Farmwars

This thread is based on an interview of the person behind the anti-GMO website Farm Wars, Barbara Peterson, on Red Ice Radio:

Barbara Peterson - Hour 1 - Farmwars: The Anti-GMO Battle

February 17, 2014

Barbara Peterson is behind the website Farmwars. She lives on a small ranch in Oregon where she raises geese, chickens, goats and horses, yet this rural lifestyle is currently under attack at the most basic level. Federal regulations, Agenda 21 and the corporate takeover of the US food supply with Monsanto’s invasive GMO technology is designed to make it next to impossible to raise animals and grow organic food. In this program we have a somewhat laid back discussion about genetically modified foods, how to grow your own food and raising animals. Barbara also shares some recipes. . . .

www.redicecreations.com...

There is one thing about GMO foods that is a strong indication, I think, that the purpose of them is to make money not improve foods: The seeds have to be purchased every year. That raises a huge red flag for me and is the reason I was interested in this interview.

Her life story of caring for her mother and later herself for a symptom that doctors could not successfully treat is what started her being a leader through her website. It is a compelling story and well worth listening to. She points out that the difficulty of proving cause and effect and the lack of going through the necessary process of connecting dots is something the manufacturer of GMO foods takes advantage of.

Her website is to help all of us connect dots.

Barbara Peterson is retired and she engages in a lot of effort to avoid GMO foods at her home, and listening to her, I can see why people feel overwhelmed in trying to avoid GMO foods if they have full-time jobs and limited time. But I think we all need to think about what small steps we can take to begin the process of being GMO-free. And listening to her share her recipes may give people some ideas.

She mentioned that reading labels is hard because ingredients can be hidden in the language. She also mentioned that even buying USDA Organic is not going to keep you healthy. I didn't hear her say the reason for that so I looked it up on her website:

The USDA’s Organic Deception

. . . In the USDA Certified Organic Program, there are four categories established for labeling purposes . . .

. . . If an item is labeled 100% Organic, then it is supposed to contain nothing but organic ingredients and processing aids that are organically produced.

Products labeled Certified Organic must contain 95% organic ingredients. . . .

70-95% Organic, labeled “Made with Organic Ingredients,” can contain the kitchen sink in the 5-30% of ingredients that are not organic. They can be grown with pesticides, but without the sewage sludge, and cannot be irradiated or genetically modified organisms (GMO).

70% Organic, which is labeled “Contains Organic Ingredients,” can contain the kitchen sink along with the pesticides, sewage sludge, irradiation, and GMOs. . . .

farmwars.info...

She also talked about getting a degree in business and being taught in class that a business has no obligation to be ethical in their marketing. She said that consequently, businesses only set out to appear to be ethical.

reply to post by Mary Rose


Thanks for this. Important stuff.

F&S&

These people who do genetic modification are in it for the money, not to help humanity. Any idiot can see that.

Big business trying to take over control of the food supply, with the backing of the government, has been going on for a long time. It is not new. It happened with milk, and also with regulations and changes in policy of what is to be fed to animals. They said that cows eating in a pasture with minimal added commercial grains was not healthy food, making even the farmers reliant on big industry. This practice with the cows was true to a certain point, but it has been corrupted beyond belief. Sure you need to supplement the cattle a little, but not by giving them a bunch of problematic foods. Cows may need a couple of nutrients depending on the soils and on the plants in the pasture, but giving them nutrients and additives that they do not need can also cause problems. If there are a lot of plants containing molybdenum in the diet, the cows may need some foods containing copper, or just moderately add a little copper sulfate to the fields if the soils show low copper levels, the plants will pick this nutrient up and utilize it.

Now, they want you to buy something from the system and supplement it instead of fixing your fields. This is consumerism...not agriculture. Don't treat the problem, fix the problem. I am not real experienced at this, a good cattle rancher would know more about these things. I am guessing that soil amendments might help to solve problems but there could be side effects if the cows are let out there too early. Maybe the copper will automatically go up in the soils as the cows recycle the copper through the excretion of it in their waste and they won't have to supplement it too long. But they don't tell the farmer this.

reply to post by Mary Rose


Federal, State, County and City regulations are whats strangling the US. But that's what the people wanted to keep the big corporations in check.

