Bayer-Monsanto agreed to pay $6.9 million to settle claims by New York Attorney General Letitia James that it misled consumers by advertising Roundup weedkiller, which has been linked to cancer, as environmentally safe. The settlement resolves accusations that Bayer and its Monsanto unit failed to substantiate their repeated claims about Roundup products containing the active ingredient glyphosate. These included that Roundup "won't harm anything but weeds" and "do not pose a threat to the health of animal wildlife," as well as suggestions in since-removed YouTube videos that Roundup was safer than detergent and soap. James said the claims violated state laws against false and misleading advertising, and breached Monsanto's 1996 settlement with New York over its advertising of Roundup at the time. "Pesticides can cause serious harm to the health of our environment, and pose a deadly threat to wildlife," and companies that make them must be "honest" with consumers about the dangers, James said in a statement. The $6.9 million will be spent on reducing the impact of pesticides on pollinators and aquatic species. Read the rest -- link in our bio linktree. #NewYork #Roundup #glyphosate #herbicide #weedkiller #cancer #FalseAdvertising #environment #health #healthy #holistic #holistichealth #gmofreecanada #gmofreeusa #toxinfreeusa

Glyphosate must be banned. Take action -- linktree link is in our bio. A new study by researchers at the UC Berkeley School of Public Health and published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives shows that childhood exposure to glyphosate, found in Roundup weedkiller, is linked to liver inflammation and metabolic disorder in early adulthood, which can lead to liver cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular disease later in life. The researchers examined the agricultural use of glyphosate near the homes of mothers during pregnancy and in the children up to age 5 years; and also measured glyphosate in their urine (collected from mothers during pregnancy and from children at ages 5, 14, and 18 years). They assessed liver and metabolic health in the children when they were 18 years old. Higher levels of glyphosate in urine in childhood and adolescence were associated with higher risk of liver inflammation and metabolic disorders in young adulthood. In addition, the researchers found that agricultural glyphosate use near participants’ homes from birth and up through age five was associated with metabolic disorders at age 18. “The study’s implications are troubling,” said Dr. Ana Maria Mora, a CERCH investigator and coauthor, “as the levels of the chemicals found in our study participants are within the range reported for the general U.S. population.” Read the rest of the article-- link in our bio linktree #Roundup #glyphosate #herbicide #weedkiller #children #LiverInflammation #MetabolicDisorder #cancer #agriculture #health #healthy #holistic #holistichealth #gmofreecanada #gmofreeusa #toxinfreeusa

New York residents take action for the bees, butterflies and birds -- link in our bio linktree. New York State Legislature has passed the Birds and Bees Protection Act (Assembly Bill A07640 and Senate Bill S01856A), a first-in-the-nation bill that would restrict certain major uses of neonicotinoids, a class of insecticides linked to the mass decline of bees, butterflies and birds. California lawmakers passed a similar bill last year restricting neonics. But the bill was vetoed by Governor Gavin Newsom. We can’t let that happen in New York! Take action today. If you don’t live in New York, but have friends or family there, please SHARE THIS ACTION. Ask them to help the Birds and Bees Protection Act become law. READ more and take action -- link in our bio linktree. #BirdsAndBeesProtectionAct #NewYork #NY #neonicotinoids #neonics #pesticides #pollinators #bees #birds #butterflies #insects #food #fruits #vegetables #health #healthy #holistic #holistichealth #gmofreecanada #gmofreeusa #toxinfreeusa

The people over at Bayer-Monsanto just can't stop lying. There are few corporations that employ more serial liars -- Bayer-Monsanto actually may win the gold medal when it comes to dishonesty. Now, the company is going to be ponying up $6.9 million for violating a 1996 agreement with the state of New York to stop making false claims about the safety of its Roundup weedkiller. Bayer-Monsanto has been caught repeatedly advertising glyphosate-based Roundup products as safe and nontoxic without adequate substantiation, Attorney General Letitia James determined in an investigation that started three years ago. “Once again, Monsanto and the company’s current owner, Bayer, made false and misleading claims about the safety of their products, but we will not allow them to get away with endangering our environment,” James said in a statement. READ the rest of the article -- link in our bio linktree. #NewYork #Roundup #glyphosate #herbicide #weedkiller #cancer #FalseAdvertising #environment #health #healthy #holistic #holistichealth #gmofreecanada #gmofreeusa #toxinfreeusa

