Chemical Fertilizers, Pesticides, & GMOs
Corporate Farming, Big Ag, & Their Destructive Chemical Fertilizers, Pesticides, & GMOs. Are You Sure You Want to Eat That?
Big Ag – or Big Agriculture, the collective term used for the corporate farming industry – claimed the processes and products they developed will address the problem of food shortage in the world; increase crop yield many times over and improve animal health, thereby helping farmers earn more; and eradicate weeds, pests, and diseases that affect production and profits.
The road to Hell is paved with good intentions, as the saying goes; and Big Ag’s specious proclamations of their good intentions have led consumers to live in a hell of unhealthiness.
Their plan sounded good, and their intentions seemed noble. But as with all things corporate, the bottom line always comes down to making the shareholders’ pockets plumper with profits, regardless of the risks to the consumers’ well-being and the damages to the environment.
Big Ag can deny the dangers of their processes and products all they want; they can reject the results of the numerous and most recent studies that reveal their negligence and complicity in exposing countless consumers to serious health risks, but the facts are out whether they like it or not.
Their synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and GMOs are serious health and environmental risks, as well as extremely bad news for traditional farmers. There is no room for doubt why we should be more careful about what we put on our plates and in our bodies. Here’s a few of many reasons.
Chemical Fertilizers, Soil & Food Health
It is not just the soil that is losing out: so is our health.
Conversely, organically-grown fruits and vegetables have significantly more anti-oxidants, polyphenols, and enzymes.
How did Big Ag successfully sell the idea of their synthetic fertilizers, and eventually the products themselves, to the respective governing bodies, the farmers, and the consumers? By capitalizing on the genuine worry that people had, many decades ago, about the increasing gap between food production and demand and how poor soil quality was to blame for low crop yields.
They claimed that their synthetic fertilizers were the solution to the problem …
This is really when Big Ag was born, and when their ideas became actual products. They claimed that their synthetic fertilizers were the solution to the problem of poor soil health. With their fertilizers, the soil would produce healthier crops which would feed animals (livestock, poultry, and fish), as well as humans.
As it turned out, Big Ag’s fertilizers were not the solution they promised and, instead, created worse problems for the farming and food industries.
Synthetic fertilizers did replenish the dwindling amounts of nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus in the soil; but they also caused the depletion of other nutrients and minerals which were necessary to make the original soil fertile.
The crops grown from this soil were more nutritionally deficient than the crops grown before these synthetic fertilizers were used. Worse still, crops grown using modern farming methods are often laced with chemicals that are harmful if not detrimental to the body.
Altered soil structure severely decreases the soil’s ability to retain water, air, and nutrients.
What Big Ag failed to inform farmers is that their synthetic fertilizers kill the naturally-occurring microorganisms in the soil which convert organic matter into nutrients that make plants healthier. These products also eliminate soil organisms that keep parasites in check and they cause serious damage to soil structure. Altered soil structure severely decreases the soil’s ability to retain water, air, and nutrients.
Continuous use of these synthetic fertilizers turned fertile soil into a veritable wasteland that produces plants that are not only nutritionally deficient, but also extremely susceptible to diseases, parasites, and drought. Thanks to these much touted chemical fertilizers the Earth’s incredibly rich soil, and you might say the Earth itself, has begun to die.
Pesticides: Modern BigAg Nexus
Hundreds of existing and new pesticides are used each day in the BigAg farming techniques. Although touted as safe and effective, we really know otherwise.
Pesticide defined – the act of killing a nuisance or plague. Synthetic chemical pesticides are chemical substances or mixtures used to control pests, including insects, fungi, moulds and weed plant species. (Source: GreenPeace.org )
For over a half a century, large industrial farms as well as small family farms have used hundreds of types of herbicides and pesticides. New ones are continually being created. The public is told, as usual, that they are safe and effective – that they are necessary.
For all pesticides to be effective against the pests they are intended to control, they must be biologically active, or toxic. Because pesticides are toxic, they are also potentially hazardous to humans, animals, other organisms, and the environment. (Source: PennState University )
Anyone who has grown their own garden or maintained a yard, knows that it is a constant battle against pests and disease. One of the accepted necessities of maintaining these areas has been pesticide products such as Ortho. For weeds, Roundup has been the product of choice.
But the reason we have accepted them as necessary is we’ve been sold that they’re necessary by the companies producing them. That’s the same reason we’ve assumed they are safe. But more and more evidence is piling up that tells us we’ve been lied to.
Monsanto and others have introduced some brand new products recently, called neonicotinoids. Several countries have banned, or are considering banning, these new products. Many studies are now showing that these new pesticides may be causing gross ecological damage.
