Thanks to giant biotech and chemical companies, Glyphosate and pesticides like atrazine are raining down on us
According to a research by US Geological Survey, pesticides and agrochemicals have ended up in our air and rain samples and glyphosate pollution continues to rise in Mississippi River.
Also a recent study published in the journal of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry has released data comparing pesticide content in rain samples of Mississippi between the year 1995 and 2007.
According to researchers, in 1995, seven different pesticides were found in more than 50% of rain samples, and in 2007, five pesticides were found in more than 50% of rain samples. The 2007 samples contained glyphosate (the main ingredient in Roundup), metolachlor, propanil, atrazine, and gyphosate’s derivative, AMPA and glyphosate was found in more than 75% of rain samples.
Biotech industry is taking us into a more herbicide and pesticide dependent agriculture when they’ve always promised the opposite:
In fact, the use of glyphosate has jumped from 11,000 tons in 1992 to 88,000 tons in 2007 and by 2007, the use of glyphosate has jumped to over 90,000 tons.
Recently, Charles Benbrook’s report published in the peer-reviewed Journal Environmental Science questioned the affectivity of Monsanto’s herbicide and insect tolerant crops. According to Benbrook’s report, since the introduction of GMOs (over the last 16 years), the use of herbicides have increased by 527 million pounds. At the same time, since introduction of GMOs, sales of glyphosate have skyrocketed, making up for 46% of Monsanto’s income.
The recent reports also show that Monsanto’s best selling herbicide Roundup has been losing its full affectivity to combat superweeds that are widely spreading across the country. As a result, Monsanto and the chemical company, Dow have shared their technologies to create a new round of GE crops that are resistant to the main ingredient in Agent Orange called 2,4-D (a toxic chemical that was used during Vietnam war against the Vietnamese civilians). “SmartStax corn” known by many as “Agent Orange Corn”, is currently sitting in USDA queue waiting for approval: http://www.seattleorganicrestaurants.com/vegan-whole-food/usda-moves-forward-with-approval-of-agent-orange-corn-soy-resistant-to-toxic-herbicide-2-4-D.php
Study shows Monsanto's top selling herbicide is now found in U.S. Mothers’ Breast Milk:
It wasn’t long ago that Monsanto’s toxic BT toxin was found in blood of 93% of pregnant women & their unborn fetuses. Now, for the first time ever, glyphosate herbicide is in the breast milk of many women in America. The shocking results of the study show that glyphosate levels are building up in the bodies of many women in US, over a period of time.
Moms Across America Founder and Director, Zen Honeycutt says “When I was told by several doctors and labs that I could not test my own or my children’s urine for the most widely used herbicide in the world over a year ago, I became determined to find a way. Parents and citizens deserve the ability to be able to take care of themselves and their families by finding out if herbicides could be impacting their health. The purpose of this glyphosate testing project is to shed light upon the presence of glyphosate in our water, children’s bodies and mother’s breast milk, hopefully inspiring further scientific studies to support the world in being a healthy, safe place to live”: http://sustainablepulse.com/2014/04/06/worlds-number-1-herbicide-discovered-u-s-mothers-breast-milk/#.U0N_Y1f_T6c
Glyphosate found in rain and air samples continue to poison millions of people while making Monsanto’s shareholders richer:
Another study published in 2011 by University of Minnesota’s School of Public Health, showed that rain samples had about 2.5 micrograms per liter of glyphosate content.
“The concentrations of glyphosate ranged from <0.01 to 9.1 ng/m(3) and from <0.1 to 2.5 microg/L in air and rain samples, respectively. The frequency of detection and median and maximum concentrations of glyphosate in air were similar or greater to those of the other high-use herbicides observed in the Mississippi River basin, whereas its concentration in rain was greater than the other herbicides. It is not known what percentage of the applied glyphosate is introduced into the air, but it was estimated that up to 0.7% of application is removed from the air in rainfall” researchers say.
Health and environmental dangers of Glyphosate: since 1994, the use of glyphosate has increased by 1,500 percent:
Many independent studies and research have warned about health and environmental problems of glyphosate. According to studies, Monsanto’s GMO Bt corn and glyphosate are toxic to the entire ecosystem affecting the population of birds, fish and useful soil microorganism. They are also responsible for killing millions of lady bugs, Monarch and bees: http://seattleorganicrestaurants.com/vegan-whole-food/gmo-roundup-bt-toxin-are-destroying-our-health-killing-birds-bees-lady-bugs-butterflies.php
Other studies have also linked Roundup to a wide range of diseases including allergies, fatal kidney disease, organ toxicity, cancer, birth defects, gastrointestinal problems, thyroid problems, cardiovascular disease, autism, increase in deadly fungal toxin, diabetes, and infertility.
Disturbingly, in U.S. alone, homeowners and farmers use about 100 million pounds of Roundup herbicide every year. From 1994 to 2005, the use of glyphosate has increased by 1,500 percent.
Studies have also shown that both levels of glyphosate and formaldehyde in GM corn are toxic. In fact, the US Environmental Protection Agency requires that the level of glyphosate in drinking water not to exceed 0.7 ppm and animals have had organ damages if their exposure to glyphosate has exceeded 0.1 ppm. However, the US water levels have 7,000 more glyphosate than the amount allowed for animal organ damage.
Sources:
http://www.gmwatch.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=13631
http://www.realnatural.org/pesticides-are-raining-down-on-us-led-by-glyphosate-and-atrazine/
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24549493
