Bayer and the USDA quickly began the process to retroactively approve the toxic rice. By feeding the shunned LL601 to ignorant American consumers, the financial losses can be dramatically reduced; and what you don't know won't hurt you. The American media has dutifully given the ecoli spinach enough coverage that people get the feeling that someone is looking out for consumers. The spinach crop is nothing compared to rice?
The Best Laid Plans
By revising the rules and selling the LL601 toxic rice to the American public and Bayer's Crop division does not have to eat the loss. The USDA approval will save Bayer millions in claims from the US farmers who plan to sue. This is what Homeland Security is all about. Do business with the Administration and count on them for economic security. The risks are greater than just this one crop. This year, 181 acres in eight states were planted with crops that produce pharmaceuticals or industrial chemicals, according to Rachel Iadicicco, a spokeswoman for the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service." What other cross contaminations and combinations of unexpected foods could be out there? The financial impact is mind-boggling. News like this is a threat.
Homeland Security
Listen to the President talk about security threats and protections. Ask yourself, what it is that we are trying to protect? This is an outrage. There is not one reason in the world to prevent the EPA scientists from reporting threats to our air and water. There is not one reason in the world to expect Americans to eat the results of a toxic food experiment gone awry. There is no tribute to our heroes of 9/11 who are sick from false claims of safe conditions at Ground Zero and no honor in seeing them sick and without health care.
Unfortunately, the Administration has taken the wrong course. We all knew on September 11 how deeply we loved our freedom and how angry we were to have that attacked. Now it is time to fight to get it back. What follows is a summary of the contamination by the center for Food Safety and links to the announcements and contacts at the USDA. Call, write, contact your members of Congress and tell them it is not acceptable to feed Americans a toxic mistake to avoid a corporate loss. Tell them that it is not okay to be forced to buy or consume products from corporations you don't want. The Capitol switchboard is 202-224-3121. They work for you or they ought to.
Take a stand, tell a friend, do one thing to demand that our public servants work in the public interest. The hundreds of thousands of public employees who are trying to serve and protect will appreciate the support and by raising your voice you will help to raise us all from the corporate menace that threatens our security. The threat is on the table. One by one, day-by-day we will create the change to save the world. That's more than enough for one day.
Press Release - Center for Food Safety FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
USDA to Rubber-Stamp Contamination of Food with Illegal, Genetically Engineered Rice Banned in Japan and Europe
U.S. Dismantles Regulation of Genetically Engineered Crops to Serve Interests of Biotechnology Industry
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today initiated fast-track market approval of an illegal, genetically-engineered (GE) rice variety that has contaminated long-grain rice throughout the South, throwing rice markets into turmoil and potentially causing harm to consumers and the environment. Bayer CropScience developed the rice, known as LL601. Bayer field-tested LL601 from 1998-2001, but for unknown reasons never applied to USDA for market approval.Though LL601 is illegally present in rice supplies, and has not undergone meaningful reviews for potential health or environmental impacts, U.S. authorities have failed to recall LL601-contaminated rice supplies or food products. In contrast, Japan has banned U.S. long-grain rice imports, and the European Union is testing all U.S. rice shipments and rejecting those that contain LL601.
Bayer is now asking USDA to grant retroactive market approval of the illegal rice, even though the company gave up plans to market LL601 in 2001 and it remains untested.
"Illegal, potentially hazardous rice in grain bins, on supermarket shelves, in cereal, beer, baby foods, and all rice products. It should be a no-brainer ï � � recall this stuff to make sure no one eats it," said Joseph Mendelson, Legal Director of the Center for Food Safety. "Instead, USDA plans to rush through 'market approval' of a genetically engineered rice that Bayer itself decided was unfit for commerce. Why? To free Bayer from liability."
"Experimental, genetically engineered crops like LL601 are prohibited for a reason," said Bill Freese, Science Policy Analyst at Center for Food Safety. "Exhaustive testing is required to determine whether or not mutagenic gene-splicing procedures create human health or environmental hazards, and no one has done that analysis on LL601 rice," he added.
