Most processed foods contain some genetically modified ingredients–corn, high fructose corn syrup, soy or canola oil –and consumers want to know about them. All 27 nations of the European Union plus Japan, Australia, Brazil, Russia, and China require GM labeling. Since our federal government seems unwilling to act on this score, states will have to carry the ball.

Connecticut could have led the way. There was consumer and bipartisan support for HB 5117 in the legislature. But Monsanto, the chemical company that creates GM plants, threatened legal action, just as it did in Vermont. The governor, citing the company’s constitutional right to sue, backed off. So a big powerful corporation got its way yet again by threatening a lawsuit when the public inconveniently got in its way.

But California is waiting in the wings. In early May 971,126 signatures were delivered to county registrars, more than enough to get the proposed labeling requirement on the November 2012 ballot.

Meanwhile, here in South Dakota, we have the opportunity to buy some of our food directly from local farmers and to ask them about GMOs. Some grow them, some don’t, but we do have a choice.

Monsanto, the chemical company that is the enemy of sustainable food practices, routinely sues small farmers in an effort to force them to use the company’s patented genetically modified seeds—that or go out of business. Now the company is getting ready to sue the state of Vermont if and when that state passes a law requiring the labeling of GMO ingredients of foods. Called the VT Right to Know Genetically Engineered Food Act, this law would go into effect in 2014 and, in addition to the labeling requirement, would prohibit the use of the words “natural,” “naturally made,” “naturally grown,” and “all natural” in the corporate advertising of GMO foods sold in that state.

GMO labeling is not a new idea. Fifty countries require it. Almost 400 businesses and organizations have petitioned the US Food and Drug Administration to require such labeling, but without success. So now it’s up to the states. Activists in California, Washington, and Michigan are collecting signatures for 2012 initiatives requiring GMO labeling in their states.

And now for the Vermont update, which you can read here and here. The bill is stuck in committee and the governor is hesitating. The threat of a lawsuit is weighing on him, despite the fact that Vermonters and organic farmers have offered money for the court battle. The bill may remain in committee until next month when the legislative session ends, but the governor can force it to a vote.  90% of Vermonters favor the bill and continue to press the governor and the legislature for action.

Here in South Dakota the best way for us to undercut the power of Monsanto is to buy local from farmers who don’t use GMO seeds and don’t use pesticides on their crops. For example, Hermosa farmer Michael Melius raises organic asparagus, garlic, and spinach and sells it at the Breadroot Co-op in Rapid City. That produce will be coming soon and is worth a special trip to the Co-op.

Chemical Companies like Monsanto lie to the public on a regular basis. One of their lies is that Roundup (or any other pesticide) is safe “if used as directed.” This works well for them because it puts the responsibility for safety on the user who, if he or she becomes ill from its use, will be told, “You must not have used it as directed.” Blame the victim—it’s  a strategy that has worked for years.

Monsanto is strongly allied with the grain growers who use its products. Check out how they sell their products in the big corn growers’ ad “We’re the true environmentalists.” Industrial corn requires a lot of chemicals and destroys the microbes in the soil, pollutes water, and produces a consumer product that contains traces of toxins. No serious environmentalist would think that was a good thing.

Then they say they use all those chemicals because we “have to feed the world.” For me this is the biggest lie of all. People around the world would be far better off eating foods that they grow locally without pesticides. Even the residents of Shanghai, the biggest city in the world, eat local food produced by small farms near the city.

We all know the genetic engineering lie, that GMO crops produce more and better food when in fact they don’t.

A more subtle lie that underlies much of what these Big Ag companies do is the idea that the pseudo-foods they produce are ‘nutritious’ ‘natural’ and ‘fun’ when in fact these carbohydrate-laden foods contribute to the current epidemic of obesity in the US and elsewhere. To see how ‘nutritious’ grains are compared to, say, a sweet potato, click here and scroll down to the chart.

And now comes the education lie, the industry-produced student workbook that brings these lies to life, replacing real science. A recent AlterNet article describes this latest attempt by a worried chemical industry to mislead students and their teachers. The article also presents the facts that refute the lies.

When an industry resorts to lies in order to sell its products, that industry is in trouble. In the case of chemicals used on and in food, people are waking up. In a thousand different ways we ordinary people are getting the word out about the unhealthy practices of Big Ag and the alternative–healthy food grown locally in a sustainable manner. To all you foodies out there and all you small farmers—keep up the good work.

