Peru Bans Monsanto & GMOs:"Once We Have Contamination, There Is No Going Back"

[Divernan]

http://www.foodrenegade.com/peru-bans-monsanto-gmos/
The victory is a long time coming.

The decree banning GMO foods was drafted in 2008. It not only bans GMO crops like Monsanto’s BT-Corn, but also expands on a prior law that required all foods on supermarket shelves that contain GMOs to be labeled. Those GMO containing foods will now be completely banned. After being subjected to public discussion, being amended, and finally passed in the Peruvian congress in April of 2011, the ban is finally going into effect this week.

A study done in April of 2011 by the Peruvian Association of Consumers and Users (ASPEC) tested 13 products purchased in major supermarkets and shops in Lima, Peru. Unsurprisingly, 10 out of 13 tested positive for containing GMOs.

President of ASPEC, Crisólogo Cáceres, comments,

Research by ASPEC confirms something that Peruvians knew all along: GM foods are on the shelves of our markets and wineries, and consumers buy them and take them into their homes to eat without knowing it. Nobody tells us, no one says anything, which involves a clear violation of our right to information.

Why 10 years?
Peruvian scientists believe that the research regarding the safety and effects on GMOs is still in its infancy. They hope that the moratorium will “create the research infrastructure it needs to make better decisions about transgenic crops.”
One of the biggest fears Peruvian farmers have regarding GMOs is the loss of biodiversity. In the scene above, Peruvian farmers in ponchos and chullos chanted outside of the Municipality of Lima. They represented the Parque de la Papa in Cusco, a farming community of 6,000 people who worry that the introduction of GMOs can and will compromise many of the famous native Peruvian species including purple corn, giant white corn, and the potato.http://archive.peruthisweek.com/news/14842

Alejandro Argumedo of the ANDES Association in Cusco says he worries about the physiological effects the introduction of GMOs would have on Peru’s native species. He says Peru has one of the top 10 biodiversities in the world, and it needs to be protected. To combat the crop diseases that Peruvian farmers suffer, he looks to diversification instead of GM seeds.

The people of Parque de la Papa cultivate a variety of potatoes in small plots. By doing so the farmers say they mitigate crop diseases that attack large plantations and secure the survival of varieties that are more resistant to disease or bad weather.

[dipsydoodle]

1. Happy Easter

[polly7]

2. That's awesome.

And good for Peru!!!

[IMG][/IMG]

[MynameisBlarney]

14. HA!

I think I've got that buried my facebook pics page somewhere.

Old American Century used to be a great site, but it's gotten weird the last few years.

[freshwest]

72. Yeah, I had that one somewhere. To hell with Monsanto. Good for Peru.

[UnrepentantLiberal]

7. .

[dixiegrrrrl]

8. Dipsy, that is great pic.

stealing.

[freshwest]

71. Ooh. A fluffy white chimera. Better than this one:

[roody]

3. Good news from Peru!

[sabrina 1]

4. Imagine living in a country where the leaders actually care about the people's

well-being and their farmers?

Imagine a country where money can't buy politicians to the point where they put corporate shills in office and allow big, evil Corporations to write their legislation.

Imagine living in a real democracy where people come first and Corporations are not people with friends in high places.

Maybe one day, when we see the results of letting Corporations run our country, as many Latin Americans have, we will catch up with Latin American countries and start prosecuting war criminals and keep Corporations regulated so they cannot destroy our environment and food supply anymore.

[polly7]

9. I can't imagine it here, either .... but it's nice to dream. nt.

[L0oniX]

16. You're going to be attacked by the usual DU gang of...

O can do no wrong ...and attacking the messenger/any news source not on their list.



Truth over politics.

[timdog44]

25. If you remember me

you know what I think. Hooray for Peru

[sabrina 1]

58. We have to learn to love Monsanto now!

I'm discovering the shocking fact that Bush and the Republicans were right about so many things after all. Were we Liberals just being unfair to them all those years?

Sorry, it's getting to the point I am wondering if I imagined the Bush years when Democrats were opposed to so many Republican policies. Now I'm even learning that many of the defenses they used to defend their awful policies which we were certain were lies back then, were actually the truth after all. Amazing isn't it?

