Changes

[[Monsanto]] partially funds the anti-organic [[Center for Global Food Issues]], a project of the right-wing [[Hudson Institute]] (1). <ref name="consumer alert profile"/> It is run by [[Dennis Avery]] <ref name="GMW">GMWatch, [https://web.archive.org/web/20060823053352/http://www.gmwatch.org/profile1.asp?PrId=15&amp;page=AProfiles: Dennis T. Avery] , archived by the Wayback Machine August 23, 2006.</ref><ref>GMWatch, [https://web.archive.org/web/20070911060515/http://www.gmwatch.org/p2temp2.asp?aid=48&page=1&op=1Dennis Avery: Big Daddy of E.co-Lie] , archived by the Wayback Machine September 11, 2007.</ref> and his son [[Alex Avery]]. Here find This article contains information on the latest on HudsonInstitute's anti-environmental and pro-biotech spinmeister [[Michael Fumento]], and his secretly taking money (at least $60,000) from Monsanto. See also <ref>James Joyner, "[http://mediatransparencywww.orgoutsidethebeltway.com/columnist_michael_fumento_fired_for_monsanto_link/storyColumnist Michael Fumento Fired for Monsanto Link]," blog post, January 13, 2006.php?storyID=105Accessed February 3, 2015.</ref> It is a breakout of the main article on [[Monsanto]].

In 1998 , Dennis Avery wrote an article that began , "'According to recent data compiled by the [[Centers for Disease Control and Prevention|U.S. Centers for Disease Control]] (CDC), people who eat organic and natural foods are eight times as likely as the rest of the population to be attacked by a deadly new strain of E. coli bacteria (0157:H7)'."

However, according to Robert Tauxe, M.D., chief of the food borne and diarrheal diseases branch of the CDC, there is no such data on organic food production in existence at their centers and he says Avery's claims are '"absolutely not true.'" [http://www.gmwatch.org<ref name="GMW"/profile1.asp?PrId=15&page=A]. > Following in his father's steps , Alex Avery distorted a study from the ''Journal of Food Protection '' that showed that organic food does not contain more pathogens than conventionally grown, contrary to Avery's claims.

He instead declared that the study showed the opposite, "According to Francisco Diez-Gonzalez, the report's chief author and faculty member at the University of Minnesota, 'I had a very heated discussion with Alex Avery of the Hudson Institute. They were very dissatisfied with our findings and told me that our interpretations were not "correct"'.... Dr. Diez-Gonzalez is not surprised to learn that the Hudson The Cornucopia Institute, with its long record and described the backing reaction of agribusiness giants like Monsanto and [[DuPont]], is now trying to use a scientist who authored the independently funded, University of Minnesota data to discredit organic farming.study:

Commenting on the :"According to Francisco Diez-Gonzalez study, Alex Avery called eating organic food 'a crap shootthe report' s chief author and warned that potential cases faculty member at the University of diarrheaMinnesota, typhoid fever and Reiter's Syndrome await its consumers. 'This statement is total I had a fabrication and a gross distortion very heated discussion with Alex Avery of the Diez-Gonzalez study,' charged KastelHudson Institute. 'Alex Avery will say anything in his petty little war against organic food They were very dissatisfied with our findings and farmingtold me that our interpretations were not "correct"'" [http://www.newfarm.org/depts/op_ed/0704/cornucovshudson_print.shtml]. For more see [http://wwwDr.gmwatch.org/p2temp2.asp?aid=7&page=1&op=1 ORGANIC ATTACK: INTRODUCTION] Diez-Gonzalez is not surprised to learn that the Hudson Institute, with its long record and the backing of agribusiness giants like Monsanto and [[Trashing organic foodsDuPont]], is now trying to use the independently funded, University of Minnesota data to discredit organic farming.

