Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Must Read! Key FDA Documents Revealing Dangers in GM Food & Flaws in Policy

(Reposted from www.responsibletechnology.org)

FDA Documents

KEY FDA DOCUMENTS REVEALING
(1) HAZARDS OF GENETICALLY ENGINEERED FOODS--AND
(2) FLAWS WITH HOW THE AGENCY MADE ITS POLICY

http://www.biointegrity.org/



About the Documents 
You will see scanned reproductions (exact copies) of some of the Food & Drug Administration's (FDA) internal memoranda about the hazards of genetically engineered foods.  These documents became available through the Alliance for Bio-Integrity's lawsuit (Alliance for Bio-Integrity et al., vs. Shalala, et al.) to gain mandatory safety testing and labeling of these foods.  The large numbers on the bottom of each page (i.e. 18952) are the Administrative Record (A.R.) numbers affixed by the FDA.
How to View and Print 
In order to make these documents easily accessible, we've saved each page in two different formats: one intended for viewing on your monitor using your internet browser (click on "View Document"), and one formatted in PDF suitable for printing onto a  8 1/2" X 11" sheet of paper (click on "View PDF").
To print the PDF files you will need free software called Adobe Acrobat Reader.  If you don't already have Adobe Acrobat Reader, you can download it here.  Depending on your computer and internet connection, downloading Adobe Acrobat Reader may take up to fifteen minutes.  You may find that the best way to view and read the documents on your monitor is to select the PDF files; they are larger files and therefore may take slightly longer to download, but the Acrobat Reader enables you to enlarge or reduce the image size to fit your monitor.
        A.  FDA Scientists Discuss Various Safety Concerns
  1. Comments from Dr. Linda Kahl, FDA compliance officer, to Dr. James Maryanski, FDA Biotechnology Coordinator, about the Federal Register document "Statement of Policy: Foods from Genetically Modified Plants."  Dated January 8, 1992. (3 pages) View Our Summary - View Document View PDF
  2.  
  3. Memorandum from Dr. Edwin J. Mathews to the Toxicology Section of the Biotechnology Working Group. Subject: "Analysis of the Major Plant Toxicants."  Dated October 28, 1991. (2 pages) View Our Summary - View Document -View PDF
  4.  
  5. Memorandum from Dr. Samuel I. Shibko to Dr. James Maryanski, FDA Biotechnology Coordinator.  Subject: "Revision of Toxicology Section of the Statement of Policy: Foods Derived from Genetically Modified Plants." Dated January 31, 1992. (3 pages) View Our Summary - View Document - View PDF
  6.  
  7. Comments from Dr. Louis J. Pribyl re: the "Biotechnology Draft Document, 2/27/92." Dated March 6, 1992. (5 pages)View Our Summary - View Document - View PDF
  8.  
  9. Comments from Dr. Louis J. Pribyl re: "... the March 18, 1992 Version of the Biotechnology Document." Dated March 18, 1992. (1 page) View Our Summary - View Document - View PDF
  10.  
  11. Comments from Division of Food Chemistry and Technology and Division of Contaminants Chemistry. Subject: "Points to Consider for Safety Evaluation of Genetically Modified Foods.  Supplemental Information."  Dated November 1, 1991. (3 pages) View Our Summary - View Document - View PDF
  12.  
  13. Memorandum from Dr. Mitchell Smith, Head, Biological and Organic Chemistry Section, to Dr. James Maryanski, Biotechnology Coordinator.  Subject: "Comments on Draft Federal Register Notice on Food Biotechnology, Dec. 12, 1991 draft."  Dated January 8, 1992. (2 pages) View Our Summary - View Document - View PDF
  14.  
  15. Letter from Dr. James Maryanski, Biotechnology Coordinator, to Dr. Bill Murray, Chairman of the Food Directorate, Canada.  Subject: the safety assessment of foods and food ingredients developed through new biotechnology.  Dated October 23, 1991. (2 pages) View Our Summary - View Document - View PDF
  16.  
  17. Comments from Dr. Carl B. Johnson on the "draft statement of policy 12/12/91."  Dated January 8, 1992. (2 pages)View Our Summary - View Document - View PDF
  18.  