Yea, that turned out real good didn't it? They've got the money and lawyers to get around or buy off things that they deem to be in their way, while the little guy is still saddled with them making it difficult to get started.

I am in no way anti-big business, but the playing field needs to be leveled out so that others can at least make a run of it. I thought competition was good for business? Everything seems to be turning into a monoply again these days. I am against that.

I read an older article of hers, it might as well have been prophecy. History, HACCP, and the Food Safety Con Job.
She was spot on in regard to applying scientific process to non-scientific production practice. The detriment to agricultural processing is costly, and verging on unmanageable. I live it.

I enjoy her writings and humor.

It is just appalling the way our government continues to pass laws to make it harder and harder to be "self sufficient" when it comes to trying to be an organic farm.
And it is only going to get worse I fear.

But hey, it is for our own good. Eating organic is really dangerous to us all. Just ask the government.

I think we may have to look at the laws that protect these big corporations. And stop them from passing laws that are not in the best interest of the citizens created by these corporations that donate heavily to the political candidates.

Right now, we cannot challenge this because of existing laws and practices that were made in the past by people trying to control the food. Some of the things they tell us are bad for us are really not, as long as you consume the proper foods that are supposed to be consumed with them or prepare the foods in the proper way. This neutralizes the negative side effects of the foods. We need to learn how to eat. The present system of nutrition does not take into effect the genetic eating history of our ancestors.

The "system" makes us fear that we will get sick from foods. If we ate the right foods that our ancestors ate, taking into consideration their health and mental condition, we wouldn't need to take pills. It is not only the GM foods, much of the soils are lacking micronutrients and proper chemistry to grow certain foods. The soils are burnt out or have been improperly altered to grow cash crops.

TDawgRex
Federal, State, County and City regulations are whats strangling the US. But that's what the people wanted to keep the big corporations in check.

Don't you think that is only the official story - the pretext - that this is what the people wanted?

Bobaganoosh
History, HACCP, and the Food Safety Con Job.

Thanks. I learned something. I had not heard of HACCP before:

The Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) system is a preventative approach to food borne hazards. It is based on the application of scientific pinciples to food processing and production. The University of Nebraska has provided educational programs and assistance to food processing and food production professionals since 1993.

Our audiences include meat and poultry processors, food processors and food service operators. We provide introductory HACCP workshops that are accredited by the International HACCP Alliance: Food Service HACCP workshops; Advanced HACCP workshops for auditing, verification, validation, and recalls; Sanitation and Good Manufacturing Practices workshops; individual assistance for HACCP implementation and management; and videos and written materials for instruction. Workshop information and some HACCP materials are provided here.

www.foodsafety.unl.edu...

Bobaganoosh
She was spot on in regard to applying scientific process to non-scientific production practice. The detriment to agricultural processing is costly, and verging on unmanageable. I live it.

Please tell us more about that.

Bobaganoosh
I enjoy her writings and humor.

Yeah she mentioned that she uses humor because the topic she is dealing with is so huge and seemingly overwhelming so she uses humor to make it manageable for people.

reply to post by Mary Rose


Without getting into details which would be considered sensitive by my employer, I can summarize.

Consumers demanded action by the FDA. The government in it's malevolence seized on the opportunity at the behest of the misguided masses to implement regulation under the warm and fuzzy guise of "consumer protection." However, the reality is that independent producers were regulated out of existence. The ones that didn't shut their doors, were financially weakened to allow for the easy acquisition by Big-Agra. Big-Agra and their deep pockets bought up the little guys, further monopolizing our agriculture. All the while, Big-Agra and Big-Gov pretend to appease the misguided masses in theater, but play footsie under the table. Funny part is that HACCP cannot make a raw-product that will go on for further processing any safer. Real HACCP involves a "kill step" through roasting or pasteurization. The lipstick was applied to the pig, the pig was consumed by the people, and the people swear it tastes better, because the people are too stupid to think for themselves.

Mary Rose

TDawgRex
Federal, State, County and City regulations are whats strangling the US. But that's what the people wanted to keep the big corporations in check.

Don't you think that is only the official story - the pretext - that this is what the people wanted?

Bobaganoosh says it better than I ever could.

I have a bad tendency to summarize things.

reply to post by TDawgRex


Okay so we're in agreement.

I just wanted to clarify.

The Obama's have an organic food supply.
The British royalty and their pals have an organic food supply.