As far as :"Commenting on the safety Diez-Gonzalez study, Alex Avery called eating organic food 'a crap shoot' and warned that potential cases of diarrhea, typhoid fever and Reiter's Syndrome await its consumers. 'itThis statement is total a fabrication and a gross distortion of the Diez-Gonzalez study,'s owncharged [Mark] Kastel [of the Cornucopia Institute]. 'Alex Avery will say anything in his petty little war against organic food and farming.' produce is concerned however"<ref>Cornucopia Institute, "[http://www.proxyinformationnewfarm.comorg/monissuedepts/op_ed/0704/cornucovshudson_print.html Proxyinformation.comshtml Study Confirms Safety of Organic Food But Agrichemical Front Group Attempts to Twist Findings] says, " ''"Monsanto repeatedly states that [[Genetic engineering|GE]] products are reviewed by regulatory agencies. Understanding these agencies role is central to understanding the issue of liability. The biggest misperception about GE crops is that the [[FDA]] has tested these plants and declared them safe. What the FDA has done is approved GE crop commercialization based on MonsantoNew Farm's ''assurance'' that the products are safe, June 15, 2004.Accessed February 2, 2015... The FDA does no inspection or monitoring for GE food after it is commercialized and is not legally or financially liable for these products."''</ref>

Says the FDA's "Statement of PolicyFor more, see [http: Foods Derived from New Plant Varieties" (GMO Policy), Federal Register, Vol//www. 57, Nogmwatch. 104 (1992), porg/p2temp2. 229" ''Ultimately, it is the food producer who is responsible for assuring safety''". See also asp?aid=7&page=1&op=1 ORGANIC ATTACK: INTRODUCTION] and [[Monsanto and GM Foods: Health RisksTrashing organic foods]].