[ReRe]

20. Really....

... just imagine!

[LiberalLoner]

21. +1!!!!!

[byeya]

5. Hoo-effing-ray for Peru!

[Berlum]

6. Nota Bene, so-called Scientific Materialists, Inc.

Once contaminated, no going back...

[SidDithers]

15. *Smirk*...nt

Sid

[whatchamacallit]

10. "The Peruvians are obviously being duped by the GOP"... n/t

[dogknob]

11. No one cares about Peru

No one from Peru ever won on American Idol.

Anyway, isn't Peru the name of that foofy French water?

I hate France.

[WinkyDink]

57. Har-de-har. I never miss Idol; have loved Peru (and S.A.) since 6th grade; and been to France

several times.

[yurbud]

12. great news! When will we have a government that sides with us over monopolies?

[awoke_in_2003]

77. Never. nt

[DallasNE]

13. Contamination Has Already Happened

By the time this 10 year period is done the contamination will be complete. With Monsanto's record, they will probably even sue Peru because of the contamination -- just like they do American farmers. The toothpaste is out of the tube and it can't be put back.

[montex]

17. Monsanto is evil, but...

Conflating Monsanto's corporate business tactics with the science of GMO's doesn't make any sense. Monsanto uses science in many unethical ways, but GMO's themselves are harmless. I'm sad to see the Liberals take anti-science, uncritical, unskeptical and unverified claims again a branch of science that is going to be absolutely necessary to feed the non-stop expansion of human population. If you don't think GMO's should exist, then do something about the population explosion.

And the Frankenfood thing has to stop. That is nothing, absolutely nothing but propaganda. It saddens me to see the Left accept fear of science as a principal in this regard.

[leftyohiolib]

19. isnt it still a little early to be making the gmo's-are-harmless claim

if they are completely safe then label them what's the harm?

[montex]

48. Not against food labels

I'm not at all against labeling food that is genetically modified. The problem is how is the term defined? Humans have been selectively breeding crops for hundreds of years, does that count as GMO? There isn't a single strain of corn that has not seen some degree of GM, should there be a label on every bag of Doritoes? The demand for food labeling quickly devolves into anti-science and fear of science and promoting that fear doesn't make us better. Just dumb.

[roody]

68. Not against labeling, but there is

a problem. Sure. Other countries manage to get around that problem and label GMOs.

[timdog44]

78. There is a distinct

difference in selective breeding and screwing around with DNA. And then not testing it properly.

ANd yes everything should be labeled. Can't help that companies have decided to use poisonous materials.

[timdog44]

26. It saddens me to see

progressives blindly accept the evil corps spread of its dangerous and dubious science.

montex Monsanto and Texas?

[montex]

49. silly Ad Hominem attack

For your information, Montex comes from the two universities I went to in Montana and Texas.

[green for victory]

29. "GMO's themselves are harmless.".... only if you think 5 yrs of testing is "long term"

I guess 5 yrs sounds like a long time when most people are living for next quarter.

and by the way, if something goes wrong and these bio engineered mutant foods end up making people like you sick don't expect people like me to help with a single thing. You wanna play guinea pig? go ahead.

ooohh look! It's a fish that glows! Pretty!

unbelievable.

[Buzz Clik]

31. Let's see. How many people have died so far? How many have been sick? On the other hand...

... how many people avoided starvation by being allowed access to GMO foods?

You don't have a leg to stand on, and wishing for calamity is sick.

[sabrina 1]

33. Yes, that's the argument I always got from the right wingers who supported

Monsanto taking over the world's food supply. Those poor, ignorant starving Africans might get cancer, down the road, but at least we are saving them from starvation.

Maybe you should read WHY they are starving. Maybe you don't know that many of those 'starving' countries have been prevented from farming their own land to make way for Monsanto's seeds and weed killers which have produced giant weeds, taking over many times, small farmers' land.

I wonder how all those poor, starving people all over the world, managed to feed themselves and survive for centuries before Western Empires invaded their lands, and before Monsanto came to the rescue???

And now they are doing the same thing here to OUR farmers. Soon we will be told how, if it wasn't for Monsanto, Americans would be starving also.

