North Carolina almost became USA state number 15 to pass a law PRE-EMPTING any regulation or law banning the planting of genetically altered crops. Danger of cross-pollination and/or genetic pollution of organic or time-tested crops is not to be questioned in the 14 states falling victim to these so-called Monsanto Laws, as the media sleeps. . . .

North Carolina almost became state number 15 to succumb to the Monsanto Law virus sweeping the nation,
unbeknownst to most media people and USA citizens.
14 states so far have passed legislation or regulations pre-empting any laws BANNING the planting of genetically altered crops. In other words, the banning laws have been deemed illegal. Which goes for current or future laws.
California is the next, and main target, of the Gene Giant companies producing our genetically altered corn and soybeans and cotton and canola – –
and why not biopharm algae in the waters of Hawaii!
Watch for that to happen.

Reason for the bannings in the first place: the pollen from the genetically altered experimental crops can drift and cross-pollinate with organic crops, or crops in your backyard and wreak havoc. Genetically altered potatoes, for example, were found to damage immune systems and cause possibly pre-cancerous hyper-growth of absorptive cells in the intestines of the rats upon whom the crops were tested, in the first non-industry funded study. That was suddenly discontinued in Scotland when such results were attempted to be divulged to the public.
Also, these same tested rats were found to have smaller brains, testicles, and livers than the control rats, which were fed the un-altered parent line of the very same potatoes.

As a result, disapproval from companies like McDonald?s led to the disappearance of NewLeaf potatoes from commercialdom in the year 2001.

Meanwhile, back in the number two state for hogs,
where swine outnumber people 10 million to 8 million, mission almost had been accomplished. Both houses of North Carolina’s state Congress did pass a pre-empting bill, but it apparently failed in committee. So, as the Cubs of Chicago say, better luck next year. But it still is a threat to occur there, where Jesse Helms used to rule. And Illinois and Missouri will be the main states that the Gene Giants expect to manipulate victory in for 2005-2006 state sessions.

The usual deception was been deployed in the North Carolina battle, claiming genetically altered crops decrease the use of pesticide, and they will feed the hungry of the world. Both of these facts are inaccurate.
Re pesticide use, see the article wherein it is stated:

“A new report from Dr. Charles Benbrook, director of
the Northwest Science and Environmental Policy Center, Idaho, concludes that the 550 million acres of GM corn, soybeans and
cotton planted in the US since 1996 has increased pesticide use (herbicides and insecticides) by about 50 million pounds.”

See:
http://www.i-sis.org.uk/GMCIPU.php

And hark to what Steve Smith has said:
Mr. Smith, Director of biotech corporation Novartis [now Syngenta], admitted in 2000 that ” If anyone tells you that GM is going to feed the world, tell them that it is not. To feed the world takes political and financial will”
ref. #24 Robt Vint, “Force Feeding The World” 23 Aug 02

Many farmers in India, for example, have committed suicide due to the decreased yields of the genetically altered crops sold to them that underperformed, driving them into bankruptcy.
Africa rejects the push by countries like the USA to
make them take genetically altered crops and seeds.
They even have made the following statement:

“[We] strongly object that the image of the poor and hungry from our countries is being used by giant multinational corporations to push a technology that is neither safe, environmentally friendly, nor economically beneficial to us. . .we think it will destroy the diversity, the local knowledge and the sustainable agricultural systems that our farmers have developed for millennia, and that it will thus undermine our capacity to feed ourselves.”

More of this story is available at
http://www.ukabc.org/forcefeeding.htm

Furthermore, from the same article:

In the Philippines in April 2000 the nation’s main
farmers union, the KMP, protested about USAID
dumping unsellable GM [Genetically Modified/Altered]
food on the country via the World Food Program. Rafael Mariano, chair of the KMP, condemned the deal, saying
“The US Department of Agriculture does not conceal
the true objectives of the program. It shamelessly describes the ‘Food for Peace’ as a “concessional sales program to promote exports of US agricultural commodities””

South Africa’s Biowatch joined in the protests,
stating “Africa is treated as the dustbin of the world. To donate untested food and seed to Africa is not an act of kindness but an attempt to lure Africa
into further dependence on foreign aid.”

Getting the picture??

From the article on the North Carolina passage by
News Observer staff writer Kristin Collins
available at
http://www.newsobserver.com for Aug 13, 2005:

“Farmers, who pay the companies for the rights to use the patented seeds, say the mutant crops make farming easier and more efficient and cut down on the use of pesticides and herbicides. Ninety-five percent of cotton, 87 percent of soybeans and 52 percent of corn grown in North Carolina this year are genetically modified, according to the [State] Department of Agriculture.”

Which farmers these “farmers” are is another question.

North Carolina numbers are similar to the numbers for the rest of the USA, which are: 78% of cotton, 85% of soybeans, 45% of corn are of the genetically altered kine.

Be aware, according to Ms. Collins:

“In California, several counties have held referendums on whether to ban the [genetically altered] plants locally. Three have been successful. In Vermont, more than 80 local governments have passed resolutions barring them. And in Maine, one town has passed a resolution, and others are considering similar action.”

What companies like Monsanto and Syngenta do is “engineer” their altered crops to fit their pesticide, like Monsanto does for its toxic glyphosphate, so they can sell more of
both the pesticide, and the crop.

