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Murashige, Laura
From: Courtney Bruch [usmaui @hotmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, December 06, 2011 1:26 PM
To: counciltestimony @co.hawaii.hi.us
Cc: cohmayor @co.hawaii.hi.us; dyagong @co.hawaii.hi.us; dikeda @co.hawaii.hi.us;
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Subject: Organ Disruption Consumption GMOS Communication 480 - Adoption of 2012 HSAC
legislative package- labeling of GMOs
Attachments: How Biotech Corporations and GMO Crops are Threatening the Environment and Humankind
Alike.pdf
Item: Communication 480 - Adoption of 2012 HSAC legislative package- labeling of GMOs
Date: December 7th, 2011
By: Courtney Bruch (Ph:808- 283 -6837)
Esteemed Council Members of Hawaii /Big Island,
Please include the attached document concerning Organ Disruption and GMO ConsurnptioNn
my written testimony in support of the GMO labeling bill. °(--)
c=)
n
I Strongly support the labeling of CMOs. ,--+
1, ---)---<
Thank you for your consideration, 2
Courtney Bruch
12/7/2011
Comm. No. 1490. /
Ref. To:
Ref. Date DEC 7 2011
How Biotech Corporations and GMO Crops are
Threatening the Environment and Humankind Alike
http: / /natu ralsociety.com/ how - biotech - corporations- and -gmo- crops- are - threatening -the-
environment- and - humankind - alike/
Anthony Gucciardi
NaturalSociety
November 6, 2011
Through the mass genetic modification of nature via GMO crops, animals,
biopesticides, and the mutated insects that are created as a result, mega
biotechnology corporations are threatening the overall genetic integrity of the
environment as well as all of humankind.
As the production and consumption of GMO crops continue to soar, it is
becoming increasingly apparent that consumers worldwide are unknowingly
participating as 'test subjects' in a massive experiment on the long -term effects of
GMO crops and ingredients.
In fact, nearly 93% of US soybeans are genetically modified in order to resist
powerful weed - killers that were found to be killing the actual soybeans as well as
the weeds. So it turns out that the weedkiller was actually strong enough to kill
the soybeans, yet it is considered safe for consumption. After the genetic
alteration, these powerful weed - killers now simply drench the genetically
modified soybeans.
angers of GMO Crops, Biopesticides, and the
t of Mutation
Besides the weed - killers, GMO crops themselves are also endangering your
health even without pesticides. Shockingly, a review of 19 studies announced
that consumption of GMO corn or soybeans may lead to significant organ
disruptions in rats and mice — particularly in the liver and kidneys. The
researchers also mentioned that GMO soybean and corn varieties contribute to
"83% of the commercialized GMOs" that you may currently be consuming if you
purchase conventional produce.
Following current trends, genetically modified food products will makeup the
majority of the future food supply if a change is not made. Statistics show how
GMO crops and ingredients have skyrocketed in even the past few years.
Rapid growth in adoption of genetically engineered crops continues in the U.S.
Percent of acres
100
HT soybeans o ❑ ❑ ❑�
o °
40—
20
0
Bt cc=
Bt cottor
0
❑
0
HT cotton
0
H i corn
0
❑ - ❑
r
0 70
- 63
1`JLJb 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Data for each crop category, include varieties with both HT and Bt (stacked) traits.
Sources 1996 -1999 data are from Fernandez- Cornejo and McBride (2002). Data for 2000-10 are
availaboe in the ERS data product. Adoption of Genetically Engineered Crops in the U.S., tables 1.3.
Of course organ disruption is not the only side effect of GMO consumption, or
even the most startling. The threat to nature, your body, and the entire
ecosystem is what is the most concerning. Genetically modified mosquitoes,
funded by the owner of 500,000 Monsanto shares Bill Gates, were recently
unleashed into the environment to freely interact with regular insects. Of course
the release was toted as an amazing method of combating the growth of the
mosquito population and the subsequent spread of disease.
The study involved about 19,000 genetically modified mosquitoes which were
released in the Grand Cayman Islands over a 25 -acre area for four weeks.
In addition to the genetically modified mosquitoes, other insects have actually
developed mutations in response to Bt exposure — a toxin used in GMO crops
as a biopesticide. As many as 8 populations of insects have developed
resistance as a result, with 2 populations resistant to Bt sprays and at least 6
species resistant to Bt crops as a whole. So not only are the crops causing
mutations, but as a result biotech scientists are now even further modifying Bt to
be even more potent. In tests, however, the insects still were able to mutate and
resist the disease.
Just as the scientists did not expect the insects to mutate to the point of complete
immunity, there may be many other consequences as a result of GMO crops and
biopesticides. And for what?
The very same study also took time to mention how alternative and sustainable
forms of organic farming should be utilized. The study concludes that:
Alternative organic, sustainable methods of farming provide a realistic alternative,
independent of reliance on agrobiotech corporations.
This is why nations around the world are banning and uprooting GMO crop fields,
thereby putting an end to the genetic manipulation of the planet before the
proverbial roots of genetically modified creations dig too deep. Hungary has led
the charge, destroying 1000 acres of maize found to have been grown
with genetically modified seeds. Peru has also passed a monumental 10 -year
ban on GMO foods.
Through spreading information and speaking out, GMO crops and biopesticides
are being phased out and even banned in some countries. Even small amounts
of activism can result in major geopolitical change.