Tell our government to stop bullying Mexico for rejecting GMO corn. Sign to support Mexico's RIGHT to SAY NO to GMO corn: LINK in our bio linktree. The Nebraska Farm Bureau represents corporate agribusiness and the GMO/chemical corporations, and are supporting our government's push to punish Mexico for trying to protect its people and environment from GMO corn. NFB President Mark McHargue had this to say: "Nebraska Farm Bureau thanks the Biden administration for pursuing formal proceedings through United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) against Mexico’s proposed ban on Genetically Modified White Corn. This is an important first step to preserve the addition of a biotechnology title in USMCA, one of the largest wins for agriculture negotiated by President Trump and approved by Congress. As a leading producer of white corn, Nebraska farmers are at great risk if Mexico’s planned ban on bioengineered white corn and glyphosate is allowed to proceed in 2024. It is also important to note that a vast majority (more than 90 percent) of the corn grown in the U.S. is genetically modified to resist drought, herbicides, and pests and increase yields..." McHargue is correct in saying that over 90% of corn grown in the U.S. is GMO, and that it's engineered to tolerate the spraying of toxic herbicides and contains toxic insecticide within the corn itself. But he's lying about drought tolerance and increased yields. There is no such thing as corn that is engineered to be drought-tolerant. Any drought-tolerance trait that a plant contains is conferred by the non-GMO parent, not by genetic engineering. Increased yields is also a myth perpetuated by the industry and their allies. Even the pro-GMO USDA admitted that there have been no yield increases due to the adoption of GMO corn. The only increases from growing GMO corn is the amount of toxic pesticides present in the corn when you eat it and increases in the amount of bees and pollinators that die from the pollution emanating from these toxic GMO fields. #Mexico #GMO #corn #maize #import #farmers #farming #agriculture #seeds #food #health #holistic #holistichealth #gmofreecanada #gmofreeusa #toxinfreeusa

Californians, help pass Bill AB-418 to ban five toxic chemicals commonly found in U.S. candies and other processed foods -- link in our bio linktree. Red Dye No. 3 — found in gummies, ice cream cones, frostings, toaster pastries and more — is under fire in California, where lawmakers have introduced a first-of-its-kind bill that would ban the synthetic food coloring, along with four other potentially harmful chemicals frequently found in processed foods. If the bill passes, items like fruit cups, chewy candies, Skittles and Peeps would no longer be able to be sold in the state. The bill is being applauded by some parents who say red food dye No. 3 has already been banned from their own households. One is father of three Matt Parks, who tells Yahoo Life that he and his wife try to do their best to keep their children from having red dye No. 3. "We very strictly limit the amount of red dye that our kids have," he says, noting that they're especially cautious with their younger daughter. "We have noticed that when she has red food dye, her ability to regulate emotions becomes impaired," he says. "She's very easily agitated and upset — far more than normal. It's gotten to the point where even she notices the change." Parks says he has ADHD and notices that, when he has products with red dye No. 3, he feels more irritable and agitated. "It's not a cause of those symptoms, but it does seem to be a trigger," he says. If passed, Assembly Bill 418 would ban red dye No. 3, titanium dioxide, potassium bromate, brominated vegetable oil and propylparaben from the manufacturing, distribution or sale of foods in California. READ the article "Parents say their kids become more ‘hyperactive’ and ‘agitated’ after eating foods with red dye No. 3. Why experts say to avoid the food coloring" -- link in our bio linktree. #RedDye3 #RedDyeNo3 #dyes #TitaniumDioxide #Skittles #Peeps #gummies #candy #JunkFood #California #AB418 #food #holistic #holistichealth #gmofreecanada #gmofreeusa #toxinfreeusa