==GM Crops, Tested for Safety?== Phil Angell, Monsanto's director of corporate communications, told ''The New York Times'' in 1998 that "Monsanto should not have to vouchsafe the safety of biotech food. Our interest is in selling as much of it as possible. Assuring its safety is the F.D.A.'s job."<ref>Michael Pollan, "[http://www.nytimes.com/1998/10/25/magazine/playing-god-in-the-garden.html?pagewanted=all Playing God in the Garden]," ''New York Times Magazine'', October 28, 1998. Accessed February 2, 2015.</ref> Yet another area the FDA's "Statement of Policy: Foods Derived from New Plant Varieties" (GMO Policy) states that food producers "have an obligation under the act to ensure that the foods they offer consumers are safe and in compliance with applicable legal requirements" and that "Ultimately, it is the food producer who is responsible for assuring safety."<ref>Federal Department of Agriculture, [http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/GuidanceDocumentsRegulatoryInformation/Biotechnology/ucm096095.htm Guidance to Industry for Foods Derived from New Plant Varieties]," Federal Register, Vol. 57, No. 104 (1992), accessed February 2, 2015.</ref> The claim that GM food products are regulated for safety, health, and environmental impact has come under criticism.  In a shareholder proposal requesting that Monsanto develop a report on safety testing, a group of alarm Monsanto shareholders stated, "Monsanto repeatedly states that [[Genetic engineering|GE]] products are reviewed by regulatory agencies. Understanding these agencies role is central to understanding the discovery issue of liability. The biggest misperception about GE crops is that agrithe [[FDA]] has tested these plants and declared them safe. What the FDA has done is approved GE crop commercialization based on Monsanto's ''assurance'' that the products are safe.... The FDA does no inspection or monitoring for GE food after it is commercialized and is not legally or financially liable for these products."<ref> " [https://www.organicconsumers.org/old_articles/monsanto/risks.pdf Monsanto Fails to Identify Risks to Investors]," Proxy voting information statement, 2005. Archived by organicconsumers.org, accessed February 2, 2015.</ref> ===Weak Oversight and Regulation of GM Crops=== As described by the Good Jobs First Corporate Research Project, Monsanto has repeatedly exercised political influence to fight regulation and oversight in the US and abroad. Some examples include: "In the late 1990s it got members of the Clinton Administration to lobby against possible European restrictions on GMOs. In Washington it made use of former U.S. Senators Dennis DeConcini and John Chaffee to promote its interests on issues ranging from patents to taxes. And it made frequent use of the revolving door by hiring former federal bureaucrats to joint its army of lobbyists and flacks. Among those were Carol Tucker Foreman, who had served both as assistant secretary of agriculture during the Carter Administration and as executive director of the Consumer Federation of America. Foreman, however, later returned to the CFA and became more critical of Monsanto and other GMO companies."<ref name="mattera rapsheet">Philip Mattera, "[http://www.corp-research.org/monsanto Monsanto: Corporate Rap Sheet], corporate profile, accessed February 2, 2015.</ref> ''The New York Times'' reported in 2001 on Monsanto's influence in Washington, DC.<ref>Kurt Eichenwald, Gina Kolata, and Melody Peterson, "[http://www.nytimes.com/2001/01/25/business giants like /25FOOD.html Biotechnology Food: From the Lab to a Debacle]," ''New York Times'', January 25, 2001. Accessed February 2, 2015.</ref> The company "exerted a great deal of control over the federal regulation of its biotech activities, first pushing for greater oversight in the 1980s as a way to reassure the public of the safety of GMOs and later insisting on weaker rules so that it could get its products to market more quickly."<ref name="mattera rapsheet"/> Agroecologist Dr. Don Lotter wrote in a peer-reviewed article for the ''International Journal of the Sociology of Agriculture and Food'', "The main elements of the regulatory framework [for genetically engineered food] are essentially voluntary. Companies that wish to release a genetically engineered food onto the market decide whether or not to consult with the federal agencies, and decide what scientific data to submit. the FDA does not test the products for safety (Mellon andRissler, 2003). The regulators rely ‘almost exclusively on information provided by the biotech crop developer, and those data are not published in journals or subjected to peer review’ (Friends of the Earth, 2004)." Lotter holds a Ph.D. in agroecology from U.C. Davis.<ref name="lotter">Don Lotter, "[http://www.ijsaf.org/archive/16/1/lotter1.pdf The Genetic Engineering of Food and the Failure of Science – Part 1: The Development of a Flawed Enterprise]," ''IJSAF'', Vol. 16, No. 1, 31-49, 2008. Accessed February 2, 2015.</ref> Lotter also writes: :"Despite the mutation problems with plant transgenics, thorough studies on the toxicology of transgenic foods are few. Domingo surveyed the literature on toxicology studies in a 2007 review article in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, and wrote that it is ‘quite amazing to note’ the paucity of toxicology studies on transgenic foods, and asks ‘where is the scientific evidence showing that GM plants/food are toxicologically safe, as assumed by the biotechnology companies involved in commercial GM foods?’ (Domingo, 2007)."<ref name="lotter"/> :"Commenting on the lack of safety data on transgenic foods in the Journal of Medicinal Food, David Schubert, head of the Cellular neurobiology Laboratory at the Salk Institute in California, wrote in 2008: there are, in fact, no data comparing the food safety profiles of GM versus conventional breeding, and the ubiquitous argument that ‘since there is no evidence that GM products make people sick, they are safe’ is both illogical and false. there are, again, simply no data or even valid assays to support this contention. Without proper epidemiological studies, most types of harm will not be detected, and no such studies have been conducted (Schubert, 2008)."<ref name="lotter"/> Concurring, a landmark three-year collaborative report that deals with agriculture and development from the [http://www.agassessment.org/ International Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology for Development (IAASTD) states, "No regional long-term environmental and health monitoring programs exist to date in the countries with the most concentrated GM crop production ... Hence, long-term data on environmental implications of GM crop production are at best deductive or simply missing and speculative" <ref>International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology for Development (IAASTD), "[http://www.weltagrarbericht.de/reports/Synthesis_Report/Synthesis_45.html Synthesis Report]," April 2008. Accessed February 2, 2015.</ref>. The IAASTD is a project of the World Bank and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. See also [http://www.non-gmoreport.com/articles/dec08/gm_food_safey_testing_inadequate.php Scientist: GM food safety testing is "woefully inadequate"] and [[Monsanto and GM Foods: Health Risks]]. ==Benefits of Organic Food== Numerous studies have demonstrated that rather than being harmful, organic foods may be nutritionally superior to conventionally produced food, as the Soil Association notes.<ref>Soil Association, "[http://www.soilassociation.org/organicisdifferent Organic is Different]," research summary, accessed February 2, 2015.</ref> For example, in 2014 Baranski et al. conducted a meta-analysis of more than 300 peer-reviewed studies and found "statistically significant and meaningful differences in composition between organic and non-organic crops/crop-based foods," including higher concentrations of antioxidants in the organic crops. Conventional crops were four times more likely to have pesticide residue.<ref>Marcin Baranski et al., "[http://journals.cambridge.org/download.php?file=%2FBJN%2FBJN112_05%2FS0007114514001366a.pdf&code=c78797b04cc3a09d9ea5e022a6df2e32 Higher antioxidant and lower cadmium concentrations and lower incidence of pesticide residues in organically grown crops: a systematic literature review and meta-analyses]," ''British Journal of Nutrition'', Vol. 112, 794-811, 2014. Accessed February 2, 2015.</ref> The UK-based Quality Low Input Food (QLIF) study, a major E.U.-funded research project, found nutritional benefits in organically produced food. "Professor Carlo Leifert, the co-ordinator of the €18m four-year project, said: 'We have shown there are quietly aquiring more of certain nutritionally desirable compounds and less of the baddies in organic foods, or improved amounts of the fatty acids you want and health less of those you don't want.'"<ref>Rachel O'Brien, "[http://www.independent.ie/national-news/eu-research--gives-seal-of-approval-to-organic-food-1207072.html EU research gives seal of approval to organic food businesses through "unfriendly takeovers]," ''The Irish Independent'', October 29, 2007. Accessed February 2, 2015.</ref> See also [http://www.organicconsumersagronomy-journal.org/articles/agro/abs/2010/01/a8202/a8202.html Lairon 2010], a review by the French Agency for Food Safety. After a review of 97 studies to date comparing the nutritional differences between conventionally grown and organically grown produce, The Organic Center found that the evidence positively shows organic agriculture is consistently superior in nutritional quality. "Yes, organic plant-based foods are, on average, more nutritious in terms of their nutrient density for compounds validated by this study’s rigorous methodology.... The average serving of organic plant-based food contains about 25% more of the nutrients encompassed in this study than a comparable-sized serving of the same food produced by conventional farming methods," according to its 2008 report.<ref>Charles Benbrook et al, "[http://organic-center.org/Corpreportfiles/mergers5367_Nutrient_Content_SSR_FINAL_V2.cfmpdf New Evidence Confirms the Nutritional Superiority of Plant-Based Organic Foods] ," The Organic Center, organizational report, March 2008. Accessed February 2, 2015.</ref> Whether organic foods can feed the growing world population has also been an area of dispute; however, recent studies suggest organic methods could produce more than enough food. According to ''The New Scientist'', a 2007 University of Michigan study<ref>Catherine Badgley et al., "[http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=1091304&fulltextType=RA&fileId=S1742170507001640 Organic agriculture and the global food supply]," ''Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems'', Vol. 22, No. 2, 86-108, June 2007. Accessed February 2, 2015.</ref> "compiled research from 293 different comparisons into a single study to assess the overall efficiency of the two agricultural systems ... Using data from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, the team then estimated what would happen if farms worldwide were to switch to organic methods today. The world currently produces the equivalent of 2786 calories per person per day. The researchers found that under an organic-only regime, farms could produce between 2641 and 4381 calories per person per day"<ref>Catherine Brahic, "[http://www.holisticmednewscientist.com/gearticle/dn12245-organic-farming-could-feed-the-world.html Organic farming could feed the world]," ''New Scientist'', July 12, 2007. Accessed February 2, 2015.</ref> Additionally, the UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) recently concluded, "These models suggest that organicagriculture has the potential to secure a global food supply, just as conventional agriculture is today, but with reduced environmental impact."<ref>Food and Agriculture Organization, United Nations, "[http://www.fao.org/Newsroom/en/news/2007/1000550/index.htmlMeeting the food security challenge through organic agriculture]," press release, May 3, 2007. Accessed February 2, 2015.</ref> On the other hand, research clearly shows that GM and conventionally produced food contain hazardous residues of herbicides and pesticides. See section [[Monsanto_and_the_Roundup_Ready_Controversy#Herbicide_in_Your_Food|Herbicide in Your Food]].

