When a quarter of a million farmers commit suicide, I think it is safe to say that there is something far wrong with that countries agriculture policies.
This from March Against Monsanto:
May 24, 2014 ‘March Against Monsanto’ planned for over
50 countries INTERNATIONAL (May 24, 2014) - On May 24, millions of
activists from around the world will once again March Against
Monsanto, calling for the permanent boycott of Genetically Modified
Organisms (GMOs) and other harmful agro-chemicals. Currently, marches
will occur on six continents, in 52 countries,with events in over 400
cities. In the US, solidarity marches are slated to occur in 47
states. A comprehensive list of marches can be accessed at
www.march-against-monsanto.com.
Tami Monroe Canal, founder of March Against Monsanto (MAM),
was inspired to start the movement to protect her two daughters.
“Monsanto’s predatory business and corporate agricultural
practices threatens their generation’s health, fertility and
longevity. MAM supports a sustainable food production system. We must
act now to stop GMOs and harmful pesticides.”
GMOs are not adequately monitored to ensure public safety.
Long term, independent, peer reviewed studies were not conducted
before GMOs were introduced for human or animal consumption. In the
USA, the revolving door between Monsanto employees, government
positions, and regulatory authorities has led to key Monsanto figures
occupying positions of power at the FDA and EPA. Monsanto has spent
hundreds of millions of dollars to obstruct all labeling attempts;
they also suppress any research containing results not in their
favor. The scientifically established health risks include, but are
not limited to: organ damage, sterility, infant mortality, birth
defects, auto-immune conditions, allergies and increased cancer
risks. GMOs have been partially banned by Austria, Bulgaria, Germany,
Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Japan, Luxembourg, Madeira, New Zealand,
Peru, South America, Russia, France, Switzerland and Costa Rico, and
are currently labelled in 62 countries. Despite this, factory farm
animals throughout the world are still fed GMOs.
Kelly L. Derricks started March Against Monsanto's Agent
Orange awareness program, educating supporters on the deadly chemical
weapon that Monsanto was the largest manufacturer of during the
Vietnam War era. Kelly is the president and co-founder of the
non-profit, Children of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance (COVVHA).
The organization fights internationally for the children exposed to
Agent Orange through generational exposure that is killing tens of
thousands with no recognition from the United States Government. She
is quoted saying, "If we fail to realize that March Against
Monsanto is not about GMOs alone, then we have already lost the
battle."
Josh Castro, organizer for Quito, Ecuador’s march
observes, “Ecuador is such a beautiful place, with the richest
biodiversity in the world. We will not allow this Garden of Eden to
be compromised by the destructive practices of multinational
corporations like Monsanto. Biotechnology is not the solution to
world hunger. Agroecology is. Monsanto's harmful practices are
causing soil infertility, mono-cropping, loss of biodiversity,
habitat destruction, and contributing to beehive collapse. GMO crops
cross pollinate with traditional crops, risking peasant farmers'
livelihood."
In India, more than 250,000 farmers have committed suicide
after Monsanto's Bt cotton seeds did not perform as promised.
Farmers, left in desperate poverty, are opting to free their families
of debt by drinking Monsanto pesticide, thereby ending their lives.
Many farmers in other countries are also stripped of their livelihood
as a result of false promises, seed patenting and meticulous legal
action on the part of Monsanto and other big-ag interests. In many
parts of Africa, farmers and their communities are left to choose
between starving or eating GMOs.
An “Open Letter from World Scientists to All Governments
Concerning Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs),”
http://www.i-sis.org.uk/list.php, signed by 828 scientists from 84
countries, detailed concern regarding GMOs coupled with a call for
immediate 5 year suspension of GMO crops in order to conduct “a
comprehensive public enquiry of agriculture and food security for
all.”
Supporting links:The World according to Monsanto
http://tinyurl.com/mxvd3tx
Total Disinformation Awareness: Monsanto Suppresses Research On GMO Crops
http://bit.ly/1351Fal
Anniversary of a Whistle blowing Hero
http://huff.to/9NJ0lp
GMO Scandal: The Long Term Effects of Genetically Modified Food on Humans
http://bit.ly/11RB8wL
Data Pool of MAM:
http://on.fb.me/17bX7QP
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https://www.facebook.com/MarchAgainstMonstanto
