t have the option of moving out into the sprawling countryside to live off of the land, we have to make use of what we have. Urban and suburbanites can garden in their small spaces using some of the most popular vertical gardening and small space gardening techniques:

Container Plants Prefer Lots of Drainage

Ensure that your pots and containers have adequate drainage holes at the bottom. Plants do not like to sit in soggy soil and will quickly develop root rot, as a result. Plant shallow-rooted plants such as small herbs, green leafy vegetables, strawberries, and green onions which can be grown close to one another and will help plant roots stay shaded from the hot sun. This is a principle of xeriscaping and will also help to cut down on watering.
To keep plants healthy, water only when the soil feels dry. The best way to determine when to water is to insert your index finger 2-3 inches into the soil. If the soil feels dry, it needs water. If it is still moist, then it can go another day until it needs to be watered.

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Because the plants will not be getting essential nutrients from the ground, you need to ensure that the soil you use is suitable for containers. Ensure your potting mix has everything the plant needs to thrive – perlite, vermiculite, calcined clay (kitty litter), and sand are the mineral aggregates most commonly used in potting soils. Adding these would be beneficial to the success of your garden. As well, adding 1/2 cup of dolomitic limestone, greensand, rock phosphate, and kelp powder will give your plants additional nutrients for growing.

What Kind of Plants to Grow?

Growing compact plants with smaller root systems is another way to garden in small spaces. Herbs such as oregano, rosemary, thyme, lavender, and sage grow well in containers and do not need to be replaced each season, thus making them wonderful additions to a year-round patio garden.
Make a concerted effort to purchase heirloom quality seeds. These types of seeds are bred for their flavor and not their durability for shipping and mass distribution. Additionally, these seed types will produce fertile seeds that can be saved for subsequent growing seasons, which many sustainable-minded folks prefer.

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The following is a list of seasonal plants that grow well in containers:

Fall/Winter

Utilizing cold frames can help protect smaller, less established plants during bouts of freezing weather.
  • Greens such as lettuce, spinach, mustard greens, kale
  • Cabbage
  • Broccoli
  • Carrots
  • Turnips
  • Onions
  • Garlic
  • Radishes
  • Potatoes
  • Most herbs

Spring/Summer

  • Tomatoes  (requires staking)
  • Peppers
  • Cucumbers (requires a trellis)
  • Green beans
  • Fruit trees
  • Berries

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As well, consider adding some colorful flowers such as petunias, marigolds, or roses to attract beneficial insects to help pollinate your patio garden.
As one wise man once said, “There are never problems, only solutions.” Even though you may not live on acreage, you can still enjoy organic, homegrown vegetables and fruits from the convenience of your patio. This small investment will help your family save money at the grocery store, eat healthily, and have lovely scenery to enjoy during the summer months.
This information has been made available by Ready Nutrition
Originally published January 27th, 2018

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