Forum Post: Open Letter from World Scientists to All Governments Concerning Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)
Posted 10 years ago on July 4, 2013, 4:31 p.m. EST by BradB
(2693)
from Washington, DC
This content is user submitted and not an official statement
Signed by 828 scientists from 84 different countries
Open Letter from World Scientists to All Governments
Summary
We, the undersigned scientists, call for the immediate suspension of all environmental releases of GM crops and products, both commercially and in open field trials, for at least 5 years; for patents on living processes, organisms, seeds, cell lines and genes to be revoked and banned; and for a comprehensive public enquiry into the future of agriculture and food security for all.
Patents on life-forms and living processes should be banned because they threaten food security, sanction biopiracy of indigenous knowledge and genetic resources, violate basic human rights and dignity, compromise healthcare, impede medical and scientific research and are against the welfare of animals.
GM crops offer no benefits to farmers or consumers. Instead, many problems have been identified, including yield drag, increased herbicide use, erratic performance, and poor economic returns to farmers. GM crops also intensify corporate monopoly on food, which is driving family farmers to destitution, and preventing the essential shift to sustainable agriculture that can guarantee food security and health around the world
The hazards of GMOs to biodiversity and human and animal health are now acknowledged by sources within the UK and US Governments. Particularly serious consequences are associated with the potential for horizontal gene transfer. These include the spread of antibiotic resistance marker genes that would render infectious diseases untreatable, the generation of new viruses and bacteria that cause diseases, and harmful mutations which may lead to cancer.
In the Cartegena Biosafety Protocol negotiated in Montreal in January 2000, more than 130 governments have pledged to implement the precautionary principle and to ensure that biosafety legislations at the national and international levels take precedence over trade and financial agreements at the World Trade Organization.
Successive studies have documented the productivity and the social and environmental benefits of sustainable, low-input and organic farming in both North and South. They offer the only practical way of restoring agricultural land degraded by conventional agronomic practices, and empower small family farmers to combat poverty and hunger.
We urge the US Congress to reject GM crops as both hazardous and contrary to the interest of family farmers; and to support research and development of sustainable agricultural methods that can truly benefit family farmers all over the world.
We, the undersigned scientists, call for the immediate suspension of all environmental releases of GM crops and products, both commercially and in open field trials, for at least 5 years; for patents on living processes, organisms, seeds, cell lines and genes to be revoked and banned; and for a comprehensive public enquiry into the future of agriculture and food security for all.
"Silence of the Bees'' (Doc.) :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cU9ZunVl3o ;
http://www.naturalnews.com/035688_Monsanto_honey_bees_colony_collapse.html ;
http://www.independentaustralia.net/2013/environment/is-monsanto-killing-our-bees/ & ...
http://www.truth-out.org/buzzflash/commentary/item/11462-monsanto-is-bad-for-the-bees-and-bad-for-us .
Thanx for this excellent forum-post and I append the above in solidarity.
caveat ...
Thanks ever so much Brad!
What a testament to what can be done when people come together globally under the umbrella of a common cause. Almost without exception, GMOs are a concern for everyone.
The request of a 5 year suspension is a most reasonable one, given the preliminary data...not only to further test GMOs, but to assess social questions regarding the life altering implications of global corporate control of our food supply.
One has to wonder if Monsanto's certain knowledge that this was coming, is the reason they recently bought the despicable 'Blackwater'.
Excellent find, Brad!!
I will cross post this thread onto gnomunny's Monsanto thread for further sharing of this very important development.
http://occupywallst.org/forum/monsanto-everthing-you-ever-wanted-to-know-about-g/
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Simple answer; stop buying their shit.
http://www.undergroundhealth.com/the-monsanto-tipping-point-has-been-reached-we-shall-overcome-global-food-injustice-gmo/
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The tide may be turning, albeit slow. From the 'Institute of Science in Society' paper entitled 'Ban GMOs Now:'
"In October 2011, the Center for Food Safety filed a legal petition with the FDA to require labelling of all GM food. In 2012, 55 members of Congress wrote a letter to the FDA commissioner in support of the petition. The FDA has received over one million public comments supporting the petition, the largest response ever received by the agency. Meanwhile, 37 GM food labelling bills have been introduced in 21 states in 2013. In the latest move in Washington, Senator Barbara Boxer and Congressman Peter DeFazio have jointly sponsored new federal legislation that requires labelling of all GM food in the US. The Genetically Engineered Food Right-to-Know Act is the first national labelling bill to be introduced in Congress since 2010."
It's a pitched battle to be sure, but what's important is to get the general public informed and involved.
