World-News

http://www.organicconsumers.org/2006/article_1344.cfm

Organic Consumers Association launches, 'Millions Against Monsanto' grassroots activism campaign By Mike Adams NewsTarget.com /Truth Publishing LLC, July 27 2006 Straight to the Source

The Organic Consumers Association (OCA) recently launched a grassroots campaign "to mobilize one million consumers to end Monsanto's global corporate terrorism." The "Millions Against Monsanto" campaign website says it seeks to end the Monsanto Corporation's intimidation of small family farmers, its use of unlabeled genetically engineered (GE) foods in consumer products and its use of U.S. taxpayer money to subsidize GE crops such as corn, cotton and soybeans.

The OCA website for Millions Against Monsanto cites the experiences of small farmers such as Percy Schmeiser, a Canadian farmer whose crops were contaminated by a nearby field of Monsanto GE canola. Schmeiser was then sued by the corporation, which demanded he pay an expensive technology fee for the GE plants in his contaminated field.

Oakhurst Dairy -- a company that produces milk from cows free of the synthetic hormone rBGH -- was also sued by Monsanto, which claims the dairy should not be allowed to inform its customers that its products do not contain the Monsanto-patented chemical.

The campaign also calls for an end to Monsanto's environmental pollution, as well as the company's close ties to members of the federal government, which include Justice Clarence Thomas, former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Anne Veneman and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, among others.

Consumers wishing to join the OCA action campaign can find more information at http://www.organicconsumers.org/action.htm

One of the major arguments in favor of growing GM crops has been undermined by a study showing that the benefits are short-lived because farmers quickly resort to spraying their fields with harmful pesticides.

http://www.truthout.org/issues_06/072706EB.shtml

Nach einer Langzeituntersuchung in China reduziert Bt-Baumwolle nur kurzfristig die Pestizidmengen, weil sich andere Schädlinge als die mit den genveränderten Pflanzen bekämpften Baumwollkapselbohrer vermehren.

http://www.telepolis.de/tp/r4/artikel/23/23204/1.html

TIP OF THE WEEK: Would you like to have the tools and insights to help drive genetically engineered foods off the market? Recently, the Genetic Engineering Action Network published the "The Local Organizing Toolkit" which is a compilation of materials that can help individuals organize local grassroots groups and carry out winnable, strategic campaigns. The Local Organizing Toolkit consists of eight chapters: Develop a Local Group, Develop a Campaign Plan, Get Media Coverage, Local Fundraising and Special Events, Local Resolutions, rBGH-Free Dairies, GM-Free Schools, and GE-Free Farmers Markets.

Download the kit online at no cost: http://www.geaction.org/new.html

"In experiments with mice, neonatal exposure to a phytoestrogen in soy, genistein, altered mammary gland growth and development at all doses examined. Morphological features were altered, and hormone receptor levels were changed. Progesterone receptor and estrogen receptor beta increased, while ER alpha receptors decreased." [from EHN]


Endocrinology. http://endo.endojournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/en.2006-0389v1

Neonatal Exposure to the Phytoestrogen Genistein Alters Mammary Gland Growth and Developmental Programming of Hormone Receptor Levels

Elizabeth Padilla-Banks, Wendy N. Jefferson, and Retha R. Newbold*

Developmental Endocrinology and Endocrine Disruptor Section, Laboratory of Molecular Toxicology, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences NIH / DHHS, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: newbold1@niehs.nih.gov.

Developmental effects of genistein (Gen) on the mammary gland were investigated using outbred female CD-1 mice treated neonatally on days 1-5 by subcutaneous injections at doses of 0.5, 5 or 50 mg/kg/day. Examination of mammary gland whole mounts (#4) before puberty (4 weeks) revealed no morphological differences in development following Gen treatment. However, mice treated with Gen-50 had stunted development characterized by less branching at 5 weeks and decreased numbers of terminal end buds (TEBs) at 5 and 6 weeks. Conversely, at 6 weeks, Gen-0.5 treated mice exhibited advanced development with increased ductal elongation compared with controls. Measurements of hormone receptor levels showed increased levels of progesterone receptor (PR) protein and estrogen receptor (ER) {beta} mRNA in Gen-0.5 treated mice compared with controls; ER{alpha} expression was decreased following all doses of Gen treatment. Lactation ability, measured by pup weight gain and survival, was not affected following neonatal Gen-0.5 and Gen-5. Mice treated with Gen-50 did not deliver live pups; therefore, lactation ability could not be determined. Evaluation of mammary glands in aged mice (9 months) showed no differences between Gen-0.5 treated mice and controls but mice treated with Gen-5 and Gen-50 exhibited altered morphology including reduced lobular alveolar development, dilated ducts and focal areas of "beaded" ducts lined with hyperplastic ductal epithelium. In summary, neonatal Gen exposure altered mammary gland growth and development as well as hormone receptor levels at all doses examined; higher doses of Gen led to permanent long-lasting morphological changes.


Informant: binstock

25.07.06

Mehr als 30 Umwelt-, Verbraucher-, Bio- und Bauernverbände rufen zu Protesten gegen die Pläne der Großen Koalition zur Änderung des Gentechnikgesetzes auf. Die Verbände befürchten "die flächendeckende gentechnische Verunreinigung der gesamten Landwirtschaft". Mit Tausenden gelben Luftballons soll deshalb im September in Berlin der Schriftzug "Genfood - Nein Danke" gebildet werden. Die Verbände rufen Bürgerinnen und Bürger dazu auf, unter der Internet-Adresse www.gentechnik-stoppen.de Protestballons zu bestellen und Bundestagsabgeordneten E-Mails zu senden. Anlass für die Aktion sei die Ankündigung der Bundesregierung, nach der Sommerpause das deutsche Gentechnikgesetz verändern zu wollen. So sollten Gentechnik-Produzenten künftig nur noch dann haften, wenn die Ernte von Nachbarfeldern zu mehr als 0,9 Prozent gentechnisch verunreinigt werde.

Die ganze Nachricht im Internet: http://www.ngo-online.de/ganze_nachricht.php?Nr=14083

Hunderte alter Weizensorten werden dort im Freien vermehrt. Eine gentechnische Verunreinigung von Teilen dieses Menschheitserbes durch Pollenflug oder Verschleppung durch Tiere wäre ein unersetzlicher Verlust für zukünftige Züchtungsbemühungen. Denn alte Sorten enthalten vielfach Resistenzen gegen verschiedene Krankheiten und klimatische Bedingungen wie Trockenheit oder Salz. Experten bezeichnen sie daher als „Lebensversicherung der Menschheit“. Wenden auch Sie ein! Einwenden kann jede(r), ein Wohnsitz in der Nähe von Gatersleben ist nicht Voraussetzung.

Weitere Infos: http://www.umweltinstitut.org/genweizen