The case, Organic Seed Growers & Trade Association, et al. v. Monsanto, was filed in federal district court in Manhattan on March 29, 2011, on behalf of 60 family farmers, seed businesses and organic agricultural organizations, challenging Monsanto’s patents on genetically modified seed. On June 1, 2011, they amplified the OSGATA v. Monsanto complaint by bringing on an additional 23 Plaintiffs to bring the total to 83. Their plaintiff group now represents over 300,000 members.
Jim Gerritsen, President of OSGATA said, "Today is Independence Day for America. Today we are seeking protection from the Court and putting Monsanto on notice. Monsanto’s threats and abuse of family farmers stops here. Monsanto’s genetic contamination of organic seed and organic crops ends now. Americans have the right to choice in the marketplace – to decide what kind of food they will feed their families – and we are taking this action on their behalf to protect that right to choose. Organic farmers have the right to raise our organic crops for our families and our customers on our farms without the threat of invasion by Monsanto’s genetic contamination and without harassment by a reckless polluter. Beginning today, America asserts her right to justice and pure food.”
You can read more about it here
You can help support them in their effort by going to seedalliance.org where you can purchase all your organic seed from these companies. Additionally you can join the OSGTA here. Joining them will make them stronger.
Other things you can do.
• Plant an organic garden if you don't already have one. It is thought that 80% of non-organic products sold in stores contain GM food. (Much of this is the prepared foods.) Most non-organic corn, soy, sugar from sugar beets, canola oil is GM. So, grow your own.
• Buy only organic seeds and ask your stores to carry organic seeds. Monsanto is trying to control the world wide seed market. By supporting organic seed growers at seedalliance.org we are stopping them from getting
• Support the California initiative to label GMO's. Learn more here.
• Support the Federal Labeling petition: This week, Sen. Barbara Boxer and Rep. Peter DeFazio began circulating a letter asking their fellow legislators to join them in writing the FDA in support of the Just Label It petition. This "Dear Colleague" letter reads, in part:
"Opponents of providing consumers this basic right to information will argue that it would only confuse consumers, be costly, or imply that the products are unsafe. Yet, the FDA requires the labeling of over 3,000 ingredients, additives, and processes. Providing basic information doesn't confuse the public, it empowers them to make choices. Without labeling, consumers will continue to be deceived by current labeling practices. For example nearly 80% of processed foods on supermarket shelves contain GE ingredients, many marketed with labels such as 'all natural' or 'natural'."
Please write your Senators and Member of Congress, asking them to join Boxer and DeFazio here.
"Opponents of providing consumers this basic right to information will argue that it would only confuse consumers, be costly, or imply that the products are unsafe. Yet, the FDA requires the labeling of over 3,000 ingredients, additives, and processes. Providing basic information doesn't confuse the public, it empowers them to make choices. Without labeling, consumers will continue to be deceived by current labeling practices. For example nearly 80% of processed foods on supermarket shelves contain GE ingredients, many marketed with labels such as 'all natural' or 'natural'."
Please write your Senators and Member of Congress, asking them to join Boxer and DeFazio here.
Some websites for GMO information
This site is a register of GMO environmental contamination around the world http://www.gmcontaminationregister.org/
Where you can find out what products are guaranteed non-GMO http://www.nongmoproject.org
For excellent general information on GMO's go to http://www.responsibletechnology.org/ as well as
http://www.seedsofdeception.com/Public/Home/index.cfm
To follow the court case against Monsanto http://www.osgata.org/http://www.osgata.org/
To stay up on GMO's and General Food issues: http://www.organicconsumers.org/