As an aside, Master Chefs around the world have repeatedly stated their opposition to GM food - examples [http://www.chefscollaborative.org/] [http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/10-12-2002-28070.asp] [http://www.organicconsumers.org/ge/restrntnoge.cfm] [http://biotech.indymedia.org/or/2004/05/2796.shtml] [http://www.greenpeace.org.au/truefood/news2.html?mode=aust&newsid=134] [http://action.web.ca/home/gpc/alerts.shtml?x=8714&AA_EX_Session=53e6708a5ec3ad40a841f274710149a9]. Chefs Rick Bayless, Larry Forgione, Charlie Trotter and Alice Waters joined a campaign in 2000 to require "mandatory FDA labeling and environmental testing of genetically engineered foods." Said Trotter, "I have concerns that this untested technology diminishes the purity and taste of food."<ref>Mike Liguori, "[http://deliciousliving.com/food-and-beverage/chefs-support-ge-labeling Chefs Support GE Labeling]," ''Delicious Living'', September 1, 2000. Accessed February 2, 2015.</ref> An ironic and embarrassing episode occurred in 1999 when ''Monsanto's own chefs'' banned the use of GM food from the company cafeteria at its main offices in Buckinghamshire in the UK.<ref name="kirby">Alex Kirby, "[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/574245.stm Monsanto's caterers ban GM foods]," ''BBC News'', December 22, 1999. Accessed February 2, 2015.</ref> ''The Guardian'' wrote of the incident, "It must be the final insult. Having led the way in promoting genetically modified (GM) food, the food technology giant Monsanto has suffered the indignity of having GM products banned in its own staff canteen by the caterers, who say the move is 'in response to concern raised by our customers."<ref>James Meikle, "[http://www.theguardian.com/science/1999/dec/22/gm.food GM-free canteen for Monsanto staff]," ''The Guardian'', December 22, 1999. Accessed February 2, 2015.</ref> Friends of the Earth obtained a copy of a statement about the decision by Mike Batchelor, quality systems director of the catering company that operated the cafeteria. Batchelor stated, "In response to concern raised by our customers over the use of GMFs [genetically-modified foods], and to comply with government legislation, we have taken the decision to remove, as far as is practicable, GM soya and maize from all food products served in our restaurant."<ref name="kirby"/> The caterers however later 'clarified' the issue by claiming that no one at Monsanto asked for its removal, now citing only labeling laws that came into force at the time [http://216.239.57.104/search?q=cache:2jCrYtXvZ2YJ:www.caterer-online.com/archive/15619.asp+%22Monsanto+staff+didn%27t+ask+for+GM+ban%22&hl=en]. To add to the irony, in 2001 Monsanto became a sponsor of the [[National Restaurant Association]] Educational Foundation's International Food Safety Council, whose stated goal is "heightening the awareness of the importance of food safety education to the restaurant and food service industry." [http://www.nraef.org/headline/headline_33.asp] ==Big Ag's Organic Panic==