  19. Memorandum from Dr. Gerald B. Guest, Director of the Center for Veterinary Medicine, to Dr. James Maryanski, Biotechnology Coordinator.  Subject: "Regulation of Transgenic Plants--FDA Draft Federal Register Notice on Food Biotechnology."  Dated February 5, 1992. (4 pages) View Our Summary - View Document - View PDF
  20. B.  Specific Objections to Use of Antibiotic-Resistant Marker Genes
  21. Memorandum from Dr. James Maryanski, Biotechnology Coordinator, to Dr. Murray Lumpkin.  Subject: "Use of Kanamycin Resistance Marker Gene in Tomatoes."  (1 page) View Our Summary - View Document - View PDF
  22.  
  23. Memorandum from Dr. Murray Lumpkin to Dr. Bruce Burlington.  Subject: "The tomatoes that will eat Akron." Dated December 17, 1992. (7 pages) View Our Summary - View Document - View PDF
  24.  
  25. Memorandum from Dr. Albert Sheldon to Dr. James Maryanski, Biotechnology Coordinator.  Subject: "Use of Kanamycin Resistance Markers in Tomatoes."  Dated March 30, 1993.  (3 pages) View Our Summary - View Document - View PDF
  26. C.  Safety Questions Raised by Tests on the Flavr Savr Tomato--the Most Thoroughly Tested      Bioengineered Food
  27. Memorandum from Dr. Fred Hines to Dr. Linda Kahl.  Subject: "FLAVR SAVR Tomato:" ... "Pathology Branch's Evaluation of Rats with Stomach Lesions From Three Four-Week Oral (Gavage) Toxicity Studies" ... "and an Expert Panel's Report."  Dated June 16, 1993. (3 pages) View Our Summary - View Document - View PDF
  28.  
  29. Memorandum from Robert J. Scheuplein, Ph.D. to the FDA Biotechnology Coordinator and others. Subject: "Response to Calgene Amended Petition." Dated October 27, 1993. (3 pages) View Our Summary - View Document - View PDF
  30.  
  31. Memorandum from Dr. Carl B. Johnson to Dr. Linda Kahl & Others.  Subject: "Flavr Savr(TM) tomato; significance of pending DHEE question." Dated Dec 7, 1993. (1 page) View Our Summary - View Document - View PDF
  32.  
  33. Memorandum from Dr. Fred Hines to Dr. Linda Kahl.  Subject: "FLAVR SAVR Tomato"... "Pathology Branch's Remarks to Calgene Inc.'s Response to FDA Letter of June 29, 1993."  Dated December 10, 1993. (3 pages) View Our SummaryView Document - View PDF
  34. D.  Additional Evidence of Improprieties In The Formation Of FDA Policy On     Bioengineered Foods
  35. Note from Dr. James Maryanski, Biotechnology Coordinator, to Mr. Michael Taylor.  Subject: "Food Biotechnology Policy Development."  Dated October 7, 1993. (1 page) View Our Summary - View Document - View PDF
  36.  
  37. Document titled "FDA REGULATION OF FOOD PRODUCTS DERIVED FROM GENETICALLY ALTERED PLANTS: POINTS TO CONSIDER"  Not dated. (3 pages) View Our Summary - View Document - View PDF
  38.  
  39. Memorandum from Dr. James Maryanksi, Biotechnology Coordinator, to the Director of the Center for Applied Nutrition.  Subject: "FDA Task Group on Food Biotechnology: Progress Report 2." Dated August 15, 1991. (1 page) View Our Summary - View Document - View PDF
  40.  
  41. Memorandum from David Kessler, Commissioner of Food & Drugs.  Subject: "FDA Proposed Statement of Policy Clarifying the Regulation of Food Derived from Genetically Modified Plants--DECISION." Dated March 20, 1992. (4 pages) View Our Summary - View Document - View PDF
  42.  
  43. Letter from Terry Medley, J.D. (of USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service), to Dr. James Maryanski, Biotechnology Coordinator.  Subject: "Comments on FDA Draft Statement of Policy on foods derived from new plant varieties, including plants derived by recombinant DNA techniques. Dated April 2, 1992. (5 pages) View Our Summary -View Document - View PDF
  44.  
  45. Note from Eric Katz (Dept. of Health & Human Services) to John Gallivan.  Subject: "Food Biotechnology Policy Statement."  Dated March 27, 1992. (2 pages) View Our Summary - View Document - View PDF
  46.  
  47. Memorandum from James B. MacRae, Jr. (of the Office of Management and Budget), for C. Boyden Gray (President Bush’s White House counsel).  Subject: "FDA Food Biotechnology Policy."  Dated March 21, 1992. (2 pages) View Our Summary - View Document - View PDF
  48.  

