Non-GMO Corn Day Celebration

Launching date of Non-GMO Tortilla Campaign

Dear Allies, Supporters and Friends,

Biosafety Alliance ask Non-GMO advocate individuals and organizations to support the Latino community by participating and attending the “Non-GMO Corn Day Celebration” on September 29th at 24th Street at Mission BART station in San Francisco from 11:00 AM -3:00 PM.

Non-GMO Corn Day Celebration is to bring awareness about the importance to protect native corn from biotech genetic contamination. We are in solidarity with the grassroots movement in Mexico: to protect Mexico as the CENTER OF ORIGIN of native corn therefor not allowing companies like Monsanto to plant GMO corn in Mexico because it will inevitably contaminate native corn through cross pollination.

 Corn has been planted by the indigenous people through the Americas for 10,000 years. Corn is their staple food, good for the body and spirit. It is also an intricate part of their cultural and Identity. Corn is a gift to humanity not a patent for profit. We must keep our seeds pure and untainted for future generations.

 The event will also be the beginning of a Latino campaign demanding the following:

·Demand to Latin Politicians to advocate for Non-GMO corn to be available in food markets in communities of color.

·Demand GMO Foods, in particular GMO Tortillas, to be labeled.

·Demand democracy in our food system, we have the right to know what is in the food we buy and feed our families.

 We intend to gather during next 6 months 1000 000 signatures in support of GMO Tortilla labeling in California that we will bring to Sacramento in a massive mobilization, we need your help!

Come celebrate the food movement as we enjoy Non-GMO food including organic purple tortillas, music, art, speakers, and ceremony. There will be music, poetry and information. This is a family event and everyone is welcomed. The event will also take place in Los Angeles, Stockton, East Palo Alto and San Luis Obispo.

 Facebook event in San Francisco: Join us!  
https://www.facebook.com/events/649965428360717/

Biosafety Alliance: http://biosafetyalliance.org/

USGS: Monsanto's RoundUp Herbicide RAINING on wetlands, forests, non-GM crops in several states

Technical Announcement:
Widely Used Herbicide Commonly Found in Rain and Streams in the Mississippi River Basin
Released: 8/29/2011 8:19:35 AM

Contact Information: U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey Office of Communications and Publishing 12201 Sunrise Valley Dr, MS 119 Reston, VA 20192

Paul Capel Phone: (612) 625-3082 Kara Capelli Phone: (571) 420-9408

From: http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=2909#.UdhKQEso5Zc

Glyphosate, also known by its tradename Roundup, is commonly found in rain and rivers in agricultural areas in the Mississippi River watershed, according to two new USGS studies released this month. Glyphosate is used in almost all agricultural and urban areas of the United States. The greatest glyphosate use is in the Mississippi River basin, where most applications are for weed control on genetically-modified corn, soybeans and cotton. Overall, agricultural use of glyphosate has increased from less than 11,000 tons in 1992 to more than 88,000 tons in 2007. "Though glyphosate is the mostly widely used herbicide in the world, we know very little about its long term effects to the environment," says Paul Capel, USGS chemist and an author on this study. "This study is one of the first to document the consistent occurrence of this chemical in streams, rain and air throughout the growing season. This is crucial information for understanding where management efforts for this chemical would best be focused." In these studies, Glyphosate was frequently detected in surface waters, rain and air in areas where it is heavily used in the basin. The consistent occurrence of glyphosate in streams and air indicates its transport from its point of use into the broader environment.  Additionally, glyphosate persists in streams throughout the growing season in Iowa and Mississippi, but is generally not observed during other times of the year.  The degradation product of glyphosate, aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), which has a longer environmental lifetime, was also frequently detected in streams and rain. Detailed results of this glyphosate research are available in "Occurrence and fate of the herbicide glyphosate and its degradate aminomethylphosphonic acid in the atmosphere," published in volume 30 of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry and in "Fate and transport of glyphosate and aminomethylphosphonic acid in surface waters of agricultural basins," published online in Pest Management Science. Copies of the reports are available from the journals or from Paul Capel (capel@usgs.gov). Research on the transport of glyphosate was conducted as part of the USGS National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) program. The NAWQA program provides an understanding of water-quality conditions, whether conditions are getting better or worse over time, and how natural features and human activities affect those conditions. Additional information on the NAWQA program can be found online.