Urban Garden Magazine
How to Get Genetically Modified Food Out Of Your Diet
How would you react if you discovered that most of the foods you ate every day contained hidden ingredients that could be slowly poisoning you??
Disbelief? Sadness? Fearless? Anger? Retribution? All of above? Well, surely the first thing you should do is: STOP EATING THEM! Genetically modified crops such as corn, canola and soy are being used in over 70% of the processed foods available in you local grocery store. So you might be forgiven for thinking that it genetically modified ingredients are so widespread, they must be safe to eat, right? Wrong. It’s just a shame the FDA and the corporate-controlled North American mainstream media persist in turning a blind eye.
Of course, the last thing the pro-GM food companies want is for consumers to get informed and use their immense power to force change in the marketplace. This has already happened in Europe where genetically modified ingredients have to be labeled by law. As a result, food companies don’t use genetically modified ingredients! However, in the absence of equivalent labeling requirements in the US or Canada, North American consumers have been left in the dark for over 13 years and are unwittingly taking place in a huge human feeding experiment.
We asked Jeffrey M. Smith, international bestselling author of Seeds of Deception and Genetic Roulette: The Documented Health Risks of Genetically Engineered Foods, to give us some practical steps on how to get GMOs out of our diet and off the face of the Earth, forever.
WOULD YOU CHOOSE GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOOD IF GIVEN S CHOICE? SOME ANIMALS WON’T.
There’s a bowl of corn chips in from of you made from natural corn. Next to it are genetically modified (GM) corn chips. Which do you choose?
If you were a pig or cow, we know the answer- the natural corn. In 1998 and 1999, several farmers in Northwest Iowa repeatedly let pigs or cows into pens with troughs of GM corn and non-GM corn. The animals would head straight to the closer trough, filled with the genetically modified organisms (GMOs). They’d sniff, maybe take a nibble, then go over to the trough with the natural corn. After finishing off the last kernel, they’d stop by the GM corn one more time just to check it out, but quickly walk away.
An Iowa farmer who read about the finicky livestock decided to see if the squirrels had similar dispositions. He nailed ears of GM corn and non-GM corn onto trees by his house. Sure enough, the squirrels ate only the natural stuff, over and over again. When the farmer stopped replacing the natural corn, the squirrels still refused to tough the GMO. After 10 cold winter days, they got up the courage to nibble a few kernels, but that was all they could handle.
Another curious farmer wanted to repeat this with the squirrels in his area. He bought a bag full of GM corn ears, and anther of non-GM, and left it in his garage to wait for winter. He waited too long. Mice did the experiment for him. They broke into the natural corn bag and finished it. The GM corn cobs were untouched.
Farmers, gardeners, reporters, and scientist have noticed similar behavior on at least four continents. Chickens, elk, deer, and raccoons avoided GM corn, while geese, rats, buffalo refused GM soy, tomatoes, and cottonseed, respectively. Why are animals put off by genetically engineered food? No one knows for sure, but let’s get back to the GM corn chips still sitting in front of you.
USDA Announces $49 Million For Specialty Crops -- Vegetable Grower News
Fifty-five grants totaling $49 million will fund 745 projects designed to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops – fruits, vegetables, nuts and horticulture and nursery crops, including floriculture. Grants, announced Oct. 15th, go to the agriculture departments in all 50 states and five other government units.
Upon reviewing states’ plans for funding, USDA selected projects to support local and rural agriculture interests, increase the competitiveness of small producers and promote or create direct marketing opportunities for specialty crop producers, according to USDA Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan.
“Developing local and regional food systems that spur economic opportunity is the purpose of our ‘Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food’ initiative, and these grants today are a significant part of achieving that goal,” Merrigan said. “We are pleased to be continuing this partnership in every state across the country to support their diverse efforts to promote healthy eating and grow specialty crop markets by expanding access to fresh, local foods.”
Funds will be used by the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands according to their plans submitted to USDA that describe how the state agency will carry out the program. Summaries of all awards can be viewed at www.ams.usda.gov/scbgp.
Through the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, USDA is committed to increasing child and adult nutrition knowledge and consumption of specialty crops; improving efficient and reducing cost of distribution systems; assisting all entities in the specialty crop distribution chain in developing Good Agricultural, Good Handling and Good Manufacturing practices, including cost share arrangements for funding audits of small farmer, packer and processor systems; investing in specialty crop research; enhancing food safety; developing new and improved specialty crop varieties; eradicating pest and plant health issues and fostering organic and sustainable production practices, according to the grant announcement.
The Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food initiative emphasizes the need for a fundamental and critical reconnection between producers and consumers, according to the announcement. The effort builds on the 2008 Farm Bill, which provides for increases and flexibility for USDA programs in an effort to promote local foods. Consumers demand for locally grown food in the United States is expected to rise from an estimated $4 billion in 2002 to as much as $7 billion by 2012.