Maybe if we left the farmers alone, to do what they've been doing for centuries, we wouldn't need to poison those populations with our genetically altered food.

It's just amazing how the world got this far without Monsanto.

[Buzz Clik]

35. "Maybe you should read WHY they are starving." Read??? How about first hand knowledge.

You won't like this.

In significant areas of Africa, particularly in the north, the people have depended on sorghum for generations as a staple food crop. Not for cattle, as we use it in the US, but for humans. Sorghum is a fantastic crop with low water demand, low nutrient demand, and drought resistance. And then it developed a parasitic weed that tapped directly into the sorghum plants, depleting them and reducing yields to near zero. Some plants were found to be resistant to the weed, and US and African scientists figured out why. They took the genes for that trait for resistance, transferred that trait into sorghum varieties consumed in Africa, and sorghum yields exploded back to previous levels. Starving people -- millions of them -- were not given adequate food.

There you have it. GMOs saved millions of starving people, and their starvation had nothing to do with Monsanto's business practices.

So, despise Monsanto and their predatory ways all you want, but you need to find out more about GMOs.

[timdog44]

36. Truly, very simplistic,

and uninformed as to the truth. I suggest you go and search other sites than those sponsored by Monsanto and big ag, who pat themselves on the back for "feeding the world". Arrogant bastards.

And when people start to die because of their evil ways, it will be too late for you to apologize and back step.

[Buzz Clik]

38. Talk about arrogance and ignorance.

The premise of this subthread is that the science behind GMOs is solid and there is no evidence that these crops are dangerous.

That's it.

I gave you first hand, documentable evidence that GMOs save lives, and you respond with .... NOTHING.

Bring something other than insults, and we'll talk. Otherwise, I'm done here.

[druidity33]

44. links Buzz, to say what you're saying, you need links... nt.

[montex]

52. Now supply the link

So here you've made a claim. Fine. And I'm supposed to take your word for it? Where is the link to the scientifically peer reviewed research showing this causality? Sorry, but unless you use science to prove your claims, it means nothing.

[timdog44]

79. Actually you need to supply the links

to your absurd statements about how Monsanto is saving the world. All you have done is supply words. I supplied links and you out of hand denied them. I see how you work and it is not responsible.

[ReRe]

70. Why are people all over the world....

...saying NO to Monsanto seed then? Maize/corn in Central and South America. Also I remember Africans themselves saying NO..they would rather starve than be forced to eat Monsanto's frankenfoods. Why have thousands of farmers in India committed suicide? They can't even get Monsanto cotton seed to effing grow! After 2-3 years of the expense for the seed and not seeing any yield, they give up totally! Have you ever read or listened to Vandanna Sheeva? Why, the way you talk, there are no more starving people in the world because of Monsanto!

[montex]

51. False Equivalency

GMO science does not equal Monsanto. And again, you make a claim without any evidence to back it up. And, btw how condescending is it to label Africans as being ignorant and starving. I thought that's what right-wingers did.

[sabrina 1]

61. You missed my point completely. I do not label ANYONE as being 'ignorant

and starving'. Monsanto and their supporters do as the commenter to whom I was responding just did. I was disagreeing with that false claim . You completely misread my comment for some reason.

Who else is involved in GMOs, what other reputable Corps and Governments?

[montex]

63. Genetically Modified Organism

Do you understand what GMO means? Any genetic modification of any species, plant or animal, is GMO'd. Your dog and cat are GMO'd. Just about every flower you've ever been given is GMO'd. To pretend that only Monsanto uses genetic modification is incredibly ignorant. Humans have been genetically modifying species for hundreds and thousands of years. You're only suddenly afraid of it because you've been trained by Hollywood movies to be terrorized by monster plants coming to eat you.

[Rex]

80. OMG!

That is about the funniest stuff I've ever read on DU! Nice try at pretending to know, but try again!

