WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

Top Reasons Why Shrewsbury Should go GMO-Free

GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms) are created in a lab, by inserting a gene from one organism into another unrelated organism, producing plants and animals that would never occur in nature. No long-term safety studies have been done on humans, but animal studies link the consumption of GMOs to an increase in allergies, kidney and liver disease, ADHD, cancer, infertility, chronic immune disorders and more.

We are looking at two futures. We are looking at the biotech future where it is replacing nature completely with their GMOs, their designer organisims, designed for greater profit and control.. And we are looking at a future where we protect nature, we protect our food, and our community.

These GMO seeds — considered “intellectual property” by the big companies who own the patents — are globally marketed to monopolize food production and profits. Opponents challenge the safety of genetically modified seeds, claiming they also harm the environment, are more costly, and leave local farmers deep in debt as well as dependent on suppliers. Genetic tinkering is linked to problems in our ecology, economy, and humanity.

Powerful and greedy corporations want to force farmers and gardeners to plant genetically manipulated seeds (GMOs), and at the same time make traditional seeds illegal. It is the power of Satyagraha (Sanskrit: “Staying with the Truth”) against which the propaganda and advertising lies of the corporations have no chance. We need the locally adapted, genetically variable seeds for climate resilience and as a source of healthy food. GMO-crops can only survive with a high energy-input of fossil fuels, such as pesticides, herbicides, chemical fertilizer, and irrigation. They are costly and drive the farmers into debt.

RESOURCES

ORGANIC CONSUMERS ASSOCIATION
OCA was founded around defending your right to meaningful organic standards, to the truthful labeling and marketing of food products, to the end of taxpayer-subsidized, pesticide-drenched GMO “commodity” foods, to the end of factory farms.

GMOS REVEALED 9-PART DOCUMENTARY SERIES

CURRENT EFFORTS

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PAST EFFORTS

Network Partner, Massachusetts Right to Know GMO campaign

Sustainable Shrewsbury was a network partner of the Mass Right to Know GMO campaign that advocates for transparency in Labeling of Genetically Engineered Foods
09/22/15 – Sustainable Shrewsbury attended the rally and hearing at the statehouse to support mandatory GMO Labeling.
02/11/15 – Sustainable Shrewsbury attended the Commonwealth Conversations tour held at the UMass Medical School’s Aaron Lazare Medical Research Building to show their support for mandatory GMO Labeling with 13 of the 40 Massachusetts state senators in attendance.

QUOTES

“Monopolies, centralization and mono-cultures go hand and hand and they are the instruments of power. We have to create instruments of democracy, diversity, resilience.” – Vandana Shiva

“Does that [a GMO food] sound like something you’d want to eat? It sounds like a chemistry experiment to me”
– Tom Brady