Since May, an inter-agency USDA Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food task force has been working to align existing USDA programs with the needs of local and regional food systems; conducting outreach activities so that the linkages are understood; helping communities build local food systems by providing new initiatives; and engaging the American public in conversation about local and regional agriculture.
Great Recession's Effects Could Linger For Decades….. By: Dick LehnertVegetable Grower News
We may be just beginning to emerge from a really big, but not “normal” recession.
It’s “normal” for the circumstances, but this recession is “abnormal” in that its effects are likely to linger for years and shape the new generation of consumers, much as did the Great Depression of the 1930’s and in much the same way. It’s being call the Great Recession.
After a nerve-racking 2009, growth appeared to be restarting in November but recovery will be slow, taking three to five years. And even when the economy is back to “full” strength, it will not be American economy of 2000-2007. That is gone forever.
While the recession was caused by the housing bubble, it was “triggered” by the high gas prices of 2007-08 that stripped people of discretionary income and revealed how vulnerable they had become, said Edmond Seifried. They couldn’t pay the mortgage.
Defaulting mortgages stripped the value from mortgage-backed securities, which banks had sold as investments, many to retirement funds. This affected the stock market.
Sirfried believes interest rates will start to rise early 2010, making credit more available as banks want to lend.
“An analysis of the composition of the GDP reveals growth that may be hard to sustain without federal fortifications.”
In giving advice to fruit growers, Seidfried suggest they prepare for the “Lite Economy.”
Direct farmer markets may benefit as they become local attractions for “stay-cations;” as people stay closer to home.
“People will continue to eat out, but they’ll eat at cheaper places.”
Going Vertical to fight Western flower thrips By: Joe Funderburk
Below are highlights of the integrated pest management plan for Western flower thrips in peppers and eggplant developed by Joe Funderburk, a University of Florida professors of entomology and nematology, and a group of colleagues.
1. In scouting programs, distinguish between adult and larval thrips, and identify adult thrips to species.
2. Economic thresholds: about 6 adults western flower thrips and melon thrips per flower, and about 2 thrips larvae per fruit.
3. Do not treat for adult Eastern flower thrips and Florida flower thrips as they outcompete western flower thrips
4. When peppers are flowering, use insecticides for thrips and other pest that conserve minute pirate bugs.
5. Never use insecticides that induce Western flower thrips
6. Use ultra-violet reflective mulches when forming beds.
7. Sunflower and other refugia provide a source for minute pirate bugs.
8. Vertically integrate management of Western flower thrips with other pests, including pepper weevil and Lepidoptera species.
9. Follow BMP’s (best management practices) for fertility and irrigation management.
PEST OF THE MONTH By: Florida Gower/Gene McAvory
Downy Mildew – is caused by the fungus Peronospora parasitica. All cruciferous plants are susceptible to downy mildew.
IDENTIFICATIN:
All plant parts can become infected with downy mildew. Leaf symptoms usually appear on the underside of the leaf as a black or dark specks on young leaves. These spots are often irregular in shape and might appear net-like. The upper side of the leaf also will develop dark spots similar in shape and may be accompanied by leaf yellowing.
On older leaves, these spots often will coalescence resulting in larger areas of the leaf blade having large, sunken, tan-colored spots. Early infection on young plants can cause stunting.
On the underside of the leaf spots, a white-grey, downy growth will often be observed with or without the aid of a hand lens, epically when leaves are wet. On mature cabbage, downy mildew can appear as dark sunken spots on the head or wrapper leaves.
Cauliflower curds and broccoli heads can become infected with blackened areas on the outside of the tissue. The infection can become systemic and turn inner curd and stem tissue dark.
Farmers Market Today
Eating local sustainable food cost only pennies more per day…
Hugh Joseph, founder and director of the New Entry Sustainable Farming Project, wants to debunk the myth that local foods from farmers markets cost a lot more than from the grocery store. Using the US government’s Thrifty Food Plan, which lists the least expensive food items to buy, he and his research team removed soda pop, bottled water, white sugar, processed desserts and snacks, TV dinners, boxed cereals, unfairly traded coffee, frozen pizza, white bread, frozen shrimp, farmed salmon and factory farm meats. They rearranged the list to include local produce, nuts, seeds, homemade granola and tap water.
In an interview with DigitalJournal.com, Joseph said eliminating such unnecessary items from their weekly grocery visits and buying local sustainable foods instead would cost a person about $10 a month. He said the bottom line is getting people marketing methods to reach into their community with that message.
They built a farm market, where customers can select items directly from the tables, bins and shelves of the store. They can purchase the farm’s seasonal herbs and vegetables a visit directly with the farmers. The market carries their pure bred Angus beef and eggs from the animals they raise on the farm. It also has produce and processed items, such as honey, syrup, Amish cheeses and specialty foods, from other area farmers and artisans in the area.
Although and educational tours can be scheduled, by far the largest face-to-face event that takes place on the farm is the annual Fall Festival in October. Drawing about 1000 people, the festival is basically a fair on the farm for families, according to Craig.