[timdog44]

82. I do understand what GMO stands for.

What Monsanto has done is not what Mendel did with peas. I am saying this to help educate you on this. What Monsanto has done is go and take genetic information and changed it in the lab. Not any kind of evolutionary changes. Now the Roundup readiness that they incorporated in this is no longer working and they have no idea how the gene sequencing has affected other attributes. Studies have shown that fields of Roundup ready corn have much fewer life forms in them. This is because they are dying. And now the weeds that Monsanto has attempted to get rid of, have gone through an evolutionary cycle and are no longer susceptible to Roundup. And now Monsanto is attempting to basically make an agent orange ready corn and bean product. You need to go back to school at, what was it, Montana and Texas?, and do some more research.

[montex]

64. Quoting sabrina 1

"Those poor, ignorant starving Africans might get cancer, down the road, but at least we are saving them from starvation."

You are the one who called Africans poor, ignorant and starving. Just to clarify that I didn't make it up.

[montex]

50. Prove your claim

If you're going to claim that GMO crops are dangerous, then fine - pony up the evidence. But the default position cannot be fear. I refuse to lead a fear driven life. Show me the harm that GMO crops have caused to people eating GMO foods and we can discuss it. But to sit back and say there is not enough evidence for safety, which isn't true btw, is silly.

[Buzz Clik]

30. +1

The level of hysteria over this at DU is boggling. It rivals the right wing's approach to global warming.

[sabrina 1]

34. Yes, it matches the level of 'hysteria' in Europe and other civilized nations who

have banned certain genetically altered foods also. I guess they are all just being influenced by Republican operatives. Imagine all those countries, and now thankfully, Latin American nations, caring about what people eat. Imagine Europeans hysterically demanding that Monsanto label its products so they know what they are eating.

We here in the US are so superior to all these morons around the world. Who needs to regulate Giant Corporations? We Americans know they would never do anything to cause harm to farmers or anyone else.

No wonder Monsanto doesn't want to label its products, that's for people in countries who are not tough enough to eat food without knowing where it came from or what is in it.

[Buzz Clik]

40. European countries were quick to ban pesticides that were supposedly killing bees...

... but were not. Now that the bad players have been identified, the EU is not acting.

You'll forgive me if I don't hold up Europe as a role model for anyone to follow.

[sabrina 1]

45. I do forgive you, I expected nothing less from you. But you'll have to forgive me

if I don't support evil, corrupt Corporations like Monsanto and respect countries who protect their citizenry from them and their farmers from their invasions.

Europe believes that citizens in free nations have the right NOT to allow their governments to hide information from them that they are entitled to. Iow, they treat their citizens like adults.

I am an adult and I don't appreciate or trust a government that is helping an infamous Corporation like Monsanto hide information I am entitled to have.

[Buzz Clik]

46. The most remarkable thing about these discussions...

... is that no matter how much I say that I abhor Monsanto's business practices and that I only defend the science behind GMOs, I am always condemned for support Monsanto's business practices.

Why do you suppose that is true?

I do not expect you to speak for everyone who does that, but I would like to know why you do it.

[sabrina 1]

47. Do you support the science of GMOs being in the hands of an unethical

immoral Corporation? They have a monopoly on the world's food sources. They are not trustworthy as they have shown over and over again. They get to monopolize the market by buying politicians. If there is a need to study the science of GMOs then it should be in the hands of reputable people and strictly regulated so that profit doesn't became the primary motif for the production of GMOs.

I would be thrilled if that Corporation were disbanded tomorrow and taken over by people who have some ethics, preferably considering the stakes, people's lives, overseen by several Government agencies who would keep the public informed about they are doing.

[montex]

54. Profit pays for scientific research

Sorry to break it to you, but we live in a capitalistic society. Without those corporate profits science doesn't get done. I agree that Monsanto is a corporation that is out of control but that has more to do with how rich donors game our political system for their advantage. But you want to blame the science that may be the only thing that is currently preventing massive famine outbreaks throughout the world. This is why we have to get the money out of politics.

[sabrina 1]

65. We live in a predatory capitalistic world which has totally failed and destroyed

the world's economies.

Capitalism in the US is nothing more than Corporate Welfare. True Capitalism does not bail out those who fail because of crime and corruption.

And what Corporate Profits are you talking about? If we the people did not continually bail them out, most of them would fail. That is OUR money you are talking about. Tax dollars, trillions of it, given to them to prop them up, and they gamble it away on Wall St.