Researchers at the University of California say environmental claims made by lab-grown meat producers are not what they're cracked up to be. The new study found that the global warming potential for animal cell-based meat ranged from 246kg to 1,508kg of CO2 equivalent per kilogram, which is four to 25 times greater than the average for conventional beef. "Proponents of animal cell-based meat have hailed it as an environmental solution that addresses many of the environmental impacts associated with traditional meat production... Upon examination of this highly engineered system, animal cell-based meat production appears to be resource intensive when examined from the cradle to production gate perspective for the scenarios and assumptions utilized in our analyses." Looks like Bill Gates and his ilk are once again pulling the wool over the eyes of the world. READ the article -- link in our bio linktree. #LabGrownMeat #CellBasedMeat #SiliconValley #meat #beef #cow #climate #CarbonFootprint #ClimateChange #environment #food #gmofreecanada #gmofreeusa #toxinfreeusa

Let's stop the deception -- link in our bio linktree. If you’re like us, you look for and value a number of labels on food, including the "Product of USA" or "Made in the USA" label. So you may be as shocked as we were to discover that those labels don’t mean what they should mean. Under current regulations, meat, poultry, and egg products from animals born and raised in another country, can be labeled as "Product of USA" as long as they were reprocessed in the United States. Literally, a company could import ground beef, take it out of whatever it was shipped in, repackage it, and then slap a "Product of USA" sticker on it. Misleading? It sure is. But the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) didn’t care. Until recently. The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), an agency within the USDA, is responsible for ensuring that meat, poultry and egg products are safe, wholesome and properly labeled, and is responsible for the regulation of the voluntary "Product of USA" and "Made in the USA" labels. After receiving petitions from certain groups, including the American Grassfed Association, and doing a general population survey that showed a majority of Americans expected "Product of USA" to mean products derived from animals born, raised, slaughtered, and processed in the United States, FSIS is proposing to amend its regulations for these voluntary label claims. Under the proposed provisions, "Product of USA" and "Made in the USA" may be displayed on labels of FSIS-regulated products ONLY IF the product is derived from animals born, raised, slaughtered, and processed in the United States. Don’t allow the corporate lobby to shut down this much needed change to food transparency and labeling in the U.S. Submit your comment in support of the proposed regulation changes, telling FSIS to implement the proposed rule immediately. Use the pre-written comment or edit it to make it your own. The public comment period ends at 11:59PM Eastern Time, June 11, 2023. Don’t delay. #MadeInTheUSA #ProductOfUSA #meat #beef #poultry #chicken #eggs #food #USDA #FSIS #FoodLabels #FoodTransparency #TruthInLabeling #gmofreecanada #gmofreeusa #toxinfreeusa

Study: Researchers at the University of Vienna have discovered particles of plastic in mice’s brains just two hours after the mice ingested drinking water containing plastic. Microplastics and nanoplastics have previously been found in human blood, breast milk, lungs and placentas. Researchers found that nanoplastic particles – which are under 0.001 millimeters and invisible to the naked eye – were able to travel into the mice’s brains via a previously unknown biological “transport mechanism.” The plastics are absorbed into cholesterol molecules on the brain membrane surface. Thus stowed away in their little lipid packages, they cross the blood-brain barrier – a wall of blood vessels and tissue that functions to protect the brain from toxins and other harmful substances. Once in the brain, “Plastic particles could increase the risk of inflammation, neurological disorders or even neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s,” said Lukas Kenner, one of the researchers. One study showed water in plastic bottles can contain several hundred to many thousands of plastic particles. Another study found that baby bottles made with polypropylene plastic shed millions of particles, which babies are ingesting. A plastic cup filled with hot coffee or tea can release trillions of particles. That's not all. It's now known that plastics can leach the hundreds to thousands of toxic chemicals from which they're made. Need we say more? Ditch the plastic. Don't eat or drink from plastic containers. READ the whole article -- link in our bio linktree. #plastic #microplastics #nanoplastics #brain #water #food #bottles #PlasticPollution #pollution #toxins #health #holistic #holistichealth #gmofreecanada #gmofreeusa #toxinfreeusa