Said Chef Charlie TrotterIn an incident strangely reminiscent of television talk show host Oprah Winfrey's now infamous cattle debacle<ref>David Usborne, "I [http://www.independent.co.uk/news/oprah-triumphs-over-the-texas-cattle-ranchers-1147137.html Oprah triumphs over the Texas cattle ranchers]," ''The Independent'', February 27, 1998. Accessed February 3, 2015.</ref> in 2009 First Lady Michelle Obama drew a reaction from industry groups when she revealed a plan to plant an organic garden at the White House with the help of local school children. The [[Mid America CropLife Association]] (MACA), a PR house which represented Monsanto, among other industrial agriculture giants,<ref>Mid America CropLife Association, [https://web.archive.org/web/20090414152633/http://www.maca.org/jobs/ Jobs], organizational website, April 14, 2009. Archived via Internet Wayback Machine, accessed February 3, 2015.</ref>, sent Obama a letter touting the benefits of Big Ag, including the use of pesticides and Genetic Modification. According to La Vida Locavore, they also forwarded the letter to others with the following message::"Did you hear the news? The White House is planning to have concerns that this untested technology diminishes an 'organic' garden on the grounds to provide fresh fruits and vegetables for the Obama's and their guests. While a garden is a great idea, '''the purity thought of it being organic made Janet Braun, CropLife Ambassador Coordinator and I shudder'''. As a result, we sent a letter encouraging them to consider using crop protection products [i.e. pesticides and herbicides] and taste to recognize the importance of foodagriculture to the entire U.S. economy".<ref>Jill Richardson, " [http://www.deliciouslivingmaglavidalocavore.org/diary/1309/ Organic White House Garden Puts Some Conventional Panties in a Twist]," La Vida Locavore, March 28, 2009. Accessed February 5, 2015.</ref> The Daily Show produced a segment on the issue called [http://thedailyshow.cc.com/magazinevideos/3idf3c/indexlittle-crop-of-horrors Little Crop of Horrors.cfm?fuseaction=article&issueID=9&articleID=93].