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Gates Foundation, ONE Foundation & Monsanto Relationship Becoming Transparent

Finally - The Gates Foundation, ONE Foundation and Monsanto relationship is becoming more transparent among world-wide followers. GM Foods is not the answer to solve the world hunger crisis. The foundations and philanthropists need to get the facts before implementing such programs. Citizens must keep up the inquiries and do some research before jumping on the band wagon to support these efforts. They can do far more harm than good in the long run. Keep corruption out of global and local charitable functions and projects. News item posted this week in the Irish Times:

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2010/0920/breaking33.html?sms_ss=twitter

Saturday, September 18, 2010

Monsanto hired mercenary Blackwater to infiltrate anti-GMO groups

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REPOSTED FROM DIGITAL JOURNAL:
http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/297701

In the Media
13 HOURS AGO by  Stephanie Dearing - 5 comments

Monsanto hired mercenary Blackwater to infiltrate anti-GMO groups

 + 
Documents reveal that Blackwater has been busy expanding its corporate reach by providing intelligence services for agencies such as the Canadian Military, Netherlands Police and corporations like Monsanto.
Blackwater is a private, mercenary army. They've been called the 'shadow army,' and most notoriously worked for the United States in Iraq, where the company courted controversy. Journalist Jeremy Scahill, who wrote a book about Blackwater, wrote an exclusive for The Nation, revealing general details of the extent of the Blackwater business operations. Scahill managed to obtain documents that, according to Scahill, show
"... entities closely linked to the private security firm Blackwater have provided intelligence, training and security services to US and foreign governments as well as several multinational corporations, including Monsanto, Chevron, the Walt Disney Company, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines and banking giants Deutsche Bank and Barclays, according to documents obtained by The Nation. Blackwater's work for corporations and government agencies was contracted using two companies owned by Blackwater's owner and founder, Erik Prince: Total Intelligence Solutions and the Terrorism Research Center (TRC). Prince is listed as the chairman of both companies in internal company documents, which show how the web of companies functions as a highly coordinated operation."
A spokesperson for Monsanto, reached by Scahill, first denied the relationship with Blackwater, but then admitted that Monsanto had paid Total Intelligence for intelligence reoprts
"... about the activities of groups or individuals that could pose a risk to company personnel or operations around the world which were developed by monitoring local media reports and other publicly available information. The subject matter ranged from information regarding terrorist incidents in Asia or kidnappings in Central America to scanning the content of activist blogs and websites."
The spokesperson told Scahill he was told Total Intelligence was completely separate from Blackwater.
The news that Monsanto hired a Blackwater company for intelligence reports is rocketing around the world via anti-GMO activists. Blogger Rady Ananda summed up the relationship between Monsanto and Blackwater as
"... A death-tech firm weds a hit squad."
Citing the growing movement to destroy GMO crops, Ananda thought Monsanto was hoping to be able to quell dissent through infiltrating actvist groups that take direct action. Ananda concluded his article saying
"... Monsanto, by hiring a mercenary army and former CIA field agents, is deadly serious about protecting its deadly products. Yet, this contract further discredits the company. The public can now paint an even bleaker picture of the firm that brought us Agent Orange, PCBs, rBST, DDT, aspartame and, now, hitmen."
Writing on Above Top Secret, Airspoon commented on Monsanto's hiring of Blackwater, saying (sic)
"The above quote is pretty scary and indicative of how corporate interests are acting against our own, though most of us already knew that. For any of the deniars who tried to refute that such tactics were used, one need only look at the plethora of information coming out about Xe and Blackwater due to the scandal in Iraq.