Scientists spell out the dangers of unexpected toxins and allergens in gene-edited plants: Dr Antoniou is among the 27 signatories to a statement published in 2019 by the European Network of Scientists for Social and Environmental Responsibility, which says, "Current genetic modification techniques – including gene editing and gene silencing – are not sufficiently specific to introduce only the intended molecular changes. Unexpected molecular changes could result in the production of novel toxins and allergens or unpredictable impacts on other organisms and ecosystems." And a peer-reviewed article stated, "Similar to genomic irregularities in GMOs produced by first-generation genetic engineering technologies, unintended effects in genome-edited crops could lead to a variety of unexpected effects. For example, the functioning of a particular (non-target) gene may be compromised if its component DNA has been cleaved by the nuclease. This could lead to changes in the organisms’ biochemistry, including its metabolic and protein profile which, in turn, could affect its toxicity and allergenicity. As this could impact food, feed and environmental safety, any genome-edited organism would need to be screened genome-wide for genetic irregularities. Such effects that are detected would need to be evaluated for their potential consequences prior to any deliberate release to the environment (including field trials) and placing on the market as food or feed." Boycott GMOs. Don't be a lab rat. READ the article "Gene-edited crops: The threat to health" -- link in our bio linktree. #GeneEditing #GMO #food #crops #plants #animals #allergens #toxins #health #holistic #holistichealth #gmofreecanada #gmofreeusa #toxinfreeusa

Study: Unintended Effects Found in Genetically Modified Soybean Include Increased Levels of Allergens. A recent study proposes a more advanced and thorough means to evaluate potential changes to the compositional profile of genetically modified (GM) crops, in order assess unintended effects with potential food safety implications. Using advanced molecular "omics" profiling techniques that can assess global changes to levels of RNA, protein and metabolites in a plant, the study on a GM soybean revealed a range of unintended changes in compositional profile, including increased levels of allergens and 70 proteins that were differentially expressed compared to the conventional counterpart. The scientists concluded that these changes have potential biological significance, with alteration to several metabolic pathways (related to protein synthesis and processing). Moreover, the allergenicity analysis identified 43 proteins with allergenic potential being differentially expressed in the GM soybean variety. With growing scientific evidence of the health and environmental harms of GM soy, we don’t believe it's fit for human or animal consumption. Especially the Impossible Burger, which is primarily genetically engineered soy and contains a novel GM soy ingredient never before in the human food supply -- GM heme -- which makes the burger "bleed" like cows’ meat. Sadly, we should all be spending more time reading ingredient labels. For healthy, plant-based options, make a salad with organic whole vegetables. Or a minimally processed vegan burger made with legumes, mushrooms, quinoa or other organic plant-based ingredients... And here's another GMO soy fact: Impossible Burgers are not good for the environment. GMO soy cultivation is largely responsible for the deforestation of the Amazon Rainforest. The pesticide-dependent crop is also linked to massive health harms to communities near the toxic soy farms. READ the rest of the article – link in our bio linktree. #GMO #soy #soybeans #food #allergens #proteins #environment #ImpossibleFoods #ImpossibleBurger #deforestation #pesticides #omics #health #holistic #holistichealth #gmofreecanada #gmofreeusa #toxinfreeusa

Prince Charles was a strong supporter of organic farming. But things have changed now that he's king. Julian Rose, an early pioneer of UK organic farming, writes: "In one of the more shocking hypocrisies of this year so far, Charles III, King of England – considered to be a strong supporter of organic farming and environmental causes – has given his Royal Assent to a biotechnology ‘innovation’ which will provide an open book for UK firms to alter the genome of animals and plants, so as to create novel engineered species and biotech ‘foods’. In taking this step Charles has committed an open act of betrayal of all bona fide farmers, and particularly of organic farmers... This piece of legislation will, for the time being, be unique to the UK, as such animal and plant biotech deformations are not allowed in the EU and many other countries. A secondary deception relates to the marketing of such novel recombinant DNA experiments. The UK government has stated that no separate definition will be given to gene technology engineered products, therefore no special labelling will be required." READ the rest of the article -- link in our bio linktree. #KingCharles #England #UK #EU #organic #farmers #farming #agriculture #GMO #GeneEditing #food #gmofreecanada #gmofreeusa #toxinfreeusa