An ironic and embarrassing episode occurred in 1999 when ''Monsanto's own chefs'' banned the use ==The Inexorable Demise of GM food from the company cafeteria at its main offices in Buckinghamshire in the UK [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/574245.stm], "It must be the final insult. Having led the way in promoting genetically modified (GM) food, the food technology giant Monsanto has suffered the indignity of having GM products banned in its own staff canteen by the caterers, who say the move is 'in response to concern raised by our customers'" [http://www.mindfully.org/GE/Monsanto-Canteen-Bans-GMOs.htm].Organics?==

The referenced articles states that the chefs decided Genetic contamination of genetically modified genes in non-GM crops (see [[Monsanto and Genetic Pollution]]), or "unavoidable" "adventitious presence" as Monsanto calls it,<ref>Monsanto, [http://www.secinfo.com/dsvRm.195e.htm 10-K], SEC filing, August 31, 2004. Accessed February 3, 2015.</ref> is becoming a big issue for organic producers, which are increasingly finding that their food has been contaminated via cross-pollination, thus ruining their businesses <ref>Save Organic Food, "[https://web.archive.org/web/20090126153121/http://saveorganicfood.org/information.php Genetically engineered crops: A threat to organic farmers]," January 26, 2009. Archived on Internet Wayback Machine, accessed February 3, 2015.</ref><ref>David Brough, "[https://web.archive.org/web/20080808112226/http://biotech-info.net/inevitable.html GM presence in seeds inevitable, EU group says]," ''Reuters'', April 6, 2001. Archived by Internet Wayback Machine, accessed February 3, 2015.</ref> "In response 2002, Ontario farmer Alex Nurnberg had tests conducted on his 100-ton harvest of organic corn. Twenty tons were found to concern raised be contaminated by GMOs, which Nurnberg believes were blown by our customers over the use of GMFs wind from the corn on a neighboring farm. 'I was not ready for it. I feel such a wrath about it,' says Nurnberg" [genetically-modified foodshttp://www.saveorganicfood.org/]. "'Coexistence' is a nice term, and to comply but it turns out that coexistence (means) we put up with government legislationtheir contamination" says George Siemon, we have taken head of the decision to removeWisconsin-based CROPP Cooperative, as far as which includes about 670 dairy farms around the country whose milk is practicablesold under the Organic Valley label.<ref>Matt Jenkins, GM soya and maize from all food products served in our restaurant"[https://www.organicconsumers.org/news/history-and-overview-monsantos-biotech-madness A History and Overview of Monsanto's Biotech Madness]," ''High Country News'', June 27, 2007.Archived at OrganicConsumers. We have taken the above steps to ensure that youorg, the customeraccessed February 3, can feel confident in the food we serve"2015.</ref>