However, note this, as reported by organicconsumers.org:

“Two new peer-reviewed scientific studies have further confirmed the toxicity of glyphosate, the world’s most commonly used herbicide. The June 2005 scientific journal “Environmental Health Perspectives” reports that glyphosate,
sold by Monsanto under the brand name “Roundup,”
damages human placental cells at exposure levels ten times less than what the company claims is safe. A study in the August journal Ecological Applications found that even when applied at concentrations that are one-third of the
maximum concentrations typically found in waterways, Roundup still killed up to 71 percent of tadpoles in the study. Similar glyphosate studies around the world have been equally alarming.

The American Academy of Family Physicians epidemiological research has now linked exposure to the herbicide with increased risk of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a life-threatening cancer, while a Canadian study has linked glyphosate exposure with increased risk for miscarriage. A 2002 study linked glyphosate exposure with increased incidence of attention deficit disorder in children.
Despite these studies, Monsanto continues to advertise Roundup, sprayed heavily on 140 million acres of genetically engineered crops across the world, as one of the “safest” pesticides on the market. Learn more & take action:”

via >> http://www.organicconsumers.org/monlink.html

“In Argentina, one of the big five countries producing
genetically altered crops, so much Round-
Up has been sprayed on the soil, “the bacteria
needed for breaking down inert vegetable matter”
are “being wiped out…dead weeds did not rot.”
Denmark has officially banned Round-Up/
glyphosphate effective September 2003. Reports
show that “the toxic chemical is not breaking down
in the soil and, as a result, is polluting their water
at a level that is five times what is considered safe
for the environment and human health.”

Perhaps there will be better ideas and better science
in the future, when Monsanto and DuPont
humble their arrogance slightly. Meanwhile, what
other reason can these companies muster to continue to push a concept like having Bacillus thuringiesis (Bt) produce its toxin in “all commercialized genetically engineered insecticidal plants.”

Organic farmers have used Bt in very limited
amounts for decades to ward off pests like moths
and nematodes. Seizing upon the power of Bt,
why not use/insert Bt into every plant we make? conclude the genetic alterers. Who cares about the
organic farmers, and what they normally do?

Entomologists warned that Bt crops exuded
“10-20 times the amount of toxins contained in
conventional (non-GE) Bt sprays,” and that they
“are harming beneficial insects and soil microorganisms,” plus “may likely be harming insect-eating bird populations.”
Copyright 2005 Conrad Miller M.D.

from “The Most Important Issues Americans THINK They Know Enough About”

Democracy be damned!
Where is our media?

And if you are missing the boat on so-called
“biopharming” where genetically altered crops
are used to harbor and produce new drugs in
open fields, rather than in securely enclosed edifices – think of all the possible complications here, from eating your
rice that was cross-pollinated by the experimental genetically altered kind, harboring a drug you may be allergic to, or react adversely to – get this, even out in Hawaii, re the attempt to use inadequately secured algae to harbor “unapproved experimental drugs.”

“The genetically engineered strains of algae have never been introduced anywhere outside the laboratory. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has never approved a pharmaceutical substance produced by the GE [Genetically Engineered/Altered] algae for human consumption, nor are their effects on humans and the environment known.
The algae used in the experiments, Chlamydomonas, is a common microorganism that exists in water, soil, even snowfields, can be transported in the air, and can survive a variety of harsh conditions in a dormant stage. Native strains of Chlamydomonas are known to exist in Hawaii, which experts say are unique to these islands. This raises concerns of the biopharm algae not only spreading on its own, but also crossing with the native strains.

Mera Pharmaceutical seeks to manufacture
large quantities of the biopharm algae for experimental purposes outdoors, in large plastic containers called “photobioreactors” at the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority, a state-owned technology park on the Kailua-Kona coast on the island of Hawaii. Such large-scale,
outdoor production compounds the risks of escape
and contamination of the surrounding environment.

“Islands are fragile ecosystems. We’ve seen salvinia molesta on Lake Wilson, coqui frogs on the Big Island, and invasive algae along the shores of Maui and Waikiki. We do not want to see something like that happen on the Kona
coastline. It is imperative that environmental review be done,” said Karen Eoff, President of Kohanaiki Ohana.

“Algae have been the building blocks of life on Earth for 3 billion years,” said Jeff Mikulina, Director of the Sierra Club. “Surely we can spend a few extra months ensuring that genetically altering algae won’t have unintended consequences.”

from
http://www.organicconsumers.org/ge/biopharm080305.cfm

All this mad science is what is actually happening right now!
It is not science fiction from Ray Bradbury.
Something has to be done.
Call your media station and inform them about it.
Also, listen in on Friday August 26, 2005 from 3:30 to 4:00 P.M. EST on the Chuck Harder show when I, Dr. Conrad Miller, appear on his show to discuss this issue and others of importance. The show is available on the internet via:

http://www.talkstarradio.com/

Hit the “listen now” phrase, and if you have windows media player or real player or another adaptive program, you can listen live, even if you don’t live near Tampa, Florida
where the show originates from.

Check the information and the referenced map on
this website [http://www.crestofthewave.com]
concerning the Monsanto Laws so you can have
some background information on this issue in your mind, in case you miss a bit of Dr. Miller’s appearance. And/or you can go to:

http://www.organicconsumers.org/ge-free.htm