One example of such ecological problems is “Bee Colony Collapse”, which involves the sudden disappearance of huge populations of bees needed for pollination of many food crops. Studies are showing a possible link to these new type of pesticides. Researchers believe that the bees’ immune system is weakened allowing for infestation of disease and parasites to overrun the colonies.
“Due to suspected toxicity to wild and managed bees, some restrictions on use have been emplaced by the European Commission. KEY NEONICOTINOIDS include: clothianidin; imidacloprid; thiamethoxam.”(Source: GreenPeace.org)
Other outbreaks of problems are often in local news sources. One story reported children in schools have become sick after fields next to them are sprayed with certain chemicals. Of course the industry denies this but now often spray at night. (Source: NBCNews.com)
If one drives up U.S. Highway 101 through Salinas, California, considered the Salad Bowl of America, you can smell the potent chemicals in the air. Many of the area field workers become sick with many diseases as they age. Much of this news is unreported or overlooked. (Source: PoliticsDaily.com)
How We Are Exposed To Pesticides
For Larger View Click On Image
If mankind could look beyond synthetic patented products and corporate profits, and produce real environmentally safe methods to control the problem of plant weeds, pests and disease, our world would certainly be a better place. Organic farmers are working hard to find and provide safe ways to do so.
The Case Against Monsanto’s Roundup
Guess what Big Ag’s solution is for the pest problem? Pesticides and herbicides …
which also contain chemicals that adversely affect crop health and leave chemical residues that consumers end up ingesting!
Monsanto, the multinational agrochemical and agricultural biotechnology giant, has finally been unmasked as the villain that they have always been from the start. Their popular product, Roundup glyphosate – a broad-spectrum herbicide they invented in 1974 – has been shown to cause cancer by a recent WHO cancer study.
… long-term intake of Monsanto’s herbicide, even in very small amounts, lower than that which is permissible in US water, may lead to kidney and liver damage.
The RT U.S. website published a report entitled “California EPA mulls labeling Monsanto’s Roundup as being ‘known to cause cancer” on the said study which “revealed that the long-term intake of Monsanto’s herbicide, even in very small amounts, lower than that which is permissible in US water, may lead to kidney and liver damage.”
The article also cites another report, made by the Center for Food Safety, which discovered a link between the heavy use of Roundup and a 90 percent drop in monarch butterfly population in the United States.
Another article, published on HuffingtonPost.com, cites an MIT study, conducted by MIT scientist Stephanie Seneff, which found that “Roundup may be” the most important factor in the development of multiple chronic diseases and conditions.”
She co-authored a seminal paper linking it to numerous diseases and disorders including obesity, heart disease, inflammatory bowel, IBS, autism, allergies, MS, Parkinson’s, depression, infertility, Alzheimer’s and cancer.” (Source: www.huffingtonpost.com)
It’s important to point out that as recently as 2013, Roundup has always been considered safe by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The herbicide is only one of the many products that Monsanto sold to farmers alongside their genetically-engineered seeds. In fact, all their products practically came as a packaged deal, and farmers had little choice but to purchase and use them.
Given the wide use of Roundup and other chemicals to supposedly enhance crop growth and crop quality, consumers have genuine cause for concern about the safety of the food they eat.
So which foods are the most contaminated by pesticides?
The Environmental Working Group (EWG), is an “American environmental organization that specializes in research and advocacy in the areas of toxic chemicals, agricultural subsidies, public lands, and corporate accountability” (Source: Wikipedia). They lists the types of produce with the highest pesticide residues every year, based on their analysis of pesticide residue testing data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Food and Drug Administration.
Here’s the Dirty Dozen for 2015:
- Apples
- Peaches
- Nectarines
- Strawberries
- Grapes
- Celery
- Spinach
- Sweet Bell Peppers
- Cucumbers
- Cherry Tomatoes
- Snap Peas (Imported)
- Potatoes
You can view the complete list here.
Why You Should Avoid GMOs at All Cost
Can you trust anyone who says that Agent Orange, DDT, and PCBs are safe?
Monsanto originally claimed this, until their statements were proven to be lies. Monsanto has proven itself to be willing to say, do and hide anything necessary to keep the cash rolling in. For a summary of just some of the horrors they have inflicted on Humanity and Planet Earth have a look at this list: “Monsanto’s Dirty Dozen: The 12 Most Awful Products Made By Monsanto”
So why would you still trust anything else they say and any product they sell?
