New GMOs, herbicides threaten to force family off organic farm

[R.R.]

Note: This article is about the challenges facing a family whose organic farm is threatened by new genetically modified, herbicide resistant crops and the herbicides used with them. The family did not want to reveal their names for fear of negative repercussions from their conventional farming neighbors. As a result, the family’s names and location of their farm have been kept confidential.

Laura often wakes up in the middle of the night fearing for the future of her family’s organic farm. Her fear is a cloud of toxic herbicides drifting over her farm, killing her crops and bees, threatening her family’s health, and ultimately forcing her family to leave their beloved farm.

Unfortunately, Laura’s nightmare scenario is a very real possibility with the proposed introduction of new crops that are genetically engineered to withstand sprays of dicamba and 2,4-D herbicides. As farmers plant these two GM crops, which are likely to receive approval soon by US government agencies, they will be spraying massive amounts of the two herbicides that are known to drift and kill “non-target” crops growing on nearby farms such as Laura’s.

Ecological diversity
Laura’s organic farm is a treasure of biodiversity in a sea of large-scale, industrial GMO corn and soybean farms. Along with Laura, the farm is owned and operated by her husband and several relatives. The farm produces organic grains and vegetable seed and has been certified organic since the mid-1970s.

- See more at: http://www.non-gmoreport.com/articl...-family-organic-farm.php#sthash.eM0kcncu.dpuf

 

[Chuck]

Note: This article is about the challenges facing a family whose organic farm is threatened by new genetically modified, herbicide resistant crops and the herbicides used with them. The family did not want to reveal their names for fear of negative repercussions from their conventional farming neighbors. As a result, the family’s names and location of their farm have been kept confidential.

Laura often wakes up in the middle of the night fearing for the future of her family’s organic farm. Her fear is a cloud of toxic herbicides drifting over her farm, killing her crops and bees, threatening her family’s health, and ultimately forcing her family to leave their beloved farm.

Unfortunately, Laura’s nightmare scenario is a very real possibility with the proposed introduction of new crops that are genetically engineered to withstand sprays of dicamba and 2,4-D herbicides. As farmers plant these two GM crops, which are likely to receive approval soon by US government agencies, they will be spraying massive amounts of the two herbicides that are known to drift and kill “non-target” crops growing on nearby farms such as Laura’s.

Ecological diversity
Laura’s organic farm is a treasure of biodiversity in a sea of large-scale, industrial GMO corn and soybean farms. Along with Laura, the farm is owned and operated by her husband and several relatives. The farm produces organic grains and vegetable seed and has been certified organic since the mid-1970s.

- See more at: http://www.non-gmoreport.com/articl...-family-organic-farm.php#sthash.eM0kcncu.dpuf

Ain't new technology just wonderful?

 

[R.R.]

Groovy

 

[Trellum]

Damn... the more technology we have the more we screw up our world. This is awful! What in the world will happen to organic produce? Will there be a future for all those organic farmers? I doubt it. Glad I'll no longer be in the US soon.

 

[Jewell]

What is scary to me is that the U.S. news hasn't had any information on the California crop and aquifer damage done by fracking. The report came out but it is not on the news here. I heard about it today from a European news station. Could only find blogs that reported it here in the states.

http://www.desmogblog.com/2014/10/0...aminated-billions-gallons-fracking-wastewater

Has something gone a miss here?

 

[R.R.]

That's because the corporations own the news stations here, and you only see what they (corporations) want you to see.

 

[freedhardwoods]

That is just another exaggerated story designed to scare uninformed people. Farmers are not out to destroy the world (or their neighbors) like many would have you believe.

When farmers spray chemicals, they want it to go straight down, not drifting all over the countryside. If it doesn't land on their crops, it's wasted money. If they cause damage to other crops, they are financially responsible.

I had 250' rows of heirloom corn ten feet from a cornfield that was sprayed with Roundup. There was no damage of any kind to my corn.

 

[R.R.]

Except that it probably got pollinized by the GMO crops and you didn't eat organic corn. Oh, and if Monsanto detectives find out your corn has their DNA now, they can sue you.

 

[freedhardwoods]

They didn't pollinate at the same time. I didn't say anything about organic. I never have and do not plan on raising "organic" food.