If we stopped funding these criminals we would have the money to spend on the American people instead of a bunch of criminals who belong in jail.

Science belongs in labs not under the control of crooked, unethical corporations.

[montex]

55. PCBs are banned in the USA

But they are not in some South American countries. Have you had some green seedless grapes from Chile? If so I have some bad news for you...

[montex]

53. Too much sarcasm

Honestly, I can't tell what you're trying to say from all the sarcasm dripping off your post.

[sabrina 1]

66. Welcome to DU. Good, it isn't meant for everyone. If it was meant for you

you'd get it.

[timdog44]

37. The level of people who back this filth here on a progressive site

is what is truly boggling.

[Buzz Clik]

39. Please elaborate. Exactly what is the "level"?

[timdog44]

41. I thought you gone.

The level I am talking of is the level of uninformed people who swallow the propaganda of big pharma and Monsanto. You are very glib, but I see through you and I am sure many others do also. I suggest you apply to Monsanto, if not already employed there. The products they make are poison and do not target what they claim to. There is much documentation to that. Just do some targeted research and report back.

[Buzz Clik]

42. Yeah.

I presented first hand knowledge of the utility of GMOs, and you bring zilch.

Whatever. And, yes, you and I are done here.

[montex]

56. Your claim - your burden of proof

See, you don't get to make claims and then tell me to disprove it. Doesn't work that way. You have the burden of proof. And it's not like we're asking a lot. Just a simple link to an unbiased, scientifically researched source that shows a causal relationship between GMOs and harm to people who consume them. Telling me to do your research for you is silly.

[leftyohiolib]

18. good thing we voted potus back into office b/c president romney would have let monsanto

have what ever it wanted.

[ReRe]

22. Respectfully...

...you must be living under a rock. Have you been away for a week or so? PO has done allot of great things, but on this particular issue it looks like he is going along to get along with Monsanto. I seem to remember a post in the past week naming several previously Monsanto-employed individuals that he has appointed to his cabinet, not to mention the bill he signed last week, which carried the
"Monsanto can get-away-with-murder" clause in it.

[montex]

59. You're reacting to hype

President Obama signed legislation that favors Monsanto and the food industry. But that is not proof that GMOs are harmful. President Obama can sign a million pieces of paper, but that doesn't mean eating GMO corn will cause you to grow a 3rd eye.

[ReRe]

69. Maybe you look at the privatization (patenting) of the world's food supply as "hype,"...

... but I don't. Maybe you look at livestock becoming ill or dropping dead when they are forced to eat GMO feed "hype," but I don't. Maybe you think it's "hype" when swine and cattle turn their nose up to GMO feed when given the choice of GMO and non-GMO feed, but I don't. Maybe you think it's hype that that "Monsanto Appreciation Act" was attached to a funding bill that PO could not veto, that it was not a coincidence, but I don't. Did you even READ that Monsanto legislation? Why would that legislation even be necessary, if there wasn't something horribly wrong/dangerous about their GMO foods? Why won't Monsanto label GMO foods? What is it hiding?

You make it sound like I am against PO. That whatever he does, I am against it. Not true. You are using very immature trite nanny-pooh-pooh false equivalencies. Not a good idea on DU. Anyway, you enjoy your stay!

[840high]

23. Oh yes.

[valerief]

24. Isn't Peru where Dubya bought property? I'm sure he doesn't want to eat contaminated food. nt

[timdog44]

27. Actually

it was Paraguay. Right near an American base and a neighbor on Sun Yung Moon.

[valerief]

28. Ah, thanks for the correction. All I remembered was P and South America. nt

[freshwest]

73. Yeah, I remember that. I think the deal fell through - but then the leftist government fell, too.

And tglobal corporate farming with corn for ethanol may have gotten in, too, although I think some of the other countries had more problems with it.

What is happening in parts of Latin America is horrific and doesn't appear to be slowing down. All the efforts to change the rape of the native peoples and environment seem to be just whitewashing.

Peru itself may also be falling under global mining firms. Was it not the country with the native people trying to fight back against that?

I hate Monsanto and believe we have the right to know what's in our food and have a choice like they do in other countries. That should be a given.

See you later, friend.

