Huge Victory for March Against Monsanto Protesters Against U.S. Seed Giant And GMO Products

Protesters rallied in hundreds of cities May 25th as part of a worldwide protest against seed giant Monsanto and the genetically modified food it created, and the chemicals used to grow them.

“March Against Monsanto” protests were held in 59 countries and 430 cities, including Los Angeles where demonstrators waved signs that read “Real Food 4 Real People”, “Hell No GMO” and “Label GMOs, It’s Our Right to Know.”

From the position of Monsanto and other bigAg and chemical companies, genetically modified crops are grown from seeds that are engineered to resist insecticides and herbicides, add nutritional benefits or otherwise improve crop yields and increase the global food yields. But pushing their untested GMOs and unsubstantiated claims in the face of scientists has proven contrary to these chemical companies assertions.

Most corn, soybean and cotton crops grown in the United States today have been genetically modified. But critics say genetically modified organisms (GMOs) can lead to serious health conditions and harm the environment. The use of GMOs has been a growing issue of contention in recent years, with health advocates pushing for mandatory labeling of genetically modified products even though the federal government and some scientists say the technology is safe. However many other scientists have a much different opinion on the safety of GMOs.

The `March Against Monsanto’ movement began three months ago, when founder and organizer Tami Canal created a Facebook page on Feb. 28 calling for a rally against the company’s practices.

If I had gotten 3,000 people to join me, I would have considered that a success,” she said Saturday. Instead, she said an “incredible” number of people responded to her message and turned out to rally.

“It was empowering and inspiring to see so many people, from different walks of life, put aside their differences and come together today,” Canal said. The group plans to harness the success of the event to continue its anti-GMO cause.

“We will continue until Monsanto complies with consumer demand. They are poisoning our children, poisoning our planet,” she said. “If we don’t act, who’s going to?”

Protesters in Buenos Aires and other cities in Argentina, where Monsanto’s genetically modified soy and grains now command nearly 100 percent of the market, and the company’s Roundup-Ready chemicals are sprayed throughout the year on fields where cows and other livestock once grazed. Protesters carried signs saying “Monsanto-Get out of Latin America”.

In Portland, thousands of protesters took to Oregon streets. Police estimate about 6,000 protesters took part in Portland’s peaceful march, and about 300 attended the rally in Bend. Other marches were scheduled in Baker City, Coos Bay, Eugene, Grants Pass, Medford, Portland, Prineville and Redmond.

In Orlando, Florida, about 800 people gathered with signs, pamphlets and speeches in front of City Hall. Maryann Wilson of Clermont, Fla., said she learned about Monsanto and genetically modified food by watching documentaries on YouTube.

Scientists are saying that because they create their own seeds, they are harming the bees,” Wilson told the Orlando Sentinel. “That is about as personal as it gets for me.”

Chrissy Magaw was one of about 200 protesters who walked from a waterfront park to the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial in Pensacola. She told WEAR-TV that knowing what you eat and put into your body is the most important decision you make every day.

In Birmingham, Ala., about 80 protesters turned out at Rhodes Park, some dressed as bees and butterflies, Al.com reported.

SI Reasoning, an activist, artist and musician who lives in Vestavia, Ala., described Monsanto’s handling of GMOs as a “huge, uncontrolled experiment on the American people.”

The Food and Drug Administration does not require genetically modified foods to carry a label, but organic food companies and food advocacy groups have intensified their push for labels, arguing that the genetically modified seeds are floating by way of wind from field to field and contaminating traditionally grown crops. The groups have been bolstered by a growing network of consumers who are wary of processed and modified foods, which account for almost 90% of packaged foods sold in stores unless certified organic.

The U.S. Senate this week overwhelmingly rejected a bill that would allow states to require labeling of genetically modified foods.The Biotechnology Industry Organization, a lobbying group that represents Monsanto, DuPont & Co. and other makers of genetically modified seeds, has said that it supports voluntary labeling for people who seek out such products. But it says that mandatory labeling would only mislead or confuse consumers into thinking the products aren’t safe, even though the FDA has said there’s no difference between GMO and organic, non-GMO foods.

But anti-GMO proponent saw the fraudulent abuses of Monsanto when Prop 37 was on the ballot when they made these claims about GMOs being no different, and that it would be an increase in food prices. Those who have been paying close attention to this heated topic have learned Monsanto’s dirty tactics when anything negative comes to light about their GMO creations, and with the support of the FDA and U.S. government.

When we factor in the flubs that the FDA also said when the medication Vioxx was safe, they ended up killing over 100,000 people from heart attacks when they approved the mediation. The maker of the drug, Merck, was order to pay out $4.85B to settle Vioxx lawsuits. The FDA still has made no official comment on their liability of the drug they deemed safe.

The FDA has been the center of an incredible amount of scrutiny when it comes to approving foods which are deemed safe. Over one and a half million signatures and 400,000 comments were posted in opposition were sent to the FDA in opposition to AquAdvantage Salmon, a genetically altered fish which combines the traits of three types of aquatic species. The petition went ignored by the FDA and the “frankenfish”, as its been so named by the public, was about to be released until a dozen senators drafted a lengthy statement on the potential harm these genetically altered fish may pose, urgently requesting that further testing be performed before any decision is made.

There’s been many states in the U.S. realizing the urgent need to protect its citizens from GMOs, and state legislatures in Vermont and Connecticut moved ahead this month with votes to make food companies declare genetically modified ingredients on their packages. And supermarket retailer Whole Foods Markets Inc. has said that all products in its North American stores that contain genetically modified ingredients will be labeled as such by 2018.

The positive forward motion of the proponents for food safety is what has prompted so many politicians to take a closer look at these untested GMOs and the potential health implications they pose. The voices of the opposition to GE foods have pushed this grassroots event into a winning victory for health advocates worldwide — and the momentum doesn’t seem to be letting up.

With the incredible outpouring of support among the March Against Monsanto supporters, it’s obvious that Monsanto and other chemical companies who are trying to control the world’s food supply, have a considerable amount of opposition. Indeed more demonstrations are sure to come in the future bringing much-needed awareness about just how dangerous GMOs and Monsanto are on millions of people around the globe.

The March Against Monsanto was but only a beginning. It is now a moral imperative for each of us to boycott GMOs and all of Monsanto’s products by buying organic foods from your local farmers market, for the cherished tradition of seed heritage which spans over 10,000 years — and for the safety of our food, all animals, our planet and future generations to come.

Find out more about March Against Monsanto on their official website and Facebook page at:

www.march-against-monsanto.com and www.facebook.com/MarchAgainstMonsanto

 

Contributing sources:

• www.cbsnews.com
• www.huffingtonpost.com