Issue #12 August 2014  

Jeffrey Smith vs. Neil deGrasse Tyson

Neil deGrasse Tyson, astrophysicist, and popularizer of science, was caught on tape telling GMO critics to “chill out!”  “We are creating and modifying the biology of the world to serve our needs,” Neil says, “and I don’t have a problem with that because we’ve been doing that for tens of thousands of years.”  

Hold on there, Neil, selective breeding is NOT the same thing as genetic engineering.  But you should not feel bad, because you are not the only one to buy into the myths manufactured by the biotech industry.

Watch Jeffrey explain to Neil why this is such a common misperception, and help us send a message by sharing this 3 minute video.

Watch the entire video of Neil’s remarks HERE

Yield Testimonies

Between 1995 and 2013, a staggering 296,466 Indian farmers committed suicide. Watch this 18 minute film to gain a deeper understanding about why. Witness riveting images amid the sounds and rhythms of Indian farm life; learn that loss of seed ownership and Monsanto’s false promises of less pesticide use and greater yield continue to take its devastating toll. Lose yourself in the global impact that GMO production is having on this well-meaning and peaceful population who are victims of corporate deceit and government neglect. Watch the video.

Roundup: Unintended Spermicide

A new study shows how Roundup herbicide, used with GM production, but also with conventional farming, in public parks, residential yards and office grounds, is a contributor to sperm malformation. Read more.

This might help explain a father’s story we posted on Facebook that was "chart topping," with thousands of shares, many tags, and dozens of pleas for more information revealing that many are suffering from fertility issues. 

This man had tried with his wife to get pregnant and suffered four miscarriages, one chemical pregnancy, and one ectopic pregnancy, before determining that his sperm’s DNA was damaged (you can see this testimonial on our Facebook Page, June 8th).  No doctor could adequately advise him on how to rectify this so he and his wife took matters into their own hands and radically changed their diets.  They exchanged a GMO, conventional diet for an organic, non-GMO diet.  They are now, happily, the proud parents of a beautiful, healthy baby boy.  

Wildlife Refuges to Ban GMOs and “Neonics”

By January 2016, the U.S. National Wildlife Refuge System, that manages 150 million acres across the country, will ban the use of neonicotinoids—widely used pesticides that many blame for bee deaths, and damage to birds, mammals, and fish. They will also prohibit the use of genetically modified seeds to grow crops to feed wildlife. 

We applaud this step in the right direction. Based on the mounting scientific evidence, however, a full nationwide ban on both is warranted. Read more.


  

USDA Blocks States’ GMO Info

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has decided to withdraw a rule proposed by their Animal and Plant Inspection Services in February 2013 that would allow the sharing of information with state regulators about genetically engineered organisms that are released in their jurisdictions.  They argue that under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), the confidence of business practices (as protected under FOIA) would ultimately be compromised if the USDA were to share this information with the States.  The USDA’s Inspector General had blasted the agency’s shoddy handling of GMO field trials. Now the USDA is hampering states’ ability to make appropriate decisions within their jurisdiction.
Read more.

Celebrating You

Finally, if you missed our recent blast, we want to share with you this special digital photo album compiled from the many wonderful photos you sent to us from their participation in the recent March Against Monsanto on May 24th, 2014. We commend you for your wonderful contributions to that day and every day that you do anything to help set right this gross imbalance that currently is our food supply!  In this together! Watch the video.
 

  Shopping Guide  | Educational Materials | Media Enquiries | Donate

Spilling the Beans is a publication of The Institute for Responsible Technology, with editorial support fromGMWatch.org