And people still dont...Get it!

When it comes to the bovine industry persons who are not experienced should just keep their comments them selves. Cattle are fascinating animals-a true miracle of evolution-I'm amazed everyday at their ability to retain evolutionary traits from millions of generations.

Bovatec is a cattle supplement that acts just like a multi-vitiam does in humans. They absorb the nutrients they need and dispel the ones they don't. It is an organic compound that has been around for more than 80years and is used around the world. Also, like humans, salt is vital to their absorption system and is provided in blocks for them to lick. These blocks can include supplements that are missing in the pasture. Mine get bovatec every night mixed with corn-in the summer they get it from lick blocks.

It is a fact that the worlds food supply need to have the most efficient methods to compensate for losses in farm land and expanding populations. Corn and soybean producers in chronic areas(poor soil) reline on seed that will allow a one time application of herbicide to rid the fields of problematic weeds that stifle production.

I don't know of any rowcrop farmers who use the seed mainly because it's not needed in the south because of a longer growing season. Areas with shorter growing seasons can't wait out the weed infestation done in the south.

So, therefore, there is no big worldwide governmental plan to control or modify the food supply. The reason that genetically modified organisms appeal to conspirators and alarmist is simply because is because the label "genetically modified" is an effective buzz phrase all conspirators need to get attention.

It is similar to other conspiracist hawkers in that outside the internet-people could care less-they understand the need for an expanding food supply.

The reason that genetically modified organisms appeal to conspirators and alarmist is simply because is because the label "genetically modified" is an effective buzz phrase all conspirators need to get attention.

Um, NO.

I actually do my homework, when it comes to this issue.
I don't want pesticide in my corn. Which is in the seed. I'm not talking some crossbreed corn or tomato. Big difference.

GMOs, hybrids, etc, are a trade-off. Hybrids give higher yield; disadvantage, they must be purchased every year. Since seed is priced fairly low most farmers are willing to do that. (also they don't have to worry about storing their seed, risking vermin, mold, etc.)
GMOs such as corn with herbicide mean using less Roundup/Glycophosphate etc in the field. again, it's a tradeoff.
personally I raise non-hybrid tomatoes and save the seed. most of my neighbors by plants every year. to each his own.
I think most people don't realize what a threat pests and weeds pose to our food supplies.

my concern with GMOs etc are potential disease or genetic fluke which could render huge amounts of crop ruined or unusable. we have tons of seed diversity but huge amounts of our crops are taken from a tiny handful of breeds (like dent corn).

one more thing; went to the grocery store. cabbage was 57 cents/pound; organic cabbage was $2.59/lb. roughly five times more expensive. how many of us can, or are willing, to pay 4-5 times as much on food as we do now?

one more thing; went to the grocery store. cabbage was 57 cents/pound; organic cabbage was $2.59/lb. roughly five times more expensive. how many of us can, or are willing, to pay 4-5 times as much on food as we do now?

Well put. There are no National standards for anything 'organic' it's all up to the states and they vary from place to place-with no real rhyme or reason. Here, some forms of lime are considered 'organic' up the road in Kentucky they are not. It's nothing but a clever marketing ploy. Organic Beef being the biggest ripoff as all that is required is that the beef cows can 'see' an organic pasture-not graze in it.

Again, seeds are genetically altered to allow an application of herbicide in the early growth cycle and enzymes that create toxicology to the European core borer and nothing else. There are no pesticides in altered corn whatsoever.

In fairness GMO can be compared to nuclear power in the sense that no one is overjoyed about having to use the seed or create hazardous by-products from nuclear plants-it is simply necessary.

There is so much disinformation on the internet from various conspiracy sites about GMO that any 'research' is invalid. The Department of Agriculture will supply anyone with all the data you need to learn about the process.

spooky24
The Department of Agriculture will supply anyone with all the data you need to learn about the process.

The Department of Agriculture is government.

All governments are largely bought and paid for by vested interests.

It is up to we the people to share information that we have and connect the dots ourselves.

All governments are largely bought and paid for by vested interests.

The exact response I was expecting. All government from top to bottom is seeded with rife and corruption along with an agenda to destroy the entire world. All 240,000 government employees are part of this massive conspiracy to bring down those who have failed in life and need someone to blame.

Some what sad actually

reply to post by spooky24


Reading comprehension problem?