[timdog44]

75. Thank you

for the support. It amazes me the number of people who blindly accept that the food they eat and the medications they take are safe just because government linked corporatists tell us it is safe.

The food industry has many ways of presenting different foods with there additives with different labeling "terms" to hide what is really in them, or not in them. The complaint of increased cost of labeling as GMO is a fallacy. I keep going back to the "if it is so safe and good for you, say that is what is in it, in plain terms".

And using good crop land to raise plants for fuel is a sin, if global starvation is really a serious matter. Good, old fashioned, natural farming methods have proven to be as or more productive than GM farming. Although I don't call it farming anymore.

The big pharma people seem to think they have Latin America and South America all lined up, and India too, so Africa is the next target for their poisons and monopoly.

[timdog44]

32. I find it sad

that the government of the USA does not protect us from GMO/GE foods. Most of the world's enlightened countries have banned or put a moratorium on the spread of Monsanto's products. Studies have shown that in fields where these are planted the diversity of animals and insects plummets. Might be two unrelated things, but enough to stop the planting and spread of same. And the fact that Monsanto can hold a patent on life is a sin. They are as bad as the Scientology movement in their litigious manner, to which most of the people being sued have not the resources to stand up to the lawsuit.

[montex]

60. You're all over the place

Why not blame Monsanto for bad weather while you're at it? It would make as much sense.

[timdog44]

76. Let's see, how can I say this

I don't care who you think you are, I don't side with stupid.

[timdog44]

43. A couple sites to look at regarding GMO, Monsanto, and the unholy alliance with Gates and his ilk.

Last edited Mon Apr 1, 2013, 06:35 PM - Edit history (2)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/eric-holt-gimenez/monsanto-in-gates-clothin_b_696182.html

http://www.ucsusa.org/food_and_agriculture/

http://www.ijbs.com/v05p0706.htm

http://www.comcom.govt.nz/assets/Imported-from-old-site/TheCommission/MediaCentre/MediaReleases/ContentFiles/Documents/comcom-reportonanimalsexposedtogmingredientsinanimalfeed.pdf

[montex]

62. first two are biased, third discredited, fourth too long to read

I'm not going to address the firs two links since they are obviously biased.

The French studied has been widely panned by researchers all over the world. I'm just surprised it took this long for one of you to find it.

The last one I'm not going to bother with because it includes unscientific propaganda in the back pages in the form of photocopied fliers that would never appear in a scientific journal. Can't imagine what they were thinking with that in New Zealand.

[timdog44]

74. You dismiss, out of hand,

the first two because "you" have determined them biased, who are so biased it reeks.

Again, with the French study, you do the same.

And the same with the last. If you don't want to look at facts and studies by outside sources, other than those sponsored by Monsanto and big pharma, I certainly can not make you. And I am not going to search for other articles, of which there are many, just to have you dismiss them as if you know what you talk about.

We are being poisoned and you seem not to care. Sad. Enjoy your GMO and suffer the consequences.

[lunasun]

67. I recently picked up in my hand a food product from mainland China in an Asian

market . In english and I assume chinese,couldn't read that part ..but in english it let me know on the side of the package that it contained GMO foods.
So they have GMO labeling in communist China.
So they are not banned there obviously but labeled for the consumer.

It will not be banned here-too many fans of cheap crappy food -but at least label it for all consumers

Also in other countries that has not caused a great expense or rise in prices
Here? Who knows how they will profit from labeling but I am guessing they will

The growing demand for labeling that identifies GMOs lost the California referendum but will be on the ballot later this year in the state of Washington. Oregon is possible soon also.
Whole Foods gave the Just Label It campaign, justlabelit.org, a boost by announcing that by 2018 all products in their stores must identify on the label any genetically modified ingredients

I hope the US govmnt/MIC leaves non-RW S.A. countries alone for many reasons but these kind of actions anger their corp.masters.
The United States was threatening nations in Europe who opposed Monsanto’s genetically modified crops with military-style trade wars, according to information obtained and released by Wikileaks last year

[mainer]

81. Peru is the birthplace of the potato

and the Incas always planted a variety of potatoes on their hillside plots. They never believed in monocultures.

I'm glad they're sticking to their agricultural wisdom.