The Earthkeepers

From the Union of Concerned Scientists:

Monsanto Company is the dominant player in commercial genetically engineered (GE) crops, the biggest seed company in the world, and—to hear them tell it—a leader and innovator in sustainable agriculture.

Monsanto aggressively touts its technology as vital to achieving laudable goals such as ensuring adequate food production, responding to the challenge of global warming, and reducing agriculture’s negative impacts on the environment.

The reality is not so flattering. In fact, Monsanto has held back the development of sustainable agriculture, and continues to do so, in several ways:

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The Union of Concerned Scientists is the leading science-based nonprofit working for a healthy environment and a safer world. UCS combines independent scientific research and citizen action to develop innovative, practical solutions and to secure responsible changes in government policy, corporate practices, and consumer choices.

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This is an old story but worthy of coverage because we still live with the consequences.  It’s about rBST and Monsanto.  Since this story ran, milk product producers, knowing that the word on the dangers of rBGH or rBST is growing began labeling their products as rBGH or rBST free products. Monsanto in turn, sued to have the labels removed. The final result was any product that has that label also has a disclaimer that rBGH or rBST produced milk is essentially no different than other milk. Look at the labels next time you’re in the market. So, the rubber stamp of safety given by the FDA opened the door for this result as well.

There’s more heartbreaking news. President Obama hired Monsanto executives to work in high positions at the FDA during this term. Even a President, who gets heckled as a supposed socialist, is influenced by corporate power in ways that aren’t always apparent, and you won’t see if you get your news from the teevee set.

Another thing about the rBST. What happens is that the rBST makes the cows produce more milk, it makes their udders larger. And also, they get more infections. So there is a higher chance you will get milk with pus in it. When the milk is pasteurized, the bacteria is killed, but you are still drinking pus. Brought to you by our friends at Monsanto. Use only organic dairy products or those labeled rBST free, that’s the only way, or stop using them. Otherwise you may get unwanted hormones and pus in your milk.

This is great. A guide that helps you buy Non-GMO foods.