Monsanto's Roundup Threatens Stability of Global Food Supply

Monsanto’s Roundup Threatens Stability of Global Food Supply

Anthony Gucciardi
Natural News / News Analysis
Published: Tuesday 13 March 2012
“The negative effects of Monsanto’s Roundup on human health and the environment have been firmly established by numerous scientific studies and large-scale investigations.”



https://www.nationofchange.org/sites...kull031312.jpg

Mon*santo's reck*less dis*re*gard for pub*lic health and the agri*cul*tural sta*bil*ity of the planet may be even more sig*nif*i*cant than pre*vi*ously thought. A shock*ing new re*port re*veals how Mon*santo's Roundup is ac*tu*ally threat*en*ing the crop-yield*ing po*ten*tial of the en*tire bios*phere. The re*port re*veals that glyphosate, which was de*vel*oped by Mon*santo in the early 1970s and is the ac*tive in*gre*di*ent in its patented her*bi*cide Roundup, may be ir*re*versibly dev*as*tat*ing the mi*cro*bio*di*ver*sity of the soil - com*pro*mis*ing the health of the en*tire planet, as a re*sult.
New re*search pub*lished in the jour*nal Cur*rent Mi*cro*bi*ol*ogy high*lights the ex*tent to which glyphosate is al*ter*ing, and in some cases de*stroy*ing, the very mi*croor*gan*isms upon which the health of the soil, and - amaz*ingly - the ben*e*fits of raw and fer*mented foods as a whole, de*pend. Con*cern*ingly, cer*tain ben*e*fi*cial strains of bac*te*ria used as food-starters in cul*tures for raw yo*gurt, such as Lac*to*bacil*lus cre*moris, have en*tirely dis*ap*peared from cer*tain ge*o*graphic re*gions where tra*di*tion*ally they were found in plenty. The study re*ports that the death and growth in*hi*bi*tion of se*lected food mi*croor*gan*isms was ob*served in con*cen*tra*tions of Roundup that are lower than are rec*om*mended in agri*cul*tural prac*tice.
This means that farm*ers who are in*creas*ingly using larger and larger con*cen*tra*tions of Roundup and sim*i*lar glyphosate-based her*bi*cide for*mu*la*tions to coun*ter*mand the in*creas*ingly re*sis*tant super weeds GM agri*cul*ture has spawned, are not only dam*ag*ing the im*me*di*ate health of the soil, but sub*se*quent yields of in*dis*pens*able food-starter mi*croor*gan*isms, as well as the mi*crobes that en*sure the over*all fer*til*ity of the soil for pro*duc*ing crops well into the fu*ture.
Mon*santo's Roundup as*saults the plan*e*tary bios*phere
Mi*croor*gan*isms are re*spon*si*ble for much more than just the health con*tent of raw and fer*mented foods. The most nu*mer*ous in*hab*i*tants in the web of life, mi*croor*gan*isms par*tic*i*pate quite lit*er*ally "at the root" of the ni*tro*gen, phos*phate, oxy*gen and car*bon cy*cles, and are there*fore in*dis*pens*able for the health of the en*tire bios*phere. As*tound*ingly, there are an es*ti*mated 6,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 (6 x 10 to the 30th power) bac*te*r*ial cells on the planet, and these soil mi*cror*gan*isms rep*re*sent about 50 per*cent of the the total bio*di*ver*sity in terms of num*bers of species.


