The Organic View

The best way to get people to understand something is to educate them. When it comes to Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO’s) there are many people who are tired of the corporate manipulation of the quality and purity of our food and are taking action. In the city of Boulder, Colorado, GMKnow.org was formed to create such awareness about GMO’s and educate people about what they can do.

Their mission is to foster positive community change through positive citizen action. GMKnow.org is a group of activated citizens empowering people for local sovereignty and healthy food choices. They stand for banning genetically modified organisms (GMOs) from Boulder County public open space and educating people about their rights to choose Non-GMO foods.

Boulder County has allowed GMO’s to be planted on publicly-owned open space since 2001 beginning with BT corn and/or Round Up Ready Corn. Close to 12,000 acres have been devoted to these particular crops. These GM crops have been treated with neonicotinoids which have contaminated the land, further devastating the declining bee population.

GMO’s have made it onto the nation's radar screen after being released in the US food supply over 15 years ago without any consumer labeling. On October 1, The "Right2KnowMarch.org" kicked off in NYC and is now heading to Washington, DC on October 16. The march is advocating government-mandated labeling of GMO foods as it creates national awareness about the safety of food produced in America.

In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer talks to Scott and Mary Smith about GMKnow.org and how this community is working with others to make a difference. Stay tuned!

Percy Schmeiser is well known activist that has been fighting hard to educate the public about GMO’s and the issues that arise for farmers. He was the first farmer to win a law suit against Monsanto. The landmark case, which went before the Federal Court of Canada, attracted international attention because it demonstrated the power of the farmer.

When it comes to our food in American, there are no laws that mandate labeling for GMO’s. Consumers assume that the manufacturers are using ingredients that are safe and will not affect their health. Unfortunately, 80% of the packaged foods in America contain Genetically Engineered ingredients that have not been proven safe and are not labeled!

The Right2KnowMarch.org which was organized to raise awareness for GMO-Labeling is a historic event that kicked off  on October 1st and will continue to October 16 Marchers from across the country will be walking from New York City to the White House, demanding labeling of all Genetically Engineered Foods. This event seeks to raise national awareness and create pressure in the 2012 election cycle for politicians to take positions and enact legislation requiring Genetically Engineered foods to be labeled. In many ways this march is the beginning of a new broad-based movement for GMO labeling. Percy Schmeiser will be speaking at the event about his experience and also to educate the public about why GMO labeling matters!

In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer talks to Percy Schmeiser about his advocacy about GMO’s and why there needs to be clarity with our labels.

When it comes to kids’ snacks, there are all sorts of products on the market that use everything from the latest cartoon superhero to pop music icons. However, all these clever marketers are doing is creating yet another generation of consumers that reach for junk as opposed to healthy, life sustaining organic good foods.

Two moms, Liane Weintraub and Shannan Swanson decided to take matters into their own hands when they first launched Tasty Brands, which produces Certified Organic and Non-GMO snacks in the USA. Their line of snacks does NOT use high fructose corn syrup or GMO’s but uses organic sugar, agave and their line of organic cereal bars is made with both fruits and vegetables baked in. 

Both Liane and Shannan are truly devoted to educating the public about GMO’s and are especially supportive of the Right2KnowMarch.org which is working towards changing the law to make all food manufacturers label GMO’s. Consumers in America have the right to know what is in the food they buy. If more people knew that the snack foods they are buying for their kids were made with GMOs the world would be a healthier place.

In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, tune in to host, June Stoyer as she talks to Liane Weintraub and Shannan Swanson about the importance of certified organic and gmo-free snacks and why consumers need to mandate GMO Labeling!

There are many people that live in the city or even in the suburbs that talk about escaping their crowded community for the charmed life of the country, with the intentions of having their own “organic” farm or simply changing things in their own home environment. While this may seem like the thing to do, especially since there is so much need for each and every person to play their part, it is not necessarily the easiest transition to make. Especially when it comes to farming, it is not that simple. There are no Farming 101 college courses  or single reference point that can tell you all that you need to know as far as how to manage all of the responsibilities farm life requires. However, there is a great deal of information that is available as far as different options for creating your own sustainable and earth friendly environment. The main thing is to make a decision and learn as much as you can before you take the plunge.

Even if you don’t necessarily want to have a farm but still want to do something as simple as creating a compost bin or start a vegetable garden, you still need the right information so that your time and money are well spent.

In the book, Urban Homesteading, authors, Rachel Kaplan and K. Ruby Blume discuss everything you really need to know from how to make a compost toilet, starting a container garden, recycling grey water to 31 Uses for Beeswax and so much more. Whether you are interested in starting your own organic farm or just want to do things more sustainably and responsibly in your own back yard, this book offers so much information and guidance as far as what you need to know to get started.

In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, tune in to host, June Stoyer as she talks to Rachel Kaplan and Ruby Blume about creating your own “Urban Homestead”, stay tuned!