Welcome back, by the way. Rumor has it, you've been missed. ;-)
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Hmmm, booted from one website while on another, wax nostalgia. You are truly an enigma, my friend.
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There are targets aplenty nowadays, ZD. There shouldn't be any problem finding one.
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Well, I can't vouch for their eating habits, but if you mean there aren't many around here, well . . . that's a good thing, right?
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Even if everyone here was on the same page, on a single issue, there aren't enough of us here to get much done as a group. I don't see this forum as the tool to do that. The best purpose of this forum, in my opinion, is to disseminate information. If something clicks with one of us, then that person should take it and run with it and do what they think to the best of their ability.
For example, LeoYo and a few others have posted a wealth of good information about co-ops, which I think is one of the best ideas out there and people should definitely be doing things with it. I posted my slavery thread to enlighten us to what a widespread problem that is. It's then up to us to pass that info on to the people we know and hopefully a percentage of them will change their lifestyle a bit. Likewise the Monsanto thread, it's ammunition for those that learn something from it and again, hopefully people will pass that info on, like Builder's been doing in his neck of the woods.
I have no problem with anyone here getting involved in the political angle, it's one more tool we should use. But don't expect great political change from this forum. Best to get the info out there to the larger audience, like shooz posting all his ALEC and Koch brothers links.
Personally, I'm from the school of thought that our best weapon is starve the beast. Stop shopping Walmart, stop buying bullshit toys you don't need, stop buying things soaked in the blood of slaves and children. You'll never get a massive boycott started on this site, but that's no reason to just say "fuck it, I'll go to Wally World anyway."
I think one of the early predictions came true, that OWS would splinter into different factions, each playing to their strengths, like Occupy Sandy and Strike Debt. I think that's a good thing.
"Are we even an organization anymore?"
Not like it was, thats for sure. Although Restore the 4th did a decent showing.
The thing that never sunk is that some in Occupy did have a desire to get into the political aspect of things, but the demographics just made it impossible.
You cant get anarchists, communists, libertarians, socialists and then the average msm liberal to all work together on anyhting too specific.
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The thing is, the thing that Democrats thought would be the fire under their asses - occupy- was never set up for that from the get go.
Now whether that was done organically or intentionally is another topic.
But it never was. And everything died down shortly after 2012 started. And its now over half way through 2013, and there still isnt anything impressive happening on the Dems side. The only thing I hear from them are "we have to" and "we should" and then the few loons still clamoring at occupy events.
It's part of the reason I hate parties in general so much. It creates group think. Yes, if you can get something going it makes pooling resources easier, but until you get to that point its a real bitch.
Parties take away from the individual initiative that is needed to spur action. Take your quote - "well if WE dont get...." When in reality the only question is "What am I doing?"
And I know you help out during campaigns. And honestly, thats more than 99% are willing to do. We need more of that. Self governance.
But we cannot wait for party direction. The people are the country, as individuals taking the lead and making it happen. But it is discouraging, because we are only one individual. I cannot tell you how many things Ive set up, with lackluster turnout at best. And Im a better promoter than most doing it. Its tough.
Someone told me the other day my biggest weakness is that "you expect things to go differently with this set of humans than it has every single other time, throughout history"... That infuriated me.
"You expect things to go differently with this set of humans than it has every single other time, throughout history."
What an uninformed and defeatist attitude. Like there's never been any radical changes in history? The French Revolution comes to mind, not that it's an option this time around, but people with that attitude deserve what they're getting.
Thought you'd been abducted, ZD.
No cavity searches?
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WAY!
Isn't this why people are arguing for an Article V convention?
"I am afraid it will take far more than 828 scientists from around the world to persuade Congress of anything,
I've been reading here.
http://articlev.org/proposals/
By far the most substantial foundation for change we can find.
Congress and the senate/president have no authority over ratifications. They simply must abide by the amended constitution. Article V, as a lawful peaceful revolution is "social unrest" of the highest form. All other forms would serve it, if they can.
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But preparing for Article V makes real sense, and getting the money out is a part of that proposal at articlev.org. Campaign finance reform by amendment.
Also, it is proposed to end the abridging of free speech. Of course if we did not create true free speech, it might take 'till the end of the century to resolve the issues brought forth at Article V.
