Frankenfood

High Tech Heads for the Farm

"On the basis of population growth alone, world food demand will increase by over 30%. But in addition to the increase in the number of people on the planet, growing affluence will also have a significant impact on global food demand. Today, there are about 2 billion people worldwide who are considered to be in the middle class; within 20 years, the number is expected to expand to 5 billion, with almost all of the increase coming from emerging markets. As these people enter the middle class, they will be able to afford to consume more food. Furthermore, they will be able to consume—and will demand—higher protein diets, i.e., more meat and dairy products." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingHigh Tech Heads for the Farm

Farm subsidies on the rise in the world’s biggest economies

"Farm subsidies in the world’s biggest economies rose in 2012, the OECD said, reversing a long-term trend as governments poured more funding into agriculture despite strained budgets and high food prices. In its annual report on global farming, the OECD said state support for farming stood at an average of one-sixth of gross farm receipts in the 47 countries covered in the assessment, about 17 percent of total receipts in 2012 compared to 15 percent in 2011. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development said the rise was unnecessary as high prices for farmers made the timing opportune for governments to cut subsidies that skew food markets and disrupt trade." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingFarm subsidies on the rise in the world’s biggest economies

US farmers challenging Monsanto patent claims appeal to Supreme Court

"Seventy-three US farmers, seed companies, and public advocacy groups appealed their case against Monsanto Co. to the Supreme Court on Thursday. The case seeks to challenge Monsanto’s aggressive claims on patents of genetically-engineered seeds and aims to bar the chemical and biotech company from suing anyone whose field is contaminated by such seeds. Monsanto has in the past sued over 100 farmers for patent infringement and won cases against farmers who were found to have used seeds without paying the company royalties." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingUS farmers challenging Monsanto patent claims appeal to Supreme Court

White House leans on industry for bottled water push

"First Lady Michelle Obama is launching her new Drink Up initiative at an event Thursday in Watertown, Wisconsin. According to the White House, the American Beverage Association and International Bottled Water Association are both promoting the effort. The two associations are the major lobbying forces inside the Beltway for both the bottled water and beverage association. According to the visitor's logs, one of the American Beverage Association's lobbyists, Susan Neely, visited the White House several times. The American Beverage Association is a lobbying heavyweight that has spent $680,000 so far in 2013. The bottled water association has spent $60,000 so far in 2013." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingWhite House leans on industry for bottled water push

Radio wave-treated water could change agriculture as we know it

"A groundbreaking new Irish technology which could be the greatest breakthrough in agriculture since the plough is set to change the face of modern farming forever. The technology – radio wave energised water – massively increases the output of vegetables and fruits by up to 30 per cent. Not only are the plants much bigger but they are largely disease-resistant, meaning huge savings in expensive fertilisers and harmful pesticides. Extensively tested in Ireland and several other countries, the inexpensive water treatment technology is now being rolled out across the world. The technology makes GM obsolete and converts excess CO2 into edible plant mass." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingRadio wave-treated water could change agriculture as we know it

Turning Off The Spigot In Western Kansas Farmland

"Big irrigated fields of corn in this part of the country are taking water out of underground aquifers much faster than rain or snow can fill those natural reservoirs back up. If Kansas farmers keep pumping water out of the High Plains aquifer as they have in the past, the amount of water they're able to extract will start to fall in just 10 years or so. They'll still be able to continue harvesting more corn for another generation, though, because technology will let them use that water more efficiently. But after that, even the latest technology won't save the corn fields. Irrigated fields will start to disappear, followed by cattle feedlots. The long expansion of agricultural production in western Kansas will end." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingTurning Off The Spigot In Western Kansas Farmland

Taxpayer Dollars Are Helping Monsanto Sell Seeds Abroad

"The US State Department has been essentially acting as a de facto global-marketing arm of the ag-biotech industry, complete with figures as high-ranking as former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton mouthing industry talking points as if they were gospel. The FWW report is based on an analysis of diplomatic cables, written between 2005 and 2009 and released in the big Wikileaks document dump of 2010. FWW sums it up: 'a concerted strategy to promote agricultural biotechnology overseas, compel countries to import biotech crops and foods that they do not want, and lobby foreign governments—especially in the developing world—to adopt policies to pave the way to cultivate biotech crops.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingTaxpayer Dollars Are Helping Monsanto Sell Seeds Abroad

5 GMO Myths Busted

"Every year, a greater and greater percentage of our food supply sources back to genetically modified ingredients. Monsanto, Dow, Bayer, DuPont and the other biotech giants have made GMOs into a multi-billion dollar industry and unsurprisingly have launched one of the largest pr campaigns in the history of the food industry to convince the public that their products are safe, healthy and beneficial. Let's examine five of the main claims of this PR campaign and see how they stack up to reality." Continue reading →

Continue Reading5 GMO Myths Busted

FDA launches inquiry about Merck drug Zilmax in cattle feed

"The USDA had no comment and referred questions to the FDA, which does not typically reveal its investigations. Merck said on Friday it was temporarily suspending sales of Zilmax in the United States and Canada, following concerns about the drug, which is given to cattle to increase their weight before slaughter. Last week, Tyson Foods Inc said it would stop accepting beef from Zilmax-fed cattle after it observed animals arriving at its slaughter facilities with signs that they had difficulty walking or moving. Merck on Tuesday revealed a new program to retrain and certify beef producers in administering Zilmax, which had sales of $159 million last year." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingFDA launches inquiry about Merck drug Zilmax in cattle feed

Human Intelligence is Slowly Declining: Genetics Or Food?

"Researchers from Harvard have found that a substance rampant in the nation’s water supply, fluoride, is lowering IQ and dumbing down the population. One study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that pesticides, which are rampant among the food supply, are creating lasting changes in overall brain structure — changes that have been linked to lower intelligence levels and decreased cognitive function. UCLA researchers found that HFCS may be damaging the brain functions of consumers worldwide, sabotaging learning and memory. In fact, the official release goes as far to say that high-fructose corn syrup can make you ‘stupid’." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingHuman Intelligence is Slowly Declining: Genetics Or Food?