Millions of people around the world joined together on Saturday, May 25, 2013 to March Against Monsanto. Tami Canal created a Facebook page on February 28, 2013 with the hope of organizing a few thousand people to protest. Her page now boasts over 150,000 likes and the march was a resounding success!
“‘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?”
Public opinion is turning against the Genetically Modified (GM) food giant even in the United States which is behind the rest of the world in recognizing the dangers of both the food and the company. Protesters in Washington D.C. gathered outside the Whitehouse shouting “Hey, hey! Ho, ho! GMO has got to go!” President Obama drew significant criticism in March of this year when he signed H.R. 933?” a continuing resolution spending bill?approved in Congress?days earlier. Buried 78 pages within the bill exists a provision that grossly protects biotech corporations such as the Missouri-based Monsanto Company from litigation.”??This bill was given the nickname “The Monsanto Protection Act” by critics because of the broad protections the company will now enjoy for their Genetically Modified (GM) and Genetically Engineered (GE) products.?Genetically Modified products have been banned or have label requirements in 62 countries but until Vermont required labeling earlier this month the United States did not have any restrictions.
Monsanto has been accused of predatory business practices in other countries. In Brazil, 5 million farmers are suing Monsanto for 6.2 million Euros for collecting unfair royalties.?
“The farmers claim that Monsanto unfairly collects exorbitant profits every year worldwide on royalties from ?renewal? seed harvests. ?Renewal? crops are those that have been planted using seed from the previous year’s harvest. While the practice of renewal farming is an ancient one, Monsanto disagrees, demanding royalties from any crop generation produced from its genetically-engineered seed. Because the engineered seed is patented, Monsanto not only charges an initial royalty on the sale of the crop produced, but a continuing 2 per cent royalty on every subsequent crop, even if the farmer is using a later generation of seed.”
Argentina’s tax agency is accusing Monsanto of keeping the farm workers there in “slave-like” conditions. They are accused of hiring the workers illegally and then forcing them to work 14 hours a day while refusing to pay them. The workers could only buy food at highly inflated prices at a company store. Argentina will hold Monsanto responsible for the deplorable conditions of the farmhands.
The increased interest in avoiding GM and GE foods has given birth to a few ways to help consumers avoid them. Buying from local farmer’s markets or growing your own food is one option. Another option is the downloadable non-GMO shopping guide and newest on the market is an app that will help you identify products with GMO foods when you are shopping.
Edited/Published by: SB