LL601 is one of several 'LibertyLink' (LL) rice varieties that have been genetically engineered by Bayer to survive application of Bayer's proprietary Libertyï � � herbicide. Liberty kills normal rice, but can be applied directly to LL varieties to kill surrounding weeds. This explains why Bayer had to obtain government approval to permit residues of the weed killer on rice grains of its two approved versions of LibertyLink rice.
"Contrary to what you hear from the biotech industry, genetically engineered crops like LibertyLink rice mean more chemicals in our food, not less," said Freese.
The Best Laid Plans
By revising the rules and selling the LL601 toxic rice to the American public and Bayer's Crop division does not have to eat the loss. The USDA approval will save Bayer millions in claims from the US farmers who plan to sue. This is what Homeland Security is all about. Do business with the Administration and count on them for economic security. The risks are greater than just this one crop. This year, 181 acres in eight states were planted with crops that produce pharmaceuticals or industrial chemicals, according to Rachel Iadicicco, a spokeswoman for the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service." What other cross contaminations and combinations of unexpected foods could be out there? The financial impact is mind-boggling. News like this is a threat.
Homeland Security
Unfortunately, the Administration has taken the wrong course. We all knew on September 11 how deeply we loved our freedom and how angry we were to have that attacked. Now it is time to fight to get it back. What follows is a summary of the contamination by the center for Food Safety and links to the announcements and contacts at the USDA. Call, write, contact your members of Congress and tell them it is not acceptable to feed Americans a toxic mistake to avoid a corporate loss. Tell them that it is not okay to be forced to buy or consume products from corporations you don't want. The Capitol switchboard is 202-224-3121. They work for you or they ought to.
Take a stand, tell a friend, do one thing to demand that our public servants work in the public interest. The hundreds of thousands of public employees who are trying to serve and protect will appreciate the support and by raising your voice you will help to raise us all from the corporate menace that threatens our security. The threat is on the table. One by one, day-by-day we will create the change to save the world. That's more than enough for one day.
Press Release - Center for Food Safety FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
USDA to Rubber-Stamp Contamination of Food with Illegal, Genetically Engineered Rice Banned in Japan and Europe
U.S. Dismantles Regulation of Genetically Engineered Crops to Serve Interests of Biotechnology Industry
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today initiated fast-track market approval of an illegal, genetically-engineered (GE) rice variety that has contaminated long-grain rice throughout the South, throwing rice markets into turmoil and potentially causing harm to consumers and the environment. Bayer CropScience developed the rice, known as LL601. Bayer field-tested LL601 from 1998-2001, but for unknown reasons never applied to USDA for market approval.Though LL601 is illegally present in rice supplies, and has not undergone meaningful reviews for potential health or environmental impacts, U.S. authorities have failed to recall LL601-contaminated rice supplies or food products. In contrast, Japan has banned U.S. long-grain rice imports, and the European Union is testing all U.S. rice shipments and rejecting those that contain LL601.
Bayer is now asking USDA to grant retroactive market approval of the illegal rice, even though the company gave up plans to market LL601 in 2001 and it remains untested.
"Illegal, potentially hazardous rice in grain bins, on supermarket shelves, in cereal, beer, baby foods, and all rice products. It should be a no-brainer ï � � recall this stuff to make sure no one eats it," said Joseph Mendelson, Legal Director of the Center for Food Safety. "Instead, USDA plans to rush through 'market approval' of a genetically engineered rice that Bayer itself decided was unfit for commerce. Why? To free Bayer from liability."
"Experimental, genetically engineered crops like LL601 are prohibited for a reason," said Bill Freese, Science Policy Analyst at Center for Food Safety. "Exhaustive testing is required to determine whether or not mutagenic gene-splicing procedures create human health or environmental hazards, and no one has done that analysis on LL601 rice," he added.
LL601 is one of several 'LibertyLink' (LL) rice varieties that have been genetically engineered by Bayer to survive application of Bayer's proprietary Libertyï � � herbicide. Liberty kills normal rice, but can be applied directly to LL varieties to kill surrounding weeds. This explains why Bayer had to obtain government approval to permit residues of the weed killer on rice grains of its two approved versions of LibertyLink rice.
"Contrary to what you hear from the biotech industry, genetically engineered crops like LibertyLink rice mean more chemicals in our food, not less," said Freese.
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