I think that the best thing that could be done, is to boycott these companies as much as possible. Monsanto might be a little hard to boycott for some folks, though the other companies shouldn't be. In fact, Monsanto shouldn't be either for most folks.
Blackwater (Xe) is one of the most dangerous entities facing the American people. It's like the enforcement arm of corporate interests that does not have to operate under the same "restrictions" that government enforcers have to operate under under. It's like a private army for TPTB.
Americans and citizens of the world should be irate ove the very existence of a company such as Blackwater and we should all stand together against the Nazi-like tactics and the anti-freedom angenda of such an evil organization."
The documents obtained by Scahill show that Monsanto paid Blackwater's subsidiary, Total Intelligence a total of $232,000 for intelligence services provided in 2008 and 2009.
Aside from the brief statement provided to Scahill, Monsanto is keeping quiet on the matter, as is Blackwater and the other organizations cited in Scahill's article.
Scahill said the Canadian Military paid Blackwater over $1.6 million for training, which was provided through Blackwater's subsidiary, the Terrorism Research Center.
Blackwater violated some US export control laws, reported Yahoo News this past August, violations which included the provision of training to the Canadian Military.
While the list of violations the US Department of State found Blackwater guilty of is extensive, the company was only fined $42 million.
The company name 'Blackwater' was changed to Xe (pronounced 'zee') in 2009, whichSource Watch called a 'rebranding effort.'
The company is now up for sale.
AFP reported Blackwater operatives were accused of killing 17 Iraqis, wounding a further 22 in what was said to be an unprovoked attack in 2007. The company was later cleared of all wrongdoing. Blackwater was ordered out of Iraq earlier this year because of that violent incident said CBS News.
Scahill is a Puffin Foundation Writing Fellow at The Nation Institute. He recently wrote the book, Blackwater: The Rise of the World's Most Powerful Mercenary Army. Scahill is also an award-winning investigative journalist and in addition to writing for The Nation, he is a correspondent with Democracy Now!.
Scahill's article on Blackwater will be available in the October 4, 2010 print edition of The Nation.


Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/297701#ixzz0zr03khrE

Friday, September 17, 2010

Johnny Isakson is a co-sponsor of S510 - This is his response to our letter of concern

Disappointing response from Senator Johnny Isakson - Georgia Senator - regarding S510 Food Safety Bill:





Thank you for contacting me regarding food safety legislation.  I appreciate your comments and concerns and am glad to have the opportunity to respond. 

In this global economy, food ingredients originate from a number of possible sources, are sold at competitive prices, and are introduced into our nation's food supply. This may drive down food prices, but it also exposes our nation's food supply to possible contamination by a source that is not easily identifiedWe are all well aware of the recent outbreaks of food-borne illness and nationwide recalls of contaminated food from both domestic and foreign sources. 

I understand your concern regarding an unnecessary expansion of government and there are a number of bills in the House regarding this issue that I am concerned about and am currently monitoring.  I believe there is critical need to protect our nation's food sources from wide-spread contamination and outbreaks without compromising our nation's farmer and food processors 

I am a cosponsor of S.510, the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009.  This bipartisan legislation will help ensure the safety of our nation's food supply by improving the Food and Drug Administration's capabilities to oversee food inspection. Specifically, S.510 will enable the FDA toestablish preventive plans in food-processing facilities that identify and prevent potential hazards from occurring.  Furthermore, this bill will give the FDA the ability to issue mandatory recalls on food products, increase capacity to detect and respond to food-borne illness outbreaks, and establish a pilot-program testing food traceability measures.  S.510 was last placed on the Senate Legislative Calendar for debate.  Please rest assured that I will keep your thoughts and concerns in mind regarding food safety as we go forward in the legislative process.  