All in all, in the research I've done on article V, posters here have really outlined some powerful strategy that is very comprehensive. I've asked a local non profit which promotes justice to examine the legal aspects that are over my head. Here's a bunch of links to discussion here.
preparatory amendment
http://occupywallst.org/forum/do-we-really-want-need-to-disarm-ourselves/#comment-901648
http://occupywallst.org/forum/it-is-time-for-revolution-libertarians-anarchists-/#comment-574618
http://occupywallst.org/forum/finally-i-understand-why-the-negative-posts/#comment-631393
http://occupywallst.org/forum/what-is-the-purpose-of-this-forum-why-are-you-here/#comment-639114
http://occupywallst.org/forum/should-we-be-the-world-police-who-should-be-the-wo/#comment-929986
http://occupywallst.org/forum/free-fall-in-slow-motion/#comment-930406
http://occupywallst.org/forum/keep-searching-for-ways-to-screw-the-corrupt-syste/#comment-931067
http://occupywallst.org/forum/aint-privitization-the-goal-of-all-good-republicla/#comment-931855
http://occupywallst.org/forum/federal-government-renews-push-to-disarm-veterans/#comment-936370
http://occupywallst.org/forum/would-a-one-world-government-end-war/#comment-936383
http://occupywallst.org/forum/anti-nuke-is-pro-99/#comment-944505
http://occupywallst.org/forum/the-99-can-force-all-states-to-adopt-this-plan-to-/#comment-946185
I notice that those promoting the preparatory amendment concept ask for comment on the overall effect at a convention of the preparation, there seems to be no answers.
I understand this as people being confounded by trying to imagine what true freedom of speech would do. Meaning this strategy is powerful beyond any expectation I had.
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Population density changes free speech necessarily. PBS and public access tv exemplify this.
birthers and the truthers are false groups created to draw ridicule and compromise information. They are converted to anti free speech with generalizations towards all future information indicating paramount corruption in national government,
Still, conditioning of TV for generations, upbringing etc. raise the bar for actually getting information to enough people for it to matter and protect lives. Logically that is what the constitution intends with the 1st amendment.
Yes, campaign finance was a major point.
Congress is bought and paid for. Urging them to do something that is against the wishes of their owners is quite pointless. Boycott anything GMO or GE. Only when consumers stop buying their poisoned food, will growers feel the pinch.
Wake up, or watch your children die, or become infertile.
This is war. The icy cold war.
Excellent.
scientist like to study and explore systems
why would there choose no to study Genetically Modified Organisms
as long as companies like monsanto & ge & exxon own our democracy,
it will be impossible to legally curtail crapitalism's profit motive
OWS: http://corporationsarenotpeople.webuda.com
no but we can make the simple monetary profit making not as attractive
to do that
raise taxes on the 1% & corps
to do that
pass HJR29
to do that
elect more 99%ers like
The Best 99%ers
Bernie Sanders
Elizabeth Warren
Alan Grayson
Wendy Davis ( TX )
James Clyburn
Tom Harkin
Al Franken
Tammy Duckworth
Sherrod Brown
Amy Klobuchar Patty Murray
Angus King
Sheldom Whitehouse
Ron Wyden
John Conyers
Donna Edwards
Peter Defazio
John Lewis
Ed Markey
Rick Nolan Mark Pocan
Yes – none are perfect,
but would ANY of their R opponents have done
ANYTHING better than they did? ANYTHING?
Maybe I missed it Brad, but as near as I can tell that letter is dated 13 years ago. Please tell me I missed something. I'd like to think this was a new development.
yes... it appears as an on going letter... allowing new signatures at any time....
earliest ref....
Previous versions of this letter were submitted to many governments and international forums including:
World Trade Organization Conference in Seattle (November 30 – Dec. 2, 1999)
and if you read thru the site... this looks like the most recent content; ... 05/ 24/13
http://www.i-sis.org.uk/Ban_GMOs_Now.php
Yes, it does appear to be an open letter although it hasn't been submitted to any official bodies since June of 2000. So, it was well worth posting here, and thanks to Renneye cross-linked on the Monsanto thread. Thanks for posting it, because it compelled me to do some further reading on the i-sis site, some of which I'll be posting on my thread. Anything else you find, definitely post about it, but I ask that you also post in on my thread for future reference if you could.
wow
are we afraid we might be able to develope life in our image
because that would make us gods
Great find!
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In compliment : Food 4 thought - the following is a talk about a disease and perception and consideration being backwards or otherwise incorrect. I took this talk and expanded it's meaning ( for me ) in what is being done in the consideration or lack thereof of all of the ills afflicting the body. WHY place this talk here for consideration? Because - treating symptoms and not causes is not restricted to medical care but will feed the health problems that will require medical care.
FOOD - DIET. What has been done to our diet and what is continuing to be done to our food/diet - that is killing us? Gen-engineered food and bio altering pesticides and such things - additives etc. This is the same issue - cause - that is not being treated - But treatment of the symptoms of the cause(s).
Anyway it is a good talk - but I feel can be applied on a much larger basis.
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