As Roundup usage threat*ens these soil mi*cror*gan*isms, in*clud*ing fungi and the my*cel*lium (tech*ni*cally the largest or*gan*ism in the world), it could lead to dev*as*tat*ing im*pli*ca*tions. Com*pro*mis*ing the health of the my*cel*lium, in par*tic*u*lar, may cause se*ri*ous harm to the planet. Ac*cord*ing to promi*nent my*col*o*gist Paul Stamets, my*cel*lium may ac*tu*ally act as a 'net*work' within the bios*phere, act*ing as the Earth's 'nat*ural in*ter*net' in which vir*tu*ally all or*gan*isms may rely upon. It has been rec*og*nized through*out the ages that all life de*pends on the soil. With*out healthy soil, the health of the en*tire planet is at risk. Charles E. Kel*ogg was one in*di*vid*ual who stated such in the USDA year*book back in 1939. Kel*ogg said:
"Es*sen*tially, all life de*pends upon the soil ... There can be no life with*out soil and no soil with*out life; they have evolved to*gether."
Franklin De*lano Roo*sevelt also voiced sim*i*lar con*cerns, warn*ing:
"The na*tion that de*stroys its soil, de*stroys it*self."
Based on an ever-in*creas*ing body of sci*en*tific ev*i*dence show*ing glyphosate biode*grades slowly, sinks down through the top*soil where it ac*cu*mu*lates in the ground*wa*ter (source for nat*ural drink*ing water, e.g. aquifers, springs), and is found in nearly all air and rain sam*ples tested in the US, it is safe to say that Mon*santo's best-sell*ing Roundup is one of the great*est threats to human and en*vi*ron*men*tal health ever cre*ated.
As the USDA con*tin*ues to sit back and allow Mon*santo to threaten the en*vi*ron*men*tal sta*bil*ity of the planet, it be*comes more ap*par*ent that the USDA and Mon*santo are gladly will*ing to ex*change the fu*ture of the planet and its in*hab*i*tants for short term gain. In fact, the USDA has even given Mon*santo's lat*est GMO crops speed*ier ap*proval in order to se*cure the com*pany's prof*its, ig*nor*ing the nu*mer*ous known harm*ful ef*fects of Mon*santo's past cre*ations, e.g. Agent Or*ange, As*par*tame, DDT.
The known ef*fects of Roundup
The neg*a*tive ef*fects of Mon*santo's Roundup on human health and the en*vi*ron*ment have been firmly es*tab*lished by nu*mer*ous sci*en*tific stud*ies and large-scale in*ves*ti*ga*tions, with sci*en*tists even link*ing the best-sell*ing her*bi*cide to con*di*tions like in*fer*til*ity and can*cer due to its geno*toxic (DNA dam*ag*ing) na*ture. Amaz*ingly, even when di*luted by 99.8 per*cent (450-fold lower di*lu*tions than used in agri*cul*tural ap*pli*ca*tions), Roundup still ex*hibits se*ri*ous geno*toxic char*ac*ter*is*tics and is harm*ful to the in*tegrity of human DNA. Mean*while, this car*cino*genic her*bi*cide prod*uct is used na*tion*wide by un*sus*pect*ing home*own*ers and agri*cul*tural work*ers. Ac*cord*ing to the United States Ge*o*log*i*cal Sur*vey, 176 mil*lion lbs of glyphosate were used in the U.S. in 2007.
Out*side of the pub*lic health realm, Roundup's star*tling en*vi*ron*men*tal havoc is per*haps an even greater cause for con*cern. De*spite being cre*ated to fend off weeds, Roundup is ac*tu*ally spawn*ing re*sis*tant su*per*weeds across mil*lions of hectares (one hectare is 10,000 square me*tres), bank*rupt*ing farm*ers and de*stroy*ing crop land. These re*sis*tant weeds cur*rently cover over 4.5 mil*lion hectares in the United States alone, though ex*perts es*ti*mate the world-wide land cov*er*age to have reached at least 120 mil*lion hectares by 2010. The onset of su*per*weeds is being in*creas*ingly doc*u*mented in Aus*tralia, Ar*gentina, Brazil, Chile, Eu*rope and South Africa.
The re*search is clear: Roundup is not only harm*ing human health and dam*ag*ing farm*land, it is threat*en*ing the very bios*phere it*self by de*stroy*ing mi*cro*bial bio*di*ver*sity, with the fu*ture agri*cul*tural sta*bil*ity of the planet, i.e. the abil*ity to pro*duce food through mono*cul*tur*ing, at se*ri*ous risk of col*laps*ing.



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Since the text of this post came through with *s between most all syllables, I'm reposting the part below the picture less *s.
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Monsanto's reckless disregard for public health and the agricultural stability of the planet may be even more significant than previously thought. A shocking new report reveals how Monsanto's Roundup is actually threatening the crop-yielding potential of the entire biosphere. The report reveals that glyphosate, which was developed by Monsanto in the early 1970s and is the active ingredient in its patented herbicide Roundup, may be irreversibly devastating the microbiodiversity of the soil - compromising the health of the entire planet, as a result.