Thank you again for contacting me.  Please visit my webpage at http://isakson.senate.gov/ for more information on the issues important to you and to sign up for my e-newsletter.

Sincerely,
Johnny Isakson
United States Senator

For future correspondence with my office, please visit my web site at http://isakson.senate.gov/contact.cfm.  You can also click here to sign up for the eNewsletter

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Introducing Corn Salt! Heck, why not "Corn Everything?"!

Here's a novel idea:  Corn Salt! If HFCS can be renamed Corn Sugar, we might as well call fake salt "corn salt" too!  Why not have "Corn Everything?!"  LMAO  Be sure and visit our new blog:
Corn Salt! (http://www.cornsalt.com aka http://corneverything.blogspot.com/)

High Fructose Corn Syrup Up for a New Name | TakePart - Inspiration to Action
www.takepart.com

The Corn Refiners Association (CRA)—the trade organization that champions high fructose corn syrup—announced Tuesday it has applied with the Food and Drug Administration to approve a more innocuous name for what they say is merely "corn sugar."

Come on, people! Do you think we are that gullible???!!!

Let's just go ahead and start naming various spices and food products Corn-Blank. For starters, we'll call pretend salt, "corn salt".

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Pharma Not in Business of Health-Healing-Cures-Wellness

See video from whistleblower who worked for the pharmaceutical industry as she tells us point blank that these companies are in the business of keeping people dependent on drugs - not in the business of healing. That would put them out of business, which doesn't make sense. Big Pharma makes 5 to 6 times more than any other Fortune 500 Industry in the United States. Something must be done to stop the rampant mis-use of drug production and prescription in America!
http://www.naturalnews.tv/v.asp?v=1973F9A094B8A8184CDD0A899DC62BDC

This text will be replaced by the player

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Local Farms Could Be Illegal if S510 Passes!

Outrage in America! S510 Bill must NOT happen. Americans should be able to grow their own food. Small farms should NOT be illegal. GMO's kill. Monsanto and their lobbyists must go! Clarence Thomas must be removed from the supreme court. The FDA and USDA must be investigated. Large corporations are trying to control all the food in America and throughout the world. This must stop!  Contact your governor today!

Sunday, September 5, 2010

Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Fraud: Whole Foods, Rachel Ray, Safeway, Newman's Own, Colavita, Bertolli

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/720875

Text of post below:
UC-Davis has just published an extensive report on the fraudulent labeling of extra-virgin olive oil. Imported olive oil has been known to often have fraudulent or misleading labels, now certain US brands have been found to be mislabeling their olive oil as well.
"More than two-thirds of common brands of extra-virgin olive oil found in California grocery stores aren't what they claim to be, according to a report by researchers at UC Davis, " said the Los Angeles Times in the story linked to below.

Scroll down to page 10 of the UC-Davis report here for the chart of the various brands.
http://olivecenter.ucdavis.edu/news-events/news/files/olive%20oil%20final%20071410%20.pdf

The tests to determine extra-vrigin oil (acidity, peroxide level, etc.) are listed and described.
"Lab tests cast doubt on olive oil's virginity"
Los Angeles Times
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi...
Found to have be fraudulently labeled as Extra-Virgin:
Whole Foods
Rachel Ray
Safeway
Newman's Own
Colavita
Bertolli
Filippo Berio
Pompeian
Star
Carapelli
Mezzetta
Mazzola
Found to be accurately labeled as Extra-Virgin:
Kirkland Organic
Corto Olive
California Olive Ranch
McEvoy Ranch Organic
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