The caterers however later Some farmers may be reluctant to test for GMOs on organic farms because of a fear of what they may find, as reported by the Organic and Non-GMO Report, which writes:"No one knows the extent of GMO contamination of organics. 'As long as we don't do genetic testing, we won't know,' says Hunter", an Iowa-based organic inspector who conducts organic inspections for certifiers such as Quality Assurance International and Oregon Tilth, as well as audits for a non-GMO certification firm. "'Having our heads in the sand doesn't solve the problem. ''clarified' We are selling foodstuffs to the issue by claiming market that have GMO contamination''''". Producers will "be penalized in the marketplace, regardless of how the contamination occurred" says the group. "Former National Organic Standards Board chairman Jim Riddle says a GMO threshold in organics is needed to help organic farmers seek legal remedies for losses suffered due to GMO contamination". "Ultimately", says Hunter, "consumer demand could dictate the need for testing. 'If consumers started demanding no GMOs, we would test no one at Monsanto asked matter the inconvenience."<ref>Organic and Non-GMO Report, "http://www.non-gmoreport.com/articles/oct07/organics_tested_for_gmos.php Should organics be tested for its removalGMOs?]," October 2007. Accessed February 3, now citing only labeling laws 2015.</ref> Yet another area of alarm is the discovery that came into force at the time agri-business giants are quietly acquiring organic and health food businesses through "unfriendly takeovers."<ref>Professor Phil Howard, "[http://216www.239msu.57edu/%7Ehowardp/OrganicT25AcqJul07.104pdf Organic Industry Structure: Acquisitions by the Top 25 FoodProcessors in North America]," Michigan State University, 2007. Accessed February 3, 2015.</search?q=cache:2jCrYtXvZ2YJref><ref>Ben Lilliiston and Ronnie Cummins, "[http://www.caterer-onlineholisticmed.com/archivege/15619organic.asp+%22Monsanto+staff+didn%27t+ask+html Whose Organic Standards? USDA Prepares for+GM+ban%22&hl=enan "Unfriendly Takeover" of the Natural Foods Industry]," The Environmental Education Group and the Pure Food Campaign, July 9, 1997.Accessed February 3, 2015.</ref> ==Monsanto Links to Consumer Alert==

Monsanto is also a supporter of anti-environmental groups such as [[Consumer Alert]]<ref name="consumer alert profile">Catalyst, "[https://web.archive.org/web/20060831223942/http://www.cat.org.au/a4a/fake19.html Consumer Alert]," Anti-Environmental Groups profile, August 31, 2006. Archived by Internet Wayback Machine, accessed February 3, 2015.</ref>. According to ''E Magazine'',:"Another group that represents itself as crusading for scientific truth is the Washington-based Consumer Alert, founded in 1977. Although it describes its work as nonpartisan, Consumer Alert takes a pro-business, anti-environmental position on almost every issue. It denounces global warming as a myth, attacks the [[Clean Air Act|Clean Air]] and [[Endangered Species Act]]s, and denies the dangers of second-hand smoke. Most of its policy papers and editorials were written by Michael Fumento, a columnist who now serves as a senior fellow at the conservative Hudson Institute. Consumer Alert endorses the [[Cato Institute]]'s "Principles for Environmental Policy." This proclamation, signed by a who's who of "wise use" proponents, think-tank conservatives and "new consumerists" (including Whelan) calls for regulations to be wholly subordinate to private sector priorities. No environmental law could survive its seven principles."<ref>Editors, "[http://www.emagazine.com/includes/print-article/magazine-archive/7927/ Science for Sale? Industry-funded "Consumer" Groups Stand Up for Chemicals]," ''E Magazine'', February 29, 2000. Accessed February 3, 2015.</ref>

(1) Monsanto is also a supporter of anti-environmental groups such as [[Consumer Alert]] [http://www.cat.org.au/a4a/fake19.html]. "Another group that represents itself as crusading for scientific truth is the Washington-based Consumer Alert, founded in 1977. Although it describes its work as nonpartisan, Consumer Alert takes a pro-business, anti-environmental position on almost every issue. It denounces global warming as a myth, attacks the [[Clean Air Act|Clean Air]] and [[Endangered Species Act]]s, and denies the dangers of second-hand smoke. Most of its policy papers and editorials were written by Michael Fumento, a columnist who now serves as a senior fellow at the conservative Hudson Institute. Consumer Alert endorses the [[Cato Institute]]'s "Principles for Environmental Policy." This proclamation, signed by a who's who of "wise use" proponents, think-tank conservatives and "new consumerists" (including Whelan) calls for regulations to be wholly subordinate to private sector priorities. No environmental law could survive its seven principles" [http://www.emagazine.com/view/?474&src=].=Notable Quotes==

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*[[Monsanto and , Genetic Pollutionand Monopolism]]

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