Author: Greg Koenig

Here’s a link to the Sacramento Bee’s online page that posts unedited press releases from PR Newswire.  This is an example of how the No campaign is spending their money.  They are trying to tell you that newspaper editorial staffs are all against Prop 37.  There is a lot of money tied up in advertising, including money from many of the No campaign primary funding sources.  These editorial staffs are not policy experts, nor scientists.  Most of the arguments they present involve litigation.  Prop 37, like all legislation, will be challenged.  That’s not an issue as the opportunity to clear up some language exists.  What is clear that this is what people want.  These newspaper editorial staffs cannot be ignoring that unless they are being pressured.   That’s the simple truth…

http://www.sacbee.com/2012/10/02/4874832/no-on-prop-37-in-case-you-missed.html

Do not let the will of the People be manipulated.  We all deserve to know what is in our food.  Please VOTE YES on PROP 37 this NOVEMBER.

A recent poll suggested that Prop 37 is likely to pass.  That is a very good sign BUT it is too soon to let up on efforts to educate as many people as possible as to the concerns over GMO’s and the need to label our foods.  Let the People of California’s bid to govern, result in change that is positive and demonstrate to our elected officials that they do, indeed, work for US. 

Here’s a link to the story and results of the latest poll – http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-prop37-times-poll-20120927,0,5015236.story

As the story states, the no campaign will start their heavy spending now in order to try and convince us that this measure isn’t necessary.  Please understand that PROP 37 is absolutely vital and to remember to vote YES on 37 this November.

Falcon Trading, dba, SunRidge Farms has issued a voluntary recall of three items that utilize Sunland, Inc. peanut butter.  The three items are being voluntarily recalled as part of a larger action by Sunland, Inc.  No SunRidge Farms items have been implicated in the Salmonella concerns recently uncovered but we are voluntarily recalling these items as a precautionary measure.  Consumers who purchased Energy Nuggets, Peanut Butter Power Chews, or Treasure Trove Mix recently should return the product to their retailer and exchange for new product or request a refund.  These are only bulk items; this recall does not impact any prepackaged items from SunRidge Farms.

Read the full recall notice.

Monsanto and others are spending millions on fighting Prop 37 and here’s an example of that influence. By touting a study that is neither peer reviewed or published (except on the No on 37 website) they have further tried to muddy the waters regarding the important facts. Fortunately, the Huffington Post and others have quickly refuted the study and its lack of objectivity. Even the two professors named in the study refuse to answer questions and even disclaim the UC ties to the study. How embarrassing for UC Davis and these two ‘professors’. Certainly any research they’ve done in the past 10 years would have to be suspect since it’s clear they can’t be trusted. Read the full story here:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michele-simon/university-of-california-_1_b_1900699.html

California Voters – Please VOTE YES on Prop 37

The opponents of Prop 37 like to mislead us.  Thanks to this story, some of these deceptions are easier to dismiss.  Share this information with your friends, family, and grocer.  The facts are that GM foods need to be labeled so we have a choice as to whether or not we want to purchase and consume.  Read the following to be better informed –

http://civileats.com/2012/09/21/who%E2%80%99s-deceiving-whom-prop-37-has-corps-running-scared/

California Voters – Please VOTE YES on PROP 37 this November.

It’s really interesting to see how much money the pesticide and chemical companies have put into the campaign against labeling of GMO’s.  Please make it clear to these companies that it will be far more costly to their business if they continue to go against the will of the people.  Call them, write them, fax them and most importantly VOTE YES on PROP 37 this November.

http://www.infowars.com/monsanto-pesticide-companies-have-now-spent-more-than-19-million-to-kill-prop-37/

Monsanto, today, released a response to the recent study that demonstrated the negative effects of long term use of GM foods.  In this response they claim that controls weren’t rigid enough, and that the results didn’t warrant the conclusions.  Wait, this is the same company that ‘buys’ the groups that are doing research that it doesn’t like.  This is the same company whose own studies have lacked the controls and transparency they claim are missing in this study.  This is also the same company that said Agent Orange was safe.  Visit the Monsanto site if you wish to see their ‘response’.  

We have a challenge.  If the foods they produce are so safe then let’s have a long term study independently funded but done with Monsanto scientists and management as the control groups.  One set of Monsanto employees can be fed Non-GMO for three years and the other group only GMO for three years.  IF absolutely no differences show up in that period of time, then we can consider other possibilities.  The folks that work at Monsanto shouldn’t be afraid of this, since they support it.  Let’s set the groups at 50 individuals each and get these volunteers signed up.  Let’s find an independent research group and do this. 

Come on Monsanto, step up to the plate.  Your CEO should be first and should volunteer for the GMO group.  Michael Taylor from the FDA can also be one of the GMO group subjects.  What could you possibly be scared of???

Who is Michael R. Taylor? Well, as the FDA’s Deputy Commissioner for Foods, he is the person supposed to be ensuring that the FDA fulfill it’s mission. His personal quote regarding his role is this – “Protecting the food supply, making it safe, making it nutritious, is one of the most fundamental duties of government.”

Did you know that he has been involved with and/or worked with Monsanto since 1981? In any arena the possibility of conflict of interest would be obvious but we’ve all learned how Washington and Wall Street do business and if ‘conflict of interest’ helps protect profits then those concerns are put aside. Well, the latest long term study of genetically engineered foods casts tremendous doubt on the safety of said foods. What Mr. Taylor decides to do now will clearly indicate his bias. There is no thinking that has to be done here. GE foods need to be stopped until additional long term research ( independently funded, peer reviewed ) is accomplished. Let’s weigh in directly to Mr. Taylor our thoughts and our demands as US Citizens and consumers. He works for us, not Monsanto and if he hears enough he’ll have to act. His action might be to resign so that he can deny any culpability in his role over the years or he can do the right thing. He really has only those two choices and we must hold him responsible and accountable.

Feel free to call, fax, or email Michael R. Taylor at the FDA. Here’s his contact info:

301-796-4500 office

301-847-3535 fax

[email protected]

Attention California Voters – Please support PROP 37 this November by voting YES

It’s becoming ever more clear that GM foods are not what Monsanto and others have claimed.  Take a look at the first long term study on GM foods that was independently funded, peer reviewed, and published.  This was published in the Huffington Post.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/maria-rodale/ge-foods-shorten-life-cau_b_1900170.html

One of the questions raised in this article is why it’s taken so long to get a study of this type.  Take a look at the donors of the No on 37 Campaign and you’ll understand.  These companies have throttled research, especially in the US.  Why???  Well we’d have to use sodium pentothal (truth serum) in order for the real reasons to come out (profit, greed, power, fear).  Why fear??  Because the concerns that these foods may actually cause harm is something they know about and that knowledge is being withheld for the sake of profits and at the expense of you.  This is no different than Big Tobacco.  By limited research, Monsanto and others hope to hide behind the lack of information in limiting their liability in future actions.  That might have worked in the 1950’s but information is being more liberally transmitted now and they won’t be able to hide the facts.  It’s clearly a slap in the face to all Americans and something that we simply shouldn’t tolerate.  Whether or not you are a Californian, this issue impacts you directly.  Please support PROPOSITION 37 in California this November and VOTE YES for labeling of GM foods.

The following link is to a letter to the editor of the Napa Patch –

http://napa.patch.com/articles/napa-letter-i-am-voting-yes-on-proposition-37

We thought it was indicative of the reasonable approach the consumers are taking in regards to this proposal.  It just makes sense.

California Voters – Please VOTE YES on 37 this November