Just Label It News Roundup 6-15

Some farmers transition to organic production to earn premium prices paid for organic crops. Others switch to make their farms more sustainable. But for some farmers transitioning to organic is a necessity to save their health—and even their lives. An Indian state banned pesticides. Tourism and wildlife flourished. Will others follow? A new study shows most Iowa public schools are in the range of potential pesticide spray drift. A new study shows Monsanto’s epic fail in its attempted attack on global glyphosate. Germany’s Bayer will wrap up the $63 billion takeovers of Monsanto on Thursday and also retire the U.S. seeds maker’s 117-year-old name. The merger of corporate giants Monsanto and Bayer begs a vital question – what kind of agriculture do we want? An organic, family-run operation relies on numerous by-hand processes and 100+ free-ranging animals to produce seven varieties of the sweet fruit. The biotech industry has promoted GMO Golden Rice for decades as an urgently needed solution to vitamin A deficiency. But, in a surprising twist, the FDA has concluded its consultation process on Golden Rice by informing its current developers the rice does not meet the nutritional requirements to make a health claim.

Farmers Switched to Organic After Pesticides Made Them or Their Families Sick

Some farmers transition to organic production to earn premium prices paid for organic crops. Others switch to make their farms more sustainable. But for some farmers transitioning to organic is a necessity to save their health—and even their lives.

An Indian state banned pesticides. Tourism and wildlife flourished. Will others follow?

Fifteen years ago, the tiny Indian state of Sikkim launched a radical experiment: Its leaders decided to phase out pesticides on every farm in the state, a move without precedent in India — and probably the world.

The change was especially significant for India, a country whose progress in agriculture was defined by the introduction of fertilizers and pesticides that rapidly boosted food production across the country, staving off famine and reducing the country’s reliance on foreign aid.

Most Iowa public schools are in the range of potential pesticide spray drift, study shows

Nine of every ten public school districts in Iowa have buildings within 2,000 feet of a farm field, making students and teachers susceptible to being exposed to pesticides that drift from the fields when pesticides are sprayed. Yet many school officials interviewed for an IowaWatch/Tiger Hi-Line investigation this spring showed little to no awareness on if or how pesticide drift could affect the staff and students in school buildings.

Who should feed the world: real people or faceless multinationals?

The merger of corporate giants Monsanto and Bayer begs a vital question – what kind of agriculture do we really want?

With the deal to close this week, Bayer to retire Monsanto name

Germany’s Bayer (BAYGn.DE) will wrap up the $63 billion takeovers of Monsanto MON.N on Thursday and also retire the U.S. seeds maker’s 117-year-old name.

#Pesticides investigation: ‘Health should be the priority.’

There are long-standing concerns about how some components of pesticides, such as glyphosate, might affect people’s health. In October 2017 MEPs demanded a full ban on glyphosate-based herbicides by 2022 and immediate restrictions on using the substance. However, EU countries decided in November 2017 that the herbicide can be used in the EU for another five years, with no full ban in sight.

Monsanto in Epic Fail with Attempted Attack on Global Glyphosate Study

The peer-reviewed accepted manuscripts from the pilot phase of the Global Glyphosate Study were revealed last Wednesday in a Press Conference at the European Parliament.

GMO Golden Rice Offers No Nutritional Benefits Says FDA

The biotech industry and its supporters have promoted GMO Golden Rice for decades as an urgently needed solution to vitamin A deficiency. But, in a surprising twist, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has concluded its consultation process on Golden Rice by informing its current developers, the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), that Golden Rice does not meet the nutritional requirements to make a health claim.

In the California Desert, the Bautista Family Grows Hot Dates

The organic, family-run operation relies on numerous by-hand processes and 100+ free-ranging animals to produce seven varieties of the sweet fruit. Since 2011, their mail-order operation has developed a fanatical following of date-lovers from around the country.