New research published in the journal Current Microbiology highlights the extent to which glyphosate is altering, and in some cases destroying, the very microorganisms upon which the health of the soil, and - amazingly - the benefits of raw and fermented foods as a whole, depend. Concerningly, certain beneficial strains of bacteria used as food-starters in cultures for raw yogurt, such as Lactobacillus cremoris, have entirely disappeared from certain geographic regions where traditionally they were found in plenty. The study reports that the death and growth inhibition of selected food microorganisms was observed in concentrations of Roundup that are lower than are recommended in agricultural practice.

This means that farmers who are increasingly using larger and larger concentrations of Roundup and similar glyphosate-based herbicide formulations to countermand the increasingly resistant super weeds GM agriculture has spawned, are not only damaging the immediate health of the soil, but subsequent yields of indispensable food-starter microorganisms, as well as the microbes that ensure the overall fertility of the soil for producing crops well into the future.

Monsanto's Roundup assaults the planetary biosphere

Microorganisms are responsible for much more than just the health content of raw and fermented foods. The most numerous inhabitants in the web of life, microorganisms participate quite literally "at the root" of the nitrogen, phosphate, oxygen and carbon cycles, and are therefore indispensable for the health of the entire biosphere. Astoundingly, there are an estimated 6,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 (6 x 10 to the 30th power) bacterial cells on the planet, and these soil microrganisms represent about 50 percent of the the total biodiversity in terms of numbers of species.


As Roundup usage threatens these soil microrganisms, including fungi and the mycellium (technically the largest organism in the world), it could lead to devastating implications. Compromising the health of the mycellium, in particular, may cause serious harm to the planet. According to prominent mycologist Paul Stamets, mycellium may actually act as a 'network' within the biosphere, acting as the Earth's 'natural internet' in which virtually all organisms may rely upon. It has been recognized throughout the ages that all life depends on the soil. Without healthy soil, the health of the entire planet is at risk. Charles E. Kelogg was one individual who stated such in the USDA yearbook back in 1939. Kelogg said:

"Essentially, all life depends upon the soil ... There can be no life without soil and no soil without life; they have evolved together."

Franklin Delano Roosevelt also voiced similar concerns, warning:

"The nation that destroys its soil, destroys itself."

Based on an ever-increasing body of scientific evidence showing glyphosate biodegrades slowly, sinks down through the topsoil where it accumulates in the groundwater (source for natural drinking water, e.g. aquifers, springs), and is found in nearly all air and rain samples tested in the US, it is safe to say that Monsanto's best-selling Roundup is one of the greatest threats to human and environmental health ever created.

As the USDA continues to sit back and allow Monsanto to threaten the environmental stability of the planet, it becomes more apparent that the USDA and Monsanto are gladly willing to exchange the future of the planet and its inhabitants for short term gain. In fact, the USDA has even given Monsanto's latest GMO crops speedier approval in order to secure the company's profits, ignoring the numerous known harmful effects of Monsanto's past creations, e.g. Agent Orange, Aspartame, DDT.

The known effects of Roundup

The negative effects of Monsanto's Roundup on human health and the environment have been firmly established by numerous scientific studies and large-scale investigations, with scientists even linking the best-selling herbicide to conditions like infertility and cancer due to its genotoxic (DNA damaging) nature. Amazingly, even when diluted by 99.8 percent (450-fold lower dilutions than used in agricultural applications), Roundup still exhibits serious genotoxic characteristics and is harmful to the integrity of human DNA. Meanwhile, this carcinogenic herbicide product is used nationwide by unsuspecting homeowners and agricultural workers. According to the United States Geological Survey, 176 million lbs of glyphosate were used in the U.S. in 2007.

Outside of the public health realm, Roundup's startling environmental havoc is perhaps an even greater cause for concern. Despite being created to fend off weeds, Roundup is actually spawning resistant superweeds across millions of hectares (one hectare is 10,000 square metres or 2.47 acres), bankrupting farmers and destroying crop land. These resistant weeds currently cover over 4.5 million hectares in the United States alone, though experts estimate the world-wide land coverage to have reached at least 120 million hectares by 2010. The onset of superweeds is being increasingly documented in Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Europe and South Africa.

The research is clear: Roundup is not only harming human health and damaging farmland, it is threatening the very biosphere itself by destroying microbial biodiversity, with the future agricultural stability of the planet, i.e. the ability to produce food through monoculturing, at serious risk of collapsing.