GMOs are tearing a tropical paradise apart (anti-GMO fight on the Hawaiian island of Kauai)

[ChicagoRonin]

http://www.salon.com/2013/09/04/a_battle_in_paradise_how_gmos_are_tearing_a_tropical_utopia_apart/

WEDNESDAY, SEP 4, 2013 11:13 AM CDT
GMOs are tearing a tropical paradise apart

As a suspected cancer cluster invades Hawaii, residents are torn between GMO jobs and the health of the people
BY ADAM SKOLNICK

If you’ve read about GMOs before, you may have heard that 88 percent of corn and 94 percent of soy grown in the U.S. is genetically modified, that the FDA has approved genetically modified (GM) crops for consumption, and there has never been a universally accepted study that has found GM food to be unsafe. What’s more, here in Hawaii, proponents argue that GM seed saved the big island’s papaya growers, and has the potential to bolster Florida’s citrus industry.

Opponents, though, call it Frankenfood and mention that the long-term effect of eating it has never been studied. They emphasize dubious industry ties between the FDA and that notorious GMO bogeyman, Monsanto. But Monsanto doesn’t operate on Kauai. DuPont Pioneer, Dow, Syngenta and BASF do, and all of them are heavily invested in GM agriculture globally.

. . . According to state pesticide records, 18 tons of 22 Restricted Use Pesticides (RUPs – pesticides that require special permits) are sprayed each year on Kauai. The American Cancer Society and American Academy of Pediatrics have linked 15 of those to cancer in recent studies. Factor in the general use variety, and 63 different pesticide compounds are sprayed in the island’s cornfields annually, and nobody knows exactly how that cocktail may impact the land and surrounding communities . . .

[truedelphi]

1. Even if Hawai'i was free of GM crops, I wouldn't visit the islands.

The aldehydes in RoundUp make me sick, physically affecting me.

And the islands are blasted continually with RoundUp (Aerial spraying, one excuse was to prevent marijuana crops from being grown.)

Thank you for this informative article. Activists continually pressure Monsanto, which is good of course. But there are many other companies that are betting on the GM crops, and they need to be hassled out of existence as well.

[marions ghost]

6. aerial Roundup--

God! Remind me not to go to Hawaii.

GMO foods

[ChicagoRonin]

8. Actually, please go . . .

One of the weapons locals are trying to use against Big Ag is that the draw of the islands is nature. Therefore, if folks are going to enjoy the natural splendor, it raises the issue that it shouldn't be spoiled (Avoid staying at those over-priced hotel chains though; there's plenty of options if you look around).

[marions ghost]

9. Well they might have to get the message from a fall off in tourism

if the PTB there are continuing to allow the aerial spraying of roundup. Looks like the University of Hawaii is trying to get some info out there:

http://www2.hawaii.edu/~defrenk/pdflecturenotes/HORT_481_Lab_HANDOUTS/herbicide_labels_proj1/Roundup%20Ultra%2010%2012%2001.PDF

[russspeakeasy]

2. Anytime Monsanto is in the lead.......

you know it is not good news (for consumers).

[Berlum]

3. The GMO mutant experiments on plants, animals and people are wreaking havoc

with the natural order everywhere around the globe. A freaking major mess.

[truedelphi]

5. One of the top reasons to be very very afraid of GM crops is

This one: the technology for how to go about planting the inserted gene into the recipient plant was formulated way back in the mid 1990's (if not before.)

Back then, the DNA researchers were just finishing their assembly of what DNA looked like. And they had decided that some 50% (or more!) of the DNA material was simply "junk." That meant they did not believe that those massive sections of the DNA had any purpose at all.

They came to find out about ten years later that the section that they first thought to be "junk" was actually the instruction part of the material. But they never went back and revised the way that the insertion of the gene-characteristic-to-be added was to be formulated.

[Berlum]

7. Interesting point

[truedelphi]

10. Also,

[font color=red]I really like your sig line![/font color=red]

[KittyWampus]

4. I am against GMO's that involve roundup. I am leaning towards supporting orange that has spinach dna

and rice that has carrot dna.