Though Monsanto argues that “resistance is natural and expected,” Bt cotton has failed to improve conditions, driving up the amount of pesticides used and reducing yields for Indian cotton farmers in 2009. The company also argues that the seeds themselves were not necessarily the cause of resistance, but rather “early use of unapproved Bt cotton seeds” and “limited refuge planting”.

Despite the apparent pest problems with this type of Bt cotton, Monsanto is still pushing their newest variety, Bollgard II, which contains the gene Cry2Ab in addition to the Cry1Ac found in Bollgard I.  K.R. Kranthi of the Central Institute for Cotton Research, however, has little faith in the success of Bt cotton, reporting that with 90% of the cotton  grown in India being Bollgard II and few preventative measures being taken by farmers, the pink bollworm will soon develop resistance even to this newest crop.

Monsanto also says they are currently working on a Bt cotton variety featuring three proteins instead of two.

To read the full article by India Today, please click here.

To read Monsanto’s release, please click here.

Closing panelists from the 2010 Canadian Organic Growers Conference in Toronto; from L to R: Michael Schmidt, Biodynamic Farmer and raw milk champion; Megan Westgate, Executive Director of the Non-GMO Project; Barbel Hohn, Germany's first Green Party Agriculture Minister; Wayne Roberts, PhD, author and Acting Manager of the Toronto Food Policy Council.

Following participation in the Guelph Organic Conference outside Toronto several weeks ago, Project Executive Director Megan Westgate returned to Toronto this past weekend to speak on two panels at the Canadian Organic Growers Conference. The event, titled “Your Food, Your Choice: Grounds for Change” drew 350 attendees from a dynamic backgrounds, including lots of consumers eager to make a positive impact on their food supply.

Toronto-based retailer The Big Carrot co-sponsored the conference and is also a founding member of the Non-GMO Project. As the Project has evolved over the last few years, The Big Carrot, a worker-owned cooperative, has helped the Project maintain a North America-wide focus, and the retailer was instrumental in bringing Westgate to Toronto for this conference.

Although the “Non-GMO Project Verified” seal will be slower to launch in Canada due to different labeling regulations, the Project is working with The Big Carrot and other retailers to promote verified products in-store, using tools like the Non-GMO Project Shopping Guide, which was distributed widely at last weekend’s event, and received enthusiastically by attendees.

Pictured, from left to right: Alison Cantor, Intern; Camille Frazier, former Outreach Coordinator; Megan (Thompson) Westgate, Executive Director; Sara Krautbauer, Intern. Not pictured: Sara Young, Outreach Coordinator; Aerienne Russell, Intern; Isa Ballard, Intern

In a small sunlit office in Upland, CA, the smell of cloves and the sound of keyboards clacking linger gently in the air as the employees of the Non-GMO Project work diligently on databases, events, and more. It is here where I find myself to be one of five interns this semester (along with Halley, Alison, Isa, and Sara) and thus far, I have had quite a positive experience.

As a sophomore in college, I knew it was time to start thinking about gaining experience in a field more legitimate than pizza-making. As I combed through internship opportunities in my area, the Non-GMO Project caught my eye; it seemed to encompass my interest in food politics and organics while still offering something unfamiliar and new. My prior knowledge about GMOs was limited, a mere conglomeration of informational tidbits gathered from books, documentaries, and news articles. Within two days of working with the Project, though, I had built a pretty solid basis of knowledge about GMOs, and I am still adding to it everyday.

Each of the interns here has been given their own specific projects to work on, from making phone calls to building the database to outreach and education. Because of prior experiences with reviewing and writing, I have been given the task of blogging for the Project. Though it’s always a little intimidating to speak on behalf of someone else, it’s nice to finally be able to put these higher-education writing skills into practice and to do something I enjoy. And no matter what we are working on, the real goal of the internship experience here is to learn what we love, love what we learn, and support ourselves and our goals through supporting the Project as a whole. I know inevitably what I put in I will get out, and that’s what makes this a truly rewarding experience.

It is only my third week at the Project, but I can tell already I’m going to love it; I’ve learned so much not only about GMOs, but also about all the hard work it takes to keep up a small non-profit. It’s easy to forget that the Non-GMO Project is more than just a label or a website; it’s an organization founded and supported by real people who are dedicated to maintaining consumer awareness and choice. The employees and interns here work hard each and every day to bring together the consumer and the company to ensure consistent and quality labeling of GMO-free foods. I am thankful to be working with such an organization and am excited to see what comes next for both the Project and myself.

Aerienne is a sophomore at Pomona College. She will be blogging regularly for the Project, so look forward to more soon!

The new policy halts Monsanto’s plans to expand its operations abroad through its Indian partner, Mahyco. Mahyco researchers developed a Bt brinjal that is resistant to natural pests, but data suggests that the new variety may pose a serious health risk to consumers. In one of the first insider critiques of Monsanto’s business practices, former managing director of Monsanto India, Tiruvadi Jagadisan, accused the company of using “fake scientific data” to push their GM aubergine through government regulatory agencies (see full story in India Today). According to his testimony, India’s Central Insecticide Board accepted data from Monsanto without assuring its accuracy or double-checking the company’s assertions.

Mr. Ramesh said that, although the decision was difficult, he wanted to be both “responsible to science and responsive to society” (see full story in BBC News). The moratorium will stand until further testing proves GM technology safe to both customers and the environment.

IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT THE USDA RECEIVES AS MANY COMMENTS AS POSSIBLE. Submitting one of the letters below will probably take 10 minutes or less, and is critical to preserving the integrity of organic dairy in the United States. Please take action, and spread the word!