GMOs, or Genetically Modified Organisms, are organisms whose genetic makeup have been artificially modified with viral or bacterial genes through genetic engineering. GMOs are one of the biggest triumphs of biotechnology, and when they were first introduced into our food supply decades ago, their safety was never questioned because scientists argued that GM crops were not much different from non-GM crops. Additionally, the genetic engineering done on crops were meant to improve crop quality and crop yield.
The Wikipedia article on GMOs plainly lays out how GM crops are improved through genetic engineering:
“In most cases the aim is to introduce a new trait to the plant which does not occur naturally in the species. Examples in food crops include resistance to certain pests, diseases, or environmental conditions, reduction of spoilage, or resistance to chemical treatments (e.g. resistance to herbicides), or improving the nutrient profile of the crop.” (Source: wikipedia.org)
But the truth about GM crops is not a simple one; nor is it a good one.
Concerns about the safety of GM crops have been brought up from the very beginning. Only recently have these concerns been shown to have genuine and scientific merit.
Monsanto is the leading producer of genetically engineered seeds and herbicides in the world.
Now scientists, health and medical experts have begun to step forward to warn consumers of the environmental and health risks of GM crops. More than ever, relevant organizations and the consumers have started demanding that food products made with GM crops be labelled.
When it comes to GMOs, Monsanto, once again, rears its head as a major player in the industry. In fact, Monsanto is the leading producer of genetically engineered seeds and herbicides in the world.
Monsanto’s GMOs come in two forms: pesticide producing, which are seeds that carry the BT protein/BT poison – a protein that kills insects that feed on the crops, thereby classifying the seeds as a pesticide; and herbicide-resistant GMOs or Roundup Ready GMOs, which are modified to resist the herbicide.
These genetic modifications, however, also douse the crops with high levels of chemical residues that are actually harmful to human health.
According to the American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM):
“There is more than a causal association between GM foods and adverse health effects. The strength of association and consistency between GM foods and disease is confirmed in several animal studies.” (Source: life.gaiam.com)
Furthermore in the same article:
“These “adverse health effects” include infertility, immune problems, accelerated aging, and changes in major organs and gastrointestinal system. The AAEM noted that thousands of sheep, buffalo and goats died after grazing BT cotton plants; more than half the babies of mother rats fed GM soy died within three weeks; and other rodents showed immune system toxicity, organ lesions and tumors.”
Another study published by the Journal of Food and Chemical Toxicology found a link between Roundup and an increased incidence of breast cancer.
The HuffingtonPost.com, exclaims the reason why Monsanto and other similar companies are viciously fighting the demand for labeling of their products loudly and clearly:
“Right now the companies using these genetically engineered foods want a ban on state level labeling and are trying to stop a growing call for mandatory national labeling. Why? Because without labels, this “GMO Buyers Club” can claim that there is no evidence that these crops have ever caused any harm.
And guess what? Without labels, they are right, there is no evidence. Labels would bring accountability, traceability and liability. It’s no wonder that the food industry is so allergic to labeling these genetically engineered ingredients in the United States. An allergic reaction to food sends someone to the ER once every three minutes.” (Source: www.huffingtonpost.com)
While these industry giants are aggressively opposing the labeling of their products, what can consumers do to protect themselves from harm?
The Answer is Organic, Organic, Organic!!!
Going organic is the surest way to avoid GMOs.
“When people eliminate GMOs, they (and their physicians) often report more energy, weight loss, better digestion, reduced allergies and skin conditions, and relief from numerous chronic conditions. Veterinarians, farmers and pet owners describe similar improvements with animals taken off GMOs.” (Source: www.huffingtonpost.com)
In addition to the fact that organic products contain more of the nutrients and minerals that we need to stay in the peak of our health, by supporting organic production and producers we also help protect the environment from the harmful effects of genetically engineering organisms and we help take down industry giants like Monsanto, one bite at a time. By going organic you can vastly improve your health, contribute to reviving the Earth and help us all take back our right to choose our own lifestyle from monster corporations that manipulating everything we do.
More than ever we need the organic farmers. By buying organic produce from them, we both encourage more farmers to go organic. As the volume of organics are produced, this reduces the cost of production and therefore reduces the price of the organic products.
Buying organic is a win/win/win situation. We win, the organic farmers win, and the planet’s eco system wins.
In addition, we should all take responsibility for growing our own organic produce where ever possible. If every family could produce a portion of its required organic nutrition, the reduced demand for the products supplied by Big Ag would substantially reduce the stresses on the environment caused by Big Ag.
Watch out for more articles about chemicals, pesticides, GMOs, and going organic to help you make that switch to a healthier life. Θ
