Haiti faces food crisis and cholera in wake of Hurricane Sandy

In the wake of the havoc caused by the super storm on Haiti, only now is the extent of the devastation making itself known. Haitians face severe food shortages and the threat of cholera.

While the UN is warning that the flooding caused by Hurricane Sandy is leading to unsanitary conditions, threatening a sharp increase in cases of cholera, aid workers are concerned that the extensive crop damage will lead to increases in food prices and shortages.

Haiti has already reported the highest deaths from Sandy, with 52 lives claimed by swollen rivers and landslides... read more.

Op-Ed: Does 'No on 37' campaign back their spokesman’s extreme views?

On Monday, the Yes on 37 campaign called on opponents to Proposition 37 to clarify whether they share the extreme and dubious scientific views of their spokesman, Dr. Henry I. Miller.

Miller is a researcher at the right-wing Hoover Institute and is featured as the spokesperson in TV ads currently blanketing California, for the "No on 37" campaign. These TV ads have appeared countless times on television, to millions of Californians, with Miller arguing that Proposition 37 is "illogical"... read more.

South African consumers win GM labelling victory

The African Centre for Biosafety reports that South African consumers have just won a hard-earned victory, regarding the labelling of genetically modified (GM) foods.

GM crops have been grown in South Africa since 1999. However most consumers are largely unaware that their staple food, maize (or corn), has been genetically modified. GM soya and cotton are also grown in South Africa, and a significant amount of foodstuffs on the supermarket shelves now contain GM components or ingredients... read more.  

Review: The film 'Genetic Roulette' — gambling with our lives on GMOs

Jeffrey M. Smith of the Institute of Responsible Technology has brought out another excellent film on the dangers of genetically modified food.

Digital Journal reported on the Jeffrey M. Smith movie, "The GMO Threat", in August on this year.

Smith's latest film, "Genetic Roulette", features interviews with patients, doctors, and parents. It explains how consuming genetically modified food can lead to numerous health implications, including diabetes, cancer, heart attacks, allergies, autism, asthma, premature aging, autoimmune disease, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, infertility and other reproductive disorders.... read more and watch preview.

'No on 37' — False advertising on the radio, against GMO labeling

The "No on 37" campaign against labeling of GMO products has been advertising on the radio. This advertising is littered with falsehoods, and "Yes on 37" offer the facts.

Proposition 37 comes up for voting in California in November this year and is intended to make it mandatory to label products that contain GMOs or genetically modified products. The "No on 37" campaign is pushing big money from Monsanto and "Big Pesticide", in an attempt to stop this from happening.

This week the "No to 37" campaign is running radio adverts, which consist mainly of falsehoods. California Right to Know wish to point out these falsehoods, and tell consumers the truth.. read more.

Spanish fieldworkers union 'expropriates' food for the poor

On Tuesday, 200 members of the Andalusian fieldworkers' union, in a example of sheer civil disobedience, went to two supermarkets, filled up shopping carts, and left without paying. They then donated the food to the poor.

As austerity measures cut deeper into the lives of the Spanish people, drastic measures are being taken.

Now it is not just the 15m Indignados initiating civil disobedience, other members of the population have had enough too... read more.

AMA is considering labels on genetically engineered food

The American Medical Association is now considering the labeling of products that contain genetically modified or engineered foods.

While Monsanto continues to emphasize that there is no difference between traditional and genetically modified organisms, and while most medical organizations currently believe this, things are about to hopefully change.

The American Medical Association (AMA) might soon support the labeling of GMOs through federal legislation or regulation.

Hoping to accelerate the process towards direct labeling of GMOs, the Illinois State Medical Society and the Indiana State Medical Association have both introduced resolutions to the AMA on this subject. These resolutions urge the AMA to back labeling initiatives, such as Right to Know... read full article.

Video: Dr. Vandana Shiva talks on genetically modified food

A lot of controversy is floating around about Monsanto and its genetically modified seeds and crops and pesticides. For those who wish to learn more, Dr. Vandana Shiva is an expert on the subject.

With a bachelors degree in physics, Dr. Vandana Shiva started Navdanya International 20 years ago.

When she discovered that global corporations, such as Monsanto, wanted to patent seeds, crops and life forms, she started the organisation in an effort to protect biodiversity, to promote organic farming and also to defend the rights of farmers.

She has been involved in creating markets for farmers and in promoting healthy, high quality and tasty food for consumers, by connecting the seed to the kitchen, and biodiversity to gastronomy.... read more and view video.