“This event is to show our appreciation to our customers,” Craig said, adding that the festival focuses on activities for kids. Past festivals have featured oxen team demonstrations, hayrides, a corn maze, a cork kernel “stand” box, face painting, and displays of farm animals, antique tractors and military vehicles.
The Sirnas may not have started with a background in agriculture, but over the years, they become proficient self-taught famers. Their learning curve has enabled the farm they started with to grow into the diverse and forward thinking operation that exists today.
“People thought we were crazy at first, but we have continued to enjoy what we’re doing. We just keep going forward and trying new things,” Anne said with a smile.
Farmers Market Today
Space Research results in heartier tomatoes on Earth
Scientists at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR) are developing a tomato plant hearty enough to grow in space and also survive Earth’s droughts and disease. The project has implications for earth agriculture as well as space agriculture, according to Dr. Mariya Khodakovskaya, whose cherry tomatoes tested in space conditions. The transgenic tomato plants show dramatic increases in drought tolerance, vegetative biomass and fruit lycopene concentration.
She and Dr. Stephen Grace, researchers at UALR, are preparing to patent their new and effective ways to increase production and antioxidants in plant and make them more tolerant to stresses such as drought and disease. Although working with tomatoes, they are identifying mechanisms and genes that are responsible for other traits and can be used for other crops in countries with droughts. As soon as they develop a new tomato with drought tolerance and more antioxidants, they will test how it grows in space, she said.
Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter By: Susan B. Roberts
9 Smart Seasonal Substitutions [5 of 9 ]
5. Lighten up the latkes. Unfortunately, cooking in oil is essential to the traditional significance of this popular Hanukkah dish: These fried potato pancakes are meant to remind us of the miracle of the “single cruse” (pitcher of oil). But that doesn’t mean you have to deep-fry them; try pan-frying instead in as little oil as possible, or cooking on a griddle that’s been spritzed with cooking spray.
“Shallow-friend” latkes can be as delicious as the traditional kind, especially if you make sure to cook them really well to bring out the flavor.
You can also lighten up your latkes and save cholesterol by using egg substitute. Or, for a decidedly nontraditional but nutritious recipe-using butternut squash instead of potatoes, plus whole-wheat flour and egg substitute.
Walking–Briskly! – the Road to Better Stroke Recovery by: Journal of Neurology
Regular exercise today may help you recover from a stroke tomorrow. Mayo Clinic researchers report that people who perform some form of moderate exercise at least once a week improve their odds of having a good outcome after a subsequent stroke. Those who were couch potatoes prior to their stroke, however, were much more likely to have one or more bad outcomes.
Lead author James F. Meschia, MD, and colleagues at Mayo Clinic locations in Florida, Minnesota and Virginia, working with scientist at Wake Forest University, examined data on 673 first-time stroke victims enrolled in the Ischemic Stroke Genetics Study. Investigators tracked three measures of functional outcome and one of neurological impairment after an initial stroke. Patients who’d exercised one to three times weekly in the year prior to the stroke and those who’d exercised four or more times a week were about equally likely to have good outcomes. But those who hardly exercised at all before a stroke faced much worse odds of recovery.
The researchers posited that physically active patients may have greater “cardiovascular reserve,” better blood flow after a stroke and better oxygen extraction from the blood.
“It makes sense,” said Dr. Meschia. “A brain that generally has a good blood and oxygen flow from aerobic exercise will be in better position to compensate for neurological defects caused by a stroke.”
Regular exercisers also may have higher neurological reserves, perhaps making them better able to compensate for deficits as a result, the researchers suggested.
Dr. Meschia and colleagues cautioned that all the study’s subjects were evaluated at dedicated stroke centers-not typical of general patients in a “real world” situation- and represented only first-ever ischemic stroke. They called the findings “exploratory, requiring confirmation,” adding that a longitudinal study of exercise in a older population might yield relevant findings more applicable to the general population.
Heart Experts: Cut Way Back on Sugar to Fight Obesity
The American Heart Association has declared war on added sugar in the US diet, citing it as a culprit in raising obesity rates. Although the association has recommended limiting sugary foods and drinks since 2006, a new scientific statement for the first time suggest an upper limit to the added sugar Americans should consume daily. The new guidelines recommend that sugars added in the processing, cooking or at the table should total no more than 100 calories a day for women and 150 calories a day for men. That’s about five to nine teaspoons of sugar daily.
The recommendations represent a drastic reduction from the current average daily US intake of 22 teaspoons of added sugar, which total 355 calories. The average has increased to 19% – about 76 calories – since 1970, according to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Drinking just one 12-ounce can on non-diet soda, with about 130 calories from sugar, would put a woman over the recommended limit. And sweetened soft drinks and other beverages are among the chief culprits in the 19% rise in Americans’ sugar consumption since 1970, according to the AHA. The association’s expert panel acknowledged that calculating consumption of added sugar in your diet can be tricky, since labels don’t distinguish between added sugar (often labeled as a “syrup”) and naturally occurring sugars.