Poll: What's it worth to you to know the food you eat is safe and healthy?

[CSummer]

As is revealed in this post and the articles it links to, the FDA and USDA are not doing their job to protect people or the environment from unsafe chemicals used on food crops. Those of us who thought we were safe avoiding GMO foods now find we may be eating grains and other food products that are non-GMO but contaminated with glyphosate herbicide (known to have serious health impacts) and other chemicals.

My question is:

Would you join and support an organization that tests food products for such chemicals and disseminates the test results to its members and to those who produce the contaminated food? How important is it to you to know the food you eat is safe and won't jeopardize your health?

Such an organization would not, of course, have regulatory power, but if enough people joined it, it could have an economic impact on food growers and processors. This could influence their choices about the use of herbicides and pesticides or of including chemically-contaminated ingredients in their products, an effect that will ripple back to the producers of these chemicals.

Beyond joining such an organization, anyone else interested in building one?

Knowledge is power; in this case, it's the power to protect our health from those who are more concerned about corporate profits than about public health.

CSummer

[Loriel Golden]

Clint, there are several non-profits already doing what you propose. Instead of seeking to start your own group, why not join others who are doing what you seek to accomplish? Check out Food Watch, Friends of the Earth, and more... Google "Anti-GMO groups." When tens of thousands are already assembling to do exactly as you propose, and actually do influence the leaders who do have regulatory power, I hope you contribute your enthusiasm and work with and for the success of the already existing groups and help us achieve our mutual goals collectively.

As is revealed in this post and the articles it links to, the FDA and USDA are not doing their job to protect people or the environment from unsafe chemicals used on food crops. Those of us who thought we were safe avoiding GMO foods now find we may be eating grains and other food products that are non-GMO but contaminated with glyphosate herbicide (known to have serious health impacts) and other chemicals.

My question is:

Would you join and support an organization that tests food products for such chemicals and disseminates the test results to its members and to those who produce the contaminated food? How important is it to you to know the food you eat is safe and won't jeopardize your health?

Such an organization would not, of course, have regulatory power, but if enough people joined it, it could have an economic impact on food growers and processors. This could influence their choices about the use of herbicides and pesticides or of including chemically-contaminated ingredients in their products, an effect that will ripple back to the producers of these chemicals.

Beyond joining such an organization, anyone else interested in building one?

Knowledge is power; in this case, it's the power to protect our health from those who are more concerned about corporate profits than about public health.

CSummer

[CSummer]

Thanks, Loriel. I've checked out a few of these groups you mention and find no indication that they do what I propose: test food and inform their members or the general public as to which food products are not safe to eat. Food Watch is in Europe; there is Food & Water Watch in the US, but I find nothing on their site about this (I sent them a message asking if they do anything like it).

As for influencing those with regulatory power, they've shown themselves to be rather more interested in protecting the profits of their client corporations than the public health. I have no hope or expectation that this will change as long as the existing corrupt political system is in place. And I would seriously question the usefulness of trying to get these officials to act responsibly and do their job.

The food and chemical corporations operate in the economic realm and have worked hard - and successfully - to insulate themselves from the political realm or to use governing systems to their advantage. They can best be influenced through economic pressure, e.g., by informed people boycotting the unsafe or unhealthy products.

Knowledge is power; we can empower ourselves food-wise by going to the trouble to test food and find out if it's safe to eat. It's a rather sad state of affairs when this seems necessary, but we've all seen how much money the food and biotech companies have spent to keep us in the dark about GMO-containing foods.

But then if only a very few of us care whether we're eating toxic chemicals or not - or if most can't imagine actually having the power to choose not to, I guess it will have to be an individual effort to find - and afford - food that's truly safe to eat.

Dreaming of a more cooperative society . . .
CSummer

Clint, there are several non-profits already doing what you propose. Instead of seeking to start your own group, why not join others who are doing what you seek to accomplish? Check out Food Watch, Friends of the Earth, and more... Google "Anti-GMO groups." When tens of thousands are already assembling to do exactly as you propose, and actually do influence the leaders who do have regulatory power, I hope you contribute your enthusiasm and work with and for the success of the already existing groups and help us achieve our mutual goals collectively.

[BManna]

I just happened to see this related news story, with laboratory urine tests of a Swedish family when they ate conventional foods, and then again after some time eating organic. Very interesting, perhaps useful...https://www.yahoo.com/health/this-is...942216062.html

...Knowledge is power; we can empower ourselves food-wise by going to the trouble to test food and find out if it's safe to eat. It's a rather sad state of affairs when this seems necessary, but we've all seen how much money the food and biotech companies have spent to keep us in the dark about GMO-containing foods...
CSummer