Look out Hawaii, here come da pro-GMO judge!

If you had any doubt about the boldfaced sham that "democracy" is, that doubt should be completely alleviated now. The people in Hawaii County voted that they did not want GMOs.

...in addition to banning any new GMO crops. The bill forbids any open-air testing or production of genetically modified crops. It also prohibits farmers from growing any new GMO crops but grandfathers in those that are already being grown, such as the Rainbow papaya.

The court overruled that vote in favor of the biggest pro-GMO agricultural corporation of all - state and federal biotech interests.

The complaint from the Big Island farmers and Biotechnology Industry Organization contended that Bill 113, which Hawaii County passed last year, was not backed by scientific evidence. The suit said that genetically modified farming has become a "critical and generally accepted part of agriculture" over the last 20 years, and the ordinance violates both state and federal law.

In Wednesday's decision, Kurren argued that although the state does not specifically regulate genetically modified crops, Ordinance 13-121 still conflicts with the work of state agencies.

He said the state Department of Agriculture and state Board of Agriculture comprise a "comprehensive statewide framework" governing plants that may "injure or harm agriculture, the environment or public health."

"Clearly, the state legislature intended this network of the HDOA, the HBOA, and the advisory committee to have extensive and broad responsibilities over agricultural problems spanning the various counties to form a coherent and comprehensive statewide agricultural policy," he wrote.

"In light of the comprehensive statutes and the network designed to address statewide agriculture problems, the Court concludes that the legislative intent for an exclusive, uniform and comprehensive state statutory scheme on the precise subject matter addressed by Ordinance 13-121 preempts the County's ban on genetically engineered organisms."

Not backed by scientific evidence? I guess they didn't get the Open Letter from World Scientists to All Governments Concerning Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), signed by 815 scientists from 82 different countries.

Ban GMOs Now

This is a dangerous situation for the future of food and farming, one that needs to be reversed as quickly as possible, particularly as GM agriculture is failing on all counts. That can only be achieved by a ban on GMOs, an action already taken by countries and local communities around the world. We need to join forces with them, to put an end to the GM corporate empire.

Ten years ago, 24 scientists from around the world formed an Independent Science Panel and produced a report ([24] The Case for A GM-Free Sustainable World, ISIS/TWN publication) summarizing compelling evidence on the hazards of GM crops and the benefits of organic agro-ecological farming, and called for a global ban on environmental releases of GMOs, and a shift to non-GM sustainable agriculture. This report was widely circulated, translated into several languages, and republished in the US a year later. It remains the most succinct and complete account on the subject; but crucial new evidence has come to light within the past decade that strengthens the case considerably.

First of all, decisive evidence has emerged on the unsustainability and destructiveness of conventional industrial agriculture, of which GM is the most extreme; in stark contrast to the proven successes of non-GM ecological farming: its productivity and resilience, environmental and health benefits, and in particular, its enormous potential for saving energy and carbon emissions in mitigating and adapting to climate change. We presented all that in a comprehensive and definitive report published in 2008 ([25] Food Futures Now *Organic *Sustainable *Fossil Fuel Free , ISIS/TWN publication). Our report is completely in line with the International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology for Development (IAASTD) report [26], which resulted from a three-year consultative process involving 900 participants and 110 countries around the world; a sure sign of the scientific consensus that has emerged around non-GM ecological farming as the way forward in food and farming.

To complete the case, we need to bring together all the damning evidence against GMOs on health and the environment, especially in the light of new discoveries in molecular genetics within the past ten years. That is the main reason for the present report. GM agriculture is a recipe for disaster, as this report will make clear. It is also standing in the way of the shift to sustainable agriculture already taking place in local communities all over the world that can truly enable people to feed themselves in times of climate change. Future generations will not forgive us if we do not stop the GM takeover now.

Please use this report, circulate it widely, and send it to your political representatives.

That, apparently, doesn't count. Neither do the plethora of studies now coming out by reputable scientists such as Dr. Stephanie Seneff, MIT Senior Research Scientist, Dr. Nancy Swanson, Retired United States Navy staff scientist, Anthony Samsel, Retired Science Consultant, and Dr. Don M. Huber, Professor Emeritus, Purdue University, all of whom emphatically state:

A huge increase in the incidence and prevalence of chronic diseases has been reported in the United States (US) over the last 20 years. Similar increases have been seen globally.

The herbicide glyphosate was introduced in 1974 and its use is accelerating with the advent of herbicide-tolerant genetically engineered (GE) crops. Evidence is mounting that glyphosate interferes with many metabolic processes in plants and animals and glyphosate residues have been detected in both.

Glyphosate disrupts the endocrine system and the balance of gut bacteria, it damages DNA and is a driver of mutations that lead to cancer. In the present study, US government databases were searched for GE crop data, glyphosate application data and disease epidemiological data.

The significance and strength of the correlations show that the effects of glyphosate and GE crops on human health should be further investigated.

Unfortunately, any position other than that which states "we the corporations have the right to poison you the people for profit" will not be allowed. If you vote to keep us from doing so, we will throw your vote in the trash and just keep on poisoning you.

Comment: There are mountains of scientific evidence of the evil effects that GMO's have on human health, livestock and the environment. People are waking up to this, that's why Hawaii citizens voted down GMO's, but when you have psychopaths in charge of corporations and the courts your vote means nothing.