CONVENTIONAL PRODUCE – GMOS AND PESTICIDES ~ ISSUE 195 ~ OCTOBER 6, 2015

By Diane Gold

Just so we know, the term “conventional produce” is another way of labeling food that has pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and is made with seeds that are, more than not, genetically modified. The question becomes why are we accepting the term “conventional produce?”

Isn’t it just a term to deter us from questioning why we allow any kind of spraying that might be carcinogenic or dis-ease causing or genetically modified? This reminds me of sleight of hand except for the mind: talking about one subject to take the focus off another. Exactly the same as the discussion that we should label GMOs, why are we talking about labeling them when we should be preventing their use altogether until some large independent study not performed by a friend of the GMO industry is done for all to see. Should we not look at the European Union that has many restrictions against GMOs?

QUICK TIP: Kale is on the Environmental Worker’s Group list of the Dirty Dozen, meaning it is one of the pieces of produce that retains heavy pesticide residue. When buying kale, make it organic.

NATIONAL ORGANIC STANDARDS BOARD

It’s bad enough that the NOSB allows hundreds of chemicals on its list of what is allowed and what is not. I thought it was 32, but there’s a huge list.

ACTION STEP

If you would like to make a comment before the annual meeting of the National Organic Standards Board, go to:
http://www.regulations.gov/#!submitComment;D=AMS-NOP-15-0037-0001.
The cut-off date to comment is October 8, 2015 for the October, 2015 meeting, so the time is now.  Or just notice when the next meeting will be and get ready to make a comment.

MY NATIONAL ORGANIC STANDARDS BOARD COMMENT

There are far too many exceptions on organic food. The idea of organic food was not to benefit the industry. It was to eat cleaner food. How can we, who are not farmers, live better lives, when those of you who are specialists are not strict enough to advocate on our behalf?

In the meantime, why isn’t it required that everything that has the USDA Certified Organic logo on it be labeled with EVERYTHING that has been used on it up until the point it reaches the retailer?

We deserve to know that bananas are gassed with ethylene, one of the less troublesome allowances. OR sulfur dioxide may be present. Why is not a sign required in every retailer’s store in full view of every counter that holds produce revealing that the produce has such and such on it or was treated with such and such even though it evaporated?

It’s our right to know.

The biggest problem with not having a labeling requirement for every showcase of every retailer of organics is that retailers have no idea what’s on the produce, so we can’t ask the retailer. Retailers are not required to give a phone number of a producer or finisher, so, most of the time, we have to go hunting the number down to call them and they end up saying they don’t even know what’s in the combination chemical they use from such and such a company. So the poor consumer who calls about only 1 piece of produce a day has to endure 5-10 phone calls to get one answer and rarely gets an answer at all.

What if we are allergic to xanthan gum? How will we know whether there is any present? OR what if we choose not to eat produce that has xanthan gum? How are we to know?

Please help by making producers pass on their pesticide, herbicide, fungicide, wax/coating list. And then there’s beeswax. Can’t we make a rule that animal product must be labeled as such so that we can choose our produce without 10 phone calls for one piece of produce a day?

Thank you for your help.

GMOs

Genetically modified organisms are those items that have been manipulated by science, not nature. GMOs are made using seeds that have had their DNA changed in some way. To slow the extinction of the human race, science may be needed at some time in the future when soil no longer produces. But, now, we have not researched its perils, and we put ourselves at risk for its side effects.

Modification of seeds and plants has occurred as a means to profit and success. I love profit and success. It shows some of the productivity and creativity of humankind. Unfortunately, genetic engineering has been done at the expense of our personal health. No viable tests have been conducted by non-interested science groups to show that the harmful effects from GMOs are real. Often,we rely on the industry study reports that favor their own agenda. Yes, we all do that, but this is about the food we eat, so why aren’t we taking better care?

PUBLISHER’S NOTE ~ PERSONAL HEALTH

Many industries profit by taking a toll on our personal health – the war machine, although I am soooooooooooooo grateful for my United States Military – I just don’t agree with creating war to sell military product; the pharmaceutical industry – creating drugs that are not necessary and giving medical personnel incentives for recommending said drugs; the food industry’s putting sugary, oily, salty ingredients in our food so that we buy more at the expense of our lives. One more example is the food industry’s convincing us we need meat and dairy at the expense of animal’s lives and, worse, our own good health.

PUBLISHER’S NOTE ~ SOILING AN ORGANIC FARM

Another tidbit I’d like to mention comes from a true story in 2009 from a 152-year-old farm that had been working on becoming organic. The farmers, 5th generation in their family, were in their 3rd (which is the final) year of working the land following organic guidelines – it takes 3 years of organic protocols to get certified.

One day, a crop duster came to spray non-organic pesticides on a neighboring major player GMO farm. Accidentally, the pilot forgot to turn off the spray. Unfortunately, that action pesticided the 3 years of work. Not sure if the certifiers discredited the 3 years or not. They should have (but lots of things slip through), and wow, how too bad.

CONCLUSION

When the word “Conventional” is on some sign in front of us, hopefully, we will take a good long look at it and realize it is another word for strong chemicals that can be more carcinogenic than the allowances on organic produce and genetically modified which is not permitted on organic produce. Let’s call it what it is,

“More-heavily sprayed & probably genetically modified stuff,”

and know that organic produce is

“Sprayed with different ills & probably not genetically modified stuff.”

Keep in mind that not all organics are sprayed, and not all conventional produce is a GMO. But let not the word “conventional” make us blind. Let us call it what it is. And do personal research.

ACTION STEPS

1) Don’t forget to go to http://whatsonmyfood.com. Pick your favorite produce, and go have a look.

2) Make a comment at the National Organics Standard Board website here: http://www.regulations.gov/#!submitComment;D=AMS-NOP-15-0037-0001. If too late for this meeting, notice the next time you can comment.

3) Keep sharp. Conventional means more heavily sprayed. End of story. Buy organic food, and don’t forget to check out this video (remember that unsprayed crop that starts with GM seeds is not organic, even if you love the local farm from which it came): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtwZ8t5NS6c

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Thanks.

DIANE GOLD, PUBLISHER AND AUTHOR

Diane Gold, Founder of Warriors of Weight, Turning Habits Into Health, is a mentor in tai chi, kung fu and meditation, a music, fitness and stress expert, dedicated mom, studying peaceful conflict resolution, habit replacement and certified in plant-based nutrition.

She is very aware of how marketers secretly enter the minds of their customers.

She says,

“Marketers have their jobs. And I love creativity in the making. I do know that the job of swaying the public is fun and continual. I also know that it’s my job to mention it to the public. Therefore, I am pointing out the term “conventional produce.” It’s only a convention because we have been duped into thinking that Big Food, Big Agro, Big Dairy are on our side. They are on their side as are most businesses that continue to operate.

“Let’s keep our eyes open and know that we are responsible for our own food research. Let’s figure a way to use organic produce, even if we have to sacrifice a new piece of clothing or a movie.

“Wouldn’t it be great if conventional were organic so that the norm would be organic? Until that time, let’s be aware of what’s on conventional produce and choose organic.

“Finally, let’s take overall good care of ourselves because we are so worth it.”