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.

Willie Nelson of Farm Aid fame and Anna Lappe, author of “Diet for a Hot Planet,” in this article advocate citizen activism against Big Ag. Three corporations process more than 70% of US beef and 80% of corn seeds planted in the US are owned by Monsanto. This consolidation means we have lost control of our food supply and must take action to get it back.

What Anna Lappe recommends is in keeping with the work of her mother Frances Moore Lappe, author of “Diet for a Small Planet” published in 1971 and still a classic. The elder Lappe makes a distinction between ‘Thin Democracy’—we go to the polls, vote for our preferred candidate, and let him/her do the work of governing. That’s in contrast to ‘Living Democracy,’ making choices every day that promote connection and are in the interest of all of us. Each one of us creates democracy day by day. And our food choices are the most important of all. Frances Lappe’s most recent book is “EcoMind: Changing the Way We Think to Create the World We Want.”

Something else we can do here in South Dakota is lobby our Congressional delegation to eliminate federal subsidies to Big Ag and instead help small family farmers, the folks who raise the foods we see at our farmers markets, the people who know how to farm without GMO seeds, growth hormones, and pesticides.

We can help growers and ourselves by buying most of our food at farmers markets, even in winter. Click on the boxes at the top of this page for info on where to buy local.

Monsanto’s genetically-modified (GM) sweet corn has been approved for planting and sale in 2012. Although there is already a lot of GM corn in processed foods, this is the first Monsanto product that will arrive directly from the field to the consumer’s plate. Given the fact that the safety of GM foods has yet to be proven, this is a scary thought. In essence, Monsanto is being allowed to conduct a large-scale scientific experiment and WE are the guinea pigs!

The organization known as Food & Water Watch has begun a campaign to obtain 1000,000 signatures by April 1st urging Walmart to not sell GM sweet corn. It is easy to understand why Walmart is the target of this campaign given their tremendous buying power and influence. They have also been labeling themselves as a “green” company and are promoting local foods in their stores. This is their opportunity to show us their commitment to being green by joining others such as Trader Joe’s, General Mills and Whole Foods, in boycotting GM sweet corn.

To read more, click here.

To take action, click here.

Local farmer Michael Melius recently wrote an article for the Minneapolis StarTribune on the pros and cons of farm subsidies. On the pro side, federal subsidies have brought security to farmers through the ups and downs of bad weather and unpredictable markets. On the con side, they are not needed today because population increases and corn-based ethanol have reduced the surplus and raised the price of grains.

To Michael’s article we would add that as a nation we need to develop an agriculture policy that supports health. Federally subsidized corn and soybeans are fed to animals to make them grow faster and fatter, and this is not good for their health or ours. Corn is made into high fructose corn syrup that contributes to diabetes and obesity. Wheat is made into baked goods that add to our caloric overload.

Better to subsidize small family farms raising broccoli, tomatoes, leafy greens, squash, raw milk, chickens, eggs, and grass-fed beef that contribute to our health as well as the economic well-being of our small farmers. For more on healthy vs. unhealthy food see our March 26 post on the NuVal rating system.

We recommend Michael’s article and plan further conversations on this important topic.

The Rapid City council members debated an ordinance this past Monday night that would allow backyard chickens. Concerns of decreased property values, smell and noise were expressed and caused the vote to split 5-5 on the proposed ordinance. Most of these misconceptions are based on childhood experiences of visiting grandpa’s farm where 100 chickens were kept in a coop that was cleaned only once a year.

The idea of what constitutes “domestic animals” has changed as people now keep pot-bellied pigs, boa constrictors and pigeons as pets. Check out this document and learn the TRUTH about backyard chicken keeping!