Click here to download a PDF letter template drafted from the perspective of an ORGANIC PRODUCER.

Click here to download PDF letter template drafted from the perspective of an ORGANIC PRODUCER enrolled in the NON-GMO PROJECT.

Click here to download PDF letter template drafted from the perspective of a NATURAL PRODUCER enrolled in the NON-GMO PROJECT.

If you would like a Word version of either letter, for easier personalization, please just contact us and we will send you one right away. It is a good idea to edit this letter to include any personal details about your company’s challenges with GMO contamination. Please also be sure to sign the letter with your name, title, and affiliation.

Comments are due February 16, 2010. For written, mailed comments please send two copies of your comment to Docket No. APHIS-2007-0044, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. Please state that your comment refers to Docket No. APHIS-2007-0044.

Comments can also be filed online at: http://www.regulations.gov/search/Regs/home.html#submitComment?R=0900006480a6b7a1

* If you would like to submit comment as a consumer, please go to http://ga3.org/campaign/alfalfaEIS

“We think she’s going to be perfect for the position,” says Westgate. “She’s outgoing, approachable, detail-oriented, and tenacious.”

Though it was a difficult decision process, Sara’s educational and professional experience, along with her passion for non-profit work, make her ideal for the position. Before moving to Rancho Cucamonga, CA, Sara worked as a community organizer with the Idaho non-profit ICAN, giving her relevant skills including delegation, public speaking, PR experience, and grant writing, and a general knowledge of the inner workings of a small non-profit. She has completed graduate level coursework in Health Science and has a strong background in nutrition and health policy.

Sara will begin working with the project part-time on February 8^th and will start full-time on the 19^th.

Featured below is a brief Q&A to help you get to know Sara.

Q&A

1. What interests you about working with the Non-GMO Project – what about this opportunity caught your attention?

I am a person who needs to be in a position that requires critical thinking, allows for creativity, and evokes passion; I would be bored with anything less!  When reading through the job description for the Outreach Coordinator, I felt that the position encapsulated those attributes that are most important to me.

Nutrition, and more broadly health, is something I have a keen interest in learning about and working in. This position allows for me to continue exploring nutrition while also prompting the use of creativity and critical thinking when brainstorming prospects for the Project.

In addition, I am a people person.  I look forward to meeting and working with the vast spectrum of people who are involved with the Non-GMO Project.

2. How do you think your prior experience will help you in working with the Non-GMO Project? What do you hope to accomplish as Outreach Coordinator?

My educational background in nutrition and health policy, in combination with my past work experience as a community organizer, serve as a fitting prerequisite for the Outreach Coordinator position.

Through my undergraduate and graduate coursework I have become familiar with the issues that surround human nutrition, particularly in the United States, and also I have become familiar with policy approaches to combat these issues.   The issue of GMOs in the U.S. food supply is one that is snowballing in popularity; I look forward to increasing the momentum of the GMO issue and being a part of the large effort to bring awareness to where our food is coming from.

Working as community organizer I have gained the technical skills required to perform the duties as Outreach Coordinator.  Community organizing is largely about relationship building and understanding how to communicate with a wide array of people, a skill that is important in many professions and certainly will be applicable for this one.  In addition, I have become familiar with the intricacies of the nonprofit culture.

While working as the Outreach Coordinator I hope to increase direct enrollment into the Project while also increasing awareness of the GMO problem to a broader audience.

3.  What challenges to you expect to face coming into this position? What are you most excited about?

Where uncertainty is present, fear is not far behind.  The largest challenge I expect to face in this position is encountering individuals who have been fed misinformation on the issue of GMOs, or who have little information at all, making them reluctant to adopt change.  I look forward to increasing knowledge not only about the issue, but also about what the Non-GMO Project is trying to accomplish.  Hopefully through doing so we will gain the support we need to bring more awareness to the mainstream.

Lastly, I look forward to being a part of this larger effort and pushing my skills and capabilities to the max.  I foresee much growth with the Project and also in myself while in this position.  I feel fortunate to be a member of the team and look forward to jumping in headfirst!

Tell the USDA that you care about GMO contamination of organic food!

In 2006, the Center for Food Safety (CFS) sued the Department of Agriculture (USDA) for its illegal approval of Monsanto’s genetically engineered (GE) Roundup Ready alfalfa.  The federal courts sided with CFS and banned GE alfalfa until the USDA fully analyzed the impacts of the plant on the environment, farmers, and the public in a rigorous analysis known as an environmental impact statement (or EIS). USDA released its draft EIS on December 14, 2009.  A 60-day comment period is now open until February 16, 2010. This is the first time the USDA has done this type of analysis for any GE crop.  Therefore, the final decision will have broad implications for all GE crops.

Click here to visit the True Food Network’s site, where you can learn more and submit comment to the USDA.

Click here to download! (Current copy last updated 1/15/10.)

From family farmers to large scale manufacturers, co-ops to big box, NGOs to academics, the Organic Summit provides a singular opportunity for all groups to come together and have equal voice and participate in the discussion shaping the future of organic.

On the agenda for this year’s Summit is a panel discussion on messaging around organic versus non-GMO. More details will be posted here as they’re available; confirmed speakers include Michael Funk, founder and Board Chair of UNFI.

We invite you to join us. Seaport Hotel, Boston, MA, October 13, 2010
Register on or before Monday, March 15, 2010, for an investment of $495 to take advantage of the early bird deadline.

Admission to Natural Products Expo East/Organic Products Expo – BioFach America is included with registration
to the 2010 Organic Summit.

For more information visit: www.theorganicsummit.com