Beef Processing, Inc., the company that bills itself as “the world’s leading producer of lean beef processed from fresh trimmings,” has come under fire for its product now known as ‘pink slime.’ This product has been added to the ground beef used in school lunch programs, served in restaurants, and sold in supermarkets. As the result of customer pressure, McDonald’s, Taco Bell, Burger King, and Safeway have decided not to use the product, and school lunch programs may now opt out.

Let’s dig down a bit. Saving boneless beef trimmings might be a good thing to do, a sign of frugality, of best use of resources. Those little chunks of muscle and connective tissue, instead of going for dog food, become human food. Over the centuries and across cultures people have saved many animal parts and made them into sausage, head cheese, haggis, blood pudding, liverwurst, and other tasty edibles. Are ground up beef trimmings any different?

Well, there are risks with any finely chopped animal food not eaten immediately. Once raw animal parts are chopped up into tiny pieces, they will spoil quickly. That’s because there is so much surface area on which microbes take up residence and extract the nutrients so easily available. And some of these microbes may cause human disease. Then we call them pathogens.

Because packinghouses are perfect places for pathogens to thrive, the U.S. Department of Agriculture inspects meats that cross state lines and the packing plants that process them. One concern is the presence of E. coli, bacteria that live in the intestines of mammals, including humans, and whose presence suggests possible pathogen contamination. These bacteria, living as they do in animal guts, thrive in acidic environments. As a precaution against pathogens, Beef Processing, Inc. exposes all ground up beef trimmings to ammonia. The gas combines with the water in the meat to form ammonium hydroxide, a potent base that is lethal to E. coli.

Questions remain. Since the human body produces a significant amount of ammonia every day, does the small amount added to the meat create a health risk? Could there be other pathogens in the meat that are not killed by ammonia? Should the addition of ammonia be on the label? Has media hype changed what could be acceptable food into something disgusting, icky, and unsellable? How does this product compare with hot dogs, sausage, bacon, and lunchmeats with their added nitrites, which can turn into cancer-causing nitrosamines?

Industrial production of meat is a complex and risky and mostly hidden business. And it’s the hidden part that is of concern. What about animal abuse? What about worker mistreatment? What about processing plants that don’t follow the rules? What about the inadequacy of USDA inspections?

For myself I opt for an open meat production process. Here in West River we are fortunate to have 34 Ranch, Black Hills Milk, the 777 Ranch, Wild Idea Buffalo Company, and Dee Holmberg, all producing high quality meat. We know that some animals from these producers are grass finished and some are grain finished and the producer will tell you which is which. We know that the animals are healthy and do not get treated with growth hormones, antibiotics, or other chemicals. Most important, these farmers and ranchers really care about their animals. We can talk to them and ask them about every step of their operations. We have visited their farms and ranches. So this is our DLFN advice: Buy local from people you know.

As farmers and gardeners make decisions about what to plant this spring, we remind those planning to sell at farmers markets of the state rules governing the sale of fresh, canned, and dried fruits, vegetables, and herbs. These rules are relatively new, and growers are still learning the details. Those canning fruits or vegetables must have their recipes tested and must follow specific procedures of canning and labeling. The purpose of these rules is to make sure that growers are using the latest and most reliable methods of preservations so that the food can be safely stored and is free of pathogens.

Several state and federal agencies set the rules. We hope this post will help you find what you need.

Here’s a summary:

Growers  may sell at farmers markets:

• Whole intact fresh fruit and vegetables
• Baked goods—bread, cookies, cakes, fruit pies, etc.
• Home canned goods with a low pH—jams, jellies, syrup, salsa, tomatoes, some pickles, most fruits
• Dried fruits, vegetables, herbs

These foods may not be sold at farmers markets:

• Home processed cider and fruit juice
• Non-acidic home canned foods such as peas, beans, corn, beets, carrots, squash, etc.
• frozen vegetables
• Foods that need refrigeration—custard and pumpkin pies, kuchen, fresh salsa
• Flavored oils
• Take-and-bake-products—unbaked pizza, fruit pies, coffee cake, etc.

Meat, poultry, dairy products, fish, and eggs are heavily regulated and have their own state and federal rules.

For more information on how to prepare and label foods for sale at farmers markets, click here.

For answers to your canning questions and for contacts if you plan to sell meat, dairy foods, poultry, fish, or eggs, click here.

There are rules for giving out samples. To learn more, call 605-773-4945.

If you plan to sell products by weight, your scale must be checked for accuracy. Call the state office of weights and measures for details. 605-773-3697.

We at DLFN believe that the state should put all the farmers rules into a single handbook, and we are working on that. In the meantime, we will do our best to help.