EXTRACT: Referring to GM crops, US Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer said: ".....what we see is: increased production, less use of fertilizer and water, products that are conditioned to soil and climate conditions that are directly, they are better-flavored, better looking. They work with the consumer better. But importantly, they increase the food supply." Every one of those statements is a lie.
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New Report on the Health Risks of GM Foods
GM Free Cymru, 4 June 2008

Campaigning groups who have been warning for years about the health risks associated with GM crops and foods have welcomed the publication of a new Report which draws together the findings from more than 100 research papers.

The Report, entitled "State-of-the-Science on the Health Risks of GM Foods" comes from the US-based Institute for Responsible Technology, and it available as a free download:
http://www.seedsofdeception.com/DocumentFiles/145.pdf

The material in the 28-page study describes the conflict of interest among regulators that allowed GMO foods on the market; the wide range of adverse findings from animal feeding studies such as higher death rates, organ damage, reproductive failures, and infant mortality; reports by farmers of thousands of sick, sterile, and dead livestock; toxic and allergic properties of GM foods; numerous scientific assumptions used as the basis for safety claims that have since proven false; inadequate regulatory oversight; biased industry safety studies; manipulation of public opinion; and the mistreatment of scientists critical of the technology. Essentially the new study brings up-to-date in an easily accessible form some of the information contained in two books by Jeffrey Smith (1) and in peer- reviewed and other studies from across the world. The pamphlet's citation list is impressive, and shows that there is a very large community of research scientists who are horrified by the on-going deception that "GM foods have never been shown to be harmful."

Commenting for GM Free Cymru, Dr Brian John said: "This short pamphlet should be required reading for all politicians, farmers and GM proponents who repeat ad infinitum the mantra that "GM foods are safe." GM foods are NOT safe, and the evidence relating to unacceptable dangers is all carefully assembled in this pamphlet in a thoroughly responsible fashion. Indeed, much more evidence of harm has emerged in the interval between the writing and the publication of the pamphlet. We have known for years that the GM industry is one of the most corrupt, cynical and sinister industries in the world (2) and that it routinely publishes fraudulent research, shuts off public access to "inconvenient" research findings on health and safety, and blocks research by independent scientists. Most of its research is non-replicable, and on that basis alone it should be binned rather than believed and used as a basis for consents. The regulatory system which is supposed to protect consumers from harmful GM crops and foods is also shown to be subservient to the biotechnology multinationals and to be obsessed with the facilitation of GM approvals. In that respect it acts against the public interest, and on several occasions in the past, with respect to specific decisions, we have accused bodies like EFSA, ACRE, FSA and ACNFP of being unfit for purpose and of criminal negligence.

Every day we read statements to the effect that "people have been eating GM food for years with no harmful effects" or that "GM food is no different from other food, and may be safer and more nutritious." (3) Such statements are lies, and every time they are repeated in support of the pro-GM agenda the danger to consumers is enhanced. How much more evidence do politicians and regulators actually need before they accept what honest scientists are trying to tell them? Are they all corrupt, or just slow on the uptake?"

Contact:

Dr Brian John
Tel + 44 (0)123 982 0470

Notes:

(1) Jeffrey M. Smith, Genetic Roulette: The Documented Health Risks of Genetically Engineered Foods, Yes! Books, Fairfield, IA USA 2007 Jeffrey M. Smith, Seeds of Deception, Yes! Books, Fairfield, Iowa 2003

(2) http://www.gmfreecymru.org/news/Press_Notice9March2007.htm
http://www.gmfreecymru.org/pivotal_papers/enforcers.htm

Monsanto's harvest of fear http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2008/05/monsanto200805? printable=true¤tPage=all

VANITY FAIR ”š MAY 2008 Investigation: Monsantoís Harvest of Fear http://www.gmfreecymru.org/pivotal_papers/exposed.htm

http://www.gmfreecymru.org/documents.htm

New movie damns Monsanto's deadly sins 07 March 2008 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1189345/

The World According to Monsanto - A documentary that Americans won't ever see

On March 11 2008 a new documentary was aired on French television (ARTE ”š French-German cultural tv channel) by French journalist and film maker Marie-Monique Robin, entitled 'The World According to Monsanto' (Le Monde selon Monsanto). http://www.gmfreecymru.org/pivotal_papers/syngenta.htm

(3) http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB? contentidonly=true&contentid=2008/05/0140.xml
Referring to GM crops, US Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer said: ".....what we see is: increased production, less use of fertilizer and water, products that are conditioned to soil and climate conditions that are directly, they are better-flavored, better looking. They work with the consumer better. But importantly, they increase the food supply." Every one of those statements is a lie.