Re: Global Hunger and Vegetarianism

Over 1,500 farmers in the agricultural Indian state of Chattisgarh have committed suicide after being driven to debt by crop failure. The state was hit hard by falling water levels.

Bharatendu Prakash, of the Organic Farming Association of India, said that, "Farmers' suicides are increasing due to a vicious circle created by money lenders. They lure farmers to take money but when the crops fail, they are left with no option other than death."

Mr. Prakash added that the government needs to take up the cause of the poor farmers just as they fight for a strong economy.

Genetically modified plants and foods are, from my perception, one of the largest threats that we have against the very sustainability of the human race and a healthy future existence on earth.  Let�s face it, how long can your descendants survive if there isn�t any food to eat, and artificial genes start spreading to other native plants so they won�t reproduce naturally?

And that�s over and above the unimaginable, direct harm their �scientific marvels� bring to some of the poorest and most vulnerable people on the planet, such as these Indian farmers.

According to the National Crime Records Bureau of India, more than 182,900 Indian farmers took their own lives between 1997 and 2007. It estimates 46 Indian farmers commit suicide every day. That equates to roughly one suicide every 30 minutes!

And although some will argue that natural events are to blame, such as lack of rain, the fact many believe the situation can be traced directly back to their poor living conditions caused by the forced dependancy on genetically modified plants.

Over the past decade, millions of Indian farmers have been promised radically increased harvests and income if they switch from their traditional age tested farming methods to genetically modified seeds. So, they borrow money to buy these seeds, which need certain pesticides, which requires more money. And when rain fall is sparse, the genetically modified crops fare far worse than traditional crops � a fact that these farmers often times don�t learn until it�s too late and they�re standing there with failed crops, spiraling debts, and no income.

Making matters worse, these genetically modified seeds also contain some genes that render the seeds from this year�s crop useless. They simply won�t grow, so you cannot save them to plant for your next season�s harvest � a traditional farming method that�s been used since the dawn of farming itself.

But that�s not all.

Bt resistant pests and Roundup tolerant superweeds are on the rise, rendering the two major genetically crop traits useless as well. The evolution of Bt resistant bollworms worldwide have now been confirmed and documented.

The end result is that farmers are left with all of the downsides and none of the intended benefits.

So, while drought may be the straw that breaks the camel�s back for some farmers in India, it�s these problems which cause it even before there is any drought.

This latest round of mass suicides in India should be a wake-up call to us all -- that the industrial agriculture model is literally killing the farmers of our world.

I see it as a call to become more vigilant than ever, and speak out against those who exploit farmers and the earth for their own selfish and greedy goals. If we don�t, this will cause unspeakable suffering for our children, grandchildren and future generations.

We�re not just talking about cotton to be used for clothing and other products here; we�re talking about some of the most commonly consumed foods on the market.

Farmers of genetically modified fruits and vegetables across the world have not started committing suicide yet due to failed crops, but the prevalence of these foods are a massive, potentially genocidal, experiment � and you and your children are the guinea pigs.

Did you know that genetically modified foods are so prevalent in the United States that if you randomly pick an item off your grocery store's shelves, you have a 75 percent chance of picking a food with genetically modified ingredients?

It�s true. At least seven out of every 10 food items have been genetically modified!

The potential health ramifications of these world-wide experiments with our food supply are frightening to say the least. If you care about the health and future of your family, I strongly urge you to pay attention to these details.

The True Food Shopping Guide is a great tool for helping you determine which brands and products contain genetically modified ingredients. It lists 20 different food categories that include everything.

Additionally, here are four simple steps to decrease your consumption of genetically modified foods as much as possible:

        * Reduce or eliminate processed foods in your diet. The fact that 75 percent of processed foods contain genetically modified ingredients is only one of the many reasons to stick to a whole foods diet.
        * Read produce and food labels. Conventionally raised soybeans and corn make up the largest portion of genetically modified crops. Ingredients made from these foods include high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), corn flour and meal, dextrin, starch, soy sauce, margarine, and tofu.
        * Buy organic produce. By definition, food that is certified organic must be free from all genetically modified organisms, produced without artificial pesticides and fertilizers and from an animal reared without the routine use of antibiotics, growth promoters or other drugs.
        * Look at produce stickers. The PLU code on stickers for conventionally grown fruit consists of four numbers, organically grown fruit has five numbers prefaced by the number nine, and genetically modified fruit has five numbers prefaced by the number eight.

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