Just how much bottled water do you drink? Have you ever given it any thought that water is something that is free and plentiful; or is it? Is bottled water safer than tap water? Why is it that the giant beverage corporations are buying up land that host precious springs? What exactly is this doing to our environment? Is the surrounding eco-system being destroyed in the sake of capitalizing and exploiting this natural resource? In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer will speak to author, Elizabeth Royte about the evolution of bottled water in our society and the politics of marketing something that is our birth right. Stay tuned!

Most conscious consumers know better than to buy processed foods for themselves, much less for their pets. Especially with the pet food industry being a $53 billion dollar unregulated industry, more and more pet parents are opting to make their own pet food because of the issues with pet food recalls and incorporation of euthanized animals in the pet foods available on the market.

However, making your own pet food is not as easy as one may think. There are certain foods you cannot feed your pets and making your own food doesn’t always guarantee that your finicky feline or canine will eat it.  In addition, the meals must be nutritionally balanced which is often a huge problem for many pet owners, especially if they are not given proper guidance by someone who has been trained in pet nutrition.

Susan Thixton, Founder of TruthAboutPetFood, a world renowned authority on pet food decided to create an actual cookbook in conjunction with Dr. Cathy Alinovi, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. The best-selling book, Dinner PAWsible, which was recently released, has been eagerly anticipated by pet parents around the globe.

In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, tune in to host, June Stoyer talk to Susan Thixton and Dr. Cathy Alinovi about how you can make your own pet food that is completely balanced and nutritious. For great tips and ideas, stay tuned!

Percy Schmeiser is a canola farmer from Saskatchewan, Canada. He was the first farmer to win a law suit against Monsanto. This landmark case, which went before the Federal Court of Canada, has attracted international attention because it could help determine how much control a handful of powerful biotech companies can exert over farmers. Schmeiser believes this precedent setting agreement ensures that farmers will be entitled to reimbursement when their fields become contaminated with unwanted Roundup Ready canola or any other unwanted GMO plants. In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer talks to Percy Schmeiser about his battle with this agro-chemical giant.

Regardless of how much education is available, there is still such great need for continuous factual information to help the public understand what genetically modified organisms are as well as their impact. There is still a great deal of confusion as well as misinformation when it comes to understanding GMO’s.  What is the controversy surrounding their use? What impact does it have on farmers? Why should consumers be concerned, etc.? These are the very questions that Ken Roseboro addresses as he and his team educate the public in The Organic & Non-GMO Report. Some of the key questions they answer explain:

How to produce non-GMO products from 'seed to shelf' How to prevent GMO contamination Connect with potential buyers of non-GMO and organic products Find non-GMO and organic ingredient sources See how companies succeed producing non-GMO products

Ken is a journalist who has written extensively about GM foods, GMO testing, non-GMO certification, and identity preservation. His articles have appeared in leading agricultural and food industry magazines, including Natural Foods Merchandiser, Organic Processsing, Seed World, World Grain, American Food and Ag Exporter, Prepared Foods, Food Processing, Food Quality, European Food and Drink Review, Natural Products Industry Insider, and others. Ken is author of Genetically Altered Foods and Your Health and The Organic Food Handbook. He has also given presentations at many conferences, including the Organic Trade Association’s annual tradeshow, All Things Organic. Ken is a member of the board of directors of the Iowa Organic Association and a certification committee member of Global Organic Certification Services. Tune in to this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, as host June Stoyer, speaks to Ken Roseboro! Stay tuned!

When you buy a product, if you want to know what the ingredients are, it makes sense to simply read the label, right? Wrong! It is not so simple when it comes to finding out whether or not the ingredients used are genetically engineered. Unfortunately, there is no simple answer for Americans because it is not required that genetically engineered foods are listed.  In fact, every country in the EU, Japan, as well as fifty countries in total, with over 40% of the world population mandate labeling of GMO’s. So, why isn’t the United States on board leading the pack? Basically because the corporations who benefit from the sale of GMO’s can continue to increase their market share primarily because consumers have no way to tell whether or not the products they buy contain ingredients that have been genetically engineered. Without labels we won’t know what is genetically engineered and what is not. Soon everything will be contaminated. If more people knew what was in their food and the negative impact GMO’s cause, they would not spend their dollars purchasing products that contained genetically modified ingredients.  So what can consumers do about this? Starting this weekend, between October 1st and October 16th, marchers from across the country will be walking from New York City to the White House, demanding labeling of all GMO's, in what has come to be called the GMO Right2Know March. This event seeks to raise national awareness and create pressure in the 2012 election for politicians to take positions and enact legislation requiring GE foods to be labeled. In many ways this march is the beginning of a new broad-based movement for GMO labeling.

In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer will speak to David Bronner, President of Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps to talk about the importance of GMO labeling and what you need to know. Stay tuned!

Glyphosate is the most commonly used herbicide and is also one of the most controversial. Professor Don M. Huber has done extensive research warning that the widespread use of glyphosate has a negative environmental impact. This impact not only affects the soil and plants but can possibly affect the health of animals and human beings.   In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, host, June Stoyer will speak to Professor Don M. Huber to discuss his research. Stay tuned!