Monsanto, rBGH, RR corn, and Crop Shares

I have heard of Monsanto before, it is hard not to come across it when looking into food allergies and eating local and organic.  Today however, as I searched the internet about hot dogs and possible allergens, I came across more articles condemning Monsanto and its genetical modified organisms.  

First, let me explain, Monsanto is a biotech corporation, a huge multinational one at that.  It is the company that owns Round-Up as well as the company that developed Agent Orange and a host of pesticides and plastics.  It made the move from chemical company to agricultural biotech company slowly.  In the 1990s it developed a vaccine that helped increase milk production in cows (now knows and r-BGH- recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone) and also genetically modified corn, soy and cotton.   What is amazing is how little we know about this and how infiltrated these items are in our foods.

I won't go into huge details, partly because it is above my science for non-science major course work, and partly because you can google and find all of the specifics just like I did.  Essentially, Monsanto has altered mostly corn, soy and cotton seeds in one of two ways.  Either they are considered Round-Up Ready (RR), meaning that they can withstand being sprayed by round-up, or they have been modified with a virus that attacks and paralyses the gut of the insects trying to eat any part of it.  If you think I am exaggerating, look it up for yourself!  Doctors associated with Allergykids.com argue that the increase in Asthma, Allergies, Autism and ADHD is directly correlated to the abundance of these GM foods in our diet.  

For example, the incidence of Milk Protein Allergy has increased so much that in 10 years (coinciding nicely with the introduction of r-BGH) it has become the #1 food allergen.  Also breast and prostate cancer rates have risen; I saw statistics that 1 in 8 women will have breast cancer...  the cows that are vaccinated with r-BGH have shown increase in infertility, birth defects, fetal loss on top of cases of Mastitis that led to greater use of antibiotics.

The correlation between antibiotics and intestinal issues is well established.  But intestinal issues and autoimmune disorders (most of which involve the gut) have also risen in recent years.  According to one site www.rhinebeckhealth.com/rhc/4-a%disorders.php, over the past two decades, Autism has increased 1500%, ADHD 400%, Asthma 300% and allergies 400%.

Most of these disorders are immune related and 70% of our immune system is associated with our intestinal tract. Consuming corn (or soy) that has been modified with a virus that causes gut paralysis in insects seems like it would lead to the increase gut disorders that we and our children are facing today. Most people have never heard of this, nor of Monsanto; it is not news headline material. Actually, two Fox News reporters where fired when they wanted to disclose all of this information.  Not knowing much about the case, I can only presume that Monsanto threatened Fox with a libel suit.

In any case, if there ever was an argument to eat more organically, locally grown foods, this is it! Aside from being obviously better and more sustainable for our planet, of course.  But if you think it will be easy just buying organic corn tortilla chips, think about all of the things that have high fructose corn syrup in them.  Even before this, I thought I was being good about avoiding it. We've made our own ketchup and chicken nuggets.... but neglected to make our own mayonnaise.  I can make mayonnaise, but fresh mayonnaise does not keep since it uses raw eggs.  So I have just bought hellman's or Krafts or Miracle Whip for sandwiches... one more thing to buy organic!

As for buying more locally grown foods, we are going to buy a crop share this year.  A few people I know have been doing this around here and it is great.  You can buy either 1/2 or a full share for somewhere between $250-$650 and you get fresh produce (and sometimes more, such as eggs) every week. They are usually organic or using organic practices and getting certification.  The eggs are usually free range and have not had antibiotics or hormones.  In the northeast they run from June through the end of October. Sometimes, you can also help at the farm and the cost of the share goes down.  You can check out localharvest.com and look for CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture).  They also list all of the farmers markets that are available in your area.  This way, you reduce your carbon footprint; the tomatoes or turnips or strawberries you eat have only traveled the distance from the farm to your house rather than from Chile or California. If you think your kids won't eat parsnips or turnips, think again. Claire likes them and so does Emma (AKA the child that lived off baby rice cereal, oatmeal and alphatots for months).  Caroline loved the pasta sauce I made with swiss chard. 

Of all the things I would buy organic, corn and corn products would be at the top, along with milk and meat. I don't buy soy, since Emma is so intolerant to it. And most soy milks are organic anyway. Usually, I try to buy all my fruits and vegetables as well.  Sometimes this is not possible, and it is expensive.  However, I find that we eat more healthy proportions when we think about the cost of food, which has benefited our waist lines as well!  We'll save on the number of "diets" and medicines we will take in the long run.